15 Finest Issues to Do in Seattle in 2023

Referred to as the Emerald Metropolis, Seattle simply could be probably the most scenic metropolitan space within the United States. The most important metropolis within the Pacific Northwest provides guests infinite issues to see and do. 

Seattle is surrounded by evergreen forests, mountains, and water. Even when you’re simply in Seattle for a weekend journey, it’s sufficient time to get pleasure from lots of the points of interest in nature or within the metropolis. There’s no scarcity of nice locations to go to in Seattle.

I’ve been to cities throughout my dwelling nation from coast to coast (together with Denver, Detroit, Austin, Asheville, Boston, New Orleans and lots of extra), and after dwelling in Seattle for 2 months and visiting quite a few instances, the Emerald Metropolis is unquestionably amongst my favorites.

This publish was up to date to incorporate new Seattle points of interest and actions for 2023. 

On this information, I’ll introduce among the high issues to do in Seattle together with numerous sensible information that can assist you plan an amazing journey.

About Seattle, Washington

Seattle is situated between Puget Sound and Lake Washington and has the Olympic Mountains to the west and Cascades to the east, making for some postcard-worthy surroundings round each nook.

Sadly, it’s true that it rains very often right here. Don’t let it rain in your parade, although — there are tons of nice museums and different indoor actions to maintain you busy when it will get a bit moist. There are many issues to do in Seattle when it rains.

Seattle can also be well-known for its music and sports activities. The grunge period began right here with bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana, and it’s now a hub for indie music and underground hip-hop.

Seattle sports activities followers are among the loudest within the nation as they present their unwavering assist for groups just like the Seahawks and Sounders.

It truly is superb how one can get pleasure from all of the facilities of an enormous metropolis and but so simply get out in nature.

15 Finest Issues To Do in Seattle

Right here’s my checklist of the highest 15 issues to do and locations to go to in Seattle. After dwelling within the metropolis for over 2 months and visiting there many instances over time, I’ve narrowed down my high picks for the most effective Seattle points of interest.

1. See the House Needle

Surely, probably the most iconic landmark in Seattle is the House Needle. Constructed for the 1962 version of the World’s Honest, it has been a fixture within the metropolis’s skyline ever since.

The commentary deck is 520 ft (158 meters) tall, so that you get to get pleasure from 360-degree panoramic views. On a transparent day, you’ll be able to see your complete metropolis together with pure wonders comparable to Lake Union and Mt. Rainier. Testing this view is a should do in Seattle, and I can’t inform you what number of instances I visited throughout my time dwelling there.

Whereas the House Needle has all the time been one of many high locations to go to in Seattle, it’s even cooler now due to some severe renovations.

A latest multimillion greenback improve added the stylish lounge The Loupe, the primary rotating glass flooring on this planet. In addition they added wall-to-ceiling glass and the brand new Skyrisers, that are tilting glass benches that present for some unreal views of town.

The House Needle is open day by day from 8 AM-midnight, with the final entry at 11:15. Tickets vary from $34-37.50 for adults and $25-30 for kids. This is likely one of the finest locations to go to in Seattle and is included within the Seattle CityPass.

Or, you’ll be able to see the House Needle and the Chihuly Backyard along with this ticket.

Handle: 400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109, United States

2. Test Out the Seattle Heart

The House Needle is only one a part of the huge Seattle Heart. This hub of schooling, artwork, and leisure has a lot happening that you may simply spend a whole day right here and nonetheless not do all of it.

One of many high Seattle points of interest you’ll discover right here is the Worldwide Fountain. At totally different factors all through the day, the fountain is synchronized to music, making for an amazing present that’s enjoyable for all ages. 

The Seattle Heart can also be dwelling to Artists at Play — a cool playground designed by artists. There’s a climbing tower, labyrinth, carousel, and rather more right here. This is likely one of the finest free issues to do in Seattle and one of many first locations I’d convey guests whereas displaying them round.  

There’s rather more to see and do right here, together with a number of totally different museums. Don’t miss the superb Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis Discovery Heart. They run free group excursions from Tuesday-Saturday at 2:00 PM and it’s all the time free to go to.

