During our brief time in the Seattle area we made our way to one of my favorite places, Pike Place Market. I picked up some dried fruits and a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers for our hosts as we enjoyed the bustling city on a Saturday morning.  We sampled fresh honey crisp washington apples and chocolate covered hazelnuts as we walked around the market, enjoying the company of good friends in the excitement of a new city.

One of my favorite parts of this recent trip was getting to explore the city with a local. My favorite way to travel is to explore, get lost, find the hidden gems, and see a new place from the perspective of local culture. We were spoiled to be in Seattle at the same time with some friends of ours who lived in the city for a while. They showed us the hot local spots, took us to a great lookout, took us on public transportation, and shared a few great meals together at local favorites. Here are some of their recommendations plus some other folks have recommended to me. Hope you can enjoy Seattle with a local someday!