[Mikan Passport] Seattle + Olympic PeninsulaThree days of seafood, skyline snaps, and Stray Kids energy
Why you should care
I travel so you get the insider playbook. Every itinerary I publish feeds straight into future collabs, press perks, and good vibes for the community. Brands and tourism boards, my inbox is always open.
Friday ▸ Touchdown, chowder, and a VIP skyline
4:10 AM – Parents drop us at PHX. Shook off the yawns, breezed through security, and landed in Seattle by nine.
Payless Car Rental handed us a bright white Prius with zero fuss. That friendly energy set the tone for the whole weekend.
Pike Place Market
Underground garage right at the market, twenty five dollars, worth it.
Pike Place Chowder. Two sourdough bread bowls. Fifteen minute line. Absolute victory.
Public Market sign selfie, fish-toss show, Gum Wall quick snap. Skip the gum vendors trying to upsell you.
Space Needle + Chihuly Garden and Glass
Massive thank-you to Amy Cunningham and the entire Space Needle + Chihuly Garden and Glass team for the media passes. Your hospitality let us capture every angle for our readers and socials. (Brands reading this, that is how you build word-of-mouth magic.)
Highlights:
Chihuly’s glass forms look unreal in morning light.
Space Needle rotates up top, so every corner of Seattle rotates into frame.
Take the stairs on the way down. Free shirt at the bottom. You are welcome.
Sunset run
Skyline shot at Kerry Park. Photog paradise.
AA Sushi, Ballard. Generous rice, tasty fish, maybe too carb heavy for purists.
Miro Tea. Unsweet, clean flavors.
Alki Beach for golden hour. Parking is tight, plan for a quick loop until someone leaves.
Supply run at Target, arcade walk-through at Round One (21+ after a set hour, IDs checked).
Saturday ▸ History, oysters, and Stray Kids chaos
Pioneer Square morning stroll:
Side-street parking saves dollars when garages jump to event pricing.
Free Gold Rush museum run by the National Park Service. Volunteers there drop gems of local history.
International District detour:
Japanese market loaded with gachapon.
Grabbed Royce’ chocolate since Arizona has none. (Royce’, hit me up.)
Elliott’s Oyster House on Pier 56:
Patio seats with mountain views.
One hour wait for halibut. Bill passed one hundred ten. Beautiful backdrop, but value is meh.
Indigo Cow soft serve:
Hokkaido milk ice cream plus mochi, brown sugar syrup, roasted sesame. Single worker, stay patient.
Gas Works Park chill-out before showtime.
Stray Kids at T-Mobile Park
Line wrapped around WAMU Theater and Lumen Field. Entry bottleneck was rough.
Concert slapped. Full recap dropping on The Mikan Box. Stay tuned.
Sunday ▸ Waterfalls, the edge of America, and a twilight town
Left SeaTac area before six. Skipped the ferry, drove down through Tacoma.
Lake Crescent waterfall trail. Fog, giant evergreens, serene vibes.
Cape Flattery. Pay twenty dollars for the Makah permit. Twenty five minute downhill trek to jaw-dropping sea stacks.
Forks Motel for the night:
Clean, solid Wi-Fi, softer mattress than I like. Shower pressure beats our airport hotel.
Dinner at South North Chinese. Combo plate hits the rice craving, some dishes mid tier.
Ended the night with a spontaneous stop at Rialto Beach. Driftwood the size of school buses, Pacific waves, misty horizon.
Monday ▸ Mossy dreams and wheels up
Hoh Rain Forest by eight. Download offline maps because cell signal is nonexistent.
Hall of Mosses and Spruce Trail. Flat, short, photo gold with a 16-35 mm.
Visitor center merch for the journal.
Quick photo op at Ruby Beach, then back toward SeaTac.
Westfield Southcenter mall for ramen, milk tea, and a Uniqlo browse.
Filled the Prius, returned to Payless. Once again, stellar service.
TSA lines rolled fast. Boarded, edited a few selects on the plane, and called it a wrap.
Grateful shoutouts
Amy Cunningham, Public Relations Director, and the whole Space Needle + Chihuly Garden and Glass crew for trusting our creative vision.
Payless Car Rental for next-level customer care.
Every volunteer, barista, and ranger who made us feel at home.
