5 Tips for Touring Seattle

Seattle, Washington is one of the hottest spots to visit lately because of various reasons, like the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl or Grammy winning, Macklemore rapping about how sick his city is. Seattle was even named the fourth most exciting city by Weather.com. Here are some tips for visiting Seattle from a local.

1.) Don't drive: Seattle has the absolute worst streets for driving and overpriced parking lots. Especially near the tourist attractions. However, Seattle has some of the best public transportation options available. Use the Light Rail to travel around the city, and or hop on a ferry to get a better view of Puget Sound.

2.) Navigating Pikes Place Market: Pikes Place Market is one of the biggest tourist attractions, and one of the best parts of Seattle. Buy a big bouquet of flowers and sample all the amazing fresh produce it has to offer. Don't, however, eat or shop at the places across from Pikes Place, they're always way too busy and not that impressive. Walk around the city and find a quieter place to eat.

3.) Avoid Starbucks: Yes, one of Seattle's biggest businesses is Starbucks, and it is fun to go see the original Starbucks at Pikes Place Market. However, Seattle has some of the most amazing independent coffee shops in the United States. Trust us locals when it comes to our caffeine. Try out Caffe Vita or Espresso Vivace on Capitol Hill instead.

4.) Mariners or Seahawks game: For a tourist, I would highly recommend either going to a Mariners baseball or Seahawk football game. If you like to sit and chat with the locals of Seattle I would recommend a Mariners game for a quieter easy going experience. If you like to be on your feet screaming and cheering for the home team definitely go to a Seahawks game.

5.) Alki beach: Experience the best of West Seattle and go to Alki beach for amazing views and great food. Alki is favored among locals of all ages. The beach has lots to offer like beach volleyball and bonfire sites. The food is also terrific with all the different seafood restaurants featuring Seattle caught fish and home brewed ale.