This week, I partnered with Brooklyn Bicycle Co. and With The Locals to put together a list of my favorite Seattle spots. I'm sharing half of them on the blog today—see my favorite spots for food on With The Locals by clicking here!

Ballard Locks

Visiting the Hiram M. Chittenden locks—or the Ballard Locks, as everyone calls them—has been one of my family’s favorite activities for years. During salmon season, you can see thousands of fish swimming through the fish ladder, but the rest of the year, it’s gloriously entertaining to watch the boats transfer from one water level to the next. It’s like Ballard’s very own miniature Panama Canal. Stop for lunch at the Lockspot Café right outside when you’re done, and then stroll the beautiful botanical gardens right in the park!

The Franklin 7 by Brooklyn Bicycle Co.

Centennial Park

Much of Seattle’s charm comes from its integration of industry into the landscape and lifestyle. Centennial Park on Elliot Bay seems to simultaneously remove itself from the city hustle while embracing it at the same time, and there’s a ton to see while you’re there. Grain elevators, shipping barges, a 400-foot fishing pier, and a beautiful rose garden are just the beginning of it. It’s a wonderfully calming place to spend a sunny afternoon!

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Fisherman's Terminal

Marina strolls are what Seattle dreams are made of, and there’s no better place to do it than at Fisherman’s Terminal. There’s always something worth watching going on—it’s the home base of the North Pacific fishing company. There’s also delicious food and an amazing fish market for when you’re hungry now and later. Seattle is such a fascinating city in the way it functions, and spending some time at Fisherman’s Terminal gives a perfect at-a-glance look at why.

Kerry Park

Kerry Park is a small but lovable viewpoint in the beautiful and lively Queen Anne neighborhood. Sit on the wall or a blanket on the grass and watch the sunset over the Space Needle and Mount Rainier. I love it because there are usually only one or two other people around since the park is so small! You can’t take a bad photo from this spot.

Lake Union

Lake Union is a huge hub for sea planes, house boats, sailing and more. It’s one of my favorite places in all of Seattle, and it’s beautiful from every side. Grab a kayak from Moss Bay on the south side and go for a morning paddle before daytime water traffic picks up. A gorgeous view of Gas Works and the skyline awaits!

Olympic Sculpture Park

Opened in 2007, the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park is a newer local experience, but a lovely one nonetheless. Open all day every day, rain or shine, it’s a blast to walk through and see pieces that were built 30 and 40 years ago, or even in the past few years. My favorites: Louise Bourgeois’ creepy eyeball benches, Mark Di Suvero’s 1965 “Bunyon’s Chess,” and pictured here, “The Eagle” by Alexander Calder. Grab a coffee at Cherry Street on 1st and Clay before your walkthrough.

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Every city comes with a million recommendations from locals and travelers alike, filling up most of your itinerary with so much food that there’s no way you’ll make it home without an extra pound. I had about 15 restaurants to hit during my two days in Providence, and while that wasn’t even a little plausible, I narrowed down a few of the places I felt most comfortable dining alone, from casual to formal, should you ever find yourself in need of a bite in Rhode Island’s capital city.

Small Point Café

Small Point Café, housed in the Downcity Arts district between Symposium Books and the Queen of Hearts clothing boutique, has been around since 2010 and it’s easy to see why there’s a constant hum of customers and activity. In addition to a stellar coffee menu brewing fair-trade beans, there are plenty of breakfast and lunch sandwiches to sustain your afternoon exploration.

Most of the sitting customers were art students meeting for group projects, solo flyers typing away on their laptops, or a pair or trio catching up over chai. Sitting down to breakfast or lunch on your own won’t even get a second blink, but I felt very comfortable asking others patrons for the wifi information or other restaurant recommendations. Rhode Islanders are happy to share about their state.
 

The Duck & Bunny

I went on a day where the wait staff was very “dude-heavy,” as Mike the barista informed me once I inquired. An adorable “snuggery,” as they call it, their specialty is cupcakes and afternoon tea, which struck me as slightly hilarious considering everyone working there was a guy in all black with tattoos and facial hair.

