Forget the Guidebook: Seattle

We often preach that the guidebook is a dying genre, one targeted for mass appeal, that always points out what you expect to see, and rarely uncovers the unexpected. There are far better resources out there, one's made by locals who love the place they live enough to share it with the world. Guidebook writers are often qualified writers and qualified travelers, but they're not always qualified experts on the place that they're writing about. Travel bloggers aren't excluded from this scrutiny, myself included. Reading my take on what it was like to spend four days in Spoleto might inspire you to go there, but you're only getting one perspective, and one that I liken to staring out the window of the car on a cross country trip. Flying by, catching bits of information on your windshield and going home to process what it is you saw. What about those people who wake up every morning loving (or hating) the town they call home? That perspective is invaluable to a traveler who wants to see a place like a local.

So, we're setting out to change this. We're searching out local talent and pointing you to the best local resources. This week, we're starting close to our home and sharing our Seattle favorites. Local papers, local bloggers and photographers are all you need to get inspired and ready to travel to the Emerald City.

(Have a city you'd like to see featured or have a suggestion for this series? Drop us a note.)

Seattle is full of 'hood blogs. Not only to they keep locals up to date, they let you know what's new and popular. Get out of downtown and hang out with some locals in Seattle's great neighborhoods.

Capitol Hill Seattle
The folks behind this blog really, really love their neighborhood. If something's going on, chances are Justin is there with his iPhone and a million questions (no matter what time of day or night.) Not only do you get up to date news, you can find out what's new in Capitol Hill, what's happening this weekend and what the locals are doing.

cap to the hill
This blog has its fingers to the pulse of twenty-somethings (or those eternally young at heart) on the Hill. Bars, shows and coffee are regular favorites among these bloggers.

West Seattle Blog
What's West Seattle you ask? Well it's just a hidden gem of a neighborhood that you won't find in your guidebook or on a local tourist map. I always take houseguests here and Alki Beach is one of my favorite spots in the world. And even though I don't live there, I love reading about orca spottings or the coming and goings of West Seattle on its blog.

wallyhood
Wallingford lies on the north side of the ship canal and Wallyhood covers all the neighborhood issues, restaurant openings & closings, along with anything else that matters to folks in the hood. This blog's a great place to go to find reasons other than Gas Works Park to visit.

My Ballard
Fishing boats, the Locks and brew pubs are just a few of the things this neighborhood has to offer. Head here to find out more about the neighborhood, what locals are doing this weekend, and discover some sightseeing inspiration.

Fremont Universe
Fremont is home to the infamous Troll, and is the self-proclaimed center of the Universe. But there's more to this neighborhood than a giant car-eating monster and a large dose of hubris, Fremont Universe clues you into local's opinions on restaurants and more than your fair share of info on the Aurora bridge.

Foodies love to eat, even when they're at home. When someone devotes an entire blog to eating, you know you'll find some dining inspiration. Cornichon has been writing about the Seattle food scene since 1994, and other great Seattle food blogs like absinthe and oranges, gastrolust, seattlefoodster, Live To Eat, and Pat My Butter. Want (or need) to get a vegetarian's perspective on eating out in Seattle? Head on over to Tofu Hunter.

Music, Arts, Books. You name it, there's a blog for it in Seattle. Check out the SunBreak for a conversation about news and culture, of if you're into dance seattle dances is a good bet, and of course, Seattle is known for it's music scene and Sound On The Sound has great coverage.

These guys have lived here awhile, or are newly infatuated. The bottom line, they love Seattle and they will point you in the right direction. Set aside some time and get friendly with their archives.
nerdseyeview
Pam's a friend, a road tripping buddy, and bakery aficionado. Above all, she is an invaluable resource for the Pacific Northwest. If Seattle (and West Seattle) had an ambassador, she'd be first in line for the job.

seattle sketcher
I absolutely love this blog. Gabriel Campanario is an artist and shares his unique view of Seattle through the sketches he creates. If you're looking for inspiration for what you might want to see in Seattle, this is a great place to start.

Vintage Seattle
This is a blog I wish I had started, but unfortunately Jess Cliffe beat me to it. He's in love with Seattle's history and quirky architecture and spends his timing digging through archives to show Seattle in an entirely new light.

needle+thread
Kam has an incredible eye and captures Seattle street style with her camera. Check out her blog to get to know the people of Seattle, or if you're in need of some fashion inspiration.

hikingwithmybrother
What trip to Seattle would be complete without enjoying some of the natural beauty that surrounds us? Get a head start on where you might head with Nathan's great blog that documents his hiking forays.

Local papers, institutions and city blogs seem very old school in this digital age. And some blogs (and blog formats) have become synonymous with weekly newspapers. They are all great resources for the traveler, they let you tap into the now; what's current and what's hot. Seattle has not one, but two, weekly papers: The Stranger and the Seattle Weekly. Traditional media such as Seattle Magazine or Evening Magazine is definitely worth a look, to get a more mainstream view of the city. And there are some national blog networks with a Seattle focus including, seattlemetblog and seattlest.

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the adage goes. This Seattle Flickr group with over 5,000 members is sure to inspire your trip plans.

If we forgot your favorite blog (or your blog,) let us know! Drop a link in the comments and help make this the go-to resource for the next traveler heading to your hometown.