N Concourse Seattle Tacoma Airport: Where to Eat and What to Do During a Layover or Before a Flight

I spend a LOT of time at the Seattle Tacoma International Airport. Like a lot of time! Not only do we have three kids who live out of state, we also enjoy traveling. It's not uncommon for me to be at the SeaTac airport {or as it rebranded itself a few years ago SEA}, several times a week. We all love our local Alaska Airlines and the ease of so many direct flights to most of the places that we want to go.  If you are flying in or out of Seattle on Alaska Airlines, you might just find yourself in the N concourse. The N concourse at SEA just completed their final phase and if you’ve got some time before a flight, or heck, if you want to get a local taste after you arrive, here are some of my favorite shops, dining and entertainment in the N concourse. You might want to get to the airport early to enjoy all of them!

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Discover the Magic of Seattle: Your Ultimate Summer Bucket List

Seattle, known for its iconic Space Needle {where we happened to get engaged nearly three decades ago!}, also has a vibrant cultural scene and everything becomes more magical and alive in the summer. After months of dark and dreary days, the sun draws everyone out, and the guests start pouring in! Especially with the incredibly busy cruise port with cruises headed to Alaska from May to September. You'll find lush greenery, stunning waterfronts, and bustling neighborhoods, with plenty of opportunities for adventure and relaxation. Whether you're a local or a visitor, here's your ultimate Seattle summer bucket list to ensure you make the most of the sunny season in the Emerald City!

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What Hotels to Stay in Around Seattle for Your Cruise

Seattle has the two busiest cruise terminals, with more than a million passengers embarking on their next adventure to Canada and Alaska. After taking a cruise to Alaska, I was flooded with people asking me where they could stay, especially if you don’t have a car handy. So, to help you out before your next cruise, here are the best hotels to stay in and around Seattle before your cruise.

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A Locals Guide to Pike Place Market

When I first moved to the greater Seattle area, I thought I'd go to Pike Place Market once a week to pick up fresh flowers for our home. I've lived here for 20 years. Know how many times I've picked up flowers at Pike Place? Once. For years Pike Place Market overwhelmed me. It was always crowded and there were so many little spots to stop but I wasn't sure exactly which ones were the best and I felt like I spent half my time just working my way through crowds and getting from one end to the other without seeing much of anything. I became intentional about wanting to learn more about the market because there is so much history there. I think most tourists know Pike Place is iconic to Seattle, but aren't sure why and don't know more other than they are supposed to visit. This blog post has been almost five years in the making. I'll make sure you make the most of your Pike Place Market visit and I think it will make you really enjoy it that much more. So here's a locals perspective on Pike Place. Take notes my friends!

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Everything You Need to Know About Visiting the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is one of the largest destination events for the greater Seattle area during the spring. Mother Nature decides when the tulips bloom, but you'll likely find rows of colorful flowers in bloom during the month of April. During the tulip festival, millions of flowers come to life creating a magnificent display of color. I've got everything you need to know if you want to visit the Skagit Valley during the Tulip Festival.

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Doing Good in Downtown Seattle

This time of year gets extra busy, so why not set aside 24 hours for a couples getaway? It's also the time of giving, so why not make the most of both and book an evening at the Charter Hotel Seattle, Curio Collection by Hilton and give back to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center with the Hilton Legacy Package.  I love being downtown and I love giving back, and we have all been affected by cancer in some way, so why not support this amazing partnership and enjoy your time in Seattle being pampered AND doing good.

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Everything You Need to Know about Visiting the Gum Wall in Seattle

The Seattle gum wall is equal parts disgusting and awesome. Anytime I visit Pike Place Market {the gum wall is located in an alley just below} I walk through. Part of me feels like I step into a Harry Potter novel when I walk down Post Alley, and another part is intrigued by the people watching. I think it's worth the stop when you are in the city for a visit, so I compiled this list of everything you need to know about visiting the gum wall attraction in Seattle. 

