This adventure started on a chilly morning of September 15th as we boarded our first plane from Zagreb to Frankfurt, where we later transferred on a direct flight to Seattle. It was only 11 hours... only...
Seattle
A classic American city with skyscrapers and busy streets, but with a bit of an European vibe going on. We stayed in a flat which was about a half an hour walk from the city centre and just next to South Lake, so we had no trouble getting around the city. The city transport mostly consists of buses, but we mostly used Lyft or Uber to get around as it was much easier.
Pike Place Market
One of the most famous things to see in Seattle, besides the Space Needle, is most definitely the Pike Place Market. It is located just next to the shore and there you can find fresh fruit, fish, vegetables, cute shops with vintage items, book shops, delicious food from all over the world and most importantly, the first Starbucks ever opened.
We visited this market many times during our stay, it takes you at least an hour an a half to see all it has to offer. Some of the things that I enjoyed the most were The Giant Shoe Museum and a shop that sold things related to movies and TV shows (I had to contain myself so hard while I was there from buying everything). The market has such a nice vibe to it and it is always filled with people either having a stroll, drinking coffee, buying groceries or enjoying their meal, no wonder why we kept going back there.
The Space Needle
Absolutely the most famous building in Seattle's skyline, the Space Needle. Not only is it an amazing viewpoint but you can also have lunch at their rotating restaurant from which you can enjoy an amazing view of the whole city while eating your lunch, plus if you do go the restaurant you don't have to pay to go up to the dock.
The Aquarium & the Zoo
Even if you're not a big animal lover, these are some of the most interesting things to see in Seattle. The Aquarium is located just next to the Pike Place Market on the Pier and in there you can see the marine life in the waters around Seattle, all from jellyfish to otters and seals. The Zoo, however, is located out of the centre and you have to take the bus to get there, but once you do it's totally worth it.
The Zoo serves as home to many exotic species and you can get to know various different types of animals which are all separated into different sections based on where they usually live. Not only was it super interesting to see but also quite entertaining and if nothing else, a lovely walk (it took us at least 4 hours to get through the whole complex)
Alki beach
Located in West Seattle, the Alki beach is a great reminder that while you are in a big city, you are also next to the Pacific coast. Go grab a coffee in a nearby cafe and something to drink and have a seat on the huge lodges while you warm your toes up in the sand. The view from the beach is quite relaxing, and if you look at it for long enough, you might just spot a seal in the distance!
Bainbridge Island
Just a 30 minute ferry ride from the Seattle Pier, you can find a lovely island named Bainbridge, perfect for a stroll on a sunny day. My friend Lora and I decided to treat ourselves with a cup of coffee and tea and eat cake for lunch, so I can say that it was a perfect get away destination from the busy city. Also, while you're there, definitely go pay a visit to the Bainbridge Art Museum, a small museum located just at the entrance to the town which offers art made by locals and people from Seattle. It is quite small, the entry is free, but it is definitely worth a visit.
Random things to see
Seattle is full of hidden gems, and if you do your research you can easily find them. Some of the things I loved the most were the Archie McPhee's Shop, which is a shop dedicated to selling useless pointless stuff you can't stop yourself from buying.. trust me, you can't. We tried, didn't work. Near it, you can find the Fremont Troll, a huge statue of a true under a bridge onto which you can climb. Seattle is also home to the Giant Popsicle Art and The Haunted Soda Machine, and if you trust the locals, the best burgers you can find in Seattle are in Dick's Drive In. Not only are they cheap, but also delicious as hell.
Museums
As I am a huge fan of museums, you can already guess we visited quite a few. The most famous Museum is EMP, which is dedicated to music. Inside you can find a Nirvana section, a Jimmy Hendrix section, you can create your own music and just jam in a special studio made just for that. While we were there, there was an ongoing exhibition about Star Trek which was pretty cool. The museum is huge so you definitely want to spend at least the whole morning there.
Next to it, you can find the beautiful Chihuly Gardens, made completely out of glass. I wasn't sure what to expect and when I got there I was completely mesmerised. The gallery is quite big and so interesting to see, they have both an indoor and an outdoor space, and it is a bit hard to believe what people can do out of glass.
Something I was looking forward to the most is the Seattle Art Museum and what Lora was looking forward to the most was the Flight Museum. Both were amazing and had so many interesting things to offer and see and in the end, learn from. The Flight Museum was very much fun as there are many people around who you can ask anything and they will tell you everything about it.
Portland
During our first weekend in America we paid a visit to Portland with a few more friends. The State of Oregon is tax free so before going anywhere else, we went shopping. It was pretty good. The city isn't as busy as Seattle, and it has such a nice vibe to it. The skyline of the city is so pretty because of the many bridges it has as it is located on a river.
What we enjoyed the most was the Powell's book store. Oh my god. I swear to God I could've spend at least $200 in there had it not been for my self control. They are amazing because they sell both used and new books, so you can find some great books in there for really cheap prices.
We stayed in Portland for only 2 days so we didn't get to see much, but the walk along the river is so pretty, and what I loved the most was definitely the fact how many beautiful murals you can find there.
Vancouver
As we did spend 2 whole weeks in America, we decided to switch things up and go visit Vancouver. It took us about 3 hours to get there by bus, but the city is great for a weekend get away. One of the most famous things in Vancouver is the Stanley Park. Located just next to the ocean, it offers both a lovely stroll trough a small forrest and a big rock and sand beach where you can find many shells.
In the park you can also find the Vancouver Aquarium, and when I got inside I was stunned. They have huge tanks with jellyfish, and what I loved the most were the beluga whales they had. Every half an hour or so, they offer free talks about different sea animals they have, which are both educational and fun. If you love marine animals as much as I do, you certainly must visit this aquarium.
As we were walking through the streets of the city we saw that the Vancouver Gallery had an exhibition about Picasso and his muses, and it was a total hit. Unfortunately, we soon had to go catch our train ride back so we didn't get to explore much more, but the sunset we saw as we were travelling back was honestly the prettiest thing ever. Soon we learned that it was one of the prettiest train rides in America, and from the things that I've seen, I can definitely agree with that.
And on October 1., we packed our bags and headed back to the Seattle Airport where a 10 hour flight was ahead of us. All in all, I couldn't have wished for a better way to end this summer, this trip broadened my views and it has taught me so much. I'm gonna be a basic white girl and say that I truly feel blessed to have experienced this at such a young age.
Thank you for reading xx
photos by: paula z
love always,
paula xo
