A Spring Day in Volunteer Park

April 05, 2025

Happy Hour and Dessert in Capitol Hill

Happy Hour Street Tacos with Carne Asada and a Miami Vice from Poquitos. Poquitos is located in Capitol Hill and they're serving up authentic Mexican cuisine and cocktails. Their happy hour deal is a good one- during Ocho hour, everything on the happy hour menu is just $8! I went with a Miami Vice, a classic Pina Colada with Strawberry. This blended cocktail was so fruity and delicious. To eat I had two Carne Asada Street Tacos and a Birria Poquitos Burrito. The Burrito was small and served with a side of Consommé sauce. Both food items were tasty and satisfying. My husband also had some Street Tacos and a Margarita from the happy hour menu. My sons had a Cheese Quesadilla and beans and rice. Everyone enjoyed their dinner. I first visited Poquitos in 2012, also for happy hour, and I remembered liking it then, too. It was time for a meal there again. For dessert, we walked about ten minutes west to Voodoo Doughnut . The Seattle location opened late last ye...

Warm and sunny April days in Seattle are rare. But if and when they occur, get yourself to the park. And preferably one you haven't been to in a while, so it feels new and almost like a mini, mini vacation. I chose to visit Volunteer Park, near Capital Hill. When I showed my boys photos of the Volunteer Park Water Tower, it was decided that we had to go see it and climb to the top.

There's also a playground, a beautiful conservatory, fields to run around in, and The Asian Art Museum. However, the museum is closed until next spring for reconstruction. There is a large cemetery where the famous Bruce Lee is buried. This park has it all.

The water tower feels like a hidden treasure in Seattle. Our boys enjoyed climbing the stairs of the tower and then running around in circles when we reached the top. There are windows all around the tower where you can see downtown Seattle and Bellevue, too.

The flowers were in bloom around the conservatory, creating colorful landscapes. Then we played at the playground and headed back to the car. But don't forget to snap a photo of the black tire, framing the Space Needle. Or you might as well not visit Volunteer Park. The song by the band Soundgarden, Black Hole Sun, was inspired by this tire and there's even a plaque with more info.

It felt nice to get some sun and hang out at a place we hadn't visited in a while. Here's to more Seattle days like this one.