Road Trip!
It’s that time of the year for me again… girls vacation! Each year me and my girlfriends from Grad school take a long weekend getaway without the kids and the husbands. This is our time to reconnect, relax and take care of ourselves. This year, we traded fun in the sun for exploration of the Pacific Northwest. We visited Seattle and Portland in 4 full days, leaving 2 days to travel. There is so much to do and see in each state, that you really need a week in both places but you can do it in 4 days.
I have compiled a “must see and do” list that includes places to eat and where to see the the best views in each city.
Seattle… The Emerald City is diverse, eco friendly and filled with amazing food. Oh, and there is a Starbucks on every single corner. Literally! With only 48 hours in Seattle, here is what you need to see and do.
- Visit the first ever Starbucks store across from Pike Place Market.
- Have a coffee tasting at Starbucks only Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room in the world.
- Have lunch at Pike Place Market.
- Take a 2 hours walking tour that highlights the city.
- See the best views of the Space Needle at Kerry Park.
- Enjoy panoramic views of Seattle from Sky View Observatory.
- Visit the love lock bridge across from Pier 52.
- Take the ferry and have lunch and wine tasting on Bainbridge Island.
- Have breakfast at Lolo’s, lunch at Serious Pie, seafood at Etta’s, Vietnamese food at Stateside in Capitol Hill at dessert at Hot Cakes.
- The Kimpton Hotel is centrally located and offers a happy hour with complimentary wine and snacks for its guests each day.
Rent a car and take a road trip to Portland. Here is the route to take and places to stop and see along the way.
- Head out for Portland early and stop in Olympia Washington for breakfast. Olympia is the capitol of Washington state and is a cute little town that reminds you of the movie “Twilight”.
- Stop at Multnomah Falls and hike to the top for gorgeous views and photo ops.
- Once you arrive in Portland, head straight over to Voodoo Donuts and wait in the long line for the best bacon maple donut that you will ever have.
- If you are there on the weekend, walk from Voodoo over to the Sunday Market for street food. Treat yourself to a “Portland beenie” you will need it.
- For the best views of Portland, walk from the market over to Capitol Grille and head to the top floor to have a drink and see Mt. Hood.
- Visit a local brewery.
- Have brunch at Tin Shed Garden Cafe.
- Head out of Portland and drive up the Pacific Coast to Cannon Beach, where the movies, Twilight and the Goonies were filmed.
- Visit Powell’s, the world’s largest bookstore.
- Get a photo of the Portland sign as you cross the bridge into the city.
This was a great trip with my girls as always! We were all pleasantly surprised with all that Seattle and Portland had to offer. Coming from the East Coast and the South, the Pacific Northwest was a whole new world that we ended up falling in love with. It is so much to see and do right here in our own backyard of the United States of America. I can’t wait to go back!
#LiveLoveTravel
Alisha