Got to bring one of my friends here for her first time and it did not disappoint! I always enjoy…read moregetting to see all the different vendors, whether they're food or art related. And honestly, every time I've come here, it still feels like I don't have enough time to make it through each section and floor of the market to properly see and enjoy everything. So I'll just have to keep coming back to explore more haha. One of my favorite discoveries has been how dog-friendly so many of the businesses were. A few of the vendors even offered my dog a treat, which was the nicest thing ever! Getting to try samples like apple cider, different types of vinaigrettes to dip your bread into, and beef jerky is always a win, and such a fun way to find new favorites!! Plus, there are plenty of great views and fun sights throughout the market if you're open to wandering around the different levels. Just a heads-up: it definitely gets crowded, especially on weekends!!

Ended up with an 8 hour layover in Seattle so decided to explore a little bit instead of rotting…read moreaway in SeaTac. Getting to Pike Place is super easy on public transit from the airport - it's direct there and under an hour away. Very user-friendly. The market itself can be explored in a couple of hours. I didn't get to see the famous "fish throwing" unfortunately but I did get to check out a number of stores. Places are very generous with samples. I tried bread with a few different balsamic vinegars and oils, salmon, truffle spreads and salt, and apple juice. The area around the market is very walkable and felt safe and clean. Prices are reasonable and it's easy to pick up souvenirs for friends. There are a wide variety of sundries available and most shops had airplane-friendly packaging. Also nearby is the famous gum wall (disgusting!) and the original Starbucks. Restrooms are plentiful although I found them to be a little unsavory in terms of cleanliness. The stall doors were also weirdly short? I'm a modest 5'3" and I found myself towering over them. Worth a stop if you're in the area. Very fun vibes.

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is one of the premiere art destinations in the Seattle area. This…read moremuseum is massive with 4 stories worth of traditional and contemporary art from across the globe. To get here, you can either find street parking or park in nearby parking garages and walk over. Museum admission is $30 per adult or $20 with student ID. We definitely spent a good couple hours here browsing all the art and stopping by their gift shop. I would highly recommend stopping by for all art lovers!

Located at Seattle downtown. Very worth a visit. You may need 2 hours for this visit. There are…read moremany exhibitions that are very interesting and informative. Design of each exhibit items is very artistic. I like very much of 3D display of Diego Cibelli porcelain sculpture. There is several of the display. This is a must see item. The other is the Lessons from the Institute of Empathy. This is interesting collection. The other wow collection is the porcelain room collection with decorative dinning set. There are some special exhibits. This room may be changed every 3 months. Overall we like the visit.

I peeked into Fireworks Gallery minutes after deplaning in Seattle. Not because I'm an idiot who…read moreshops for souvenirs on the first day of a trip, but because I'm an idiot who forgot to put shoes on her two-year-old before leaving for the airport back home. I kind of thought you could buy most essentials at the airport, but it turns out children's shoes are not a typical travel need, at least when they aren't being worn by traveling children. Fireworks did carry children's slippers, which caught my eye as I passed, as well as a nice assortment of unique, crafty toys and gifts. Unfortunately, my five-year-old followed me into the store and zeroed in on a tiny, colorful finger puppet in the shape of a parrot. He asked me to buy it for him, and I declined, telling him we weren't getting a souvenir before we even left the airport. He was upset by this to the point of tears, but I managed to get us out of there. We had a wonderful time in Seattle, and to his credit, the five-year-old behaved well the whole trip (and the two-year-old got new shoes). When I saw Fireworks Gallery again by our departure gate, I decided at the last possible second to stop in and get him the parrot. It was one of several Folkmanis finger puppets in a wire basket. I picked it up along with a bunny rabbit and went to check out. There was a short line at the register--I guess this shop gets decent traffic--and by the time I was up, my husband was calling to tell me we were boarding. This is how I paid $36.36 for two finger puppets that cost $10 apiece online. Fireworks got me good, but my boys do love their little puppets, which are soft and cute and well made. The wares here are definitely nicer and less generic than at your average airport store. It might cost you, though, if you wander in there with your kids.

I mean EVERYTHING but the kitchen sink is in this joint!…read more Expensive jewelry, stationary, candy, books for the kiddo's, charcuterie boards in the shape of Washington, knick-knacks just perfect for souvenirs to bring home and to carry on board. Service was a plenty here and I was there after 9:30pm on a Wednesday evening. Respectfully Reviewed

This is a great place for all your Mount St. Helen Goodies. My friend and I stopped twice bc we…read moredecided we needed something else. The Women that owns the shop was very nice and helpful, telling us best Restaurants, how to get to the Mountain and just overall knowledge of the Mountain itself. Good Prices on merchandise. I highly recommend stopping here on your way to a Magic Adventure.

The Mount St. Helens Gift Shop sits in Castle Rock on the road to its namesake mountain about a…read morehalf mile off I-5. Plenty of parking. The gift shop, as expected, is well stocked with items concerning Mount St. Helens and the events of 1980. Lots of memorabilia scientific and colloquiel. More unexpectedly, the Mount St. Helens Gift Shop also seems devoted to all things Big Foot. They stock a larger selection of t-shirts, hoodies etc displaying Sasquatch than I've ever seen before. There is also a large (8'!)stuffed doll who is available for photos....unlike his corporeal cousins! There is also a smatering of other local items. We bought a jug of marionberry jam that comes with a top to make it a salt or pepper shaker when you finish off the jam.

