Typically my husband and I opt for beach vacations. There’s just something about that sun, sand, and ocean breeze that calls our names.  Or it could be the fruity cocktails complete with little umbrellas. And I suppose, for him, the golf. But as for me, it’s all about that beach.

That being said, every once in a while we venture past our comfort zone and into the temperatures under 50. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s a little touch and go sometimes, but we somehow prevail. I’d like to thank the Kohl’s faux leather jacket for keeping me warm in the coldest of nights. That, and the vodka.

We booked a trip over Thanksgiving weekend to experience all that Seattle had to offer. My husband has family in the area, so we would spend Thanksgiving with them, enjoy a nice turkey dinner, and explore the city for the remaining few days. After researching online sites for travel deals, we found one through Expedia that happened to be much cheaper than booking separately (which surprised me with Southwest deals as they are, and Airbnb usually being a better option). We ended up booking at Hotel Five in downtown Seattle.

We arrived without much expectation and we were very pleasantly surprised. Had we had high expectations, they would have been met. We were even greeted by a little stuffed puppy on our bed upon arrival!

After checking in to the Hotel Five, we had to get back on track. We had a very long to-do list, and we wanted to make sure we checked all the items off. And by “we,” I clearly mean “I” because my husband just follows my lead. He calls me his “Travel Liaison.” I’m good with that title.

First stop: The Fremont Troll. This was high up on my list of things to-do. Mainly because he’s just too cool. I mean, look at him. Have you ever seen anything so unique? We would have missed out on him had we not had family in the area, willing to drive us out to see him. He’s a little further out of the city, you most definitely need to drive to Fremont if you’re staying downtown. But not to fear, if you don’t have a rental, grab an Uber to Fremont. Spend some quality time with the troll, and then stroll around Fremont for a cocktail or some lunch. It’s a great little neighborhood.

On to Post Alley to see the Gum Wall (not to be confused with BubbleGum Alley in San Luis Obispo – when Googling). This was a little tricky to find, so you’ll definitely want to stop and ask for directions. Coming from a person with generally good directional skills, it even took me a few wrong turns to find the final destination. Good thing my husband doesn’t mind walking around in circles. Which he just so happens to be pretty good at, because without my directional skills he’s a little navigationally challenged. Don’t worry babe, I love you anyway.

There’s just something about posing with the Public Market sign. Even though this is the smaller of the set, it’s still a pretty view. From this location, you can stop by the original Starbucks (which we did, but quickly realized we weren’t waiting in a roller-coaster-esque line), or the famous Piroshky Piroshky bakery (right next door, also equally long line).

Not on my to-do list: The giant Ferris Wheel at the pier. However, when my husband spotted it, there was no chance we were getting out of the city without taking a trip. Something worth mentioning: we both have a fear of heights, so the first go around was a little dicey. I think we had a panic attack or two. Thankfully by the second time up and around, we were professionals. Taking photos and even slightly leaning against the glass.

Back to the public market for a little fish tossing! While we did see one get thrown, there wasn’t any available for me to catch so I had to settle for taking a photo with one. Thankfully, the guys working were good sports. I’m sure they get this kind of request many times each hour. Side note: after holding the fish, they DO have a sink you can wash your hands in. Because the anti-bacterial just wasn’t gonna cut the fish smell.

While you’re at the market (in front of the large Public Market sign), make sure you rub the pig’s nose for good luck (I hear her name is Rachel). Then drop a coin in while you’re at it. I felt like giving her a kiss might make my wishes come true a little faster, but we still haven’t won the lottery so…

The first day wouldn’t have been complete without getting a Seattle-famous cheeseburger. Of course I had a list a mile long before we arrived in the city, but after taking the advice from a few bartenders, we ended up settling on 8oz Burger Bar in Capitol Hill. Let me just say, it was DEFINITELY worth it. That burger was amazing. My stomach felt a little touch-and-go afterwards, but when you eat a burger this size, I suppose it goes with the territory. Apologies for such a grainy photo, it was pretty dark inside!

While my weakness is definitely cheeseburgers, my husband’s love for donuts did not go unrecognized. Seattle has a coffee shop on every corner (mostly Starbucks), and donut shops seemed to be everywhere! Right next to our hotel was one of the best in the city (luck?), so he had a “few” donuts over the course of two days. Top Pot Doughnuts on 5th. Check it out. Get the Ovaltine Latte. It’s amazing and you can thank me later.

We woke up to lots of rain on Thanksgiving, but ventured out with our complimentary yellow umbrella from the hotel anyway. I may or may not have asked my husband to take lots of photos of me with that umbrella. I mean, you never know which one really turned out until you get in from the rain right?

Our “Thanksgiving photo.” Do you think I ever go without a photo on a holiday? Yeah didn’t think so.

On our last day, we did the most typical Seattle-esque thing. The Space Needle. We made a lunch reservation, had a few cocktails, and then ventured out to the observation deck to take lots of photos. That coffee cup in my hand is actually vodka. Yup, we pretty much had the coolest waitress of all time. To-go cups of vodka? Before you think I’m that hardcore, it wasn’t straight vodka. Clearly I am not a neanderthal. It was mixed with Sprite.

After we made our way back downtown, we realized we were visiting on a pretty special day. We were able to see the annual holiday tree lighting, the Macy’s star lighting, and a pretty large firework show. Then we walked down to the Pacific Place mall to see a snowfall inside the mall! What an excellent topper to a great trip.

Overall, we had such an amazing trip to Seattle. I think we definitely crammed a lot of stuff into two days. Have you been? What critical thing did we miss?