12 Cafes Serving the Best Pumpkin Spice Lattes in Seattle, America’s Coffee Capital

Many Americans would list Seattle as the country’s de facto coffee capital, largely thanks to the fact that it’s the hometown of Starbucks.

Coffee aficionados might point elsewhere, from Portland to New York City to San Fran. Even Miami and New Orleans, not traditionally known for coffee, have started to ease into the spotlight thanks to unique blends like specialty Cuban roasts and chicory, respectively.

Still, it’s hard to top the reputation and legacy of Seattle coffee—especially with it comes to specialty brews.

From single-origin roasts to double skinny macchiatos, there’s always something new on the horizon. Best of all, there’s usually a master barista working behind the bar at famous shops and cafes.

But what about pumpkin spice lattes? Is this beloved autumn blend too basic for a city like Seattle and pro baristas… or is it actually easy to find the best pumpkin spice lattes in the country in Seattle?

If you’re a fan of the legendary PSL (that’s pumpkin spice latte), have no fear—many locals in Seattle love the autumnal blend. And dozens of cafes, shops, and roasters serve it up throughout the season.

Looking for the best pumpkin spice lattes in Seattle? Here’s where to go based on advice from locals on Reddit, Eater, Seattle Refined, and other local sources. Time to drink your heart out.

*Keep in mind that some coffee shops change the name of their PSL. Staff should know what you’re asking about, but don’t be surprised if you’re ordering the ‘basic witch’ or ‘sweater weather’ specialty. It might even be listed as a yam flavor.

12 cafes serving the best pumpkin spice lattes in Seattle

Fremont Coffee

This is one of Seattle’s most popular and well-known cafes in the Fremont area, which also serves up PSL blends all through the season.

Wayward Coffee

This indie café is a hub where you can purchase local artisanal goods, along with a great brew—PSLs included.

Espresso Vivace

At two locations in the city, you can sip on a truly masterful blend. During autumn, that includes a spiced brew that’s used to make one of the best pumpkin spice lattes in Seattle.

Armistice

Trendy, professional, and beloved by locals, don’t miss out on the Armistice PSL blend this fall, called the harvest latte.

Olympia Coffee

Olympia Coffee is famous around the city and likely needs no introduction. Just don’t miss out thinking that the popular chain doesn’t do a delicious PSL.

Coffeeholic House

Opened in 2020, this is Seattle’s first Vietnamese coffeehouse—and they make a mean PSL. One that is highly Instagramable, too.

Top Pot Doughnuts & Coffee

Looking for a bite to eat while you sip on a PSL? There’s no better place than Top Pot, home to the city’s most delicious donuts… and one of the best pumpkin spice lattes in Seattle.

Dubsea Coffee

Not only can you get a delicious brew (including a pumpkin spice latte), but Dubsea Coffee is also renowned around Seattle for its delicious teas.

Makeda and Mingus

This trendy little café specializes in cozy vibes—and, of course, making one of the tastiest pumpkin spice lattes in Seattle.

Anchorhead

A local favorite for years on end, this popular chain has mastered the PSL. Many might argue that this is home to the best pumpkin spice latte in Seattle.

Flora Bakehouse

A great café that’s filled with natural light and serves up mouthwatering pastries and coffee blends galore. Plus, a delicious PSL.

Broadcast Coffee

According to local aficionados, Broadcast Coffee has one of the best homemade PSL blends. That means it’s not overly sugary but instead packed with flavor.

Starting October 12, EU Countries Will Phase Out Passport Stamps

Are you a traveler who looks forward to getting your passport stamped at customs? I have some bad news.

Starting on October 12, 2025, countries in the European Union and the Schengen Area will no longer stamp passports for visiting nationals. Instead, the countries will move to a fully digitized Entry and Exit System or EES.

If you’ve been following news about changes to visa applications for the EU, then you might be familiar with the EES. It’s the digital border system that the EU and Schengen countries are adopting in order to launch next year’s ETIAS. ETIAS has been delayed because it can’t launch without the EES, which has also faced setbacks.

ETIAS stands for the European Travel Information and Authorization System. Once the EES is established and ETIAS launches, Americans (and all other non-EU nationals) will be required to apply for a travel visa. The visa will cost €20 and last for three years, similar to the UK’s ETA.

A closer look at the EES

Instead of manually reviewing and stamping passports, the EES will run on biometric data, including a face scan and fingerprint. The goal of the EES is to automate and optimize customs information, making it easier for people to move around and for regulatory bodies to make sure no one is overstaying their visa.

All personal data will be stored for three years (for the duration of the ETIAS visa) and will not be sold or otherwise transferred to third parties. That’s an important note—when the US’s Customs and Border Protection uses biometric facial scanning technology, the entity has full discretion to use that data because there are no federal regulations on the topic.

