Seattle to Alaska · Day 1
Every great trip has a Day 1, and for our Seattle to Alaska adventure, it started right at home in Toronto. Before the cruise ships, glaciers and mountain views, there was a flight to catch, a city to explore, and, as always, plenty of food to find.
▶ Watch the full Day 1 vlog, or read on for the highlights, tips and a chapter guide.
Day 1 at a Glance
✈️ Route
Toronto (YYZ) → Seattle (SEA)
🛫 Airline
Air Canada
🚊 Into the City
Link Light Rail to Westlake
🏨 Hotel
The Charter Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
✈️ Getting There: Toronto to Seattle
We flew Air Canada from Toronto Pearson to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. Once we landed, the next question was the one every traveller asks: what's the best way into the city?
Our pick was the Link Light Rail. It's the most economical option, and in my opinion the best one too. We rode it from the airport straight to the Westlake stop downtown, then it was just a short walk to our hotel.
💡 Woody's Travel Tip
Skip the taxi line. The Link Light Rail runs right from the airport into downtown Seattle. No traffic, no surge pricing, and it's easy with luggage. Get off at Westlake if you're staying near Pike Place Market.
🏨 Where We Stayed: The Charter Hotel
Home base for our Seattle stay was The Charter Hotel, part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection, just steps from Pike Place Market. Of course, I gave you a full room tour in the video, so you can see exactly what you get before you book.
🥪 Pike Place Market: Cheese, Coffee and the Gum Wall
After settling in, it was time to eat. First stop: Beecher's Handmade Cheese, a Pike Place institution where you can watch the cheese being made right through the window.
From there, we stopped by the original Starbucks store, a must-see for coffee fans even if you only snap a photo, then wandered through the market itself before heading down to the famous (and slightly gross) Gum Wall.
Fresh curds in the making at Beecher's Handmade Cheese.
🍜 We still weren't done eating. No first day in Seattle is complete without chowder, so we went on the hunt for the best bowl around, and ended up with a whole tray to taste test.
The chowder line-up. Watch the video to see which one won.
🍸 Ending the Day at the Fog Room
After a long travel day, we headed up to the Fog Room, the rooftop bar at our hotel, for a drink and some appetizers with a view of the city. It was the perfect way to wrap up Day 1 before the adventure really kicks off.
📺 Jump to a Chapter
- 00:00 – Intro
- 00:04 – Trip Introduction
- 00:30 – Arrival at Toronto Pearson
- 04:46 – Arrival into Seattle
- 05:43 – Transportation into the City
- 07:24 – Arrival at Hotel & Room Tour
- 10:52 – Walk to Beecher's Cheese Shop
- 14:11 – First Starbucks Location
- 14:41 – Walking Pike Place Market
- 15:49 – Gum Wall
- 17:45 – On the Hunt for Chowder
- 20:06 – Fog Room Rooftop Bar
What's Next?
This is just the beginning of our Seattle to Alaska journey, so stay tuned for the next episode! If you found this useful, give the video a 👍 and subscribe for more travel content. Got a question about this trip? 💬 Drop it in the comments. I'm happy to help you plan your own adventure.
▶ Subscribe on YouTube
Leave a Reply