When I first moved to Seattle five years ago, I downright loathed the place. It rained too much and, as a person who hated rain with every fiber in her body, I didn't like it. However, the city has grown on me, and I now undoubtedly call it my home.
Below are some of my favorite parts about Seattle, which I have come to associate it with (aside from calling it "Rain City").
1. Summer is the best time to visit.
When I tell people I'm from Seattle, they tell me that they want to visit. And I encourage that. But then I add in an extra point: "Only come in the summer!" During this season, Seattle is the best place to be. The air is fresh and light. There is no humidity, but just the temperature in the mid to high 20's (celsius...I am forever a metrics girl). The sun is super green and the sky is crazy blue. There are people everywhere, sunbathing in the Seattle Center lawn and Pike Place Market is bustling with business.
Seattle in the summer is like a slice of heaven. It makes you feel like you've earned it through the past nine months of rain for the two and a half months of good weather (the other half-month is a weird cold-but-sunny transition period).
2. Good restaurants every five blocks.
Food is an vital part of my life, so it is important for me to live in a place with lots of good food. And I didn't realize how much Seattle had to offer in the street scene. It seemed like everywhere we (meaning my boyfriend and I) went, there was a new restaurant we could try. We never seemed to run out of options. Sure, if we loved it in one place especially much, we did tend to go back, but that didn't mean that we couldn't find other places to spend money on food on.
Also, Seattle desserts are top-notch. Just sayin'.
3. No extreme temperatures (aside from a lot of rain).
People often ask me why I chose Smith and one of my reasons is that I want seasons. While Seattle doesn't really offer that (we have spring and fall, but it's often masked by the constant downpour of rain, or the grimness of the clouds), I still love how there is no extreme weather, or temperature. Seattle can be found to have very mild temperature where you can get by with a warm coat in the colder times and a T-shirt in the summer. Snow is also extremely seldom, maybe every two years?
4. There is not enough freeway space for the increase in population.
I must admit that Seattle does have its appeal and that's probably why the population within the area has increased so drastically. Unfortunately, that also means more cars and, therefore, more traffic. With the increase in population, the once-adequate freeways are no longer enough. So just make sure you are not going into downtown Seattle after 7.30 a.m. and not during 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; you have been warned.
5. Three hours away from Canada = a lot of mini-vacation time.
Who says you need to pay big bucks to travel internationally? Well, if you live in Seattle, or in this case any city close to the USA-Canadian border, you don't need to even book a flight! The semi-long road trip takes you on a scenic route which, if you appreciate nature, you will definitely love. It means a lot of spontaneous vacation time during the weekend, which is great if you want a change in scenery.
If you had asked me five years ago if I would want to live in Seattle, I would've given you a definite "no," without hesitation. Now, however, I have been convinced Seattle may be the next LA, just without the constant 24/7, 365 days sunlight. I love Seattle and if you go visit in the summer, you will, too.