This place is a site to see!!! Definitely take the whole family! 3 floors of education and games…read morefor the kiddos! There are 3 floors of wonderment! You'll enjoy this place for sure!!! Every type of specimen is available to see & learn about! There staff were very friendly and knowledgeable! There are classes during the week you can partake! Clean clean clean place!

Came for first Thursdays so can't speak to value for money, but had an amazing experience. Staff…read moreare friendly. Museum is chock full of artifacts, fossils, and animals. There are also lots of areas for kids to interact. I also loved that they make the research labs so accessible to the public, with signs explaining what they are doing and windows to watch the scientists work. I've never been to a museum that did that and I think it is so special. First floor is about culture with a large emphasis on indigenous cultures. I really enjoyed the weaving exhibit. Second floor is biology with some stunning set ups of ecosystems and lots of stuffed animals. Third floor is paleontology and archaeology. I found the archaeology exhibit not as engaging as the rest. The fossils are very cool and well laid out.

I was able to visit this museum for free on the third Thursday of the month. There was also a…read moreworkshop studio and I created a nice journal cover. It was a great experience. Please come and create your own adventure.

Came on a slow weekend morning and it was perfect. Although this is a smaller museum, it packs…read morequite a punch. I really appreciated the flow and how you can start at the second floor and then magically find your way down to the first. A lot of the exhibits are very much anchored in its state and town's history which I greatly appreciated as someone visiting from out of town. I learned so much! One thing I will note is the Haunted exhibit. There's a piece that is an audio-visual projected onto a wall. Cute, until the screaming starts. While it was relevantly disturbing and added spooky texture to the larger exhibit, because the museum is small and all interconnected by long hallways, those screams echoed and followed us into the other exhibits. We laughed it off but it's definitely something to consider if you're very easily spooked. Like I'm just calmly looking at some cool Chihuly glass and then "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I visited here several years ago, and I would say it was the highlight of my trip to San Juan…read moreIsland. It was such a wonderful place to visit - a delight for all the senses. You really must sample the lavender treats! The ice cream was surprising and delicious, as were the lemonade and shortbread cookies. Double check the blooming season schedule, and watch out for our friends, the bees! While you're visiting here, make your way around the island. So many fun and interesting discoveries! If you're visiting the Seattle area, the island and this wonderful place are worth the day (or overnight or weekend) trip via the ferry! You'll enjoy the visit and create some great memories -- and get some great souvenirs for dear ones (and yourself!).

Go for the photo opp and the heavenly scent and stay for the snacks…read more The farm came highly suggested on a few travel blogs and I can't resist a stunning photo opp. The farm is really easy to find and is listed on Apple Maps. The moment you get out of the car your nose is tickled with the delicate and subtle lavender scent floating through the air. It's pure heaven. You can either pick your own or cruise around the farm. We loved seeing all the happy, fuzzy, fat bees pollinating and living their best bee lives. Not to worry bumble bees don't sting and left us alone completely. After getting some instagram-able photos we popped into the shop. If the budget had allowed I would have purchased one of everything. We ended up with dog treats and linen spray. The candles and the berry compote are next on my list. The back patio is not to be missed. They have stunning lavender plants in many sizes for purchase as well as fresh made snacks. We tried the lemon lavender sorbet and the lavender lemonade. Both were amazing and not overwhelmingly floral. It was a warm day and these were refreshing ....... And devoured. Basically don't miss this little gem on your next trip to San Juan Island

One of my favorite shops in downtown Arlington. The best place to buy chalk paint! Kim, the owner,…read more is super knowledgeable and very helpful!! I have recommended this place to so many people and will continue to!!!

Kim is such a sweet heart! Came in to find chalk paint, found that and then some!! Will be back…read moremany many times!!

Great option for a free museum in Seattle! It's a bit smaller but still full of great art work…read more There is also a store/gift shop & cafe in site!

The Frye Art Museum, located in downtown Seattle, was found on Yelp. I did notice that people said…read morenot to have a car so we walked here from the hotel which is about a 20-minute walk. Some uphill walks but it was a nice walk actually. The museum is free which is nice you walk through and it is pretty much filled with many unique rooms, each with different pieces of art. It was pretty quiet but I do enjoy the placement of every piece. It's not a big museum so this probably won't take up so much time.

The Northwest African American Museum is one of my favorite museums because it's more inclusive…read morewith the community, and not solely art. During the holidays the museum hosts several holiday events, we had the opportunity to take pictures with Santa! The staff were all very courteous, and entry was simple. The Northwest African American museum combines art, history, and community perfectly; I highly recommend!

It was really affordable and worth the visit. It's not big so you can easily explore the whole…read moremuseum within a few hours but there's also plenty to see so you won't be disappointed. There was a mix of historical information and new art exhibits. They had multiple displays that you can touch and find more information in drawers and behind secret doors.