Except we don't actually live there. Looking or advice on where to stay like a local and also suggestions on what to prioritize doing.
Though Seattle is not the same as Portland, I'm trying to recreate the feel of a Portland trip a few years ago where we stayed in a simple suburban house in southeast Portland about 20-30 minutes from downtown. Every day we would drive to downtown or out the other direction to hike. We would grab lunch while out and then pick up food from farmer's markets or the grocery store to cook at home for a late dinner like we would at home. It was so relaxing and nice as compared to eating out every night or staying in a hotel room. We took two longer day trips to Mt St Helen's and to Cannon Beach.
1. Could I recreate this in Seattle, a much larger city with more traffic? Where would we stay? Bellevue or other suburb for a nicer house (not as expensive as a downtown hotel though we'd need a car)?
2. What would the longer day trips be with up to 2 hour drives (4 hours round trip)? Mount Rainier National Park? Olympic National Park? Bainbridge? I'm thinking there would be 2 or 3 of these.
3. For trips to downtown, we do two or three morning until afternoon days to try to see the main parts of town? Other areas at the top of the list to visit other than downtown?
We are a family of 4 with two older teens, interested in local food, local history, art, unique museums, farmer's markets, outdoors, walking around interesting parts of town, grocery stores, easy hikes, scenery. Not interested in bars, many formal meals, sports, indoors.
Must sees probably:
Chihuly, Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle Central Library
Pike, Pioneer Square Underground(?)
Ferry to somewhere
Probably not: Space Needle, Museum of Flight, Zoo, Aquarium, MoPop(?)
(Of course we're only planning this trip if is it safe and vaccinated.)
Thanks for your thoughts. |