things to do
Family activities
Museum of Illusions
1330 5th Avenue
Expect to spend about 90 minutes exploring this fascinating sensory experience.
*Joy and Russell did this without the kids and LOVED it!
SPIN Seattle
1511 6th Avenue
Book your ping-pong table by the hour while you try tasty eats. Plus, the staff will gather runaway balls for you! Kids allowed until 6pm.
*Joy and Russell did this on their fourth date.
Olympic Sculpture Park
2901 Western Avenue
Free, outdoor sculpture park with public recreation areas and a long waterfront walking trail with small beaches for splashing in.
*Joy and Russell walked here on their second date and took Rooney on many walks here as well. It’s just north of our rehearsal dinner location, if you want to fit it in.
The Seattle Great Wheel
1301 Alaskan Way
The huge ferris wheel at the end of Pier 57 serves groups of up to eight people per gondola. The calm, scenic ride takes less than 20 minutes and serves all ages.
*Russell’s office at Zillow (in the Russell Investment Center building) has the same view as the Great Wheel!
Pacific Science Center
200 Sue Bird Court North
Interactive, sneaky learning opportunities for the whole family. Bring snacks because you can spend a solid chunk of time here!
*Joy took Lynnea and Luca here often throughout their toddler and elementary years.
Seattle Center International Fountain
On the Seattle Center campus, this free-to-all 220’ water show has been a mainstay of Seattle since the 1962 World Fair. The kids WILL get wet, so bring a towel :)
*While Russell and Joy have never run through the fountain together, they spent much of their first year together at Russell’s apartment nearby.
Adult-y stuff
Ai Rebel at Seattle Art Museum
1300 1st Avenue
The celebrated exhibit by Ai WeiWei will be at SAM until September 7. His edgy, politically charged art is poignant and thought provoking.
*Joy and Russell love to eat at the SAM cafe, MAR-KET.
PacSci Laser Dome
200 Sue Bird Court North
Come see a laser light show! Evening shows at 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30pm span genres and ages.
*Russell and Joy held hands for the first time at a Laser Sia show here.
Unexpected Productions Improv
1428 Post Alley
Excellent, long-running improv group in Pike Place Market. Attend Theater Sports for audience participation, or any other show for a watch-only experience. Take pictures at the famous gum wall on your way in.
*Joy and Russell attended a show here as one of their first post-COVID outings.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
305 Harrison Street
Walk through room after room of Dale Chihuly’s breathtaking glass-blown artwork. Items for sale-and-ship in the gift shop.
*Joy and Russell visited this with Edwin and Eleanor very shortly into their dating days.
Find more adult-y activities at EverOut
Seattle’s best calendar of events and review zine (formerly “The Stranger”) is called EverOut. Read their reviews and visit their event calendar to learn about more goings-on, including cultural events, niche offerings, and concerts.
Food and drink
Navy Strength
2505 2nd Avenue, Suite 102
This Russell-favorite has—hands-down—the tastiest and most beautiful tropical drinks in Seattle. Just a block up from the Edgewater, it’s a great spot to continue the night.
Karoo Cafe
1921 1st Avenue
They couldn’t get it together enough to host our rehearsal dinner, but this South African spot’s ambiance, cocktails (and signature mocktail menu) are stellar, nonetheless. Grab a table at the far end, and you’ll get a sneaky water view!
Storyville Coffee Pike Place
92 Pike Street (top floor)
This packed-out upstairs coffeeshop is where Joy and Russell met for the first time.
Ludi’s Restaurant
120 Stewart Street
This Seattle mainstay reopened after COVID with the same hearty portions of Filipino comfort food, all-day breakfast, and a variety of celebrated ube treats. Visit early, before they sell out!
Marination
2000 6th Avenue
The food-truck-turned-brick-and-mortar spot downtown serves up Hawwaian-Korean fusion like no other. While you’re there, take a tour of the Amazon Spheres across the street.
Nordstrom Marketplace Cafe
500 Pine Street (inside Nordstrom)
Word to the wise: eat at Nordstrom. The high-end clothier makes surprisingly killer soups, salads, and handhelds; foodies literally cook from their cookbook.
*Joy took Russell here on dates when her income was small, but her Nordstrom gift card balance was high!