Retro Fun

Archie McPhee Courtesy Amelia Skinner

There’s plenty of throwback fun for the whole family in Seattle, from waterfront roller-skating to bowling local lanes, plus a plethora of classic gaming and old-school desserts.

Grab a seat at Shug’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream (*1525 First Ave; shugssodafountain.com) at Pike Place Market for a cherry phosphate or egg cream, or head farther south toward the totally vintage Luna Park Cafe (2918 SW Avalon Way; lunaparkcafe.com) in West Seattle for a banana split or ice cream sundae.

Skate to ’80s classics at the nearby Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th Ave SW; southgaterollerrink.com), or settle in to watch a roller derby match featuring the Rainier Roller Girls. Finish off with a few rounds of bowling at West Seattle Bowl (4505 39th Ave SW; wsbowl.com), where the lanes, around since 1948, still hold their vintage appeal. For some old-school outdoor fun, head to Alki Beach to rent your own set of inline skates from Alki Kayak Tours (*1660 Harbor Ave SW; kayakalki.com) and blade along the waterfront with a view of the Seattle skyline.

The 21-and-older set should try Georgetown Liquor Company (5501 Airport Way S, Ste B; georgetownliquorco.com) for its collection of classic video game consoles or the retro-themed Garage (*1120 Broadway Ave; garagebilliards.com) in Capitol Hill for bowling, billiards, and brews.

Discover one-of-a-kind toys and games at RetroActive Kids (4859 Rainier Ave S; retroactivekids.com), which specializes in retro and vintage items for both the young and the young at heart. In Wallingford, an assortment of 10,000-plus collectibles and trinkets of every variety can be found at Archie McPhee (1300 N 45th St; archiemcpheeseattle.com), while in Ballard, the shelves of Clover Toys (5333 Ballard Ave NW; clovertoys.com) are lined with charming clothes, classic books, and nostalgic toys.

*Visit Seattle Partner