Seattle has a reputation for a moody city cloaked in rain and clouds. However, Seattle is one of the brightest and greenest cities we’ve visited. And there are so many fun things to do in this Emerald City. Continue reading for our list for the funnest things to do in Seattle for first time visitors. Sure, we list all of the top tourist attractions below but we’ll also let you know if we thought a visit was worth it. Hopefully, this will help you to sort out the best attractions in Seattle for your own Seattle vacation.
When To Visit Seattle
Summer is the best time to visit Seattle. Seattle is known for rain. However, it also has mild temperatures year round. You win some, you loose some, right? However, in the summer, you get mild temperatures AND less rain. So the best of both worlds! Now that I’ve fit plenty of cliches in… moving on.
Summer is also a popular time to visit Seattle. It’s the top tourist season. However, Seattle is a big city with plenty of accommodations so if you are okay staying a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the popular tourist areas, you’ll find that you can have a pretty average priced trip in the middle of the summer. This also makes it the best time to visit Seattle if you are going to go on a day trip or two.. or three.. as most of these day trips get out into nature.
Again, Seattle has mild temperatures year round so if you truly just want to visit Seattle proper, visiting in the off season, like winter, could be a good time to visit to save you money. You also may find that those mild temperatures provide a mini escape from the cold weather destination you live in. So while Seattle isn’t the Caribbean, it can be a good winter escape.
How Long Should You Stay In Seattle?
We think two days is perfect for a visit to Seattle proper.
Sure you could extend your vacation, but then you’d really be visiting places other than Seattle. For our full list of Washington getaways, check out our posts here.
Things To Do In Seattle
Pike Place Market
Cost: FREE | Time: 4hours | Worth It? YES!
One of the most iconic Seattle attractions, Pike Place Market is a must visit. Opened in 1907, this is one of the oldest continuously operating farmer’s markets in the country. A visit to the market can be completely free. However, make sure to bring some money for tasty treats. Remember to scour all the floors of Pike Place Market. Some areas have food vendors, some vintage clothes, some toys, and some used books. It really is astounding all of the different things you can find at the market.
So we do recommend a visit to Pike Place market for all as it is one of the best things to do in Seattle for first time visitors. But what’s more, we recommend visiting at lunch. And treat yourself to a progressive lunch of snacks from multiple vendors. Make sure to have a well rounded lunch with things like donuts, pierogis, greek yogurt, mac & cheese, Turkish delight, coffee, and chowder. Don’t forget to grab some fish to go to cook it up at home for dinner.
Food Tour
If you’re looking for a more structured way to visit Pike Place Market, consider taking a food tour. A walking food tour will take you to several stops within the market and give you some interesting historical tidbits about the market that you won’t be able to get on your own.
The Gum Wall
Cost: FREE | Time: 2 minutes | Worth It? Sure, it’s only 2 minutes for a photo
A disgusting wall covered in gum. But kinda a pretty sight. Make sure to bring your own gum to add to the trash/art wall. This is located just outside of Pike Place Market and is a quick stop. While it honestly isn’t as cool as pictures make it look, it’s worth a quick step outside just to see it.
Seattle Aquarium
Cost:$28+/adult | Time: 2 hours | Worth It? For families
We love a good aquarium, and this may be one of the best. Located right along the waterfront, near Pike Place Market, is the Seattle Aquarium. This is a great stop for families as it is a very interactive place for kiddos (and adults). They have a small petting zoo area and some beautiful fishies to look at. The pricing for this aquarium is funky, it’s based on date, time and how far in advance you buy the tickets so plan ahead to save a few dollars.
Olympic Sculpture Park
Cost: FREE | Time: 30 minutes | Worth It? meh…
This park is popular probably just by proximity to other popular things (we assume). Sure the park is a nice outdoorsy space complete with really neat 3D works of art. It’s not exactly a “destination” but it is a worthy side track if you can use it as a way to get from point A to point B. So if you can walk through this park as you’re exploring Seattle, it’s worth a few blocks side tracking to do it.
Seattle Center
Cost: FREE | Time: 30 minutes | Worth It? Yes, great views of the Space Needle
The Seattle Center is the garden-y area that is home to the Space Needle and more. However, the garden area in itself is pretty cool. You’ll see fountains, sculptures and the best views of the Space Needle. So make sure to stop here for some free views even if you don’t go to the top of the Space Needle.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Cost: $35+/adult | Time: 2 hours | Worth It? For adults, yes.
We are not art aficionados. In fact we laugh at art more than we love art. However, Chihuly was one of the most surprisingly amazing things we did in Seattle. These glass sculptures are beautiful and interesting. And the best part is that while this is an art museum, there is an outdoor garden with glass outside as well. Which was our favorite part, from here you can see the Space Needle behind the beautiful works of glass art. We think this was a great thing to do in Seattle for adults. Children may find the lack of interactive features boring and frustrating.
Space Needle
Cost: $30+/person | Time: 1-2 hours | Worth It? Once – yes.
You’ve likely seen photos of this in all Seattle promotional materials. This iconic tower was built for the 1962 World Fair and is still operational today. At the time it was the tallest building West of the Mississippi and today it still offers one of the best views of Seattle. A ticket will get you into the building where you’ll learn about the history prior to taking a ride to the top. Be sure to slowly make your way to the elevator as traffic here only flows in one direction and you can’t go backwards to catch something you missed. Once at the top, you can stay for as long as you like taking in the sights of the Seattle skyline.
