This month is both one of my favorite times of the year and one of the most stressful! I love Christmas, but with the holiday season comes a long to-do list that I have to juggle along with daily life. This season is the perfect time to plan a local holiday momcation and have some relaxation and recharge time while you work on some of those to-do list items!
Thank you to Seattle Southside for partnering with me on this trip to help me experience all the fun things to do on a momcation in south Seattle near the airport!
3 Steps to Planning a Seattle Southside Momcation / Girlfriend Getaway
I’m going to share some of my tips for planning your own holiday recharge trip to Seattle Southside. This kind of trip is great for a solo momcation or a perfect way to invite some friends to check off some of their holiday to-do list items on a girlfriend getaway.
You can even plan a trip like this in the new year after the crazy holiday season as a way to regroup and plan for your year ahead!
Step 1: Where to Stay
One of the first steps is figuring out where you want to stay for your trip. I recommend looking for a hotel that has a restaurant and perhaps even a hotel with suites if you’re planning a girls’ trip.
For my trip to Seattle Southside, I stayed at the Hotel Interurban in Tukwila. This hotel is located right next to the Westfield Southcenter Shopping Mall and is about 10 minutes away from the Seattle-Tacoma Airport.
What I loved about the Hotel Interurban was its modern and clean design. The bathroom had great lighting and I also loved that the room had hard surface flooring as I’m not a fan of hotel room carpet anymore! Some of the rooms even have amazing views of Mount Rainier, and if you’re a swimmer, they have an indoor pool!
Another great option if you’re looking for more of a cozy and quiet getaway is the Cedarbrook Lodge. Cedarbrook Lodge was named one of the top 20 Pacific Northwest Hotels in Condé Nast Traveler 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. It has a warm decor and feeling and it’s nestled in a lovely green space that is surprisingly right next to Sea-Tac Airport.
Cedarbrook Lodge also has a lovely spa that’s perfect for having a bit of me-time during this busy season. I had a pedicure and manicure but they also offer a full-service spa menu with massages and facials.
Step 2: Where to Shop
Shopping is one of the cornerstones of any great girlfriend getaway or momcation. During the holidays it’s especially convenient to plan a trip with shopping so you can check holiday gift buying off your to-do list! Here are some great spots to shop during your Seattle Southside trip.
Westfield Southcenter
This shopping mall is one of the biggest in the Pacific Northwest. It’s got everything you’d expect from a mall, lots of stores, tasty restaurants, and even a covered parking garage that allows you to avoid the rain from your car into the mall!
There are over 225 retailers at Westfield Southcenter including Apple, Coach, The Container Store, Disney Store, Gene Juarez Salon & Spa, H&M, LEGO, lululemon athletica, LUSH, Macy’s, Michael Kors, Nordstrom, Pandora, and Seafood City.
I’ll also say that they have two of my favorite stores for shopping for gifts, fuego and Fireworks Galleries. Both have unique items that are perfect for gift-giving and stocking stuffers! Unfortunately, Amazon no longer has 4-star stores. That was one of my favorites!
And for a break from shopping, head to one of their many restaurants for some yummy food and drink. I can say that the jumbo margaritas at Moctezuma’s Mexican Restaurant are a great way to celebrate your momcation trip!
And if you’d rather grab a quick meal, their dining terrace offers views of Mount Rainier on a clear day!
Zenith Holland Garden & Nursery
If you’re looking to shop for some holiday decor for your home or for gifts, you can’t go wrong with stopping at Zenith Holland Garden & Nursery. This is the oldest continually operating business in Des Moines, Washington!
They offer some gorgeous Christmas trees as well as a variety of fresh-cut evergreen wreaths and various colors of poinsettias. I happened to also pick up a mini potted Christmas tree and some battery-powered lights to add a bit of holiday cheer to our back family room.
In addition to the garden center items, you’ll also find a variety of holiday decor items that are great for adding to your own home or for gift-giving. I saw a few beautiful charcuterie boards and serving utensils that would make great host(ess) gifts for a holiday party.
Seattle Chocolate
Take a tour of the Seattle Chocolate factory and then do a little chocolate gift shopping after! This local chocolate factory is a favorite treat that is enjoyed around the world, even as far away as Japan.
Their colorfully wrapped truffles make popular gifts as well as their seasonally wrapped chocolate bars that come in fun flavors like Holiday Spiced Nuts and Candy Cane Crunch.
During the tour, you’ll get to see the chocolate-making process in action (during normal weekday business hours) and afterward, you’ll do some chocolate taste testing, yum! Another perk of taking a tour is you get a 10% off shopping coupon with your completed tour survey form.
Shop in Downtown Seattle
Getting into downtown Seattle from Seattle Southside is extremely convenient with the Sound Transit Light Rail train. Simply walk or park at one of their stations — I parked and used the Tukwila International Blvd Station.
It’s about $3 to get into downtown Seattle from the Southside ($6 roundtrip). The ride from Tukwila into downtown Seattle takes about 30 minutes. The Seattle Lightrail is also the best way to get from Seatac airport into downtown Seattle.
Once in downtown Seattle, you’ll be able to shop at any of the popular spots near there. In addition to plenty of flagship stores, you can check out Westlake Center and of course Pike Place Market. One of my favorite shops at Pike Place Market is the jewelry store, Solstice Designs on the lower level of the market.
Related Post: 7 Fun Things to Do in Seattle Southside (near the Airport) with Tweens and Teens
Step 3: Where to Eat
All great trips involve food, and planning a trip to Seattle Southside comes with the chance to eat at a variety of places. A couple of my favorite restaurants that are worth mentioning are:
Rendition at Hotel Interurban
If you’re traveling during the weekend and love brunch, Rendition at Hotel Interurban is the perfect spot to sit with friends and sip a mimosa (or two ;).
The space is modern and features large high-top tables in addition to a few couch seating areas. They also have a lovely patio if you happen to be visiting during a warm and dry season.
Arashi Ramen
I love ramen bowls, in addition to being pretty to look at, they’re also surprisingly filling! Arashi Ramen is right next to Westfield Southcenter and Seattle Chocolates, making it the perfect spot for lunch. You’ll find a variety of ramen dishes and rice bowls and you can even build your own ramen bowl.
Via Marina Wood Fired Pizza
For dinner, head to Via Marina Ristorante in Des Moines, WA. They follow the rules of the Vera Napolenta Association and pride themselves on serving authentic Neapolitan-style pizza.
This includes using authentic ingredients from Italy as well as baking their pizzas in an 800-degree oven in less than 90 seconds! In addition to their delicious pizzas, they also offer pastas, appetizers, salads, and a nice wine menu.
For busy moms and parents, planning a holiday shopping staycation is the perfect way to recharge your batteries and take time for yourself while checking off some of those holiday to-do list items. If you’re in the Seattle area, Seattle Southside offers you the chance to book a staycation with lower rates than downtown (especially less expensive parking rates) and access to plenty of shopping and dining options.
Melissa
Thursday 8th of December 2022
This makes Christmas shopping look so much more fun! I love the idea of turning it into a "Mom-cation" with a little self-care included into a busy time of year.