7 Best Adventures in Seattle + A Giveaway
This is a sponsored post; payment, trade and/or products have been received in exchange for promotion for Allied Global Marketing Seattle and as always, all opinions are my own.
ICYMI, Paramount Pictures is bringing Dora the Explorer to life in her first live-action movie, Dora and the Lost City of Gold! Since Dora is all about the outdoors and learning about the world around her, I’m sharing my seven favorite adventures you should check out in the Seattle area.
Plus, I’m sending five of you on an adventure of your own by partnering with Allied Global Marketing and giving away 4-pack tickets to the movie’s advance screening here in Seattle at the end of this post.
Now, if you are familiar with Seattle, you know all the ‘tourist’ spots like the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. But there are so many more hidden gems to explore around the city! As a local, I’m going to clue you in…
Amazon’s The Spheres
As the birthplace of Amazon, masters of the known universe, a visit to The Spheres (if you can get in) is a must. The botanical, garden-like work space for their employees is primarily closed to the public. But, they do have an an exhibit space, showing off details about the Spheres’ design and the plants within, on the ground floor.
Called the Spheres Discovery at Understory, take a self-guided tour and explore the home of more than 400 different species of cloud forest plants from all over the world, and an extensive collection of biodiversity that explores the value of conservation in an urban environment. Plants range from tiny epiphytes (any plant that grows on another plant or object merely for physical support) that cling to a 50-foot living wall to Rubi, a 49-year-old ficus tree that resides in the 7th Avenue sphere. Or, take a stroll through the indoor gardens of The Spheres during their weekend public visit days. Admission is free but you must make a reservation at www.seattlespheres.com.
Volunteer Park Conservatory
Located in the heart of Volunteer Park, the Volunteer Park Conservatory is one of my favorite spots to explore. Pack a lunch and enjoy the park, then head into the conservatory for a journey into five different worlds. The world-class botanical collection is carefully curated within its five display houses, the bromeliad house, the palm house (which is the tallest one—it lives inside the top dome), the fern house, the cactus house, and a seasonal display house.
The other fun factor, the architecture and history of the century-old structure which stands as a reminder of a bygone Victorian era; the design includes a massive 3,426 glass panes. Admission is nominal but there is free admission on the first Thursday and Saturday of each month.
Argosy Tours
Their motto, “Your Friend with a Boat”. For over 70 years, Argosy Cruises has been showing locals and visitors a side of the Emerald City they rarely get to see. With seven fully-narrated, family-friendly tours, (hello, wine cruise!), enjoy spectacular views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges, island excursions, awe-inspiring locks and more.
My favorite annual tradition, their Christmas Ship™ Festival ™ includes the Christmas Ship™, a kid-friendly exploration of various Puget Sound waterfront communities, photos with Santa and on-board activities, while the 21+ Follow Boat has rotating party themes each week, and of course, booze!
McMenamins Anderson School
One of two adventures north of Seattle, but worth the drive, McMenamins Anderson School, Bothell’s first junior high reborn with with pure fun in mind. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways! Is it your Tavern on The Square, once the school cafeteria, with an amazing bar that I love to sit at with a cocktail and people-watch? Or is it the Theater Bar, the lounge and lobby of the movie theater, where you can grab a quick drink before the show, and to order munchies that are delivered to your table so you don’t miss first-run movies?
Perhaps it’s your North Shore Lagoon Swimming Pool, a full-size saltwater swimming pool with temperatures of 88-90 degrees, and open year round? It must the hotel room names and original artwork inspired by people and events that were significant to the local community, from teachers to Olympic gold medalists who trained in the pool.
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is one of those places that has the best of everything! The second-largest lake in the state boasts the natural beauty of its landscape, includes views of Mt. Rainier and the Cascade Mountains, and home to Mercer Island, the most populated island in a lake in the United States. Plenty of shoreline lets visitors take in the lake’s beauty through swimming, picnicking, and hunting for clams and crawfish.
A gem within a gem, the Washington Park Arboretum is on the shores of Lake Washington. Its 230 acres holds a world class collection of woody plants that can be explored on your own, via group tours, or through classes and activities. I’ve been here for several holiday fundraisers in addition to enjoying the arboretum’s outdoor beauty. All parts of the Washington Park Arboretum, with the exception of the Japanese Garden, a 3.5-acre traditional Japanese stroll garden, are open to the public and are free of charge.
University Village
Home to my holy trinity of Crate & Barrel, cb2 and Paper Source, University Village is nestled near the University of Washington. It is Seattle’s only outdoor lifestyle shopping center, and the best place to find a unique mix of locally-owned boutiques, signature fashion and home-furnishing retailers and a distinct collection of restaurants and eateries.
From their free Sounds of Summer Concert Series, retailer events like Piatti Ristorante & Bar’s Summer Morning Yoga & Bellini Series to free story time, crafts and fun activities for kids each week at Village Playdays, even a paint-your-own pottery place, they are more than just shopping and eating.
But then again, shopping and eating is also important. Fun fact, it is home to the second-ever Starbucks Coffee location (the flagship store is at Pike Place Market). Another fun fact, Amazon’s first store-front is there. Our must-eats include Molly Moon’s Ice Cream, Trophy Cupcakes, Rachel’s Ginger Beer and Elemental Wood Fired Pizza.
Downtown Edmonds
Once again, just north of Seattle, another worth-the-trip spot is downtown Edmonds. Its thriving art community makes it a jewel of Snohomish County, with a 700 seat performance center, a historic theater, multiple art galleries and artists groups, and a Third Thursday Art Walk. Summer activities include Sea Jazz at Port of Edmonds, Summer Wine Walk and the Taste of Edmonds Festival.
The Underwater Park includes more than 27 acres of tide and bottom lands of which approximately half have been developed with features and trails specifically for divers. It is the most popular of 10 underwater parks that make up Washington’s underwater park system.
Take a gorgeous and scenic 30-minute walk-on ferry ride to Kingston, especially during the summer. Kingston’s charming main street is lined with shops, pubs with local brews and assorted restaurants and Mike Wallace Park next to the marina and ferry dock is a gorgeous expanse of green that hosts various events and is an inviting place for a picnic or just to let kids run free.
Now to the giveaway! Enter above in the Rafflecopter widget for a chance to win a 4-pack of tickets to an Seattle advance screening of Paramount Pictures’ Dora the Explorer and the Lost City of Gold at Regal Thornton Place (Northgate Mall) this Saturday, August 3 at 11:00 am. This giveaway ends Wednesday, so be sure and enter!
The movie’s nationwide release is August 9th. Click here to view the trailer.
Synopsis — Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents, nothing could prepare Dora (Isabela Moner) for her most dangerous adventure ever – High School. Always the explorer, Dora quickly finds herself leading Boots (her best friend, a monkey), Diego (Jeff Wahlberg), a mysterious jungle inhabitant (Eugenio Derbez), and a rag tag group of teens on a live-action adventure to save her parents (Eva Longoria, Michael Peña) and solve the impossible mystery behind a lost city of gold.
If you are looking for more things to do around Seattle, be sure and check out my previous posts…
