The next stop on our West Coast Road Trip was Seattle, Washington. I had always wanted to go there so this was the perfect opportunity considering it’s so close to Vancouver and my aunt and uncle also live there so it was a great chance to visit them. This trip was a little different for me because I had always been a big planner with any trip we had taken in the past. I would research the area like crazy and try to find the best restaurants or sights to see but this time around I didn’t really do any research other than what I already knew and just went off what other’s suggested. It was a much more relaxed and easy-going approach then I was used to but it worked out really well. I only had two sights that I really wanted to see while we were there – the Pike Place Market, I had seen photos of it and it looked amazing (especially when they throw the fish!!) and I wanted to see the original Starbucks. Yes, no shame here, it was one of my top priorities and it’s right next to the market so it’s easy to see.

We stayed with my aunt and uncle and their adorable chow-chow, Daisy while we were there and it was so great to spend time with them. They were also the perfect tour guides – my uncle intuitively knew I’d want to chase the light and get the perfect photo so he took us to so many amazing lookouts to see the mountains and city. When we first arrived they took us to Gas Works Park and it offered the most incredible view of the city skyline with the water and the mountains in the distance. I found it so great to see so many people enjoying their city – people were biking, paddle boarding, boating, having a picnic so it was great to see how active the city is. We took a drive by the troll under the Aurora bridge – it’s a funny piece of art and he’s snacking on a car. That night we went to a lookout which is right around the corner from where my aunt and uncle live. We took their dog and watched the sun set over the Olympic Mountains.

Side note: I could not get over how amazing the views were in Seattle. You have this city skyline mixed with the water, mixed with parks, and then surrounding you are these beautiful mountains. Mount Rainier in particular is breathtaking. It really looks fake and photos don’t do it justice to show it’s beauty behind the city.

The next day we explored downtown. We went to Pike Place Market and I saw them throw the fish! It’s pretty crowded but still entertaining. We also saw the first Starbucks, which was insanely busy so I probably should have gone earlier. (Just a little tip, don’t actually buy your drink from that location. It’s crazy small and crowded and there’s another location a block away with no line). We then took a walk through Olympic Sculpture Park – which is pretty cool because there’s a piece there by Roxy Paine who also has a piece at the National Gallery in Ottawa (go see it!) That evening we took a ferry across Elliot Bay just to take in the views of the skyline while the sun set.

Our time in Seattle went by way too fast and the next morning we set off to our next stop, Portland!

If we had more time in Seattle I would have loved to do the following:

• Go on the ferris wheel!
• Go back to Pike Place Market right when it opens
• Go on a little coffee-shop-crawl (they have a great coffee industry!)
• Explore Bainbridge Island
• Hike Mount St Helens – we were planning to do this on the day we left but decided with timing/traffic we should just get to Portland

A funny note about this photo: I had heard about a tulip farm that was just off the highway on the way to Seattle so I thought we should go see it. After driving around looking at empty fields for 20 minutes we finally asked someone if they knew where they were and they informed us that the tulips are gone after March! Whoops!

My aunt and uncle have an incredible home full of so much character and charm. My uncle also loves going to estate sales so he’s collected so many unique pieces of history. Oh, and that little lookout is Daisy’s favourite spot!