Along with all of the totally different points of interest right here, the Seattle Heart additionally hosts 1000’s of occasions and packages all year long. Concert events, health courses, films, festivals, and extra are on faucet right here. Make sure you test their occasion calendar to see what’s happening.

Handle: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109, United States

3. See Chihuly Backyard

The Chihuly Backyard & Glass Museum is likely one of the hottest locations to go to in Seattle. It’s devoted to the gorgeous glasswork of Dale Chihuly, whose work could be seen in over 200 museums around the globe.

Positioned on the Seattle Heart, the museum is cut up into three totally different areas: the Backyard, Inside Displays, and the unbelievable Glasshouse. My private favourite is the Glasshouse, however make sure you see all of them.

There’s additionally a theater that’s consistently displaying brief movies of Chihuly and his work. You’ll positively wish to carve out a few hours to take all of it in. 

The museum is open from 8:30 AM-8:30 PM Monday to Thursday and stays open an hour in a while the weekend.

Tickets value $30-35 for adults and $19-21 for kids. Entrance to the Chihuly Backyard & Glass Museum is included within the Seattle CityPass, on this 3-hour “highlights tour” of Seattle, or this ticket which incorporates the House Needle as properly.

Lastly, when you favor to easily buy your entrance ticket direct from the corporate, make certain to make the most of the free audio tour on provide. 

Handle: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109, United States

4. Be part of a Meals Tour

One of the vital enjoyable issues to do in Seattle is to eat your approach throughout town on a meals tour. My private suggestion is the Pike Place Market Chef Guided Meals Tour, which lasts two hours and consists of quite a few bites.

Alongside the best way, you’ll study all in regards to the historical past and tradition of the market, discover some small companies and revel in sampling all the superb meals on provide. 

One other strong choice that I’ve gone on a number of instances is the Pike Place Market Strolling Meals tour which features a information, samples at seven artisanal meals stalls, and extra. Becoming a member of a meals tour is likely one of the enjoyable actions in Seattle for adults that ought to be in your checklist.

5. Go to the Museum of Pop Tradition

Previously often called the EMP (Expertise Music Challenge), the Museum of Pop Tradition is likely one of the finest Seattle points of interest round. Earlier than you head inside, you’ll wish to take a while to admire the gorgeous constructing from world-famous architect Frank Gehry.

When you step contained in the museum, which additionally goes by MoPOP, you’ll discover the spectacular guitar sculpture referred to as “If VI Was IX.” There are over 500 devices making up this tornado-like sculpture! 

Talking of music, the museum has a number of everlasting displays devoted to Seattle’s most well-known rockers: Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam.

You possibly can even channel your inside rockstar of their Sound Lab or take your image in entrance of a packed viewers of their On Stage space. 

That’s not all, although. MoPop additionally has displays on fantasy, science fiction, horror, video video games, comedy, and far, rather more.

I’ve been to quite a lot of museums in my travels, and this one is unquestionably my favourite. Make sure you add it to your checklist of cool issues to do in Seattle.

MoPOP is open Monday-Friday from 10 AM-6 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM-6 PM. Tickets value round $35 for adults and $21 for kids.

Entrance tickets to MoPOP are included within the Seattle CityPass. Click on right here to get instructions.

Handle: 325 fifth Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, United States

6. Pike Place Market: One of the vital well-known Seattle points of interest!

The Pike Place Market is likely one of the finest locations to go to in Seattle. Relationship all the best way again to 1907, this is likely one of the oldest public farmers’ markets in the US. 

By purchasing at Pike Place Market, you’re doing rather more than simply checking off probably the greatest Seattle points of interest. You’re supporting native farmers, artisans, and small companies as properly! 

There’s a lot to see (and style) right here that you simply’ll wish to be sure to come hungry and keep awhile. Every time I visited, I not solely crammed my abdomen, but additionally a number of purchasing luggage to take dwelling with me.

