Hellobee Boards

I live about an hour from Seattle, so I have tons of recommendations!

Probably plan one day for the Seattle Center area, which would include the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture, previously the EMP but they recently renamed). The combined Space Needle and Chihuly ticket is a good deal if you want to do both.

Probably another day for Pike Place/waterfront/downtown area. Plan to graze as you wander the stalls - I highly recommend Ellenos greek yogurt and the Piroshki place. This day could also include the main shopping district, with the flagship Nordstrom.

A nice option for another day is to take the ferry to Bainbridge Island. It is about 30 minute ride each way, the cost if $8 per walk-on person round trip. The ferry gives you a beautiful view of the Sound and Seattle. When you get to Bainbridge, there is plenty within walking distance including quaint shops and restaurants. I recommend Hitchcock Deli for lunch and Mora ice cream for dessert.

And if you are into coffee (or even if you aren't), I would highly recommend visiting the Starbucks Roastery (not the "original Starbucks" which is just a regular Sbux with lots of tourists). The Roastery is where they roast many of their small batch specialty coffees, they have lots of friendly staff that will answer your questions as they work. They also make cool fancy drinks.

If you have a car or are willing to find a way north, the Fremont/Ballard neighborhoods are a fun stop. This could include the Fremont troll, the Theo chocolate factory (tour and lots of samples!), and the Ballard locks and fish ladder.

Let me you know if you have any specific questions!

Honestly, if you're looking for a romantic getaway I'd recommend the San Juan Islands over the city -- they're only 2 hours away but they're so gorgeous and I'd rather be super pregnant there than here, haha. You would need a car so you could do a sightseeing day in Seattle and then drive up to the ferry. Check out The Willows on Lummi Island, which has an incredible restaurant. Also, Snug Harbor Resort on San Juan Island is fantastic, but the restaurants on SJI aren't as upscale in general. This whole region is ridiculously expensive during the summer, so I'd recommend booking soon if you plan to come.

Alternatively, Vancouver BC has amazing restaurants and PNW beauty...I don't know what flights and hotels there cost, but I can't imagine it being more than here.

If you do end up coming to Seattle, I can give a bunch of restaurant recommendations in the Ballard, Queen Anne/Belltown, and Capitol Hill areas. The city has had such a building boom that I barely recognize it as the place I moved to 6 years ago, so you're going to be astonished at how different it is if you haven't seen it in a decade!

@lamariniere: I've had good luck with Air BNBs in Seattle. I like Ballard and Capital Hill.

If you like sports depending on when you come- try and catch a game. Baseball or pre season football

@Mrs. Blue: gotcha. In that case, if you like jazz, check out the schedule at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. The food there is pretty decent and they get top-notch performers. If you come when the chamber music festival is going on at Benaroya Hall, they always have a free performance before the actual concert (no ticket needed; the actual concerts are wonderful too but generally sell out way in advance) and some of the best classical musicians in the country come. You can also check out whether anything is going on at the Paramount Theatre, the Fifth Avenue Theater, or the Seattle Repertory Theatre. The Glass Museum and Space Needle are worth a visit, and depending on when you come, the exhibition of ancient Chinese clay soldiers might still be on at the Pacific Science Center (which is right next door).

For restaurants, Bastille (French), Staple and Fancy (Italian-ish), and Bramling Cross (gastropub) in Ballard are a few of my favorites. Delancey is also in Ballard and has amazing pizza, and The Fat Hen across the street is great for brunch, but they're not in the "downtown" part of Ballard so there's not much else to do right around them. Although, The Pantry is located right behind Delaney and does super fun cooking classes and occasional multi-course dinners. Near the Space Needle, I like Tilikum Place Cafe. In Pike Place Market, Le Panier has delicious French pastries and Matt's in the Market has views and great food (but you usually need a reservation).

Taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island is a good suggestion if you don't mind walking a bit -- it can be a long wait to get on in the summer if you take a car. It's a little less than a mile from the ferry dock to the downtown area, but it's an easy walk. There are some fun shops and good restaurants there.