Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
I was recently out in Seattle for a week for work, and I got to spend a day or two exploring! My favorite neighborhood from my brief wanderings around the city was Capitol Hill. From a park with an amazing view, to beautiful houses and a great bar scene, this area has me hooked!
I broke up my time in Capitol Hill over multiple days to maximize on the good weather when I could find it, but my activities in this area could easily be fit into one day. I started off in Volunteer Park (a great place to park for free) and made my way to the water tower. While this isn't the best place for a big camera view of the city skyline, it is still worth the climb!
After a great view and another stroll through the park, I crossed over into the residential streets of northern Capitol Hill. The trees were all in bloom and as a lover of beautiful house details, I was in heaven.
Some houses were more in the mood to break the mold, but that certainly makes for a fun street!
After a morning stroll full of sunshine, I came across the Volunteer Park Cafe while looking for shelter from a quick rain shower and stopped in for a bowl of warm tomato bisque. I loved the central decorations!
On a different day, one that felt much more stereotypically Seattle with gray skies and rain showers, I came back to Volunteer Park to go to the Conservatory. I always love how even a small conservatory can transport you to a completely different part of the world with the simple use of plants and imagination. This conservatory has a particularly nice cactus room for those of you wanting to escape someplace a little more arid during your visit to Seattle.
After the Conservatory, I made my way to southern Capitol Hill and made the equally great and terrible decision to go into The Elliot Bay Book Company. Let's just say I had to use an extra duffle bag as checked baggage on the way home...
After a day of exploring other parts of the city and the Conservatory, I was ready for an evening spent exploring the bar and food scene. I started off at Bar Melusine and instantly fell in love with the decor color combination!
I ordered a delicious drink and dessert first (the only way to start a day of indulgence), and struck up a great conversation with the bartender, and we came up with a list of places to visit (huge shoutout to Ted, thank you!). I didn't make it all the way through by the end of the night, but I will say that all of the recommendations were great!
After dessert I made my way over to Quinn's for a nice cheese plate appetizer. To the many people I got to speak with around the bar, I hope all of your trips were as enjoyable as mine, and thank you for being a part of it. One of my favorite parts of travel is taking the opportunity of being in a completely new place to make new friends. Be it a single conversation or someone you now follow along with on Instagram, meeting new people is always a highlight of a trip for me, especially when I've gone on a solo adventure.
The next stop was only for a drink or two, but Foreign National is definitely worth the visit. You may have a hard time figuring out where exactly the door is, but once you do, you'll be transported into what felt like a chic nightclub from a different era. From a massive mosaic glass style disco ball at the entrance to having swans for water taps, this place has a unique ambiance that makes you want to become a regular. And don't worry, the awesome swan taps continue into the bathroom.
With work looming in the morning, and taking good care of my rental car at the top of my priority list, I made Oddfellows my last stop. This may look like just a salad, but let me tell you, it was a delicious experience, and a perfect end to a great day spent in Capitol Hill.
Thanks for coming along to explore Seattle's Capitol Hill area with me, I hope this inspires you to make a Seattle trip of your own sometime soon!
~V
Date & Locations: Saturday & Sunday, 25-26 March 2017 - Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA, USA
Photos taken with: Nikon D5300, Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f1.8 Lens
P.S. ~ Other recommendations from my trusty insider list in this area included Capitol Cider and Neon Taco, so if you make it to this neighborhood definitely check them out as well.