Seattle, Washington is one of the best destinations for a girls trip. The shopping is reason enough to pack your bags, but the city also offers diverse and breathtaking scenery, impeccably designed cafes for sipping rosé and restaurants that will have you booking return tickets for the food alone. I live in Vancouver, and feel so lucky to be able to hop in the car for a two-hour drive to one of the nicest metropolitan cities in North America. If you’re planning a girls weekend, I can’t recommend Seattle enough. Let’s get into it.
Read on for the Ultimate Seattle Girls Trip!
Places to Stay in Seattle
Depending on how many chica’s you’re traveling with, you will either want to book a hotel or rent an Airbnb. Below I’ve listed my favorites from each category!
Hotels
The W
I am a sucker for W hotels as they are always bustling with vibrant energy and have great bar lounges for drinks with the girls before dinner. This hotel is perfectly located in the heart of Downtown.
Fairmont Olympic Hotel Seattle
If you want to splurge a little, the Fairmont in Seattle is the place to do it. The historic building built in 1924 offers a bar, incredible dining options, and an onsite spa.
Four Seasons Seattle
What’s not to love about the Four Seasons? The hospitality can’t be beat. Located between Pike Place Market, the stunning Elliott Bay, and the Art Museum.
Kimpton Hotel
There are four Kimpton hotels in Seattle. My favorite is the Alexis, situated in a historic building built in 1901. I love the Kimpton perk of free happy hour wine in the lobby every day.
Hotel Max
I stayed at the Hotel Max after booking a Hotwire room (which is worth looking into for last-minute deals!). The room was a little small but I loved the vibe of the hotel and it was very central.
Air BnB’s and Apartments
It can be tricky to find an Airbnb in the heart of the city, but here are a few Downtown options and a few in one of my favorite areas, Capitol Hill:
Airbnb Plus – Sophisticated Studio with Views
Vintage Historic Loft in Capitol Hill
I absolutely LOVE the Capitol Hill District. If you aren’t set on staying in the heart of Downtown, I highly recommend the area. You can read all about it in my post on spending the day in Capitol Hill here. Definitely something you should plan into your girls trip to Seattle!
How to get around Seattle
Uber & Lyft
Downtown Seattle is fairly walkable, but for the days and nights where you’re in heels or tired from a day of exploring, hitch a ride with Uber.
Monorail
Seattle’s Monorail cuts right through the city, so it’s easy to hop on and get to the most popular landmarks like the Space Needle, sports venues, or the Downtown shopping area.
Ya, don’t put me down for cardio
If you’re up for a fun group workout, here are some options for hikes, workout classes, and yoga in Seattle
Hiking
Discovery Park
A 2.8-mile loop trail through woods before reaching a bluff overlooking Puget Sound and the Seattle skyline
Cherry Creek Falls
Gentle hills make up this trail that used to be an old forest logging trail, ends with a waterfall. 5.5miles
Middle Fork Snoqualmie Trail
This is a great option because you can walk as long as you want as you are just following the river (could do 1 mile or the full 12, but most people do around 6 miles total). You aren’t hiking up a mountain but it’s a great walk through Seattle’s famous forestry
Workout Classes
Cycling Class
Check out Flywheel Sports: Stadium Cycling, City Cycle, or Bassline Fitness, or BurnCycle
Barre Class
Barre3 is popular with the locals and a great sweat
Yoga/Pilates
The Grinning Yogi
A community-based yoga experience
Inspire
Lagree Fitness pilates on reformers focusing on slow-twitch muscles
First we have the coffee, then we do the things
Elm Coffee Roasters
This light and airy cafe roasts their coffee in-house and offers insanely delicious pastries from London Plane (another spot you should check out!)
Slate Cafe
Sample a tasting flight or let the baristas custom build your coffee based on your preferences. A fun, elevated coffee experience
The OG Starbucks
I’ve always found this a little touristy, but if you and the girls want to order a coffee from the original Starbucks, get in line and grab a cup before exploring Pike Place across the street
Preserve and Gather
Come for the wallpaper alone. While the decor is amazing, the coffee and food are even better
Cause it’s 11:30 and the girls be brunchin’, brunchin’
Bar Melusine
The London Plane
A stunning space with an in-house flower shop and bakery. They also have an incredible dinner menu.
Water Taxi to Salty’s Seattle
A fun way to see the city is to take the water taxi to Salty’s, a famous brunch spot voted Best Restaurant in Seattle and Best Brunch in Seattle in 2018. Great view, great food!
