The Best Damn Visitors’ Guide to Seattle 2025

Amanda NatividadBy Amanda Natividad

Psst! There’s a marketing conference in Seattle in a few weeks. I’m sure you bought your ticket already, but if you haven’t, let’s fix that right here. Good? Good.

Seattle is one of my favorite places to go, and it’s not just because my colleagues are based here. I love the cool weather, the kind but standoffish people, the coffee, the seafood, the significant trees (which, yes, is a real term). I sneakily asked Rand for his recommended places, mainly because I just wanted to know his favorite places. And because I’m lucky, his wife Geraldine DeRuiter and our friend/colleague Kristy Bolsinger added their two cents as well. Now I’m sharing them with you.

Put these on your itinerary, my friends. This is your guide to Seattle, with a spotlight on 10 things you can do within 10 minutes of the best damn marketing conference* in the world, SparkTogether.

*Checks notes* Yup, that is my completely unbiased opinion.

Ok, first things first. I’m saying “10 minutes” pretty loosely. It might be a 10-minute walk, or it might be a 10-minute drive. I assume you’ll get in on Tuesday, October 15th. SparkToro product training is at 2pm, so you might want to grab lunch or a drink before you head over to our venue, Block 41 in Belltown.

Great Lunch Spots in Belltown:

  • Umi Sake House: Great space, good for happy hour, delicious food.
  • Kedai Makan: A must if you Malaysian food is your jam (or if you’ve always wanted to try it!)
  • Bangrak Market: Thai it, you’ll like it! I know, I am truly the worst.
  • Manzoku Izakaya: Cute restaurant, fresh ingredients, and good for groups!
  • Pasta Casalinga: I mean, name ONE person who doesn’t like squid ink pasta. But they have other stuff too.

Coffee:

  • Anchorhead: A staple. They’ve got a handful of locations, and this is a solid pick.
  • Moore Coffee: Very cute with lots of latte art. (I am a black coffee monster so this charm may be lost on me.)
  • Macrina: Also great for pastries!
  • Uptown Espresso: And they have breakfast burritos!
  • Monorail: Open early with great coffee/espresso-based drinks. 

Smoothies:

  • Verve Bowls: Who doesn’t love a good acai bowl? Just make sure you get some protein with it because that makes it even better for you. You know what, do whatever you want, I’m not your mom.
  • Pluto Organic: Yummy smoothies, gluten-free options, and near the Space Needle, which is convenient if you’re doing a twofer.

After product training, you might want to head to your hotel to drop off your bag then meet us at Here Today for happy hour. (We’ll cover food, hope you won’t mind covering your drinks.) Afterward, if you want something more filling or if you want more drinks, you might want to consider:

Dinner (cheap-ish): Okay — real talk: Seattle is literally one of the most expensive cities in North America. So “cheap” options don’t really exist in this town. However, here are a few places that won’t entirely break the bank.

Dinner (mid range) (You’ll likely want to make a reservation at these places)

Dinner (Fancy pants) (You’ll need a reservation for ALL of these places)

Or perhaps another bar:

But maybe don’t get too crazy because the next morning is the SparkTogether conference! We’ll provide coffee and pastries for breakfast. If you want something else, consider these spots about a quarter-mile from Block 41 and open at 7am:

We’ll provide lunch and an afternoon whiskey tasting. And then the afterparty? We’ve got that too. We can walk over to Flatstick Pub – SLU together. I’ll even let you beat me at mini golf. I’m a gracious winner but a very sore loser. I’m about as un-fun at bar games as you can imagine.

Since we’ll wrap up late, I hope you’ll stay through Friday! You can do some sightseeing, find a co-working space, or both. Consider:

Snagging a co-working space: If you’re looking for a place to post up for several hours, you could pop into Spaceworks in Belltown. If a coffee shop is more your speed, Storyville Coffee Company seems to be a good place for this.

But if you are not a nerd like Amanda, perhaps you’ll want to go sightseeing or shopping…

Sightseeing:

  • Pike Place Market: it’s not just a tourist destination — it’s where a lot of Seattle residents and restaurateurs get groceries and supplies. You can find gifts, jewelry, art, clothes, antiques, books, and more.
  • Seattle Aquarium: it just got revamped and the boardwalk also makes for a great walk if the weather is nice
  • Ballard Locks and exploring the surrounding Ballard neighborhood
  • Arboretum and Japanese Gardens
  • Chihuly Glass Museum and the Space Needle, I guess… if you like needles for space. Actually, I don’t know anything about this landmark; maybe you can find out for me.
  • Air & Space Museum
  • National Nordic Museum
  • Elliot Bay Bookstore and the Capitol Hill neighborhood
  • Ferry to Bainbridge Island cute shops and restaurants just off the ferry, and a lovely view of the sound

Shopping:

This is a bit of a bummer, but Seattle has some of the worst retail in America for a city its size. Shopping here isn’t that great, but if you are willing to dig a little, you can find some cool stuff.

  • Ballard Avenue: a bit of a drive away from downtown, but home to lots of little indie boutiques and shops.
  • Elliot Bay Book Company: a destination for any avid reader, this sprawling bookstore spans two stories that you can easily get lost in
  • Ada’s Technical Books: a delightful bookstore with a specific, STEM-my angle that covers everything from science to science fiction, business to children’s books.
  • University Village: looking for something more mainstream? U-Village has all the shops you know and love in one giant place.
  • Fremont: This quirky neighborhood is a quick drive north of downtown and has boutiques, gift shops, antique shops, and more.

There you have it. If there’s anything in particular you’re looking for, or if you have recommendations of your own, sound off on social media! Be sure to use hashtag #SparkTogether, or tag me (@amandanat) or Rand (@randfish or @randderuiter on IG) so we see it. 🙂

We really hope to see you at SparkTogether in a few weeks!

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