Mountain View
Maria Shimizu Christensen
19 Cent Burgers Are Back at Dick’s
On January 28th, Dick’s Drive-In will celebrate 69 years of serving up burgers, fries and shakes to the people of Seattle, and beyond. The local franchise opened the walk-up windows at its very first location in Wallingford in 1954.
Save the Date for the Next Great Junk Hunt
Frequently lauded as the best vintage market and flea market in the country, The Great Junk Hunt is an extremely popular market that travels to cities around the country, and it’s coming back to Washington State. With a market in the winter and another in the spring, you’ll have more than one opportunity to find all sorts of treasures.
Healing and Joy With Holiday Lights
A small part of the Farwell's front yardPhoto byKari Farwell. There’s a house in Puyallup on a big corner lot that’s overrun with candy canes, snowmen, Christmas decorations, and so many lights that it takes two weeks to put them up. There’s a big red mailbox for letters to Santa, and the property is dripping with icicle lights. And that just barely scratches the surface. It’s a beautiful display made all the more special by the journey of the people who put it up for all to enjoy.
Kids Eat For Free on Halloween at Local Chain Restaurants
Many parents understand thoroughly the challenges of a weeknight Halloween. Sure, there are weekend parties and trick or treat opportunities through local businesses, but door-to-door trick or treating still takes place on October 31st.
Learn to Forge in One Beginner Friendly Class
Photo by Jeff Kubina, licensed under Creative Commons. Forging metal into useful objects has been a part of human history for at least 6,000 years, and while the techniques and tools might have evolved a little, the basic concept has not. It’s also an art that is accessible to nearly anyone and you don’t need to take a week’s worth of classes to learn and make your own useful or beautiful object.
Half Price Books Warehouse Sale This Weekend
Many book lovers are familiar with the Half Price Books warehouse sales, held two or three times a year. The upcoming sale comes with a twist. Most of the events offer up a tote bag that can be filled for $25. It’s a good deal and it’s fun for dedicated bibliophiles to see just how much weight they can carry. This Saturday, everything in the warehouse is $1.
Free Things To Do in Seattle and Beyond All Summer
We know many of our parks, lakes, and beaches in the Puget Sound region are free and a great place to spend a day. You can spend hours wandering around the Pike Place Market, the Seattle Center, the Olympic Sculpture Park, or the Bellevue Botanical Garden, but what if you want to do something a little different? A little more unique? The following list has things that are family-friendly and things that are interesting for grownups.
The Biggest Car Show in the PNW is This Weekend
At 5:30 am on Saturday, June 25th, cars will begin to line up along Greenwood Avenue North in Seattle. And not just any cars, but the coolest and oldest cars around. The iconic Greenwood Car Show doesn’t officially start until 8 am, but it takes a while to get hundreds of cars in place. All of the vehicles, from hot rods to ancient trucks, enter the street on 70th and start driving north. Eventually the parking fills up and then people get to work polishing their vehicles and setting up displays.
Seattle Pride Parade and Two Pride Fests This Weekend
The Seattle Pride Parade route map from the website. It’s the largest parade in Washington State and it takes place on Sunday, June 26. The Seattle Pride Parade is celebrating its 48th year and around half a million people are expected to attend.
Free Rowboat Rentals at the Center for Wooden Boats
The Center for Wooden Boats is an iconic organization in Seattle, with a history spanning nearly 50 years. With rampant growth in South Lake Union, it was important to save some space for old Seattle, and the recent designation of the CWB as a Landmark does just that.
Two Strawberry Festivals This Weekend
Image from the Burien Strawberry Festival website. Strawberry growing has a long history in the Puget Sound region. Berry farms have dotted the area from Whatcom County to counties around the south end of the sound for nearly 200 years. While there are fewer berry farms now and the industry looks a little different these days, and kids don’t usually earn their pocket money picking berries by the flat in the summer like I did, we still love our strawberries.
Drink, Shop, and Eat at the Seattle Night Market
What happens when you roll a food festival, high-end craft fair, a dance party, and a cocktail party into one event? You get the 4th annual Summer Solstice Night Market. This highly popular event is 21+ only and fills the very large Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park in Northeast Seattle. The party spills outside the building, too, and promises to overflow with fun.
Pedal the Railroad Tracks With the Vance Creek Railriders
The season is open for one of the most unique activities in the Pacific Northwest, and there’s a good chance that you’ve never done anything like it. It’s a physical activity that isn’t too strenuous, it’s outdoorsy, peaceful, and it’s more fun than walking.
Queer Prom Is This Saturday, June 11, in Seattle
Prom is a big deal in high school and a lot of people have fond memories of theirs. Parents take photos of their kids and dates, capturing some of the moments that make up those memories. Beautiful dresses, dinners, sparkly lights, music, dancing, and friends combine for a magical night. But, not for everyone.
Join Doug Baldwin Jr for a Community BBQ in Renton
Former Seahawk Doug Baldwin, Jr. has been busy since he retired in 2019. Founder of an investment firm, board member and advisor, and the Executive Director of the Family First Community Center Foundation, among other things. And now he’s co-sponsoring a community BBQ in Renton.
The Furry 5K Fun Run and Walk This Weekend
For over 20 years the Furry 5K Fun Run and Walk has raised funds to help support the Seattle Animal Shelter. Thousands of animals enter the shelter doors every year, and they need everything from veterinary care to new homes. It takes a lot to help these abandoned and surrendered pets.
Excellent Wood-Fired Pizza in Seattle
Lists like this are usually headlined as “the best” of something, but pizza might just be the most subjective and debated food around. Styles, regions, and toppings all have their fans and haters, so it’s nearly impossible to say what’s best.
Take Dad to an Air Show for Father’s Day
For over 20 years the Olympic Air Show has taken place in Olympia and this year is no exception. The show is happening during Father’s Day weekend, making it the perfect outing for families, or anyone who enjoys airplanes, history, and a festival atmosphere.
Maria Shimizu Christensen
152+
Posts
5M+
Views
Author of a Seattle handbook for newcomers, Maria provides news, guides, and tidbits for city dwellers, visitors, and day trippers
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.