Ever since I can remember my family plans a trip to southern California every summer, we visit family and always find lots of stuff to do. After a while I started wondering what other places were like. In December 2015 I ended up going back to LA for a concert to see The Weeknd. While planning the trip and talking to my friend we decided to go to San Francisco for a couple days as well. After that trip I decided what I wanted to do was explore the US and started a bucket list to see all 50 states. Now planning vacations is one of my favorite things to do! One of my first big trips was to Washington state and it was so fun and so beautiful! I hope this blog will help you find fun different things to do when planning your trip.
PORTLAND
Keep in mind this was my first time planning a "big" trip outside of going to Vegas or my couple days in San Francisco. I feel I could've planned so much better we only went to one place in Portland so I definitely want to go back, but me and friend had a great time. Our first stop in Portland was Voodoo Doughnut (22 SW 3rd Ave.) The doughnuts were so amazing, they had so many different unique flavors and I am so happy we stopped.
One of the other places we went to that I absolutely loved was the Grotto (8840 NE Skidmore St.) The Grotto is a beautiful Catholic church. It has so many beautiful displays to see. These are just a few.
After visiting Portland we headed to Washington.
ABERDEEN
Our first stop in Washington was Aberdeen. It is about 2 hours and 30 min from Portland. Aberdeen is a cute little town and is the birth place of Kurt Cobain and if you are a fan of WWE, Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) is also from here. If you love Kurt Cobain this is a must see.
First stop you have to make in Aberdeen is the Come As You Are Sign. Just pull over and take a pic!
After checking into our room one of the first stops we made was to Kurt Cobain's Childhood home. (1210 E. 1st St.) Everything in Aberdeen is really easy to find.
Just a couple blocks away is Kurt Cobain River Front Park. (1327 E. 2nd St.) It is a small park dedicated to him and it was also where he would write his songs right underneath the Wishkah River Bridge.
Also in Aberdeen is the Aberdeen Museum of History. (111 E. 3rd St.) It is a small museum and had various displays. As I was writing this I discovered it is now permanently closed. I am not sure why or when it was closed but I'm guessing it was because of Covid19.
We only spent 1 day in Aberdeen but if you want to try some delicious coffee I would suggest Tinderbox Coffee Roaster (113 E. Wishkah St.) and for some great food we went is Billy's Bar & Grill (322 E. Heron St.). Billy's is supposed to be haunted. We didn't see anything but hey, maybe you will. Our next stop was off to Seattle.
SEATTLE
On our way to Seattle we took a detour to see the Jimi Hendricks Memorial. (350 Monroe Ave NE) It is easy to find and it was a beautiful memorial.
One thing I love in Seattle is all the restaurants, especially if you're looking for a unique spot. Biscuit Bitch is the cutest little place. Right when you walk in they are playing music and make you feel welcome. Their food is amazing and simple and their souvenirs are also so cute! (2303 3rd Ave).
We were in a Nirvana kind of mood after leaving Aberdeen so we decided to go to Kurt Cobain's Seattle house where he unfortunately passed away. (117 Lake Washington Blvd. E.) Next to the house is the Virreta Park Bench where many fans have signed and behind is a tree with a heart for Kurt.
As you can tell this was becoming sort of a theme at this point so we decided to head to one more place to pay respects. We headed 13 minutes away to Lake View Cemetery (1554 15th Ave.) to visit Bruce and Brandon Lee's grave site. They are buried next to each other and there were many people to see them.
For lunch I recommend Lunch Box Laboratory (1253 Thomas St). Their food is great and they have cute drinks. It's just a good vibe in this place.
Last spot of the day was the Seattle Japanese Garden. I had never been to a Japanese Garden before so I was really happy to see it. The parking is free and it is only $8 to get in. (1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E)
The next day we started off our day in the iconic Space Needle (400 Broad St.) To tour the Space Needle it is between $24 and $37. They also have different package deals for other attractions in the area. If you eat inside the restaurant it is free to tour. Meals can be pricey, but VERY worth the price. I will go out on a whim here, but I think this is the best brunch I have ever had with the best view that is constantly rotating. It was around $60 for a 3 course brunch with a mimosa, I'm telling you its worth it!
Our next stop was the Museum of Pop Culture. It is everything from music, to movies, to The Muppets. If you love pop culture you have to check it out! If you buy tickets online it is $28 to get in walk up price is $30. (325 5th Ave. N)
If you want a beautiful view of the ocean you will love to Seattle Great Wheel. It is a glass Ferris Wheel at the end of the board walk that is a fun way to view Seattle.
One of my favorite things to do on trips is find the best food. One of my favorite stops on this trip was Crab Pot Seattle (1301 Alaskan Way). We had the royal crab feast it is for a minimum of 2 people for $55. It includes crab legs of your choice, red potatoes, fresh corn, andouille, sausage, and head on shrimp. It is a seafood lovers dream.
There are many touristy spots in Seattle that wouldn't complete your trip if you didn't stop and check out.
The Seattle Gum Wall (1428 Post Alley)
The Freemont Troll (3405 Troll Ave)
Pike Place Market (85 Pike St)
And course the original Starbucks (1912 Pike Place). Be prepared if you want something from the original Starbucks location you are going to be in a very long line.
Next door they have a delicious French bakery Le Panier. I would recommend the macarons.
Also in the area is Beecher's Handmade Cheese (1600 Pike Place). In the window you can see the cheese being made. Go inside and you can buy an assortment of cheeses and have lunch.
You can't leave Seattle without taking a ferry tour. We chose Argosy Tours. They show you all around Seattle even where the first Real World was filmed and a hotel where the Beattles once stayed.
The final place I think you should check out is Unicorn. It is a carnival-themed bar with arcades and a stage downstairs. Macklemore even filmed their song Thrift Shop in this bar. They have such amazing drinks and the best jell-o shots. The orange creamsicle was my favorite. The inside is decorated so cute, I hadn't seen anything like it.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I hope it gives you so many great ideas for your next trip to Washington and Portland! Hope you have an amazing trip. Don't forget to share this if you liked it!
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