Seattle thrives on its uniqueness and easily is one of the best cities in the United States. It has a vibrant art scene, eco-conscious culture, and unapologetic “hipster” vibe.
Tucked away in the Pacific Northwest, this eclectic metropolis seamlessly blends environmental activism, a booming tech industry, and an alternative arts scene that is nothing short of revolutionary.
In fact, Seattle is one of the top recycling cities in the U.S. and around the world. According to the EPA, Seattle recycled over 50% of its municipal solid waste in 2017 and continuously works to improve this rate. The city government enacted different mandatory recycling ordinances in 2003, 2010, and 2013 for commercial businesses.
And it’s just not the government; the people here generally really care about the environment and other social issues across the United States.
But the overall care for the environment shouldn’t be too surprising when you realize that the Northwest and the Seattle region have one of the most beautiful natural environments in the United States.
Mount Rainier and its incredible, lush forest can be seen from most parts of Seattle. Hiking this mountain is one of the top things to do in Seattle, but there’s so much more in and around the city you can’t miss.
I have visited friends in Seattle recently, so I had the chance to experience a number of activities. In this post, I’ll talk about the best things to do in Seattle, from cheering on the local baseball team, Seattle Mariners, to admiring the incredible art at Chihuly Garden and Glass, to trying some fresh seafood at Pike Place Market, and much more.
Ready to learn about the unmissable things to do in Seattle and everything the magnificent city has to offer? Let’s get started!
The Best Things To Do In Seattle
Take a walking tour
If you’re visiting the city for the first time, a walking tour is easily one of the unmissable things to do in Seattle. This will not only help you find your way around the famous monuments and neighborhoods, but you’ll also learn a lot about the city’s history and culture.
Some important places around Seattle you have to check out on a walking tour are the Historic District, Seattle’s waterfront, Pike Place Market, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, and more.
There are a few different options for walking tours.
A Free Seattle Walking Tour meets on Western Avenue near Victor Steinbrueck Park. This Seattle 101 Walking Tour is available year-round, rain or shine.
Seattle also has its own free, self-guided walking tour called the Trail to Treasure. You can find a map and pamphlet explaining the walking tour at the Visitor Center for the National Historical Park Washington in Seattle.
Otherwise, I recommend this Seattle: 3-Hour City Tour by Bus – If you aren’t able to participate in a full-on walking tour but want to see all the main highlights, that’s okay. Several guided bus tours include brief stops at all the best places to visit in Seattle, as well as an informational guide.
Go up the Space Needle
One of the best things to do in Seattle is to visit the Space Needle, enjoy the incredible views, and snap a few good photos of the astonishing landscape. There’s nowhere else in Seattle with such uninterrupted views of the city below.
Seattle’s Space Needle is 605 feet (184.4 meters) tall and offers panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. Rumor has it the architect of the Space Needle first sketched out its design on an old napkin.
The Space Needle opened to the public on April 21st, 1962, for the Century 21 Exposition, a space age-themed world’s fair.
The Space Needle has three main viewing areas: an indoor viewing deck, an open-air viewing deck at 520 ft (158.5 meters), and an observation level at 500 ft (152.4 meters) with a revolving glass floor.
The latter is also where you’ll find an upscale bar offering drinks and snacks – we had champagne and cocktails and the most decadent truffle fries. It’s not cheap, but it’s a once in a lifetime experience for which you may want to pay a bit extra.
The line for tickets at the Space Needle isn’t too bad (but we visited on a weekday in mid September) but you will have to line to go through security and for the elevator.
To save some, I recommend this Seattle: Space Needle & Chihuly Garden and Glass Ticket – In fact, you can purchase your entrance for the Space Needle beforehand. I’d recommend looking for a bundle with the Space Needle and Chihuly Exhibit, which is right next door.
Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass
The Chihuly Garden and Glass is an incredible glass museum right next to the Space Needle. It is so unique, so beautiful that it really blew my mind!
This museum showcases the best work of Dale Chihuly, one of American history’s most impressive and unique artists. He incorporates glass blowing, drawing, and other art methods to create an immersive, eye-catching, and breathtaking scene within the museum’s perimeters.
His glasswork is like no other art museum you’ve ever been to. There is so much detail, and many of the exhibits are so large you can do nothing but admire the work from this man’s intricate mind.
One of the best things about the Chihuly Museum is its location right next to the Space Needle. It’s easy and highly recommended to visit both the museum and the Space Needle on the same day.
I’d recommend purchasing your tickets for Seattle: Space Needle & Chihuly Garden and Glass Ticket ahead of time here especially if you are visiting in the peak season.
