Top 10 things to do in the Pacific North West Coast
Things to do in the Pacific NorthWest Coast, Seattle,
12/Oct/2018
Our Top 10 Things to do in The Pacific Northwest
When planning a trip to the Pacific Northwest, Seattle must be, without a doubt, at the top of your list. Being a seaport city, Seattle brings in thousands of tourists not only by plane, but by cruise as well, making it a hot spot for tourist activities. However, it would almost seem crazy not to take advantage of the fact that the city is closely connected to Canada and other beautiful surrounding areas. We came to discover this first hand when we crossed the pond to visit Tourism Seattle and Tourism Victoria on a two-nation trip of a lifetime. We’ve picked our top 10 things to see and do when visiting Seattle and the Pacific Northwest!
Pike Place Market, Seattle
Nestled in the heart of Seattle’s downtown, and best to visit on an empty stomach, Pike Place Market is a must-see when visiting the city. Tourists flood to the market to see the hundreds of farmers and craftsmen, and to join food tours and tastings. On the Savour Seattle tour, you can explore behind-the-scenes of the market’s sites, flavours and history; visit the first ever Starbucks store; watch cheese being churned; watch fish fly; sample some of the best food at the market; and generally, soak up the atmosphere.
What we came to discover on our food tour with Savour Seattle is that Pike Place Market is much more than just a farmer’s market. It is a beloved community, with the residents at the heart of it all.
Find out more now - https://www.savorseattletours.com/
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Space Needle, Seattle
If you’ve ever seen a picture of the Seattle skyline and wondered what that tall, funny looking thing is, then that is the iconic Space Needle! On our recent trip to the city, the Seattleites couldn’t help but tell us at every opportunity about the Space Needles recent ‘space lift’. We must say, it’s the best space lift we’ve ever seen, but if you have a fear of heights then you may disagree! The Space Needle has truly taken viewing the city to the next level, with a new rotating glass floor, so your views are now limitless!
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Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle.
Just opposite the Space Needle you will find the Museum of Pop Culture, more commonly known as MoPOP! This leading-edge non-profit museum uses interactive technology to make visitors time at the museum even more engaging! This really is a fun and memorable experience for people of all ages. From horror movie memorabilia to indie gaming, and of course, a whole room dedicated to Seattle-born Jimi Hendrix, the MoPOP has it all!
On our visit to MoPOP we were lucky enough to get a glimpse of the extremely popular Marvel exhibition that was only around of limited time. Many people had travelled to the museum especially for Marvel, and we could see why! If you’re visiting Seattle, make sure you check out what exhibitions are on and grab your tickets early!
Find out more now - http://www.mopop.org/
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Seaplane Scenic Tour, Seattle.
Definitely not for the faint hearted, but definitely something you’ll never forget – this is a quintessential Pacific Northwest experience.
Kenmore Air will take you on a unique scenic journey, starting from the water of Lake Union and soaring into the sky. Seeing the city and beyond from the sky is truly breath-taking, and what makes this experience even better is that the whole 20 minutes is narrated, so you won’t miss a thing! We flew over iconic landmarks, such as the Space Needle, MoPOP museum, Chihuly Garden and Glass museum, and we even spotted Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss floating beautifully in the port!
One word of advice would be to try and book for a clear day, that way you’ll get the best view of the city, and hopefully avoid any bumps of turbulence!
Find out more now - https://www.kenmoreair.com/scenic-flights/Seattle-Scenic-Tour/
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Ride the Ducks, Seattle.
This tour is the ultimate land and water experience, and if you love a bit of wacky humour and a whole lot of fun then this could be the tour for you.
On our tour with Ride the Ducks we were led by tour guide Helen of Joy, who had expert knowledge of Seattle and made the land part of the tour a laugh and learn experience. We explored Seattle’s historical district, Pioneer Square and learned about the Great Fire of 1889. However, the best part of this tour has to be when the bus turned into a boat and we glided into Lake Union! We floated past house boats, watched the sea planes take off and took in the stunning views of the downtown Seattle skyline. If you’ve ever seen the famous Tom Hanks movie ‘Sleepless in Seattle’, you’ll know about the house boat from the movie. Well, you will also float past that on your tour!