Bar Melusine
The prettiest floor in Seattle! Famous for its oysters and delicious brunch, Bar Melusine is a staple in Capitol Hill. We ordered the Croque madame and the savory crêpes, both were excellent! Order the mimosa pitcher to wash it down.
Stateside
An Asian twist on breakfast classics with a tropical-themed dining room. Very popular for brunch!
Tallulah’s
Pinterest-worthy decor and a fun vibe. Share a massive lemon ricotta pancake (honestly more like a donut/cake, it’s HUGE) and mimosas
Spa’s
Ananya Spa Seattle
Book a facial, or a variety of massages including Lomi Lomi, hot stone or Thai massage
Hotel Spas
Book a treatment at one of the hotel spas, like the Four Seasons or Fairmont
Salish Lodge and Spa
If you want to treat yourself and spend a rainy Seattle day at the spa, drive the 50-minutes to the award-winning Salish Lodge Spa. Book a treatment and spend the rest of the day in the steam room, sauna and soak in their therapeutic pools before a rainfall shower. Voted Conde Nast Travelers “To 50 Hotel Spas in the United States.”
Shopping in Seattle
There is some serious shopping in Seattle, home of the Flagship Nordstrom store! Make sure to pop in there and also check out Nordstrom Rack for crazy good deals. Other districts with great shopping:
Capitol Hill
For hipster finds like funky shoes, records, home decor, plants
Ballard
Super cool area to explore full of trendy boutiques and indie shops. Walk down Ballard Avenue NW
Seattle Premium Outlets
Serious shoppers? Drive out to the premium outlets for discounts from brands like 7 for all Mankind, All Saints, Banana Republic, Burberry, Kate Spade, Levi’s, Loft, Lululemon, Nike, Theory, Vince and more. 30-minute drive North of Seattle
Things to do in Seattle
Pike Place Market and Gum Wall
Can’t have a Seattle girls weekend without a trip to Pike Place Market! If you are visiting from nearby, definitely buy some flowers to take home! They are so cheap and the arrangements are AMAZING. Walkthrough the market toward the water for a great view of the wheel! Pop by the fish shop to watch the famous fish throwing before getting a girl’s pic next to the gum wall
Capitol Hill District
Explore this unique district full of breweries, cute boutiques, restaurants, and art. It’s a must-see! Read my post about how to spend an entire day there here
Woodinville Wine Country
Who knew there were wineries so close to Seattle? I have never been here, but I know Washington has some fantastic wine. Here is a map of the wineries
Starbucks Reserve Roastery
This beautiful roasting facility to the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon in Seattle over coffee and to pick up some souvenirs
Space Needle
The most famous landmark in Seattle. I prefer to admire from a distance, but you can explore and go to the top for amazing views of the city
Fancy a bit of culture?
Head to the Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle Art Museum or the stunning Chihuly Garden and Glass
Did somebody say Happy Hour?
One of the best ways to escape the rain in Seattle during your girls weekend is to grab some drinks at a cozy spot in the city. Here are some favorites:
Elliotts Oyster House
If you go to Seattle and don’t try the seafood, shame on you. It has some of the freshest shellfish in the world!
Aerlume Seattle
For stunning views of the water, head to Aerlume at happy hour for wine, beer and cocktail specials
Von’s 1000 spirits
The ultimate happy hour experience. Four words: Sourdough mac and cheese
Mr. West Cafe Bar
Prosecco cocktails and a side of burrata? The perfect girls trip combo. Bottlehouse wine bar next door (same owners) is super cute as well!
Dinner
Purple Cafe and Wine Bar
Spinasse Capitol Hill
This spot is in my Capitol Hill post, but I wanted to make sure I mentioned it here too. It’s THAT good. Seriously, go here for dinner if you love Italian food and good wine. (If you do, we could probably be friends).
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Put your name down and head next door to Barnacle
Aprés Dinner Drinks
- Barnacle
- Essex
- The Backdoor
- Canon Whiskey Bar (Capitol Hill)
- Bottlehouse Wine Bar
- The Nest Rooftop at the Thompson Seattle
There you have it! Those are my recommendations for an epic Seattle Girls Trip! Feel free to message me on Instagram with specific questions!
SHOP MY SEATTLE FAVORITES
READ NEXT:
HOW TO SPEND A DAY IN CAPITOL HILL, WASHINGTON
HOW TO SPEND 3 DAYS IN SEATTLE
GIRLS WEEKEND IN VANCOUVER, CANADA
It looks like you had a lot of fun. Can’t wait to visit Seattle one day.
This list is super helpful and your blog is beautifully done! FYI Copal is no longer open. Thought you would want to update!
Thank you so much, Hailey! Too bad on Copal, I loved it there. Updating now 🙂