Along with the farmers’ market and crafts market, there are 80 eating places and over 200 distinctive outlets. With so many choices, it may be a bit intimidating, however for certain it’s a should do in Seattle. Don’t miss a meals tour (listed above at #4) of this market. 

It’s rather more than only a market, truly. It’s a group with numerous wonderful initiatives, comparable to a senior heart, meals financial institution, and pre-school.

If you wish to present some additional love, pay a go to to Rachel the Piggybank. Rub her snout and make a donation, and legend has it you’ll have good luck.

The market is simply closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It formally will get going at 9 AM and closes at 6 PM, however you’ll be able to come right here as early as 6 AM for breakfast when you’re an early riser.

Head over to their web site to plan your go to and browse all the varied choices. You will discover Pike Place Market on the map right here.

Handle: 85 Pike Road, Seattle, WA 98101, United States

7. Take pleasure in Waterfront Park

After exploring Pike Place, you’re only a brief stroll from Waterfront Park, the subsequent spot on my checklist of Seattle points of interest. There are a number of benches and picnic tables right here, so it’s the proper place to sit down down and revel in no matter scrumptious meals you picked up on the market.

The park is dwelling to 2 totally different platforms the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from some unbelievable views.

On a transparent day, you’ll be able to even see the Olympic Mountains within the distance. There are coin-operated telescopes right here that can assist you get a fair higher take a look at the environment. Make sure you try the Waterfront Fountain as properly.

One of the vital enjoyable issues to do in Seattle is taking a trip on the Seattle Nice Wheel. This large Ferris wheel is open from Monday to Thursday from 11 AM-10 PM, Friday and Saturday from 10 AM-11 PM and Sunday from 10 AM-10 PM. 

Tickets value $16 for adults and $11 for youths. You even have the choice of splurging for a VIP ticket ($50) for his or her luxurious gondola and a memento t-shirt.

Waterfront Park is a good spot to unwind after an enormous day of sightseeing in Seattle. It’s situated between Pier 57 and 59. Click on right here to get instructions.

Handle: 1401 Alaskan Wy, Seattle, WA 98101, United States

8. Day Journey to Mount Rainier 

When you’ve got some additional time in Seattle, take into account doing a day journey out to Mount Rainier, which is an energetic stratovolcano within the Mount Rainier Nationwide Park. That is my private favourite spot for mountaineering within the space.

This towering volcano is 14,400 ft (4,390m), and within the nationwide park, you’ll discover quite a few actions on provide, together with mountaineering, tenting and mountain climbing.

For vacationers on a day journey, mountaineering alongside one of many many trails is a best choice. Through the winter months, you’ll be able to commerce your mountaineering boots for present sneakers and nonetheless benefit from the trails. 

The highly-rated Evergreen Escapes runs full-day, small group excursions to Mount Rainier, that are tailor-made to your health ranges.

Included within the journey are transportation, a educated naturalist, lunch, snacks, and entrance charges. To study extra about this high journey from Seattle, click on right here.

For those who’d like so as to add wine tasting to your day journey to Mt. Rainier, try this enjoyable tour! Take pleasure in a hike within the park, an natural picnic exterior, and wine tastings at native vineyards. In fact, transportation, all charges, and meals and wine are included. Be taught extra right here.

9. Take a Cruise

Whereas Seattle appears nice on land, it appears even higher from the water! Taking a cruise round Elliot Bay and the Puget Sound is definitely one of the enjoyable issues to do in Seattle.

Your choices for cruising vary from a easy 1-hour harbor journey to in a single day getaways. On these journeys, I’ve noticed quite a few sea birds, seals, and even dolphins.

On the price range finish, you’ll be able to merely take one of many native ferries to benefit from the views. The ferry to Bainbridge Island solely prices $8.50 for adults and $4.25 for kids, and the return journey is free. It’s a pleasant approach to spend a day with out spending a ton of money.

Argosy Cruises has been in enterprise for 70 years and their excursions are an amazing alternative for Seattle sightseeing.