Learn about music legends at the Museum of POP Culture
Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, sometimes called MoPOP, is one of the country’s best music, entertainment, and pop culture-related museums.
If you’re fascinated by the unique American history and all the influential music and moments throughout history, you must check out this spot. I was keen on visiting as I knew they had an important focus on the history and music of Nirvana, one of my favorite bands of all times, but the exhibit certainly doesn’t end there.
The museum has interactive exhibitions, annual exhibits, and special events. It also has an expansive collection of memorabilia from Seattle-based musicians, like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, and pieces from famous films, shows, and videos around Seattle.
The museum was founded in 2000 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and continues to grow each year.
The museum is also in Seattle Center, near the Space Needle and Chihuly Glass Museum, so again you can visit on the same day.
If you plan to visit multiple Seattle attractions, like the MoPOP, Space Needle, and Chihuly Museum, check out this Seattle CityPASS. It’s a great way to package your admissions and save yourself some time.
Explore Capitol Hill
Despite the misleading name, Capitol Hill Seattle is a neighborhood, not a political corner with government buildings.
This is one of the most well-known neighborhoods and places to visit in Seattle, specifically for being very LGBTQ+ friendly and packed full of younger people, hip bars, and many restaurants and eateries.
You have to walk around Capitol Hill during your trip to Seattle. It’s hands-down one of the city’s true epicenters.
Broadway is the main throughway, running from Volunteer Park to Yesler Way. It’s also where you possibly go to Seattle University and Seattle Central College.
Shop at Pike Place on Broadway Public Market
This is one of the unmissable things to do in Seattle – my friend took me there and we took the opportunity to shop for ingredients to cook a fabulous dinner later that night.
Pike Place Public Market is arguably one of the most recognized places in all of Washington and probably one of the most well-known markets in the United States.
Pike Place Market was founded in 1907, making it one of the oldest and continuously operating public markets in the United States. That’s right- continuously operating. It’s open 365 days a year so that you can visit and enjoy the local foods anytime.
There are over 100 shops in Pike Place Market, with a little something for everyone. here are various eateries too (we had lunch at Athenian, and I soon realized it’s been the scene of several movies, including Sleepless in Seattle).
However, Seattle is known for its seafood, so I’d recommend trying one of the infamous Seattle seafood chowders, especially on a cold or rainy day.
I visited Pike Place with my friend who was the best local guide for me, but I recommend this Seattle: Pike Place Market Chef-Guided Food Tour if you’d like a slightly more immersive experience. Not only can you snack on some of the local specialties, but you’ll also learn a lot about the foods, shops, and restaurants.
Make sure to also check out this review of the best food tours of Pike Place Market.
Take a photo at Post Alley Gum Wall
The Gum Wall in Seattle is one of the weirdest, grossest, and yet most fascinating sites in Seattle. It’s on Post Alley near Pike Street. To be completely honest, when I first saw it and saw people taking photos by it, it took me a while to understand what it was and I won’t deny that I found it a bit disgusting.
The Gum Wall is exactly as described: a brick wall covered in used chewing gum.
The first piece of used gum was stuck around 1991. A patron waiting in line for a comedy show at the theater, right in the alleyway, stuck a piece of chewing gum, with a penny on top, on the wall.
Patrons and passersby quickly followed suit, so the alleyway had a wall covered in chewing gum and pennies. One day, someone in need of money walked by and took all the pennies.
But the chewing gum tradition really “stuck” (literally). People continued leaving their chewing gum on the wall until what we have today: a wall covered from top to bottom with chewing gum.
There isn’t much to do here other than take photos of the gum, admire the piece of art that is used, sticky gum, and maybe visit the nearby arts theater. But it’s definitely worth checking out, as it’s one of the weirdest things to do in Seattle!
Drink coffee!!
Seattle is known as the “coffee capital of the United States”. Coffee production first began over 100 years ago and has remained steady since. And it just isn’t any coffee; it’s really good coffee!
It goes without saying that one of the unmissable things to do in Seattle is to try its famous coffee.
A few famous brands actually began in Seattle, including Starbucks (more about that in a bit) and Tully’s Coffee. But that’s not even the best coffee in Seattle. There are dozens, hundreds, and perhaps thousands of wonderful locally brewed coffees.
Cafe Vita Roasting Co. is one of the most popular coffee shops around. It’s actually a small chain around the U.S., but it began right here in Seattle. This coffee shop is in Capitol Hill, Seattle.
If you are into coffee as much as I am, one of the best ways to experience the best of Seattle’s coffee scene is with a coffee tour. You should try this Seattle: Coffee Culture Walking Tour. It is a fantastic tour where you can learn about coffee production and roasting while sampling several different kinds of coffee.