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Take a Hike! 5 Safety Tips for the Beginning Hiker

My teen daughter has a bucket list of hikes in our area that she wants to complete. We live in the perfect place for hiking. The pacific northwest is filled with amazing hikes all around. I'm told, however, that she doesn't enjoy hiking with her family. Which puts us in a strange predicament because while she is nearly legal to vote, I'm concerned that she doesn't have all the skills she needs as a novice hiker to keep her safe. I realized many people are probably in the same situation. The PNW gets inundated with visitors to our area every spring, summer and fall and people take up hiking our trails. So I created this list of safety tips for the beginning hiker so you can be as prepared as you can be for your next hike.

image credit Stephen Matera

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One Night in Seattle? Here is What You Should Do! The One Evening Itinerary for Seattle

I love where I live during the summer. Don't get me wrong, I love to travel, but during the summer, I like to stay close to home and take in the mild summer temperatures, the beautiful water on the Puget Sound and the mountains that surround us. I recently spent the evening in Seattle with my family on a beautiful July evening and was reminded of just how many people flock to our area during the summer as tourists. Many tourists are just passing through as they board a local cruise ship to sail up into Canada or Alaska, both beautiful this time of year. It had me thinking if you had just one evening to spend in Seattle, what would be the best use of your time to get a real feel of our city? I've got the perfect itinerary for you if you are limited in your time in Seattle, so buckle up and check out my recommendations!

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The Best of Metropolitan Market-A Local PNW Favorite!

When I moved to the Pacific Northwest from Indiana nearly 20 years ago, one of the first grocery stores I became familiar with was Metropolitan Market. They opened a store not far from my home when my kids were small. Met Market offered these sweet little kids sized grocery carts my little ones begged to use, and seriously, what kid begs to go to a grocery store! But this wasn't any grocery store. Met Market {as it's fondly known to the locals} is the Pacific Northwest's favorite grocery store with organic, natural and locally sourced foods. After 45 years in the making, the local grocery is launching "Best of Met" items, a carefully curated collection of more than 100 items selected by the Metropolitan Market Culinary Council. That list can be overwhelming, so I'm sharing a list of my Best of Met products after shopping the store for nearly two decades. These are the tried and true top 10 Best of Met favorites that you will find me stocking up on!

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Spend a Weekend in Seattle

I didn't grow up in a tourist destination. No one was coming to visit my town on purpose for vacation. It's still a little strange to me to live somewhere that people intentionally come to. I can see why. Seattle is a beautiful area and its got a little bit of everything from water to mountains and everything in between. Our summers are the absolute best! If you want to escape the insane heat of some of the other great states, Seattle's mild weather will be a welcome relief. And it's safe to say that the rain will stop for most of the summer leaving beautiful blue skies so you can enjoy the outdoors or the indoors and not be limited by running between the raindrops, though we've got you covered if that happens too! I've got everything you need to know so you can spend a weekend in Seattle.

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The Best Food Trucks in Seattle

It all started with the ice cream truck. Somewhere along the line, the ice cream truck evolved into the food truck and people started buying gourmet cuisine from the side of a truck. Totally normal. Everyone's doing it. In fact. there is even sometimes a social media hunt to find out what neighborhood your favorite food truck will be in. Seattle has some of the best food trucks in the Pacific Northwest. Heck, Seattle has some of the best food in general, so come hunt down some of the best food trucks in Seattle with me.

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Exploring Seattle Like a Local-20 Places to Visit Downtown

I'm a Midwest transplant living in the greater Seattle area now for nearly two decades. I love the beauty of our area. We have water, mountains and lush greenery surrounding us. You combine all of those together and you create the trifecta for exploration! One of my favorite things to do is to get lost in the city. I head into Seattle and never do the same thing twice, which is why this list of 20 places to visit downtown Seattle will have you exploring the city like a local. You won't find Pike Place Market on the list, though that's worth a visit, but everyone knows that! This is all about those hidden gems you may not have added to your list. Are you ready to explore?

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Being a tourist in my own city

With gas prices high, I know more and more people are staying close to home. We had my parents visiting from Arizona during the Memorial Day weekend holiday and had a chance to be a tourist for a day in our own city.

I've lived in Seattle for 11 years and always wanted to Ride the Ducks. We finally got around to doing it this weekend.

We enjoyed some beautiful views on Lake Union

Saw the Sleepless in Seattle floating house .

Saw lots of sea planes taking off and landing

Spent some time snuggling with one of my favorite guys

And enjoyed some beautiful views of our city.

Fun fact: My husband proposed at the top of the Space Needle!

We also got a quick glimpse of Pike Place Market.

The Ducks were super fun for the whole family and such a great way to see the city in only 90 minutes. What's your favorite thing to do in your city?

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