I have lived in the Pacific Northwest long enough to expect it, and still, late spring catches me by surprise. The mountain returns for the season, suddenly part of the almost-daily view again. The grass isn’t (so) soggy anymore. Dinner can happen outside, and the city gets a little easier to love. Here are five ways to be out in it.

Courtesy of Fogo de Chão

1. A table in the sky

Fogo de Chão Next Level Lounge

This Brazilian steakhouse opened its rooftop lounge downtown at the end of last year, and we haven’t been able to fully enjoy it yet. The 11th-floor space includes an outdoor patio that seats 90, set at just the right height—you’re in it, not above it all—with taller surrounding buildings reflecting sunlight during the day and the glow of the city at night. You’re greeted with a glass of champagne, and it’s easy to take in the skyline and share: crispy yuca (cassava) fries, butter-bathed lobster tail, and a caipirinha—Brazil’s national cocktail—made tableside with aged cachaça and fresh tropical fruit.

2. Rows of roses

May–August

Golden Root Roses is a third-generation farm in Snohomish growing more than 120 varieties of roses, including older ones that have largely disappeared from the market. They’re grown on their own roots, which makes them hardier in our wet climate. More than 2,500 are planted in the ground, so you see them fully grown—blush, deep red, apricot, yellow—and smell the blooms as you wander, deciding what to take home. The gardens are free and open to the public.

Courtesy of Friends of Waterfront Park

3. Walk the shoreline

June–September

The waterfront finally reopened, in phases, during the past year, and the new 90-minute guided tour, From Coast Salish Roots to Civic Renewal, is a great way to understand its history. The tour traces the shoreline from Coast Salish stewardship through its industrial years to what’s there now, with stops for public art, new green space, and restoration work you might otherwise miss. It runs about a mile and a half from Pike Place Market to Pioneer Square, and there’s also a scavenger hunt version if you bring a group.

Courtesy of Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets

4. Fresh picks

Saturdays starting June 6, South Lake Union

It’s nice to have a Saturday plan that doesn’t require much thought. The South Lake Union Farmers Market returns this June with additional growers and a longer season that runs through Thanksgiving. The amalgam of vendors stretches across two blocks, and there’s always something to eat while browsing—juicy tomatoes, still-warm pastries—and flowers wrapped in paper always have a way of coming home, whether they were on the list or not.

Courtesy of BLASTFEST

5. Summer sounds

July 18

BLASTFEST returns to Seattle Center for a fourth year with its biggest lineup yet, including three Grammy-winning artists as part of a six-act bill that spans Afrobeats, reggae, and hip-hop. It’s 21+ for the first time, and the food program is expanding to include West African and Caribbean eats. New interactive elements, such as a gyrosphere, will round out the party. Getting tickets early is a good idea.