3 full days of extraordinary adventuring around with our favorite *newly* local couple (thank you for everything!). The amount of activities we did definitely made us sleepless, but I’m excited to dream soundly of Seattle tonight!

Day 1: Exploring Seattle

Pikes Place Market

This iconic Seattle must-do was truly worth the crowds. It is one of the oldest markets in the country with every type of fish imaginable. Our favorite part was watching the tradition of fishmongers throwing fish into the crowd to catch (so thankful the fish didn’t come flying our way!). We recommend after you’re done eating your way through Pikes Place to check out the quirky gum wall and the original Starbucks right around the corner.

The Nest- Rooftop Bar

Up an extremely steep street from Pikes Place is trendy rooftop bar called The Nest. Just a note, you will need to walk into the Thompson Seattle Hotel and take the elevator to the top floor so don’t be confused! When you step out of the elevator you’re in the indoor section with sweeping views of the city which is perfect for cold or rainy days. We ordered the cocktail called panda (had to get it for the name) and hung out in the outdoor section of the bar where on clear days you can see the stunning Olympic Mountain Range.

Westward- Waterfront Restaurant

We cannot say enough good things about this restaurant! Whether you’re looking to grab a drink and soak in the city and marina views, or chow down on 36 oysters like our group of friends did (yikes!) this place is perfect. Their happy hour had great prices for the quality of food and drinks. We recommend going early in order to get drinks and appetizers during happy hour and after ordering main dishes after. We had such a fun time, 100% going back!

Gas Works Park- Great for Sunset Watching 

After eating our weight in seafood we rushed as fast as we could over to Gas Works Park. Gas Works Park used to be the location of Seattle Gas Light Company, so great that the city made this a park! The park overlooks the Seattle skyline as well as the beautiful Lake Union, so there are breathtaking sunset views that we got to see first hand! We caught it just in time and stayed until it was completely dark.

Day 2: San Juan Islands Orca Trip

Usually the saying goes, “it’s the journey not the destination” but in this case it was both! We took an absolutely stunning trip by land and sea from Seattle to reach our final destination of the San Juan Islands to go orca whale watching.

Whidbey Island Ferry-Ferry #1

1st ferry of the day was to Whidbey Island! We brought the car onto the ferry, and it was super easy just get there a little early so your car is in the front of the line.

Deception Pass- Beautiful Landmark Bridge

While driving on Whidbey Island don’t forget to take quick stop at the unique Deception Pass Bridge. This bridge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935 and connects the island to Washington State. We pulled off from state route 20 and did a quick hike down to the beach where we watched some fisherman and took some photographs.

Anacortes Ferry- Ferry #2

This ferry takes you from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands. The express ferry takes around an hour, while the local takes two so be sure to catch the express! Since it’s a long ferry we entertained ourselves with a puzzle.

Friday Harbor

After an hour of puzzles we made it to the San Juan Islands! We arrived to the quaint Friday Harbor, where you can watch fisherman bringing in their catches of the day.

Downriggers- Waterfront Dining Views

After seeing all the seafood being brought in we became extremely hungry and had to check out Downriggers. This is a perfect lunch spot because you have the views of the harbor, while eating the freshest seafood you could imagine!

Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching

Hands down the most magical experience of the trip, and (not exaggerating) our lives! Captain Jeff and the marine biologists working on the boat were the most passionate, knowledgeable and heartfelt people. They educated us on the unbreakable bond orcas have with their pod, how intelligent, and vulnerable their population is. We ended up watching a pod of four orca whales effortlessly swim in synchronization, spyhop (I can’t help but to say it looked so cute), and hunt two seals. The whole boat went wild when we saw one of the orca whales “punt” a seal 30 feet into the air. Captain Jeff said if anyone got a picture of it they should go to National Geographic because it is that rare to see! It’s safe to say orca whale watching is exhilarating, and we will definitely go again.

Day 3: Parks Galore

Mount Rainier National Park- Skyline Trail

Our exhaustion from traveling to and from the San Juan Islands the previous day wasn’t going to stop us from checking out Mount Rainier National Park. We decided to hike the skyline trail, which had an easy start and beautiful mountain views. We weren’t able to complete this hike or see Mount Rainier’s peak because it became too foggy at a higher altitude, but we had an amazing time seeing the sweeping views, amusing marmots and back country skiers. We also enjoyed just driving around the park and seeing the glacier rivers and waterfalls.

Golden Gardens Park

Final sunset of the trip was witnessed at the stunning Golden Gardens Park. While we were watching the sunset people were lighting bonfires on the beach, which looked like so much fun. Stunning views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. After watching the sunset, we ate at Ray’s Boathouse which is right down the street. We ate on the top floor where the food is less expensive but apparently just as delicious!