In other words, if you’re a little iffy about handing out biometric data in the US, you can rest assured knowing that EU law prevents ETIAS biometric data from being shared.

Unfortunately, however, there aren’t any regulations preserving those cute passport stamps. But with the promise of streamlined passport checks and even self-service options, you do get a trade-off: shorter lines at customs.

The Most Entertaining Disney World Urban Legends—Plus, Real-Life Horror Stories

Here’s the low-down…

The list of tragedies and incidents at Disney World date back to the early 1960s
According to some urban legends, Disney World is home to a host of ghosts… and even real skeletal remains
One of the most famous speeches in US political history was delivered from a Disney World resort

I have a confession: I love a little urban legend, especially those that revolve around popular tourist destinations.

Even an airport might gain notoriety—like Denver and its lizard people, for example.

But there’s something about a Disney World conspiracy, urban legend, and even real-life horror story that captures my attention. It comes down to the juxtaposition of all those happy families with potential tragedy. And tragedy has abounded at Disney World in Orlando—more than a few times, in fact.

I’m not going to touch on the saddest incidents at Disney World. (If you want, there’s a whole Wikipedia page dedicated to ‘incidents at Walt Disney World’, with one category of incident being ‘Acts of God’.)

There are too many, they’re too tragic, and I’d hate to dissuade anyone from visiting a place like Magic Kingdom.

So, let’s take a walk on the weirder and more entertaining side of Disney World lore to explore its most memorable and cheeky urban legends. I’ve also included a few horror stories from Disney World—those that lean more toward the bizarre than catastrophic, of course.

Disney World urban legends

There are ghosts in the Haunted Mansion—maybe even Brigham Young’s

In 2001, rumors began swirling that one of the hearses used in the Haunted Mansion ride was a real-life relic. And not just any real-life hearse, but one that was used to transport the remains of famed Mormon Brigham Young to his final resting place. Young, in case you forgot, died back in 1877.

So, how did his hearse end up in Orlando, Florida, over a century later? It didn’t. Young was never transported by a hearse. His casket was hand-carried by pallbearers.

There are real skeletons in the Pirates of the Caribbean park—and a ghost

According to legend, many of the skeleton decorations in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride aren’t just for show. Allegedly, they’re real-life skeletons. Unfortunately, this urban legend turned out to be real, as the amusement actually used real-life bones provided by the UCLA Medical Center. After the backlash, they replaced the bones with fakes.

Apparently, there’s also a ghost that haunts the grounds. His name is George, a former construction worker who helped build the Pirates of the Caribbean park. According to legend, George is behind ride malfunctions—and it’s believed enough that some staff have made offerings to the mythical ghost.

Walt Disney’s remains are somewhere in the park

Has Walt Disney been cryogenically frozen? Is his head sealed inside one of the busts in the Haunted Mansion? Or has he been laid to rest under the famous ride? In reality, Walt Disney’s remains were cremated two days after his death back in 1966.

When the guests are away, the cats will play

Disney hasn’t confirmed or denied rumors that a cat colony of around 200 felines comes out at night to take care of the park’s rat problem. But back in 2015, an LA Times article included a brief statement from Disneyland’s animal manager.

She mentioned that the park wasn’t trying to keep the population down to encourage vermin control. If that’s the case in Disneyland in Anaheim, California, it might not be a stretch to assume the same in Orlando, Florida.

**Disney World horror stories—the fun version**

Disney World provided cast with underwear until 2001

Up until 2001, employees at Disney World were provided with every part of their costumes—underwear included. After each shift, employees would hand over their outfits down to the socks. They would be washed, and then a fresh set would be provided for their next shift.

Meet the real Disney World horror story: communal underwear.

Rides are frequently shut down because people throw their ashes

Throwing loved ones’ ashes around the park is so common that Disney World has a stance on it: it’s illegal, and if they catch you in the act, they’ll vacuum up your loved ones’ ashes right in front of your eyes.

There’s even a code for this type of common riff-raff, called a Code A or a HEPA Cleanup. While it might sound a little wild, even celebs like Whoopi Goldberg have admitted to doing it.

Richard Nixon gave a famous speech from the Contemporary Resort

Remember that time former US President Richard Nixon addressed the nation after the Watergate scandal? Facing a crowd of 400 journalists, Nixon went on to insist, “I am not a crook!” Which he did from the Ballroom of the Americas at Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World.

A woman tried to smuggle meth into the amusement park as ‘headache powder’

Just this year, a woman attempted to smuggle in a tin of methamphetamines into the park. When she was caught in the act, she insisted it was just ‘headache powder’. Authorities picked her up shortly after.