While, this was a super touristy and expensive thing to do. It was still pretty cool and we would recommend adding it to your list of things to do in Seattle at least once. Everything here was big! However, once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it, no need to repeat the experience.
Smith Tower
Cost: $22/person | Time: 1 hour | Worth It? Once – yes.
Are you looking for a less expensive alternative to the Space Needle that also has a fun history and great views. The Smith Tower is an attraction that fits the bill at a fraction of the price. Here, you can ride to the top of the tower in an old Otis elevator that is manned by an elevator attendant. This is a cheaper and less crowded alternative that still ends with you looking out over the Seattle skyline.
Pioneer Square
Cost: FREE | Time: 30 minutes | Worth It? Meh…
Pioneer Square is old Seattle, which is why it always makes the list of things to do in Seattle for first time visitors. The architecture here is old and the streets are photogenic. The neighborhood is even filled with beautiful greenery, more so than other areas in Seattle. However, it is just a neighborhood to wander. So while it is something free to do, it isn’t the most interesting thing to do.
Trail To Treasure
Pick up the Trail To Treasure at the Klondike Gold Rush Museum and this pamphlet will guide you through a short walking tour of Pioneer Square.
Pioneer Square Underground Tour
Looking for a more interesting way to experience Pioneer Square? Consider visiting on a haunted tour or an underground tour. These tours help to provide more context to the neighborhood and the city of Seattle in general. We didn’t go on one of these tours because one of us is scared of ghosts, but it is an option for those of you willing to brave some haunted spaces.
Klondike Gold Rush Museum
Cost: FREE | Time: 1 hours | Worth It? For museum lovers
Did you know that Seattle was a major part of the Gold Rush? We didn’t until we have visited the Klondike Gold Rush Museum. This historical park (part of the National Parks Service) allows you to walk through the exhibits and learn about how Seattle contributed to the gold rush. This is a great stop for history and museum lovers and actually a great stop for kids as there are tons of interactive exhibits.
Kerry Park
Cost: FREE | Time: 30 minutes | Worth It? Yes, on a clear day
The view fro Kerry park is beautiful, on a clear day. On an even clearer day, you can see the Seattle skyline, including the space needle, and Mt. Rainier in the background. However, if the day isn’t clear, the park in itself isn’t anything special so it isn’t worth your time.
Gas Works Park
Cost: FREE | Time: 30 minutes | Worth It? With extra time
Another park with great views of Seattle. This park has old and rusting remnants of a power plant in it, which is very unique. This park is a great option if you have extra time in your Seattle itinerary and want to get views of the city.
Freemont Troll
Cost: FREE | Time: 15 minutes | Worth It? Nope, unless you’re already there
So while the sculpture under the bridge is neat, it’s just an ugly troll under a bridge. And it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere. This is a popular photo stop for first time Seattle visitors. However, unless you’re in the area, we can’t recommend it.
Ballard Locks
Cost: FREE | Time: 1-2 hours | Worth It? If you like fish/boats
The Ballard Locks (aka: Hiram M. Chittendon) allow boats to travel from fresh water rivers into Seattle’s ocean bay. So you can come here to watch the big ships coming and going. There also is a fish section of the locks that provide a place for the fishies to swim. And you can watch them swimming. Depending on time of year, you may even see some neat migrating salmon. The locks also have a small little museum explaining what they do and how they operate.
Starbucks Reserve and Roastery
Cost: $40+/person | Time: 2+hours | Worth It? Yup, we’re suckers for sampler platters
This is not a Starbucks. Okay, sure, a normal Starbucks counter is in the building. However, the fun of this stop is in the tours and tastings. Book yourself an experience menu and get treated to a lecture of your choosing paired with a tasting menu to go with the lecture.
What To Pack For Seattle
Seattle weather can be unpredictable. So make sure you pack clothing that you can easily layer. And always pack a jacket, even in the summer, to protect you from showers. We visited in summer and always had our lightweight rain jackets stuffed into our bags just in case – plus they’re lighter than umbrellas.
As a side note on the weather, Seattle get a bad rep for rain. And it does rain a lot. But in short bursts. So while you should pack a rain jacket, you shouldn’t need a full on wetsuit (or umbrella/rain boots tourist combo).
You’ll want to make sure to pack really comfortable shoes as you’ll be walking a ton. I also like to pack at least two different comfy shoes so I can swap them out every other day to give my feet some variety.
Lastly, as you’ll be doing a ton of walking, you’ll want to stay well hydrated and protected from the sun. Make sure to add sunscreen each morning and possibly pack some for reapplication. We also like our hydration backpacks so we can carry water with us everywhere we go (along with our camera gear). This saves us money when traveling as we never have to buy bottle of water – I mean who pays for water pashaw.
Safety
Seattle felt like a pretty safe place. There were tons of people everywhere we went so that gave us the feeling of safety. However, there were also tons of people everywhere so petty theft is a problem. We did find our bags would get unzipped after we bumped into people. However, this is true of every big city in America so just make sure to leave valuables at home and only travel with what you need.
Additionally, Seattle has a large homeless popular (again, like every big city in America) so be aware of that as you’ll frequently see people napping in public or panhandling near popular attractions. While this population is not statistically any more dangerous than people with homes, they can make people uncomfortable so be aware of it.
Hopefully, this list of things to do in Seattle for first time visitors has helped you to create your own Seattle itinerary. If you’re still wondering what to do, consider looking at our Seattle itinerary. Or if you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section below.
