Why Would You Want to Move to Seattle, Anyway?

Seattle might be best known for its coffee, clouds, and tech jobs—but if that’s all you know, you’re missing the heart of what makes this city one-of-a-kind. For this month’s Where Are We This Time?, we turned the camera on our own backyard. We took a little time to play tourist in the city we’ve known for decades, and we’re sharing six moments—captured in six photos—that reveal why so many people do want to move to Seattle. If you're someone who wants access to the outdoors and a full cultural calendar, a city that’s both deeply rooted and constantly evolving, these snapshots might give you a few good reasons to consider Seattle home.

1. See a Concert at Jazz Alley

Seattle might surprise you with how vibrant and varied its music scene is—and there’s no better proof than a night at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley. Tucked away in Belltown, this intimate venue has been hosting some of the world’s top jazz musicians since the late 1970s. We caught a show by Grammy-winning guitarist Norman Brown, and the experience was unforgettable. The food here is far from an afterthought—the full dinner menu lets you settle in with a glass of wine and a three-course meal while the band plays just a few feet away. With candlelit tables and a low stage that puts you nearly eye-to-eye with the performers, it feels more like a private concert than a big venue. Whether you love jazz, blues, R&B, or even world music, Jazz Alley is a quintessential Seattle night out—and a great reminder that this city has soul.

2. See the Space Needle (Yes, It’s Worth It)

Even if you’ve seen it a hundred times on postcards or skyline shots, standing beneath the Space Needle in person still delivers a thrill. Built for the 1962 World’s Fair, the Needle is Seattle’s most iconic structure—part sculpture, part spaceship, and still a surprisingly fun place to visit. While the much-loved rotating restaurant, SkyCity, closed in 2017, the experience at the top hasn’t gone away—it’s just evolved. These days, the Loupe Lounge offers seasonal, 21+ cocktail tastings on the world’s first rotating glass floor, 500 feet in the air. It’s not a full-service restaurant, but it’s one of the most unique bar experiences on the planet. You can also grab soft serve and snacks from the TipTop Cafe or take in the view with a drink at the Sunset Bar. Beyond the food, the Needle has been reimagined with open-air glass walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, transparent benches that lean you out over the city, and a circular glass staircase with a peek into the tower’s inner workings. For locals, it's fun to revisit with out-of-town guests; for residents, it’s a 360-degree reminder of why living here is pretty extraordinary.

3. See Some Glass

If color, light, and wonder had a home, it might be inside a Chihuly sculpture. At the base of the Space Needle sits one of Seattle’s most dazzling artistic experiences—Chihuly Garden and Glass, a permanent exhibition dedicated to world-renowned glass artist and Tacoma native Dave Chihuly. His work has been displayed around the globe, but nowhere is it more personal than here. The exhibit spans indoor galleries, an outdoor garden filled with monumental glass forms, and a jaw-dropping Glasshouse installation—a 100-foot-long suspended sculpture glowing with reds and oranges, lit by natural daylight and framed by the Needle towering above. Susie was so taken by the details she couldn’t resist capturing her own photo (of course, I snapped a photo of that). If you're living in Seattle, it's a spot you’ll revisit every time someone comes to town—and one that reminds you that beauty, imagination, and mastery can be part of your everyday surroundings.

4. Have Some Coffee

Seattle doesn’t just like coffee. It lives it. Breathes it. Probably dreams it. Whether you're a cold brew purist, a macchiato artist, or someone who just wants something hot and dark on a drizzly morning, you're in the right city. Coffee isn’t just a drink here—it’s a ritual, a meeting place, and a citywide personality trait. The roots run deep: Starbucks, of course, was born here in 1971. But long before it became a global brand, Seattle was already full of independent cafes that doubled as neighborhood hubs, poetry venues, and think tanks. To this day, every block seems to feature a coffee shop that’s “someone’s favorite,” and each one has its own vibe—industrial, cozy, funky, bookish, techy, or just plain weird. Standing under that iconic neon sign at Seattle Coffee Works (and striking my best lean-with-a-latte pose), I was reminded how much coffee here isn’t just about caffeine—it’s about connection, character, and the kind of place where nobody blinks if your coffee order has seven words.

5. See an Airshow

Some cities have lakes. Some have airshows. Some have mountains. But Seattle? Sometimes it has all three in a single frame. Each summer, during the city’s iconic Seafair celebration, the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels thunder across the skies over Lake Washington, drawing thousands to the shorelines, bridges, rooftops, and boats for a front-row seat. We captured this photo during one of those heart-pounding shows—jets ripping through the air just above the water, Mount Rainier hovering in the distance like a postcard come to life. Seafair, which returns the first week of August, is a weeklong festival of hydroplane races, parades, and community events—but it’s the Blue Angels who steal the show. For locals, it's a beloved summer tradition. For newcomers, it’s often the moment they realize this city knows how to put on a spectacle.

6. Go to Pike’s Market

Yes, it’s where the fish fly. But if that’s all you know about Pike Place Market, you’re missing the best parts. Founded in 1907, this isn’t some tourist-trap food court—it’s a working market, filled with local farmers, artisans, bakers, butchers, and chefs doing what they do best. Beneath the bright red sign and behind the famous fish toss, you’ll find stall after stall of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, vibrant flower bouquets for under $15, handmade crafts, and vendors whose families have been part of the market for generations. It’s also a maze of hidden gems: French pastries, Russian piroshkis, vegan sushi, Turkish delights, old-school diners, and Pike Brewing Company—all tucked into the original walls of Seattle’s beating heart. We’ve never had the same experience twice, and we always leave with something unexpected. Living here means you don’t have to rush it—you can explore a little at a time, or just swing by for a bunch of dahlias and a smoked salmon sandwich on your way home.

So… Why Would You Want to Move to Seattle?

Because it’s layered. Because it’s full of surprises. Because in one weekend you can take in world-class music, eat something unforgettable, drink something handcrafted, and watch a fighter jet split the sky over a glass-blown garden. It’s a city with roots—deep ones—but always reaching forward. These six photos are just snapshots of what caught our attention this month, but we could have shown you dozens more.

Seattle isn’t perfect. No city is. But if you like your urban life with a little more artistry, a little more flavor, and a mountain in the background, well... this might just be your kind of place.

Thinking about moving to Seattle—or making it more of a permanent part of your life?
We’d love to help. Whether you’re looking for your first home, your forever home, or something in between, we know how to make it happen.
Let’s talk. Visit RethinkingRE.com or just reply to this newsletter—we’ll take it from there.