Visit the first Starbucks Coffee ever opened
If you’re a coffee lover, you’ve heard of Starbucks. Actually, if you’re a person living on planet Earth, you’ve heard of Starbucks.
Your trip to Seattle can’t be complete without a trip to the first Starbucks Coffee shop. And the first one in Seattle is something special.
The first Starbucks was opened in 1971 on the cobblestone streets of Seattle’s Pike Place Market – so it is super easy to add it to your Seattle itinerary. This Starbucks has no seating, but it does have plenty of unique, specialty merchandise you won’t find anywhere else.
Make sure to spot the logo on the window, as it’s the very first ever designed for Starbucks, with the famous mermaid actually showing her breasts (in the current logo, her long hair covers her breasts).
This is one of the most popular places to visit in Seattle, so it also gets a bit crowded. Be prepared to wait in line to get in, and even to simply get a photo of the logo. But it’s the perfect place to grab an afternoon coffee for any Starbucks fan.
Go for a ride on Seattle Great Wheel
The Seattle Great Wheel is a massive Ferris wheel sitting at around 53 meters (175 feet) at Pier 57, right on the water.
The Ferris wheel has 42 enclosed, temperature-controlled gondolas, each one fitting up to eight people. It treats you to some of the best views of Seattle, with the city on one side and the Salish Sea on the other.
The Great Wheel is also decked out with over 500,000 LED lights, which create a spectacular light show on weekend nights. You can even rent the LED lights and customize a show for any special occasion.
If you want to go the extra step, you can also rent out a gondola for private dining. They serve a mouth-watering four-course meal.
Take a Harbor Cruise of Seattle
A harbor cruise in Seattle is definitely one of the best things to do in Seattle. It’s a relaxing, romantic, and informative tour around the Salish Sea and the coast of Seattle. It also has some spectacular views of the city from the water, as well as the mountains off in the distance.
Most cruises start at the Seattle Central Waterfront and last for around an hour. If you’re interested in learning about the world’s largest shipping terminals, the bustling harbor, and the city itself, make sure you join a live narrated tour with a guide.
I also recommend going around sunset because sunset around Seattle (with good weather), which faces west, makes this tour so much more impressive.
My top recommendation is this Seattle: Harbor Cruise with Live Narration. It’s one of the best harbor cruises with live narration. It’s only an hour long, but you’ll learn a lot and get some unforgettable views along the way.
Go whale watching
Orcas, grey whales, and humpbacks all roam the waters around Seattle. So, if you’re interested in whales, you’ll definitely want to go on a whale-watching tour.
There are whales almost year-round in Seattle, but the peak time to spot orcas is mid-May. If you want to guarantee a whale sighting, I recommend going on a whale-watching tour. However, some people are lucky enough to spot some playing out in the water right from the beach.
There are dozens of whale-watching tours leaving from Seattle, but the San Juan Islands is another great spot for whale-watching.
Check out the Fremont Troll
Visiting the Fremont Troll is one of the best free things to do in Seattle. This is a troll under a bridge in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle.
The sculpture feels larger-than-life and depicts a troll trying to crawl out from the side of the bridge.
The troll was created back in 1990 when the Fremont Arts Council launched an art competition to try to deter the homeless from hanging out and sleeping under the bridge.
Regardless of its creation, it has become an infamous sculpture in Seattle.
Enjoy a Seattle Food Tour
There’s so much good food around the large metropolis, between Pike Place Market, the handful of waterfront restaurants, downtown Seattle, and the plethora of food vendors scattered around.
One of the best ways to experience the best of Seattle is with a guided food tour. I strongly recommend this activity to anyone, especially for my fellow foodies.
There’s a variety of different tours to choose from, from plant-based food tours, seafood tours, and even chocolate tours. So choose wisely! Below are some of my recommendations:
Pike Place Market: Walking Food Tour – This is an excellent walking tour of Pike Place Market that includes several samples and plenty of information about the food.
Seattle: Pike Place Market Plant-Based Food Tour – This is a popular food tour that focuses on plant-based foods around Pike Place Market.
Gourmet Comfort Food Restaurant Tour – If you want to explore Seattle’s culinary scene outside of Pike Place, I recommend this gourmet comfort food tour.
Try a Seattle-style hotdog
A Seattle Dog (or “Seattle-style hotdog”) is a real specialty around the city. You’ll find food trucks scattered around, usually around large sporting events, bars, and other main spots. I found one in the park right between the Seattle Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass and did not want to miss the chance of trying one.