Costume heads are a cause of injury

Walt Disney World employees face a range of difficulties related to their jobs, especially those who wear heavy, complex character costumes. Back in 2005, enough employees experienced head, neck, and shoulder injuries due to the weight of the cartoon costume heads that Disney World had to innovate to make costume heads no heavier than 25% of the wearer’s total body weight.

If you weigh 130 pounds, that means the costume head can weigh no more than 30 pounds. (Which still seems dangerously heavy?)

US Route 89, America’s Most Scenic Road Trip: The National Parks Highway Map

Here’s the low-down…

The National Parks Highway (aka Route 89) includes stops at seven major US national parks
US Route 89 was created in the 1930s before being completed in the late 1940s with the addition of US Route 87
It runs from the Canadian border in Montana to Flagstaff, AZ (or Nogales, if you want to drive to the Mexican border)

When you think of the most famous and scenic American road trips, which come to mind?

It’s hard to beat the legacy and mythology of Route 66—even if it’s seen better days. A close second is California’s famous Pacific Coast Highway. Maybe even Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway, which cuts through the Rockies.

But there’s another worthy American road trip out there.

One that will take you from Flagstaff, Arizona, to some of the US’s most popular, stunning national parks—all the way up through Montana to the border of Canada.

It’s called Route 89, aka The National Parks Highway. Back in 2019, Nat Geo named it the No. 1 Driver’s Drive in the world, but the word still hasn’t gotten out to all road-trippers, nature-lovers, and horizon-hunting hikers.

Ready to learn how to string together a road trip to the US’s most stunning protected lands? Here’s how the average traveler can drive US Route 89 to see some of the country’s most jaw-dropping sights.

Route 89, aka National Parks Highway

First up—don’t get the National Park to Park Highway. The National Park to Park Highway is a historic auto trail project from the 1920s that created a loop.

Similar to Route 89, this loop brought intrepid drivers to some of the best national parks in the Rockies and just west of them. It covered 5,000 miles and took around 80 days to complete.

During the 1930s, the southern portions of US Route 89 began to take shape. Portions of US Route 87 were added in 1945, when the route officially linked Arizona to Havre, Montana. The official southern point of the route wasn’t established until 1992, when the highway was connected to Flagstaff, Arizona.

Today, US Route 89 runs along a single north-south highway that connects Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. It includes stops in major towns and cities like Flagstaff, Provo, Salt Lake City, Jackson, and Great Falls. (Technically, the National Parks Highway passes through Idaho, but only for a few miles.)

The modern route starts in Flagstaff, then heads up to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. (Historically, it started further south in Nogales, on the border with Mexico. If you want, you can still start from Nogales, which gives you access to Saguaro National Park!)

The section that cuts through Yellowstone National Park isn’t technically part of US Route 89 because the roads are unnumbered, but you can rejoin from the park’s northern entrance. The route ends at the Canadian border in Montana near the town of Babb.

National parks & monuments along Route 89

US Route 89 gives you access to seven national parks and 14 national monuments, plus a few other great stops. I’ve listed them below (plus, a few extra stops), starting from Flagstaff and moving north to Montana. They’re broken down state by state.

(Please note that you can add more adventures to this list! I’m focused on national parks and national monuments, but you can piece together other landmarks using the links below.)

Arizona stops on the National Parks Highway

Grand Canyon National Park (North and South rims)
Petrified Forest National Park
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend)
Pipe Spring National Monument

Utah stops on the National Parks Highway

Wyoming stops on the National Parks Highway

Montana stops on the National Parks Highway

Women and child hiking on the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana (Getty)

When is Turbulence the Worst? Turns Out, Some of It Is Seasonal

Here’s the low-down…

Compared to 1971, turbulence in 2025 is 41% stronger
The National Weather Service divides turbulence into four categories: CAT, or clear-air turbulence, is the most high-impact
Turbulence in the United States is most severe during summer and winter

Caribbean cruise lines are known to schedule their routes around the hurricane season—could airlines be doing the same when it comes to turbulence?

There’s no straightforward answer because turbulence has four main causes, according to the National Weather Service. One is mechanical turbulence, caused by large man-made structures and irregular terrain, including large mountains.

But the other three types of turbulence, called wind shear, frontal turbulence, and thermal turbulence, are all partly caused and affected by warm weather, jet stream patterns, and colliding warm and cold fronts.

Though all natural phenomena are at least a bit chaotic, these types of turbulence impact can be partly predicted and studied. In fact, it turns out that some elements of turbulence are seasonal.

So, when is turbulence the worst? And how can nervous flyers avoid booking tickets during peak ‘turbulence season’? Here’s what you need to know about flight routes across the US.

