November/December 2025
Best Hotel: Populus Seattle
Pioneer Square has undergone a post-pandemic renaissance, and Populus Seattle, the neighborhood’s freshest new hotel, is leading the way with its rooftop bar and art-forward programming. Part of the Railspur micro-district, the 120-room adaptive reuse project converts the century-old Westland building into an inviting hospitality space that welcomes out-of-town guests and the surrounding community. Populus…
Best Team Mascot: Doppler
Ask 10 Seattleites what they think Doppler is, and the answers will vary from animal to monster to something about radar or wave frequencies. None of them would be totally wrong, and it all adds to the mystique of the Seattle Storm’s lovable, furry mascot. Named Doppler for obvious, rainy reasons, the yellow-and-maroon creature is…
Best Place to Flirt: Pioneer Square Art Walk
Forget swiping on a screen; the best place to catch the eye of someone cute, and maybe even make a move, is at the monthly Pioneer Square Art Walk. Although the art walk is one of, if not the longest-running event of its kind in the country (happening for more than six decades now), it…
Best Beach Town: Edmonds
We might be a little biased, since two Seattle magazine staffers grew up in Edmonds and two of them live there now, but this little city on the sound is absolutely a Northwest gem. Long a sleepy enclave best known for its ferry to Kingston (or as the residence of travel writer Rick Steves), Edmonds…
Best Road Trip: Chuckanut Drive
A little less than two hours north of Seattle, depending on traffic, Chuckanut Drive (also known as WA State Highway 11) is 20 miles of postcard-worthy scenery with plenty of places to stop and things to do along the way. It’s a pretty straight shot heading along I-5 North; just take Exit 231 in Burlington…
Best Bakery: Petit Pierre
The brainchild of award-winning chef Pierre Poulin, Petit Pierre Bakery brings elevated French pastry to a casual Seattle café (or two). With locations in Magnolia and Phinney Ridge, the bakery is small in stature, but big in flavor. Born in Paris, chef Poulin spent summers with his grandmother in Brittany, where he first learned about…
Best Neighborhood For Holiday Lights: Olympic Manor
When the December dark settles in, there’s nothing more cheer-inducing than bundling up, grabbing a hot chocolate, and going to look at holiday lights. Bright colors, flashing patterns, giant inflatable cartoon characters—decorations seem to get more and more over-the-top each year. This sentiment rings especially true in Olympic Manor, the neighborhood just north of Ballard,…
Best Park: Volunteer Park
An oldie but goodie, Volunteer Park is one of Seattle’s most beloved outdoor spaces. A Seattle Landmark since 2011, the park sits near the north end of Capitol Hill and dates back more than 100 years, boasting a design by John Charles Olmsted, of the famous Olmsted Brothers’ Landscape Architects. (The city commissioned the Massachusetts-based…
Best Instagrammable Spot: Pike Place Market
Naming a winner in this category was as difficult as choosing a favorite child, but since we could only pick one, we went with an icon. Few places exemplify Seattle more than Pike Place Market, where history, food, art, and nature meet in one of the oldest and longest-running public farmers markets in the country….
Best Happy Hour: Donna’s
We’re still not over the loss of vito’s, but Donna’s, the moody bar on the corner of Olive and Melrose on Capitol Hill, brings a similar late-night vibe. The small watering hole operates on a first-come, first-served basis, with a few tables downstairs and another batch upstairs. Nostalgic touches include gold disco balls, a good,…
Best Museum: Frye Art Museum
Opened in 1952 on first hill, the Frye Art Museum has long been a free institution for the public to enjoy art. Named for Charles and Emma Frye, who lived in Seattle at the turn of the century, the museum was founded to house the couple’s collection of paintings by American and European artists. Styled…
Best Live Music Venue: Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
Like many things in Seattle, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley has its roots in the University District. Owner John Dimitriou took over the lease on a flailing club called Jazz Alley in 1980, and since then, the establishment has earned a reputation as one of the top jazz bars in the country. But that recognition didn’t come…
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