Is Seattle a City to Visit?
Seattle has a lot to offer and plenty to do with kids. We made a week long trip there and fished, went to a baseball game, went to the zoo and aquarium, saw waterfalls, took a ferry, wine tasting, and had great food.
The weather while we were there was phenomenal (at least for a Texas family). 50s in the mornings and up to about 75 in the afternoons…absolutely perfect.
The zoo is great and has a few "experiences" like feeding a baby rhinoceros. You can't beat that. It has a bunch of different loops so it is easy to get around, but it is pretty big. It is an all day, or at least half day, adventure.
We took a half day fishing trip out in Puget Sound and that was great too. We caught a lot of fish and lost one to a seal. That was actually pretty cool. Then we actually caught a seal. No not with a hook and we didn't really catch him, but the seal grabbed the flashing part of the fishing line and ran with it. It screamed off the line before he finally let it go. Pretty funny and cool.
The food in Seattle is great too. We did not have a bad meal.
We also spent a few days up in the Columbia Valley (wine country). That was more relaxed and slow paced. We took a few hikes there and just relaxed a bit. We were in Woodinville and the hotel Willows Lodge was fabulous. Friendly staff, great accommodations and a terrific restaurant attached to the hotel Barking Frog. Highly recommended!
But, much like you might have read, Seattle has some major issues. The homeless problem is absurd. The homeless are everywhere. Not only are they everyway loitering, but they can just pitch a tent it appears anywhere. There will be rows of tents on the sidewalks.
To be slightly fair, the homeless are not terribly aggressive and did not really bother us, but it was uncomfortable with two small children. It appears the problem is throughout much of the city though farther north seems less congested than by the stadiums.
So, Seattle is a great place to visit, but be prepared for the sadness and uncomfortableness of the homeless.
