Seattle surprises

With the lack of jobs and accommodation available in Vancouver over the summer months, and my pockets somewhat more full again after selling my van Horst, my friend Isabelle and me have decided to embark on a spontaneous road trip to the West coast of the US. We are under time constraints because the aim is to see my favourite band of all times, Guns N’ Roses, in Los Angeles merely five days after embarking on our trip. Whilst setting up a rough travel schedule, Isabelle suggests we spend three nights in Seattle. As usual when I’m travelling I have not done any research on Seattle yet and I ask somewhat surprised “Three nights? What are we going to do in Seattle for that long?” It will become one of the running gags of our trip. If anything Seattle does not lack things to keep you busy.

If you’re based in Canada and heading towards the US, you will soon realise it is much cheaper to take a bus across the border and book a US-internal flight than to fly straight from Canada. For some reasons, flights within Canada and to the US are expensive whilst there are frequent, cheap flights to Europe and other destinations. So only three days after Isabelle and me made the decision and after some rather hectic travel preparations to book the first hostels and connections, we find ourselves on a Greyhound bus again heading to Seattle. Our HI Seattle hostel is located in Chinatown and after a long wait at the US border because the bus driver lost a few passengers, we get there late in the afternoon.

Seattle has an estimated population of 684, 451 and this makes most of Seattle’s main attractions walkable. We head past King Street Station with its beautiful interior towards Downtown, where Pike Street Market is waiting for us. Located near the waterfront, Pike Street Market offers a variety of food, clothing, accessories and souvenirs and we take our time strolling around enjoying the summerly vibe. Despite the fact that Seattle is known for its persistent rain, it seems we arrived at the right time because the sun is blazing from the sky. As we’re still shattered from the bus journey, we spend the remainder of the afternoon just chilling in the little park next to the market.

Just opposite Pike Street Market you’ll find the world’s oldest Starbucks café. Whilst both of us very much like coffee, the massive queue in front of the chain restaurant prevents us from going in and also, if anything Seattle is not short of Starbucks cafés. There is literally one on every corner, which benefits us mostly because of the free-WiFi as using mobile data in the US with a Canadian phone is expensive.

Right next to our hostel in Chinatown we find a little Asian supermarket where we buy supplies for food. It takes us a while to find our way around the place because the food is quite different from the traditional Western supermarkets we know from Canada. But after all, we get enough together for a home-cooked stir fry in the hostel.

The next days, more beautiful sunshine invites us to do more walking. Isabelle would like to look into some electronics which are much cheaper in the US than in Europe and even in Canada so we head towards the University Village shopping mall because it is also a nice walk past Seattle’s freshwater lake, Lake Union. We have a little rest here and I put my feet into the refreshing water while we are watching some people swimming and little planes landing on the lake, before we head on around the lake via its beautiful board walk.

Seattle’s stunning skyline can be witnessed nicely from a few spots, one of them being Kerry Park. The Space needle, the city’s landmark spire is towering behind the trees and in front of impressive and eerie looking Mount Rainier in the far distance. An active volcano, this is also the most glaciated peak in the contiguous USA. Isabelle and me spend the best part of an hour admiring the beautiful views before we head down towards the waterfront for our walk back.

Another way to enjoy Seattle’s skyline is from the waterfront. Consequently, the next day we are catching the water taxi to Alki Beach (USD 5.25 (GBP 3.97; EUR 4.67) per person one way) leaving from Pier 50 downtown. It’s another hot, sunny day which just seems perfect for the beach. A free shuttle takes us to the city’s most western point. We’re passing by little local restaurants as well as chains such as the unavoidable Starbucks and Subway as Isabelle and me are heading down the beach for a little bit of rest after all that walking.

Seattle’s history is fascinating in many ways. It was a major gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush between 1896 and 1899, when more than 100,000 people tried to migrate from Seattle and San Francisco to find their luck with the prosperity-promising metal. After the Great Depression, Seattle’s economy recovered after World War II and the city is now home to major technology companies such as Microsoft and Amazon. The beautiful, old buildings around Pioneer Square, once the heart of the city where Seattle’s founders settled in 1852, are now housing many pubs, cafes and art galleries and the area itself is one of Seattle’s main spots for a night out.

But aside from the corporate world, Seattle also has a fascinating history in music. From 1918 to 1951, nearly two dozen jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street. Jimi Hendrix was born here and Seattle also counts for the birthplace of the grunge music movement, incited by Nirvana in the late eighties / early nineties. On our last day in Seattle, I therefore decide to spend some time in the Experience Music Project (EMP) museum located just beside the Space Needle. I should have taken more time as the museum not only takes me through the life and careers of Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana but also explores the beginnings of the grunge music genre together with plenty of music. It even features an upstairs area to try or use some instruments, jam and record yourself.

After four packed days in Seattle, I conclude it’s one of the cities that I would visit again anytime and I’m almost sad to move on. But only almost because Axl Rose is already waiting for me in LA.

Further tips for exploring Seattle

• Do a free walking tour – we did one with the HI Seattle Hostel and it was worth the donation they expect from you at the end of the tour
• HI Seattle gives you a discount for the EMP museum and I would really recommend going there. With the discount, entrance is USD 14 (GBP 10.50 / EUR 12.45) rather than USD 22.
• The Klondike Gold Rush National Park is located near Pioneer Square and entrance is free
• For a beer, go to Pioneer Square or Belltown areas, although Belltown is slightly pricier. Most pubs and restaurants there have late night happy hours starting from 10 pm though where food and drink is much cheaper.
• A tour of the Smith Tower, the oldest skyscraper in Seattle, gives a glimpse into past times and also offers beautiful views of the city. There is a chair in the Chinese Room that is rumored to get someone married within a year of sitting on it. The tour is USD 12 (GBP 9.07 / EUR 10.68).