Seattle, Washington — [Traveling During COVID-19]

Let me just start off by saying I arranged this trip before Coronavirus was announced outside of China. I unfortunately could not get a refund or change my trip since it didn’t meet Alaska Air nor Airbnb’s requirements.

A couple months ago, I found a really good deal to fly from Chicago to Seattle. Seattle was always a city I wanted to visit, but it was either pricey to fly or I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to plan a trip. When I came across these tickets, it took me about three hours before I made the final call and just got them. I honestly paid under $175 when normal prices are around $250+ during off season. (I will not fly cheap airlines like Frontier or Spirit. I believe in comfort and quality.)

So there I was! Going on my first solo vacation! Something I would have never thought I would do on my own, like ever! Let alone during an outbreak like COVID-19 when Washington State was the prime hub during this time in the United States.

On my way to the airport, I had a mini panic attack. I was freaking out because I was about to catch this flight across the country and be all alone over two thousand miles away from everyone and anyone I knew. I wanted to go, but I was also scared. That feeling went away shortly after when I realized how much fun this trip could actually be and that’s exactly what it was. A great time!

Where To Stay:

Downtown Seattle is so lively with beautiful sunsets over the harbor. If you don’t plan on leaving the city, staying downtown is the best option. I stayed in an Airbnb over in Pioneer Square on top of Merchant’s Cafe. (Fun Fact: This place is the oldest bar in Seattle and it’s supposed to be haunted. I didn’t see anything at my place though.) It was super convenient to walk everywhere and it was only 20 minutes away from the airport. A win win. Another great location would be Belltown. This neighborhood is literally right in the middle of Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. It’s also in the center of all the action, so there’s no need for a car or Lyft. You can easily walk everywhere.

Food Places To Check Out:

Before going to Seattle, I knew all I wanted to eat was fresh seafood for the weekend. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to indulge this time around, but I did get to eat some really good salmon tacos. I’ve had fish tacos on the West Coast, but never salmon. These were honestly better. I also made it a priority to stop at Cupcake Royale. They have some of the best cupcakes around! Some other places I would recommend, but didn’t personally get to go are:

• Pike Place Chowder
• Fran’s Chocolates
• Top Pot Doughnuts

 What To See:

Seattle is known for their huge public farmers’ market, but also because of the Space Needle. These were two of the locations I wanted to check out for sure. (This is also why I knew Seattle would be a good first solo trip because I can do some of these things on my own no problem.) Besides the top two touristy sights, I wanted to go by the water and enjoy the scenery. I did a lot of walking, so I got to visit different neighborhoods and check out places along the way. On my last adventure, I walked from Pioneer Square to the Space Needle. It’s not that far, but it’s about two miles. I’m glad that the weather was in the high 40’s because it allowed me to save some money on Lyft’s, but also because I got to experience the city walking instead of being in a car and seeing everything from behind a window. If there was somewhere I wanted to stop, I could do so. Some places I would recommend checking out are:

• Pike Place Market
• The Gum Wall
• Space Needle
• Pier 57
• Waterfront Park
• Kerry Park

After my first solo trip as a female traveler, I have nothing but good things to share about this experience. If there’s somewhere you want to go, but you have no one to travel with, go alone! Life is wayyyyy to short to wait on others. Your actual life begins when you realize how to be your own person and you start doing the things you always wanted to do. Even if that means doing them alone!!

P.S – I traveled during 03/07/2020-03/09/2020 and Seattle was still alive. It was not a ghost town or near empty. I made sure to take all precautions PLUS go above all standards. I even met some people on a photoshoot tour and no one was concerned about COVID-19. It’s different now and more people are reacting, but life goes on. Stay healthy and wash your hands.

Xox

La Flare