(If you’re still a little curious about what turbulence is and how pilots manage it, check out this awesome tell-all from an experienced pilot.)

When is turbulence the worst? And during what season?

As outlined above, three of the four common types of turbulence are directly affected by weather patterns and temperature. Summer and winter are often cited as the most turbulent of all seasons because of their extreme temperatures.

Winter in the US is often the most turbulent because it’s when jet streams are the strongest. You’re more likely to encounter high-altitude CAT or clear-air turbulence (covered below), which can suddenly and unexpectedly cause turbulence—even if there’s not a cloud in the sky.

In the US, summer is also a turbulent season thanks to the presence of storms throughout the country. In late summer, the Atlantic’s hurricane season also starts up, creating ample challenges for airlines and pilots.

So, the worst time for turbulence in the United States is summer and winter. The closer you are to the apex of each season (meaning the highest temps and the lowest), the more likely you are to experience turbulence. In summer, the hottest part of the day (afternoon) is usually when turbulence can be expected.

That being said, turbulence can be experienced in any season and at any time of day. As we’ll explore below, when discussing CAT, turbulence is becoming a bit tougher to predict.

Climate change is making CAT worse

According to one professor from the University of Reading (UK) who was interviewed by USA Today, there is strong evidence showing that turbulence in 2025 is around 41% more intense than turbulence from 1979.

Unfortunately, the most problematic type of turbulence is being affected by rising temperatures and increased CO2 levels. That’s clear air turbulence or CAT.

Clear air turbulence is a burgeoning issue for pilots and meteorologists because, like the name suggests, it’s invisible. There are no clouds or other visual indicators that turbulence is coming; conventional weather radars also can’t pick it up. Worse, it tends to affect planes flying at high altitudes between 20,000 and 49,000 feet.

Clear air turbulence is a type of wind shear, which is caused by jet streams that interact. Horizontal and vertical wind streams meet, creating erratic changes in wind speed and direction.

That being said, pilots are trained to deal with CAT—and planes are largely prepared to weather this type of unexpected movement. They can follow jet streams to dodge CAT, pushing through low-pressure regions rather than trying to circumnavigate them, and can even issue Pilot Reports to warn other pilots in the area.

PLAY Airlines Shuts Down After Four Years Offering Budget Routes

At a glance:

Effective Monday, September 29, all PLAY Airlines Flights are cancelled as the airline declares bankruptcy and closes operations
Along with WOW Air, PLAY is the second Icelandic airline to close up shop in the last six years
One major reason PLAY folded is the changing transatlantic air travel trends, including the option to pay for premium upgrades

After launching in 2021, PLAY Airlines abruptly ended operations on Monday, September 29, after only four years of operation. The announcement was made via the PLAY Airlines website, meaning passengers with upcoming flights need to make other plans.

PLAY Airlines is known for offering budget trips between North America and Europe, with some stopovers in Reykjavik. I’ve covered them before during their many seasonal sales periods, as they’ve offered consistently affordable rates for passage between the East Coast and Western Europe.

Over the last months, PLAY Airlines has faced difficulties managing its ten-aircraft fleet of Airbus as it sought to downsize routes. Notably, the airline reduced its routes from 51 to 35 and stopped offering flights to places like London. In June, they also announced it would end transatlantic flights.

In its four-year run, PLAY Airlines failed to become profitable. But what made the budget airline, which offered affordable multi-stop service to and from Europe, go under so quickly?

A closer look at PLAY’s game plan

PLAY’s quick demise follows a pattern already set by WOW Airlines, another budget Icelandic airline. Both opted to create informal branding that would encourage penny-pinching travelers to traverse the Atlantic, often with stopovers in Reykjavik.

That’s a pretty sterling promise, especially now that travelers are facing price-gauging in dozens of other hospitality-facing sectors. So, what happened?

There are a few reasons PLAY Airlines couldn’t flip a profit.

First, its fleet size was too small for the company to offer daily service. Second, its no-frills approach meant that it wasn’t making extra money on upgrades or premium offers—not even business class. Third, its recent pivot to offer service from Reykjavik to European destinations (instead of American ones) didn’t quite pan out.

What should you do if you have a flight booked with PLAY?

If you purchased a ticket with PLAY Airlines, you need to first find another flight to get you from Point A to Point B. According to PLAY, some airlines might offer ‘rescue fares’ to help stranded passengers get to their destinations. However, it’s unclear which airlines would offer reduced fares.

If you purchased tickets with your own credit or debit card, dispute the charges immediately with your bank. If you purchased flights through a travel agent, they’re responsible for getting you a refund. Unfortunately, the EU’s normally stellar reimbursement policy for air travel doesn’t apply in the case of bankruptcy.