A Teen’s Guide for a Trip to Seattle

I have dreamed of visiting Seattle since I was in the third grade. Luckily, as a part of my journalism department at school, we had the opportunity to attend the National Journalism Convention at the Seattle Convention Center in April.

As a junior in high school, I had the best time the week I was in Seattle, visiting markets and restaurants and finding small businesses around the city. Everywhere is incredibly walkable and connected, which makes Seattle an amazing place to visit.

Below are some of my favorite places we visited around the city:

University of Washington – Seattle Campus

As a junior looking into colleges, this campus was so unique and beautiful. The campus is very walkable and definitely worth a stop, even if you’re not a student.

Lil Woody’s

Seating can get full quickly if you have a large group, but the burgers and fries are so worth it. We had over 50 people and filled the restaurant, but you can take their delicious food to go. It was also very affordable for the amount of food.

Voodoo Doughnut

Located on Capitol Hill, this is one of the best places for breakfast as a large group. We ate right next door at Lil Woody’s and ordered a dozen fun and amazing donuts online for the next morning. It made it super easy to eat while getting ready for the day and the flavors are so creative and unique.

Pike Place Market

If you look up Seattle tourist spots, this is 100% going to pop up, and for good reason. Opening at 9 a.m., this market has everything you could ever want: souvenirs, flowers, artwork, seafood, sit-down restaurants, coffee, and more. We returned to the Market every day and always saw something new.

Swanberg’s Gifts

Inside Pike Place Market is a very small souvenir shop that sells mugs, stickers, postcards, and keychains at an affordable price. It was one of my group’s favorite spots.

Le Panier French Bakery

Located right next to Pike Place Market, this small French bakery had some of the best croissants and coffee I have ever tasted. It is definitely worth visiting.

Baxter and Frost

Baxter and Frost is a small bakery located just outside of Pike Place Market that has delicious ice cream and macaroons.

Sunset on Pier 62

One of my favorite parts of Seattle was the gorgeous view of the Olympic Mountains over Puget Sound. As the sun begins to set, the mountains reflect the most gorgeous colors, and it’s a completely free experience. My group went down to the dock right beside the pier and saw a starfish and sea lion in the water.

Seattle Aquarium

From Pike Place Market, the aquarium is only about a five-minute walk. The aquarium has two separate buildings. One specializes in all the native-to-Seattle marine life and interactive activities, while the other has more tropical marine animals. The aquarium is located on Pier 59 in Elliott Bay and has an incredible view of the Olympic Mountains over the water.

Pike Street Press

This small business is just across the street from the aquarium and has such a wide variety of stationery, postcards, and stickers.

Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour

We spent about an hour on a harbor tour of Puget Sound. Although we didn’t see any orcas, the trip was so pretty and showed parts of the city we hadn’t yet seen. We also had an amazing view of Mount Rainier.

Seattle Waterfront Marketplace

This market had so many different artists and a variety of artwork. There were keychains, jewelry, mugs, and mirrors supporting small Seattle artists.

Seattle Antiques Market

Located directly next to the marketplace and aquarium, this antique store has literally everything under the sun.

Due’ Cucina

We took an Uber to this restaurant on Capitol Hill and had impeccable service and pasta. My whole group got different types, and they were all incredibly delicious.

Seattle Times

Going to Seattle for a journalism convention, this was one of my favorite stops. We got a chance to see what it was like to work as a professional photographer and writer for a newspaper.

Space Needle

One of the most popular tourist spots in Seattle is the Space Needle. The wait was about 5 minutes to get to the elevator, the staff was friendly, and it has indoor and outdoor options for taking in the views, which are so worth it. The second floor has a fun revolving glass floor that shows a view that can’t be seen anywhere else.

Museum of Pop Culture

This is just a three-minute walk from the Space Needle and displays the coolest parts of pop culture. There are exhibits about iconic Seattle musicians, a display of various guitars from different artists, and a Sound Lab where you are able to interact with different instruments inside recording studios.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

The garden and exhibit space are insanely detailed and impressive with stunning glass art pieces created by Dale Chihuly that are displayed both indoors and outdoors.

MOD Pizza

My school stopped three times to eat here, trying something new each time. This build-your-own-pizza bar is affordable and delicious.

Sushi Kudasai

This spot is tucked inside an office building but has the best sushi ever and is relatively inexpensive. They have countless different dishes with incredibly fresh fish and ingredients.

Mariners Game – T-Mobile Park

If you visit Seattle during baseball season, you have to make sure to attend a game. The energy is electrifying, and the soft serve is delicious. If you go as a big group, food and souvenir vouchers make it easy to pay for dinner or a souvenir while at the game.