Getting Lost In The Pacific Northwest. Visiting Tacoma and Seattle.

About a year ago, I got to spend a number of days in Seattle as we prepared for an epic cruise to Alaska. This visit brought me to Seattle for a quick client meeting, but also afforded me the opportunity to explore beyond the Emerald City.

TACOMA

About $45 in cab fare south of Seattle is Tacoma. Don’t let the fact that Tacoma shares the international airport SEA-TAC with Seattle make you think it is close. Tacoma is situated along the shores of Puget Sound, one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the Pacific Northwest. While I found that most Seattleites tend to look down on Tacoma, I found the city to be surprisingly charming with lots of things to offer – but only if you visited the right place. Luckily I spent most of my day in their quaint little downtown district. Over the last few years the destination has created the Museum District, where you’ll find the Museum of Glass, the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, the Washington State History Museum and Union Station. All of these institutions are within one to five blocks of each other, and near the waterfront. And, if you love quirky things, you’ll be happy to hear that Tacoma has quite a few quirky attractions that are sure to allow everyone going home happy and with some great stories.

SEATTLE

So, my venture down south to Tacoma was fun – because it was somewhere new - but Seattle is a city that I never get tired of. With the ocean on one side and majestic mountains on the other, there is no shortage of things to do, see and marvel about.

Whether it’s your first time in Seattle and you have a week to soak it up or you only have a few measly hours to spare…which is my case here, below are some of the highlights of my trip to explore the best of what Seattle has to offer.

DRINK GOOD COFFEE

If there was an award for the city with the best coffee in the United States, Seattle would win gold. Stroll down just about any block in Seattle and you're bound to find a handful of wonderful coffee shops. In fact, there are over 1,600 coffee shops in Seattle to choose from. I don’t think I have met a cup of coffee I didn’t like, but two local coffee shops I was able to explore were:

Bedlam Coffee Nestled in Seattle’s bustling Belltown neighborhood sits Bedlam coffee shop. It’s cherry red exterior and glowing lights cheerfully welcome customers to escape the drizzles Seattle and warm up with a handcrafted cup of joe. This coffee house was covered with memorabilia reminiscent of my bedroom growing up and included dozens of board games.

Additionally, when I first started coming to Seattle, I always had to walk down to Pike Market to visit the first Starbucks Coffee Shop. This hyped-up coffee shop is one of the tourists stops that could be skipped. It is definitely a cool experience and the wait could rival the line at any one of the SBUX at O’hare…but unless you are a huge fan…I say skip the line and enjoy a cup of custom brew from a local craftsman.

DRINK GOOD BEER

Three cheers for beer. With an abundance of taprooms, distilleries and cider rooms in this city, you won’t need to walk far for a high-quality pint. And I didn’t have to walk very far to find a new favorite to add to my top 10 list. With over 75% of the nation’s hops being grown in the Yakima Valle, Bodhizafa is packed full of hop-full goodness. Bodhizafa IPA (yes, named after Bodi from Point Break) is a American Style IPA from Georgetown Brewing Company that has mandarin and citrus notes and is absolutely delicious and leaves screaming – please sir I want some more. But at 6.9% alcohol, don’t have too many.

EAT GOOD FOOD

SO I CAN DRINK MORE GOOD BEER

Dahlia Lounge

For over 20 years, Dahlia Lounge has been the epicenter of Seattle’s local, sustainable, and organic food movement. Opened in 1989, the Dahlia Lounge was Tom Douglas’ first restaurant and now considered the flagship with 12 other fine dining restaurants in downtown Seattle. The menu features “Fresh Tastes from the Market,” in addition to seasonal entrees inspired by Pacific Northwest ingredients such as Dungeness crab cakes and coffee braised beef short rib. Along with other national accolades, Dahlia Lounge was nominated by the James Beard Association for “Best Restaurant” in 2006 and continues to be the quintessential Seattle restaurant experience. Every dish, every bite is perfection. I opted for the crab cakes, a fresh tomato appetizer that they said was fresh from the garden and their signature triple coconut cream pie and doughnuts for desert.

TO DO

Pike Place Market

Arguably the most famous farmers market in America, Pike Place is one of the tourist traps that I continually love going to. The most famous attraction here are the “fish flingers” and all the great fresh fish for sale…but get lost in the bowels of the market and explore the rows of fresh produce, locally-made cheese and artisan goods and you're sure to find something that piques your interest.

WHERE TO STAY

Typically, I have stayed along Pine at the Grand Hyatt Seattle or Westin Seattle. This trip took me to Belltown and the Belltown Inn. Belltown is the most densely populated neighborhoods in Seattle. Formerly a low-rent, semi-industrial arts district, in recent decades it has transformed into a neighborhood of trendy restaurants, boutiques, nightclubs, and residential towers as well as warehouses and art galleries. Belltown is definitely "a walkable neighborhood with everything you need.” Including a traveling drug dealer and prostitute prominently posted at the dog park across the street from the hotel.

Perfect location for exploring downtown. Room amenities were great. I even got a free bag of Cheez Its as an amenity the front desk staff make sure to call out! I didn’t get to enjoy, but the rooftop deck seemed like a great place to chill and enjoy a great view of downtown. All in all, this hotel served its purpose...but can't wait to check back into the Grand Hyatt on my next visit.