Seattle, A Long Weekend Exploring the City with it all, Urban and Nature

Hannah Nietfeld
Mar 7
5 min read

August 28 – September 2, 2025

For Labor Day weekend, just eight days after my trip to Oregon, I flew out to Seattle, Washington, to visit my friend Miles! I was so excited to reconnect with him and see a city I’d only heard great things about. Miles moved out here for his job as a software engineer at Amazon.

I met Miles at UW-Madison, and we were in the same friend group for three years. Our sophomore year, we traveled with eight other friends to Europe on a 12-day trip, which proved that we traveled well together. Miles and I also studied abroad the same semester and met up in Milan for a jam-packed weekend that included visits to Venice and Lake Como. After all that time together, you could say we became close friends.

I was supposed to be joined by another college friend, Timmy, but he had a last-minute conflict and couldn’t make it. I still really wanted to visit, and Miles welcomed me regardless, so off to Seattle I went!

The timing was perfect, the weather was beautiful, sunny, and comfortable, with temperatures in the mid-60s to 70s. I adored my time in Seattle and will detail everything I did in the next few blogs, splitting it up by activity. The first, touring the city, took place throughout my entire stay. I flew in on Thursday night, Miles picked me up from the airport, and we spent the evening catching up at his place, which I got a grand tour of. On Friday, we both worked, with me joining Miles at his office at Amazon Headquarters. That afternoon, we shut our laptops for good and headed straight to Pike Place. We explored the Public Market and walked down to the waterfront. That evening, I met all of his friends while grabbing drinks at Fram, a local spot on Lake Union.

We hiked both Saturday and Sunday, visiting two national parks, both of which will have their own blogs. Monday, being Labor Day, we all had the day off work, so we headed to Puget Sound for a beach day. Tuesday was my solo day! Miles went to work, and I took the day off to explore as much of the city as I could. I walked extensively, starting at a café Miles recommended near his office, then to the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, back to Pike Place for another visit, and finally to the Edgewater Hotel for coffee and views.

And that sums up my long weekend in Seattle! I’ll start with everything I did in Seattle proper, which you could easily do without a car by walking or using public transport.

Amazon Headquarters

Who would have thought you could be impressed by a bunch of office buildings? Apparently, I could. We planned to work on Friday, and instead of splitting up and going to a nearby café, I got a guest pass to step into the Amazon offices. The Amazon district of downtown Seattle is almost its own ecosystem. It feels like a college campus, a bubble of like-minded, tech-savvy people with heightened security and little perks throughout the area, like a free banana stand. That alone made me love Amazon. But what sealed the deal was the free coffee.. not the strong, bitter black coffee, but a café-prepared latte. Yes, you read that correctly.

Miles went up to his office, and I stayed in the communal area. We each worked for about three hours before taking a lunch break. We walked to the nearest Sweetgreen and ate our lunch at the Spheres, which you can only visit as a guest of an Amazon employee. The jungle-like, globe-shaped glass building is filled with tropical plants, making you feel immersed in nature even though you’re in the middle of the city. It was a perfect climate, humid and warm to support the plants, and I treasured our hour-long lunch there. During this time, Miles explained the AI race among big tech firms—it was fascinating to hear about such a pertinent topic from someone close to the industry.

To finish our workday, I picked up another latte and found a spot next to a window with a city view. I was on the 12th floor, not exactly Penthouse NYC style, but it made me grateful for the chance to experience the day-to-day work life at Amazon. I was thoroughly impressed by the campus and the environment.

Pike Place

The must-see destination in Seattle is Pike Place. Just a 15-minute walk from the Amazon campus, we went there after work. I loved it. I thought it was only about the fish throwing, but it’s so much more. There are local vendors selling produce, gifts, flowers, drinks, clothes, and more. Fun fact: the first Starbucks was at Pike Place, which I only realized after noticing the storefront.

Miles picked up some cider, and we walked around, eventually sitting by the waterfront overlooking Puget Sound. The sunny day and cool breeze made for a perfect afternoon catching up with an old friend. We walked along the waterfront to the Seattle Aquarium and Ferris Wheel, it’s a well-kept, lively area, perfect for families. If downtown Seattle feels sleepy, Pike Place will wake you up.

Lake Union

That evening, we joined Miles and his friends at Fram, a cozy neighborhood café/bar on Lake Union. By day, it’s a café, and by night they serve the famous Frozé, a frozen rosé slushie. We grabbed drinks, pulled up lawn chairs, and watched the sunset while talking to friends. Moments like that made me imagine post-grad life, the dream of moving somewhere new, building a strong friend group, and enjoying simple joys. If you find yourself in Seattle and want to support small businesses, stop by Fram, you might even run into Miles and his friends.

Puget Sound

Monday afternoon, Labor Day, we headed to Golden Gardens Park at Puget Sound for a beach day. We stopped at Little Coney for lunch, which I heard has a killer hotdog. At the beach, we hoped to play volleyball, but the nets were taken, so we played spikeball instead. I sat on my blanket, taking in the calmness of the water. Squinting, I could see the mountains of Olympic National Park. The water was cold, though some braved the chill. I joined in briefly, snacked, chatted, and enjoyed a lovely afternoon. We spent about three hours there, leaving around 5pm.

Woodland Park

Miles lives in the Fremont neighborhood on the north side of Seattle. After the beach, we rested for a bit before dinner, but I was eager to explore. Miles mentioned running around Green Lake, so I decided to check it out. On my way, I stumbled upon the Woodland Park Rose Garden. It wasn’t as grand as my favorite in Madrid, but it was beautiful and quiet, still in bloom. I called friends while wandering, enjoying solo exploration. Later, I walked part of Green Lake, it was getting late, so I didn’t circle the whole lake. If I lived in this neighborhood, I’d be grateful for this nature nook. For visitors, I recommend the rose garden, but for a lake, choose Lake Union.

Space Needle

Tuesday was my solo day! The Space Needle is a must-see in Seattle. There’s a fun gift store before the entrance, and a short wait to the elevator is filled with interesting historical displays. The views from both floors are incredible, and there are cameras set up for souvenir photos. Truly a can’t-miss experience.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

When you buy a Space Needle ticket, get the combination ticket for Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, it’s hands down one of the best museums I’ve ever visited. I love European art museums, but this is easily my favorite in the U.S. The museum showcases the glass art of Dale Chihuly, featuring complex and stunning installations.