So, if you’re fun-loving, ready to party, and eager to learn, then the Ride the Ducks tour will make for a memorable experience.
Find out more now - https://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/
High Speed Clipper Ferry to Victoria
Probably one of the best things about Seattle is that it is so closely connected to Canada. The Clipper lets you experience popular areas surrounding Seattle such as Victoria, Vancouver, San Juan Island, Whistler, Portland and Vancouver Island! On our visit to the Pacific Northwest we took the high-speed Clipper from downtown Seattle straight to the heart of downtown Victoria, Canada. With a journey time of 2 and a half hours you could even travel to Victoria for a day trip if you’re short for time. It is really that easy!
Find out more now - https://www.clippervacations.com/
Whale Watching, Victoria
Explore the Pacific Northwest and spot some of the world’s most majestic creatures on the 3 hour guided whale watching tour with the Prince of Whales team.
Departing from the heart of downtown Victoria into the heart of local waters, take the opportunity to search for various species of whales and other wildlife whilst feeling the wind in your hair. The experts on board will make sure you don’t miss a thing, so make sure you have cameras at the ready!
During our 3 hour tour we were lucky enough to spot both humpbacks and orca whales, and they were certainly in the mood for some showing off!
Find out more now - https://princeofwhales.com/
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Butchart Gardens, Victoria
It all started in 1904 when a woman named Jennie Butchart had the dream of turning her back garden quarry into a beautiful landscape that would live on for generations…
Whether you’re a flower fanatic or simply love the great outdoors, you should definitely make time to visit Butchart Gardens. With over a 100 years in bloom, the gardens are bursting with history and flooded with beauty. From Japanese to Italian Gardens, fountains to ponds, carousel rides to dining rooms, it’s no wonder the gardens bring in over one million visitors each year.
Our trip to Butchart Gardens was bloomin’ beautiful and we highly suggest that you add it to your list of things to do in the great Pacific Northwest.
Find out more now - https://www.butchartgardens.com/
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Olympic National Park, Port Angeles
Glacier capped mountains, lush green rainforests, tranquil lakes and scenic coastlines are what we think of when we look back at our visit to Olympic National Park. Extending to almost a million acres, this national park is home to an abundance of wildlife and wilderness, and it can seem pretty daunting thinking where to start! Luckily, we were accompanied by the Olympic Hiking Company who took us from downtown Port Angeles into the heart of the mountains. We visited the famous Hurricane Ridge and were blown away (no pun intended) by the endless, serene views.
We would definitely recommend a guided tour when visiting the park, as there is simply too much to choose from. The experienced hikers of Olympic Hiking Company are passionate about everything that they do and have a genuine love for the national park, in which they call home.
Find out more now - https://www.hikeolympic.com/
If you consider yourself a true explorer, then one day at the park probably isn’t enough. For well needed R&R in between hikes you can head down to the beautiful Lake Crescent and spend the night at Lake Crescent Lodge. Comfortable, spacious and tranquil, Lake Crescent Lodge is the perfect base for exploring the park.
Find out more now - https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/lodging/lake-crescent-lodge/
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Scenic Flightseeing Tour, Port Angeles
Enjoy a breath-taking flight of the scenic Olympic Peninsula and majestic Olympic Mountains with Rite Brothers Aviation.
This 50 minute flightseeing tour gives you the opportunity to take in the stunning views of the region from above, and with maximum of 5 passengers, there is enough window space for everyone! The Rite Bros also do charter flights, which connect Port Angeles to destinations in Canada, Washington and Oregon.
Find out more now - http://ritebros.com/
So, that was our top 10 things to do in the Pacific Northwest, but of course, the options are endless! If you’d like to visit this region as part of your cruise holiday and discover your very own top 10 things to do, then you should check out the following deals:
https://www.jetlinecruise.com/cruise-packages/u-s-rockies-rail-journey-alaskan-cruise-437
https://www.jetlinecruise.com/cruise-packages/coastal-passage-canadian-rockies-alaskan-solstice-657
