I’m a lover of towns and cities positioned within dynamic landscapes that offer iconic views. For me, Seattle is a dreamscape. The city sits on an isthmus that fronts Puget Sound, an inlet of the mighty Pacific Ocean. Its narrow strip of land is hilled so that one can look across buildings and bays to nearby neighborhoods. The edges of many surrounding islands can be seen from various vantage points as can the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. On clear days, Mount Rainer looms in the southern distance, a sublime rocky marshmallow that emphasizes the city’s majesty while providing an exciting yet sobering reminder that this is a land of active volcanoes and earthquakes.

The white-gray buildings and concrete stretch into bridges surrounded and dotted by deep blue water and large emerald trees. The energy of Seattle feels like a calm ocean undercurrent that is punctured by luminous falling stars; the city is chill yet vibrant. Though it is punctured by a particularly intense and unsolved homeless situation, Seattle is a hub of innovation, creativity, and tolerance. It is a setting that lends itself to expansive perspective and to finding little places of charm.

ICONIC YET ENCHANTING PLACES TO QUICKLY OR SLOWLY EXPLORE

The allure of tourist magnets may dissipate with crowds, but there are nevertheless quite a few iconic Seattle locations that are worth the visit. Enchantment can still be found, especially in the early morning hours. Pike Place Market, overflowing with bright fresh flowers and shiny seafood gives the feeling of abundance, encouraging you to punctuate your life with beautiful flourishes. Dashing through the main aisle is enough to let you envision flowers and halibut dinners elevating the home and breathing an extra bit of life into the day and night. Momentum can carry you down to the gum wall ally where the chewed-up pops of fuchsia and lime and spearmint green provide a countering grungy reminder of the underbelly of the city’s life force. After racing through crowds, it can be a relief to head down to the waterfront and walk north where there is more space and jellyfish can be seen from floating piers. The energy on this liminal path between the waters of the port and the lively city with its glass and brick façades can be felt. Sink into the peace of inhaling the sea air while meandering along the urban-nature interface. Relax on a driftwood log at Pocket Beach as the waves lap, and then wind through Richard Serra’s Wake at the Olympic Sculpture Park. An exploration of the frenzied downtown streets coupled with relaxing walkable green spaces has the potential to instill a balanced sense of satisfaction. Pure joy can seep in on one of those Seattle days when light drizzle intermittently gives way to rouge sun beams.

DAPPLED LANES, IDYLIC SHORLINES, AND OPEN WATER

Seattle is particularly beautiful because water surrounds it on two sides and cuts through its midsection. Boats and ships are integrated into the cityscape. This creates visual interest and the feeling of possibility that is inherent in a way of life that is connected to waterways. Waterfaring vessels allow us to explore the world away from the shore. In Seattle, they also provide transportation to other landmasses and nearby islands.

Golden Gardens Park and Discovery Park are city parks, which is remarkable to someone who lives in a landlocked state. These areas offer walks through stately forests, sandy beaches, and tide pools which bring a multitude of life forces into your experience of the city. On these shorelines your eyeline traces snow-capped mountains in the background of expanses of waves. There is a sense of abundance and depth as you wander through forest and sand and imagine wilder versions of these environments in the distance. The paths of crabs, the cries of seals, and the dense cover of trees can all be felt within city limits.

A small boat ride (or more likely a car ride) can take you to Mercer Island where an idyllic afternoon can be found. This island city that sits between Seattle and Bellevue is a pocket of wealth that prefers not to be overrun by outsiders. Yet no matter your stance on billionaires, several of which have houses here, it’s quite easy to reach the narrow streets dappled with leafy shade and the floating docks next to small parks where lunch can be had on the shore or the water can be entered. This island is a peaceful place to walk, run, cycle, or just sit and let the sounds of birds and lapping waves sink into you.

There are many adventures to be had if you take larger vessels out to islands in the sound. It is fulfilling merely to be out on the water and to have a vaster sense of your spectacular surroundings. Countless types of outings can be had on these varied islands, but it’s suggested that they are avoided on the busiest of tourism days. To reach an island is to feel at once captivated by the secluded lifeway of the place, and to also wonder about what other unique and isolated places are out there to find.

Back on the Seattle isthmus, there are countless other captivating places. Non-cloudy evenings can burst into flame over the downtown skyline if you arrive at Kerry Park at the right time. If you’re lucky, you might be able to cross over to the west side of the top of the hill in the Queen Anne neighborhood to catch a magical glimpse of the Olympic Mountains silhouette bathed in deep blue twilight. From this vantage point, the existence of vampires and other fantastical creatures doesn’t seem unlikely.

Oxygen-giving greenery is never too far away. The Washington Park Arboretum welcomes anyone to tread its windy over-grown paths. The Ravenna Ravine north of the University of Washington can also be wandered through though its deep recesses offer a more intense experience.

Seattle buildings and businesses are of much interest too. The consumeristic fun of visiting the REI flagship store can be balanced with a lingering visit to The Elliot Bay Book Company in Capitol Hill. This neighborhood, home to a large LBGQT+ community, is just one of the vibrant urban areas of Seattle. Excellent coffee and alcohol can, of course, be found in creative spaces. Percy’s & Co. is a vintagey yet hip Ballard bar to drink and be merry amidst seafaring décor strewn with plants.

Seattle contains other wondrous experiences such as the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum. It also has sites like Gas Works Park, the Freemont Troll, and the UPS Waterfall Garden Park where, in my opinion, grit has overwhelmed their previous charms.

A QUIRKY AND CREATIVE PLACE TO STAY

The Graduate Hotel, located near The University of Washington, is creatively designed, a bit funky, but very clean. Its multistory gem-toned lobby is artfully and thoughtfully decorated so that its walls full of speakers, framed paintings, and books produce a cozy, not cluttered vibe. The large light fixtures give the sense of luxury while the plaid couch near the fire anchors the room with a rustic, down-to-earth feel. Entering the space made me feel like I was in a hipster Hogwarts. This description could indicate a pretentious disaster, but really I mean that it has a cool retro feel mixed with a slightly serious weight of a university library. The guestrooms also have varied décor with references to rappers and sports stars from the 80s and other eras. The hotel’s rooftop bar, The Mountaineering Club, is also an immersive aesthetic feast and its wrap around patio has broad views of the city. The Graduate provides a visual experience of abundance without chaos or kitsch.

RESTARUANTS WITH DELCIOUS FOOD AND INTIMATE AMBIANCE

Intimate spaces and small menus tend to make for the most enchanting dining experiences. How to Cook and Wolf (this brilliant name is taken from the title of MFK Fisher’s remarkable literary cookbook) and Grappa share the same block in the relaxed and sophisticated Queen Ann neighborhood. Each serve Italian-Mediterranean dishes. The former is designed with elegant light wood including on its arched ceiling, and the latter has a dark interior punctuated by candles with overflowing waterfalls of wax. San Fermo (Italian food is life) is located in old Ballard in a charming house. Its patio includes seating under a chandelier balanced in a tree. If I hadn’t known better, I would have expected fireflies to complete the lovely scene.  

Finally, ice cream is also life. Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream (and also Salt and Straw for especially unique flavors) has several locations throughout the city, and Seattle is a little bit sweeter because of them.

I love you, Seattle.