There are endless indoor and outdoor activities in Seattle and the surrounding Puget Sound area. Here are just a few ideas for you.
Museums
For those interested in museums, visit the Downtown Seattle Art Museum* and its partners the Olympic Sculpture Park and Seattle Asian Art Museum*. For younger kids, we hear the Aquarium is wonderful. Shortly after we first met in Canada, Gregory drove to Baltimore and met Hope at the National Aquarium. The Museum of History and Industry is also a great place for kids.
*If you are interested, we have two guest passes to these museums, so send us an email, and the first person who asks for them gets them!
Tours
Please don't ride the Duck!
Theo Chocolate Factory Tour: Theo Chocolate Factory is the only fair trade 'bean to bar' chocolate factory in the United States. They roast the cocoa beans right here in Fremont and then make the cocoa into delicious specialty chocolate bars and confections.
The Pioneer Square Underground Tour: Learn about the history of Seattle, the big fire, and a massive project to reshape the landscape.
There are also tours available of Chinatown/International District, a city-wide chocolate tour and culinary tours of Seattle. You can Google for information on these, or drop us a note and Gregory will get you information on them.
Outdoor Activities
These fall into 2 categories: physical activities and those that are less challenging. If you just want to be outside, you might want to consider a ride on the Bainbridge Island Ferry. It is cheap, and gives you great views of Olympic Mountains and the Seattle skyline. Electric Boat Rentals in lake union start at around $180, and you can take 10 people on a boat ride around lake union, portage bay and the ship canal. We rented one for Gregory's 30th Birthday and had a blast.
Kayaking, Biking and Hiking are all easily accessible. You can rent kayaks from Agua Verde Paddling Club in the University District or North West Outdoor Center on Lake Union. We recommend paddling in Lake Union and not going through the Montlake Cut. Ask Ben and Colby about that adventure. If you paddle from Agua Verde, you can grab lunch before or after at the Agua Verde restaurant where we love the fish tacos.
There are some bike shops that rent out cycles, but we also have access to a few, so let us know if you are interested in riding some of the Burke-Gilman trail around Lake Washington.
Seattle offers two types of hikes--urban ones, and those in the mountains nearby. The central Cascade mountains are a short drive away from the city, and you can investigate day and overnight hikes at the Washington Trails Association's website. If you don't want to travel far, we love Discovery Park which offers fantastic Sound and Olympic Views. All hiking is on well shaped paths, though there are some agressive hills with stairs built into the paths if you choose to hike down to the beach. You can also walk along the Burke-Gilman Trail which runs between Ballard and Lake Washington's northern tip, or visit the Hiram Chittenden Locks on the ship canal.
Other Sites/Attractions
The Space Needle offers some wonderful views of Puget Sound and the city, but it's not the only game in town, just the most expensive ($18 for an adult). Great views (including of the Space Needle) are available from the Smith Tower Obersvation Deck ($7.50 for an adult) down near Pioneer Square. Smith Tower was, for a long time, the tallest building in Seattle. If you are up on Capitol Hill for brunch or lunch, you might want to take in the panoramic views of the Cascades and the Olympics from the water tower in Volunteer Park. The Park is also home of the Seattle Asian Art Museum*, the Dahlia Garden and Conservatory Gardens.
Food Related
See Where To Eat for more details, but definitely try to check out the Theo Chocolate Factory Tour if you are into chocolate. Visit Pike Place Market, and maybe take a stroll through a farmers market while you are in town. As mentioned above, if you are interested in a guided culinary tour, check out Savor Seattle Tours.
Yoga
Hope loves the Be Luminous Yoga Studio (located across the plaza from the Pan Pacific Hotel) for challenging hot (90 degree) yoga, specifically classes lead by Scot. Gregory likes 8 Limbs on Capitol Hill, specifically classes lead by Douglas.
