Whenever I’m asked to pick a favorite American city, Seattle usually wins.

I’ve never lived there permanently, and to be honest, I haven’t visited that many times. Not nearly as much as I’ve visited New York or Atlanta.

And yet, ever since I visited it for the first time almost ten years ago, I’ve wanted to live there. (It helps that my husband is from Washington, and agrees that we should one day live there.)

For me, I love the balance of Seattle. Known as the Emerald City for its lush evergreen forests, outdoor beauty can be found everywhere you look, from the sound to Mt. Rainier — and yet in the midst of all that nature are tech giants, like Amazon and Microsoft, along with many startups. Seattle blends sustainability and appreciation for nature with innovation and forward thinking. You can also see the balance in its politics, and its often libertarian approach to legislation. And while many knock it for the rain, it enjoys a temperate marine climate that’s often stable and unextreme, which sounds heavenly after spending my whole life in the South’s moodswing climates. And then of course, there’s the coffee and the seafood — two of my favorite things!

Plus, with views like this, what’s not to like?

Have you ever been to Seattle? What are your thoughts?

Wanderlust Wednesday is a weekly travel post, featuring places I’ve been and places I want to go that fuel my wanderlust. Love travel? View all my travel posts!