On our latest visit to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, my sister and I decided to dedicate a day to exploring Seattle while driving back home to Montana. We definitely got our workout in with all the walking we did!

Seattle is a city I have always loved visiting. With Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and a vibrant boardwalk, it’s a bustling and fun destination. The Space Needle is always a fantastic spot to visit and see some amazing views from. But having visited it a few times, we decided to skip it this trip. Another thing to keep in mind is the noticeable rise in the homeless population over the past few years. It’s not a huge issue, just stick to the busier and safer areas—just like in any other big city.

Here are some of the things we ended up doing:

We started the day off right with a paint and sip! Booked through Eventbrite, we attended this 2 hour class at a bar called Tapster. Even if you don’t end up doing a painting class, I’d recommend coming here for a few drinks because it’s pretty cool and got a great atmosphere! The class was fast paced, but as always, an absolute blast. You definitely have to trust the process, which is hard, but it always turns out!

With a great parking spot at the paint and sip, we ended up walking to Pike Place, about a 25-minute walk. It wasn’t bad and totally worth it to avoid the downtown Seattle traffic. Bird or Lime Scooters are also everywhere, but we enjoyed a good stroll.

You can spend hours at Pike Place; with so many stands and shops, it’s incredibly enjoyable. One highlight was an apple cider stand where you can sample all of the flavors before filling a cup with your favorite. My sister and I were really excited about this! We continued through the market, passing stands selling fish, flowers, oils, and more. Watching the people at Pike Place Fish Market throw fish with each purchase is also entertaining to watch.

A Seattle trip wouldn’t be worth it if we didn’t get any seafood, so we stopped in for a quick bite of some clam and crab chowder at a small restaraunt. And to take a break form all of the standing and walking.

In a quieter alley just off Pike Place, we discovered a charming wine tasting room with a great atmosphere. The prices were in my opinion quite reasonable, especially considering its prime location.

Crab is also on the Seattle must list and we found some at Cutters Crabhouse for dinner. The view of the harbor and piers was stunning, and the food was amazing!

For dessert, we grabbed some Mochi at Whole Foods while making our way back to the car. We finished the day driving away, with the Seattle skyline surrounded by the sunset!