They’ve seven totally different choices, together with their one-hour cruise of Elliot Bay and the Seattle Harbor the place you’ll get pleasure from a completely narrated journey, superb views of the Seattle skyline, and on clear days, of Mount Rainier.

A cruise with Argosy is definitely included within the Seattle CityPass when you select to go that route.

10. Stroll By means of Washington Park Arboretum

The Washington Park Arboretum is unquestionably one of the lovely Seattle points of interest to go to. It’s my go-to selection for a quiet afternoon.

This scenic park has miles upon miles of trails and is a dwelling assortment of crops. It’s a major instance of why Seattle is called the Emerald Metropolis and a stunning place to spend just a few hours.

Spring is a very fashionable time to go to the park due to the azaleas which can be in bloom. Come right here within the fall and also you’ll see Japanese maples and strawberry bushes, making a vibrant tapestry of colours.

The arboretum is open day by day from daybreak to nightfall and is likely one of the finest free locations to go to in Seattle. In addition they have a number of totally different excursions and courses in addition to choices for birding and boating. Test their web site for all the main points. 

When you’re right here, it’s properly price it to pay the doorway price for the Japanese Backyard ($8 for adults and $4 for kids). They’ve free guided excursions from April to October at 12:30, and you can too get pleasure from a standard Japanese tea ceremony right here for an additional $10.

It’s a bit slice of Japan proper right here in Seattle!

Click on right here to get instructions to the arboretum. The Japanese Backyard is within the southwest nook of the park. Make sure you add a cease right here to your checklist of locations to go to in Seattle.

Handle: 2300 Arboretum Dr E, Seattle, WA 98112, United States

11. Go to the Seattle Artwork Museum

Artwork lovers will wish to expertise the Seattle Artwork Museum, which truly consists of three totally different services: the principle museum, the Asian Artwork Museum, and the Olympic Sculpture Park.

On the fundamental museum, you’ll discover a powerful assortment of artwork from all corners of the globe. It’s identified for its intensive collections of Native American and Northwest Coast artwork. There are over 25,000 totally different artistic endeavors on show right here, so take your time.

Along with the principle museum, you can too pay a go to to the Olympic Sculpture Park. It’s situated only a mile away (click on right here for instructions), so it’s simple to go to each. As soon as an industrial web site, it’s now a free public park stuffed with distinctive sculptures. 

The artwork museum is open from 10 AM-5 PM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday-Sunday. It’s closed on Tuesday however stays open till 9 PM on Thursday.

Tickets are $29.99 for adults, $19.99 for college students and youths ages 15-18, and free for youths 14 and below. For those who occur to be on the town on the primary Thursday of the month, it’s free for everybody! Click on right here for instructions.

Handle: 1300 1st Ave, Seattle, WA‎ 98101, United States

12. Go to the Museum of Flight

For those who’re concerned with air and house, you’ll wish to embody the Museum of Flight in your Seattle itinerary. There are over 150 plane on show right here together with 1000’s of artifacts and pictures.

There’s sufficient to see and do to spend a number of hours right here, so this can be a great point to do in Seattle when it rains (which occurs fairly steadily!).

A serious spotlight is the Aviation Pavilion, which options a powerful assortment of uncommon airplanes. There are WWII bombers, the primary Boeing 747, and even the primary jet Air Drive One. You possibly can even board a few of them!

Along with all of the plane, they’ve loads of fascinating displays to take a look at, which change steadily. Click on right here to view a listing of present displays and see what’s developing.

For these airplane fanatics, you can too go to the Boeing Way forward for Flight on the Boing Manufacturing facility, which is about 30 miles (50 km) from town and probably the greatest factors of curiosity close to Seattle, Washington. I had an amazing and informative time the day I went, far exceeding my expectations.

On the tour, you’ll try the Boeing manufacturing unit with an area information and see planes at varied phases of meeting. Plus, you’ll wander across the 28,000-square-foot Aviation Gallery and take a look at the displays and shows.

The Museum of Flight is open day by day from 10 AM-5 PM. Tickets value $25 for adults and $16 for kids.

