We are pleased to present a new Solo Travel Destination Post from Sienna, a member of the Solo Travel Society on Facebook. Sienna lives in the United States, and submitted the following report about Seattle. Do you have a solo travel destination that you would like to recommend? Submit your description here, along with a few photos, and share it with fellow travelers!
Solo travel rating: 1 (1 is easiest, 3 is most difficult. Please see chart below)
Languages spoken: English
Pike Place Market
Reasons to Visit Seattle
Seattle has a lot of fun and trendy neighborhoods, but the true heart of the city lies at the Pike Place Market. This is where vendors come with their local crafts and colorful flower arrangements. Food stalls selling fish straight from the Puget Sound butt up against those preparing international cuisine. Street musicians round out the experience, scattered around singing their renditions of pop favorites and original songs.
Seattle has a number of amazing food tours available. If you are interested in learning a bit of city history while you eat they are a great way to go. However, if you are more interested in the atmosphere of where you are eating there are a ton of great spots within the market.
Seattle is a city that sleeps in on the weekends. If you want to beat the crowds head down to the market early, but if you want to get a true experience head down around lunchtime. Start your self-guided tour in the Sanitary Public Market building by pulling up a stool at Jack’s Fish Spot. This will provide a taste of the freshest seafood but also great people watching. If it’s a typical gray Seattle day you can exit right and follow Post Alley until you reach Rachel’s Ginger Beer. This is a popular spot with locals and tourists alike, and it provides a range of flavored ginger beers with the option to add a shot if you are ready to relax with an adult beverage. If the sun is out, instead follow the road past the original Starbucks storefront and spend some time in Victor Steinbrueck Park. Here, you will experience all types of people, from homeless pot smokers to locals on a picnic. On a clear day it also offers a view of Mount Rainier and the Cascade mountain range.
Moving on to another seafood stop, head back through the market until you reach the famous fish throwing stand and find a hidden away restaurant out back called Place Pigalle. Arriving there you’ll get a great view of the Puget Sound, and inside you’ll want to enjoy a plate of the mussels. Ask your waiter which Washington wine or local craft beer will pair best with your meal.
After your late lunch swing by the Confectional along Pike Place to pick out a single serving cheesecake. Best to grab a cheesecake lollipop for now and a small cheesecake to enjoy back at your room. If you are looking to walk off your lunch, make your way down to the waterfront and follow the path through the Sculpture Park, which is sponsored by the Seattle Art Museum. Or, if you are looking to grab a drink with locals head up Post Alley. Kells will poor you the freshest Guinness in Seattle and also offers some microbrews. Or stop in The Tasting Room for a glass of Washington wine, and grab a bottle to take home to enjoy with your cheesecake.
I enjoyed the nearby Moore Hotel on Second Avenue, but there is also the Green Tortoise Hostel located at the main entrance to the market. To get the best views of the city, head up to the observation deck at the Columbia Center Tower. From here, you will have a view that includes the famed Space Needle and it will cost a bit less. Or take a thirty minute ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island for a little wine tasting and a panoramic view of the city from the water.
Seattle Skyline from Bainbridge Ferry
Rachel's Ginger Beer
Solo Travel Destination Rating System
Safety – 1 (1 very safe, 2 safe in most areas, 3 be cautious at all times.)
Language – 1 (1 English is first language, 2 English speakers easy to find, 3 English speakers rare)
Navigation – 1 (1 easy to navigate by transit or car, 2 poor transit, car necessary, 3 not easy to get around)
Culture – 1 (1 Similar to North America or Western Europe, 2 Different from above but relaxed and easy, 3 Challenging)
Average Rating – 1 (1 is easiest, 3 is most difficult)