A Seattle dog is a grilled hot dog served in a pretzel roll (which makes it already way better than a classic one) and topped with cream cheese and sauteed onions. It might sound weird at first, but any hotdog lover has to give it a try.
The flavors go surprisingly well together, and it tastes much better than it sounds.
Ride Seattle Monorail
The Seattle Monorail is a 0.9-mile monorail that runs between Westlake Center in downtown Seattle and Seattle Center.
If you’re going to the Space Needle, Chihuly Museum, or other locations around the Seattle Center, this is the way to go.
There are only two stations, so it’s impossible to get lost. And the monorail car leaves about every five minutes. The ride is super quick but you get to enjoy the views along the way, so that’s an additional bonus. And it’s not expensive at all.
Check out Seattle Central Library
The Seattle Central Library is another great, free attraction in downtown Seattle. Anyone can visit the library, browse the books, and maybe even rest in one of the common areas for a bit.
This library is particularly special because of its size and beautiful architecture. The library was built in 2004 and features an 11-story glass and steal building. The library itself has spiraling bookcases, meeting rooms, and so much more.
While visiting a library might not be everyone’s idea of fun, it’s a really great activity for book lovers or those who want to escape the Seattle rain.
Take an underground walking tour of Seattle
The underground walking tour is one of the most exciting and unique things to do in Seattle.
Right under the bustling city streets of Seattle, there are many abandoned passageways and old basements. The underground city of Seattle was built in the mid-19th century and was once the main streets of Seattle above ground.
However, they fell into disuse after the Seattle streets were elevated.
Nowadays, the underground passageways can only be explored with a guided tour. Along the way, you’ll learn a lot about Seattle’s history and defining moments.
You obviously can’t visit on your own. So, I recommend this Seattle: Underground Walking Tour. It is an excellent tour of the underground passageways that includes a guide to recount the fascinating history. Just make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes!
Visit one (or all) of the Seattle breweries
Breweries are very popular in Seattle and provide a great ambiance for meeting people, relaxing, and hanging out. And the beer is incredible.
Two of the most popular breweries are Pike Brewing Company on 1st Avenue and Fremont Brewing’s Urban Beer on 34th Street.
My favorite local brewery is Bainbridge Brewing on Bainbridge Island, but we’ll get to Bainbridge Island later on.
I always love to ask the bartenders about their favorite beers. It forces me to try something different and get a taste of local flavors and popular drinks. The breweries around Seattle usually have good snacks, appetizers, and sometimes even bar food, as well.
Explore Bellevue Botanical Gardens
I learned about this place as my friends actually live nearby and it’s one of their favorite places to go for a walk. Bellevue Botanical Gardens was established in 1992 and is actually free to visit. It’s one of the best free things to do in Seattle.
Although there is no entrance fee, it’s a large space with beautiful flora, well-maintained trails, and information plaques.
The garden is actually over 53 acres and features natural wetlands, woodlands, and gardens. It only takes a few minutes to walk through the entire walkway, but you can take this time to slow down and relax.
The garden is located near downtown Bellevue on Main Street and since it’s actually out of Seattle, it’s not nearly as crowded as the rest of the city. It’s a really pleasant place to visit during the weekend too.
Drive and hike along Chuckanut Drive
Chuckanut Drive (also known as State Route 11) is a scenic byway that runs from Burlington to Bellingham around the Salish Sea. The road hugs the coast, offering beautiful views of the sea and the open ocean beyond.
The byway is only 22 miles (35.4 km) long, but there’s so much to see and do along the route you can easily spend an entire day here.
You’ll pass by several oyster bars and seafood restaurants along the way. There are also some notable hiking tails right off Chuckanut Drive. They are well marked, easy to follow and go through a gorgeous thick forest and along several pretty coves.
Larrabee State Park is a state park on the seaward side of Chuckanut Drive. You can enjoy beautiful views of the sea and the San Juan Islands.
Oyster Dome is a popular hike that begins at Mile Marker 10 on Chuckanut Drive. From here, you can see even better views ahead.
Eat locally sourced oysters at The Oyster Bar
If you find yourself on Chuckanut Drive, you have to stop in at the Oyster Bar to try a few fresh oysters. I wouldn’t have known about this place, but since my friends are locals they took me there and it was a great (and very local) experience.
The Oyster Bar is a beautiful, cabin-style restaurant that has waterfront views from every seat in the restaurant. On a clear day, the San Juan Islands and Samish Bay are perfectly visible. We arrived just in time for sunset and it was perfect!
It’s a higher-end restaurant, so a little classier. It’s perfect for special occasions or just to enjoy a small snack on your scenic drive along Chuckanut Drive.
