Read our Things to Do in Seattle Blog!!
Welcome to Seattle! Everything you’ve heard about the weather here in Sea-town? True. For the most part. We arrived for our 2 month stay in the largest city in the Pacific Northwest in torrential downpours heavy enough to stop traffic on I-5. Since we were here for work, and going to be outside all weekend, this was a concern! Luckily, the rains subsided, and our first weekend here was beautiful. We spent it working at Bumbershoot, North America’s largest arts and music festival, held right at the Seattle Center.
The weather, we were told, was a fluke. It never rains in Seattle, everyone said. Sure, it’s usually a little misty and damp, but not heavy rain. No!
Yeah, right. Trust me, it rains all the time in Seattle. Also count on not seeing the sun on the non-raining days until around 2 PM, due to the fog.
That being said, we have also experienced some beautiful fall days in the area as well. Growing up in PA as we did, we tend to be foliage snobs a bit. As much as we love our Colorado home, we always notice how fall just doesn’t ‘Wow’ us the way it does back east. Well, Kudos, Seattle, for bringing it for fall!
Not only are there amazing reds, yellows and even purples in the trees, this climate makes pumpkins grow like crazy, and there’s certainly no shortage of mums either. Washington is also the nation’s largest producer of apples, growing over half the apples in the country! Needless to say, there is plenty of fall cider to be had. Hard Cider, too! Yup, several of the local breweries have started producing their own varieties of the tasty fall treat.
While we’re talking breweries, there’s an abundance of local tasting rooms and pubs pouring out the delicious Northwest creations. Washington is also number 1 in the country in terms of hops production, and they put them to good use here in Seattle! Breweries like Elysian, Fremont Brewing Co., Hales Ales, Two Beers, and Naked City (to name just a few!) are all ready to serve, rain or shine. There are a number of organized brewery tours available, or just do what we did – look at a map, get out a bus schedule, and plan your own.
Speaking of busses, we’ve found public transportation to be cheap and convenient throughout Seattle. We were staying in the Northgate area, and had no problem getting to and from downtown, as well as exploring other areas by bus. They run frequently, and, from our experience, are clean and safe.
Public transportation is a great option, especially because driving around Seattle is not always a picnic. I-5 runs straight through the city, and is often a congested mess. So are 520, 90, and the other major roads. There’s also a few quirky traffic laws to get the hang of out here. The biggest noticeable oddity is the parking situation. Unlike anywhere else on the planet, street parking can go in any direction in Seattle, which often makes those unfamiliar with the area (i.e.- me) panic and think they’re driving the wrong way down a one way street. No worries, though. Just join in the fun and park your vehicle facing any way you’d like! You might want to bring a compass though, because parking signs in Seattle will say things like, “No parking south of this sign.” This would be ok, I guess, if you could orient yourself by looking at the mountains. I was here for almost a month before I knew there were mountains behind the fog, so I wouldn’t count on that technique!
You may also want to take special care at some intersections, typically on smaller roads and in neighborhoods, where stop signs have been deemed unnecessary. Locals have dealt with this problem by choosing to drive as fast as possible through these intersections, apparently thinking they have a lesser chance of being hit if they are moving quickly.
The Seattle natives have a distinct personality and attitude as well. It can be summed up, mainly, with, “meh.” I guess it’s understandable, when you see the sun so infrequently. Don’t get me wrong – we met a ton of people, and really enjoyed most of them. It’s just an overwhelming lack of enthusiasm that seems to permeate the culture of Seattleites. Maybe it was all that flannel they wore in the 90s, or the fact that they still haven’t gotten over the Kurt Cobain thing. Most likely, it’s just the cold and wet.
All in all, Seattle is an interesting and diverse destination. There are plenty of activities and excursions in and around the city. Just bring an umbrella.
Seriously. Bring an umbrella.
