Summer is here, and it is glorious. Actually it has been here for quite a while. Thanks climate change! Seattle’s typical June-uary gloom seems like it may be a phenomenon of the past. Though our farms are totally screwed for water we are doing way better than California, so we can be thankful for that at least (back off, William Shatner).
Ain’t she purty?
Below, a little roundup of activities to help maximize the delightfulness that is summer in the Pacific Northwest.
Drinks on a Patio
Get to a bar or restaurant with outdoor seating and order a beverage! And some oysters, fried seafood delights, or tacos. You’ll be joining like 45% of Seattle, so try to go at a less popular time (i.e. don’t roll through at 5pm on a Friday with 8 friends and expect to get a seat).
Marg at Little Water Cantina
Westward, Little Water Cantina, Maximilien, and Terra Plata are a few of my favorites. Here is a nice little list if you need further inspiration.
Outdoor Music
There are so many good outdoor music options to be found in and around Seattle during summer. KEXP’s Concerts at the Mural series in August is FREE. Bumbershoot is a Seattle classic, though the lineup looks kind of random this year.
If you can deal with the hipster hordes, I highly recommend the Capitol Hill Block Party– if I wasn’t pregnant I would definitely be attending this year. For a slightly classier experience (I assume), I’ve been meaning to check out a concert at Chateau Ste. Michelle winery (two of my great loves, music and wine, in one place!) but I haven’t been so I can’t vouch for those.
Al Fresco Movie Night
If you’d rather remain in a reclined position while being entertained outdoors, hit up one of these.
Mariners Game
As a Seattleite you have to go to at least one Ms Game per summer, even if you think baseball is deadly boring. Safeco has great food options and beer/wine options galore. I don’t recommend trying to sneak in a flask on College Night-they will catch you and it will be embarrassing (not that I speak from experience…)
Safeco Field
Find a Friend with a Boat
Ah the friend with a boat, so clutch. All of the fun with none of the cost or responsibility-it’s pretty much the perfect arrangement. Bring good snacks and booze and floaty toys and hopefully you will be asked back multiple times. Boating, in any format really, is the quintessential Seattle summer experience. Make it happen, even if you have to rent a canoe.