Watch the Seattle Mariners play at T-Mobile Park
Baseball is “America’s Sport,” so what other thing to do when on vacation than watch the local baseball team?
The Seattle Mariners are Seattle’s Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and they play in the T-Mobile Park. The park has a retractable roof for rainy days. And if you’re lucky to get a clear day, you can enjoy views of the Seattle skyline while watching the game.
Baseball tickets are usually pretty affordable, especially if you’re fine with sitting further away from the field (in all honesty, unless you are a real baseball fan chances are you won’t understand much about the game and this will be a purely social and cultural experience for you).
There are also several popular sports bars around the stadium and plenty of high-energy fans running around.
Go on a day trip from Seattle to Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island is a small island, about a 45-minute ferry ride from Seattle’s waterfront. Even though the island is small, there’s a lot to do there so this really is one of the best day trips from Seattle.
The Washington State Ferry heads over to Bainbridge Island every 30-minutes or so. The ferry terminal is located near Seattle’s waterfront and is only about a 15-minute walk from Pike Place, so it is very easy to reach.
You’ll be treated to incredible views of Seattle from the water, and it’s much more affordable than joining a cruise.
One of my favorite places on Bainbridge Island is Bainbridge Brewing. It’s a small brewery a short walk from the ferry terminal, with great beers.
There’s also a nice walking path right near the ferry that goes around the island. A sunny afternoon spent walking this path is a great way to spend the day.
This Seattle: Olympic National Park Small-Group Tour goes to Bainbridge Island and visits some key places of interest in Olympic National Park. It’s an overall well paced tour for a place so vast!
Enjoy a day trip from Seattle to Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island
Did you know you can cross over to Vancouver Island in Canada, right from Seattle? Indeed, this is one of the most popular day trips from Seattle.
It might be a long day, as the ferry to Vancouver Island takes around two hours and 45 minutes, but it’s definitely possible. If you have the time, I actually really recommend it.
The Victoria Clipper operates from Seattle to Vancouver and back several times a day. Usually, there are one or two morning departures and one or two evening departures back.
The ferry schedule changes depending on the season, so you’ll want to check out the Clipper Vacations schedule for departure and arrival times.
Once you get to Vancouver Island, you can catch a cab or Uber or just hop on the bus to Butchart Gardens which you can book directly on the Clipper. This beautiful garden is a world-famous 55-acre garden about 30 minutes drive from Victoria. You can spend hours walking along its many trails, admiring fountains, sculptures, flowers and the different gardens inside.
Victoria, the capital of Vancouver Island, is also a pretty city to visit: you can have a wonderful afternoon tea experience at the Fairmont Empress Hotel.
Not sure where to start planning? This BEST Canada Vancouver Island Day Trip from Seattle is the best full-day tour from Seattle to Vancouver Island. The tour takes care of all planning and preparation, from transportation to activities on Vancouver Island.
You should also read my Complete Guide To Visiting Butchart Gardens.
Go for a day trip from Seattle to Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is the most iconic image in Seattle. You can see the mountain from almost anywhere in Seattle, and its snow-capped peak is always striking.
Even if you arrive in Seattle with no interest in visiting Mount Rainier, you’ll certainly want to make the day trip after gazing at it from the city streets all day.
Mount Rainier is only about 112 km (70 miles) from downtown Seattle. Hiking all the way to the peak takes advanced hikers several days, but there are tons of trails and other routes for beginner or intermediate hikers, so it’s ok to go even just for a day.
The region is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges, blue skies, and plenty of snow in the winter.
Planning may be a bit complicated if you don’t have a car, so you will be better off joining a guided tour. I recommend this From Seattle: Mount Rainier Full Day Tour. It is an excellent tour of Mount Rainier from Seattle. The tour provides a local guide, entrance to the park, and transportation.
Or to Snoqualmie Falls
One of the best things about Seattle is the blend of metropolis activities within the city and nature activities outside of the city. Snoqualmie Falls is my favorite way to escape the noise of the city and enjoy beautiful nature.
Snoqualmie Falls is an incredible day trip from Seattle and one of the best things to do in Seattle.
Snoqualmie Falls is about 48 km (30 miles) from the city. At 268 feet (81.7 meters), it’s a tall waterfall with short walking trails, making it a great nature escape after a few days in the city.
There’s a Top Observation Deck, a short walk from the parking lot. The observation deck has great views looking down on the waterfall. However, depending on the direction of the wind, be prepared to get wet.
If you don’t have a car, you should consider a guided tour. I recommend this Snoqualmie Falls & Woodinville Wine Tasting Tour. It is an excellent tour from downtown Seattle to the falls. After visiting the falls, you’ll also go to three boutique wineries to finish off the day.
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