On the primary Thursday of each month, the museum stays open from 5-9 PM and it’s completely free to enter. Click on right here to purchase your tickets on-line for probably the greatest Seattle points of interest. You will discover the Museum of Flight on the map right here. 

Handle: 9404 East Marginal Approach S., Seattle, WA 98108, United States

13. Watch Some Skilled Sports activities

Individuals in Seattle are loopy about their sports activities, they usually specific their love for his or her groups very loudly.

Actually, Seahawks followers have twice set the Guinness World File for loudest crowd noise at a sporting occasion. The workforce refers to their passionate followers because the “12s,” as they mainly act because the twelfth participant. My ears rang from days after a specific playoff sport.

The Seahawks (NFL) play their dwelling video games at Lumen Discipline. The stadium can also be dwelling to the Seattle Sounders FC, which have been promoting out dwelling video games since their debut in MLS ten years in the past. For those who can handle to attain a ticket, you’re in for a very good time.

Through the summer season months, you’ll be able to catch the Mariners (MLS) at T-Cell Park. With round 80 dwelling video games per season, there’s a very good probability they’ll be on the town when you’re visiting between Might and September. 

For the reason that 2021-2022 season, Seattle lastly has an NHL workforce, the Seattle Kraken, which performs on the newly renovated Local weather Pledge Enviornment within the Seattle Heart.

Enjoyable reality: Approach again in 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans had been the primary American workforce to win the Stanley Cup. The NHL wasn’t even a factor at the moment, because it obtained began later that 12 months.

14. Expertise Discovery Park

Whereas there are many wonderful inexperienced areas within the Emerald Metropolis, Discovery Park actually takes the cake. That is the biggest park in Seattle and is dwelling to round 12 miles of fantastic trails. It additionally has seashores, sand dunes, cliffs, meadows, and rather more.

If it’s your first time on the park, your finest guess is to start out out with the Loop Path. This 2.8-mile-long path goes by way of the middle of the park and branches out to different trails when you really feel like exploring additional.

Attempt to make all of it the best way out to the West Level Lighthouse, the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from some unbelievable views of the mountains and water.

Discovery Park is situated on Magnolia Bluff overlooking the Puget Sound, click on right here for instructions. It’s positively one of the picturesque of all of the Seattle points of interest and is properly definitely worth the effort to succeed in.

Handle: 3801 Discovery Park Blvd, Seattle, WA 98199, United States

15. Be part of an Underground Tour

Rounding out my checklist of cool issues to do in Seattle is taking an fascinating underground tour. 

Beneath The Streets is likely one of the hottest Seattle points of interest. On this enjoyable and academic tour, you’ll discover subterranean sidewalks and storefronts that had been constructed on high after the Nice Fireplace of 1889. 

This one-hour tour takes you beneath Seattle’s streets to discover three underground passageways, relationship again to the Eighteen Nineties. I can nonetheless keep in mind the sensation of being transported to a different world whereas venturing into these darkish areas.

This highly-rated tour is enjoyable for everybody and reasonably priced at $29. This is likely one of the extra distinctive issues to do in Seattle when it rains that you simply gained’t wish to miss. Click on right here to study extra in regards to the tour.

FAQs About Seattle

Solutions to a few of your steadily requested questions on visiting Seattle.

Now You Know What to Do in Seattle

These are simply among the many fascinating issues to do in Seattle. There’s much more happening within the Emerald Metropolis, together with loads of different parks, seashores, museums, excursions, and an entire lot extra. 

With some extra time in Seattle, you can too reap the benefits of the various superb day-trip alternatives. Inside just a few hours, yow will discover your self exploring Mt. Rainier or Olympic Nationwide Park. Or maybe you’d relatively go go to a waterfall or soak in a sizzling spring. The choices for journey actually are infinite!

After two months dwelling in Seattle and lots of subsequent visits, I imagine I’ve skilled the most effective the Emerald Metropolis has to supply. For those who’ve been there and have an amazing suggestion for what to do in Seattle, please depart a remark under.

*Photographs on this publish are courtesy of Shutterstock.

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