I sat at the barista bar with a cheese and spinach crepe for brunch, and was surprised by the flurry of activity at 11 a.m. on a weekday. The phone was ringing off the hook and customers were coming in and out of the door for cupcakes to go. The barista’s friends filtered in and out as well, making it easy to integrate myself into conversation. It was a wonderful, welcoming experience in a light and bright environment.
 

Birch

Birch was a restaurant that changed my life while in Providence. It came with glowing reviews from both the tourism board and locals I met around town, and I was not disappointed. Expect a much more formal dining experience than at breakfast cafes or lunch spots: the eighteen-seat, 500-square-foot dining room makes for immediate intimacy. If you aren’t used to dining alone, this may be a good setting for you. Close quarters with strangers means less awkward stares and more casual conversation when you’re literally brushing shoulders.

The space itself is beautiful and a mix of modern and rugged. A large mirror is angled from the ceiling, which doubles the space through the reflection and bouncing light. The two bartenders for the night were also the two waitresses, happily chatting to each other and to dinner guests. With the U-shaped, counter-height table surrounding the bar, everything goes on right in front of you. Behind the scenes commonalities—servers drying and returning silverware to storage—somehow adds to the experience rather than detract from it. Friendly protesters at a theatre across the street provided some short term dinner engagement while I snacked on my pre-appetizer, a gift from the kitchen—an absurdly good crispy asparagus spear, dipped in the dreamiest garlic cream. It was exactly what I was hungry for, and I could have eaten ten.

The lone asparagus spear set the stage for an unforgettable meal. As a vegetarian, I had one (occasionally two) selection for each course of the four-course meal, but I thoroughly enjoyed three of them, which I count as a success. Dessert almost came in second behind an heirloom cornmeal dish with mustard flowers and some other deliciousness with vegetable broth, but the cherry blossom jam tart with beeswax ice cream took the cake, if you will. It would appear that gifts from the kitchen are frequent—I finished my meal with a melt-in-your-mouth homemade whoopie pie placed in front of me. Once I realized everyone around the table was receiving one, I loved the lack of exclusivity. Everyone feels special leaving Birch.

Ever wondered what one wears to go shelling? Me neither, but suddenly, I have the answer.

T.J. Maxx top (similar) and bag (similar)  |  Blank NYC overalls c/o Lulu*s  |  Sandals c/o Soludos  |  San Diego Hat Company straw hat  |  Quay Australia sunglasses

I spent a recent weekend on the shell-covered islands of Sanibel and Captiva in southwest Florida with a few other fashion and travel bloggers, scouring the beach for treasures and burning our shoulders as we went. Our first day was spent northbound on a breezy pontoon with Captiva Cruises, who have been boating shell enthusiasts around since 1986. They know what they're doing.

Captain Brian and marine biologist Stefanie gave us a ten-minute crash course in shelling and species identification on the beach, but as soon as we all started pawing through the sand and crushed shells, I knew it'd take more than a little effort to drag us all away. I had never heard of "shelling" as an activity before my feet hit the hot sands of Sanibel, but I was hooked as soon as I pulled my first bivalve from the waves. Shelling is quite literally wandering around the beach and looking for cool shells. It's a very calming activity. The exciting part is the thrill you get after you learn to identify so many unique types, and are able to spot them out in nature.

It happened that I had forgotten my shelling bag back at the resort, so my overalls came in handy. Throw them on over your bikini, slap on a sunhat, and you're ready for adventure. Having a thousand pockets made it very nerdy and convenient to separate the types I shells I found. Slipper shells in the left pocket, conchs in the right, and my mound of jingle shells—the prettiest and my favorite—went front and center in my place-of-honor bib pocket. The straw bag carried around my camera and sunscreen, and my trusty Soludos always handle the sand better than my favorite sneakers.

We were all so in love with shelling that we asked our travel guides to squeeze in another trip to the beach, even though there was only one on our itinerary. As much as I love to be an outfit repeater, I made sure to pack along my shelling bag.

Thank you to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel for sponsoring this post.