It may be a bit off the classic tourist circuits of the West Coast, but Seattle, with its charm of a cool, contemporary city surrounded by beautiful nature, could win over anyone who decides to come here, even if the weather conditions are not always favorable for a comfortable visit. We are in the American Northwest, in the state of Washington, a little less than 150 miles from the border with Canada. The “hottest” month here is July, which barely reaches 77 ° as a maximum temperature, settling on an average of 64-66°.
However, as you can read in our article containing tips on the best time to visit Seattle, the climate is slightly moderated by the presence of the sea and the lake: the city is located on a strip of land between Washington Lake and the Bay of Puget Sound, which channels the waters of the Pacific into a network of branches and inlets that reach up to the coast of Olympia, the capital of Washington.
Seattle is also called Emerald City, due its lush green areas scattered throughout the city, but it is best known for its futuristic skyline, characterized by the presence of the Space Needle and other incredible buildings and skyscrapers. Not only that. Seattle is the home of Starbucks and Microsoft, it is a natural habitat for intellectuals and artists, it saw the birth of the first grunge bands and has lent some locations to cult TV series such as Twin Peaks. In short, as we’ll see, there are numerous sights and attractions in Seattle.
So what to do in Seattle? In this article, we want to give you a brief but comprehensive overview of the best things to see in Seattle, giving you some targeted advice that is a bit ‘out of the box’, if your stay is a bit longer than expected and you have finished visiting the main attractions.
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What to do in Seattle? Attractions and sights
As mentioned, there are many things to see in the city, but thanks to this map you can figure out which attractions, areas and neighborhoods are worth visiting during a trip to Seattle.
Seattle Center: welcome to the future
Space Needle
Separate from the other skyscrapers, the Space Needle was built in 1962, when the city hosted the World’s Fair: as we have said, this is the symbol of ultramodern verticality, the futuristic manifesto of Seattle. What can you admire from this incredible, missile-shaped skyscraper? All tourists want to go to the top of the “tower of Seattle”: there is an observation point at a height of 525 feet (out of a total of 603) from which you can dominate the Downtown skyline and see the massive profile of Mount Rainier in the distance.
Book your Space Needle admission
Experience Music Project / Science Fiction Museum
Before talking about Downtown and the artists’ neighborhoods, we want to briefly show you one of the most talked about and famous buildings in Seattle after the Space Needle: the Experience Music Project (a museum dedicated to science fiction and popular music), with the Science Fiction Music annex. While the content of this wonderful museum of music and science fiction is praised by all – and in particular by lovers of Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana and grunge in general, as well as fans of Star Wars and Sci-fi – the same cannot be said of the bizarre, hyper-futuristic exterior structure of the building, which causes some perplexity among visitors.
Monorail
Any self-respecting city of the future can’t be without an elevated monorail: Seattle felt the need for one at the aforementioned World’s Fair in 1962, and since then there has been a Monorail that connects the EMP and Space Needle areas to Downtown (Westlake Center). Why not take a ride on this pseudo-vessel that runs halfway between the buildings and tree-lined streets of downtown Seattle. Rides leave every 10 minutes and end at 11 pm.
Downtown Seattle Attractions: markets, museums and green squares
Pike Place Market
As soon as you arrive near Pike Place Market, you’ll feel the sea breeze, the smell and the atmosphere of Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, and in fact, this beautiful Seattle neighborhood may remind you of San Francisco‘s waterfront, with an added hint of cosmopolitanism and unruliness. Wander through the triumph of colors and scents of the market stalls and, if you feel like it, go in search of the first Starbucks in history, or one of the many reasonably priced restaurants in the area.
Pike Place Market tour with tasting
Seattle Waterfront
Boats depart from Pier 55 at the Seattle Waterfront, offering the chance to enjoy the Seattle skyline while cruising the cold waters of Elliot Bay on Puget Sound. There are several routes, but the most popular and inexpensive is the Harbor Cruise, which makes a scenic loop without reaching Blake Island or Washington Lake.
Learn more about the Harbor Cruise
Seattle Art Museum
Leaving the waterfront, we can go to one of the city’s main cultural attractions, the Seattle Art Museum, located in an architecturally avant-garde building: inside are works of ancient, modern and contemporary art from around the world and a collection of artistic and non-art objects from local native tribes. There’s a branch of the museum on Western Ave, by the sea: it’s called Olympic Sculpture Park and it’s an experimental outdoor museum space that houses contemporary artwork.
Pioneer Square and Surroundings
The neighborhood south of Downtown offers something a little different from what we have seen so far in downtown Seattle: it is a relatively quiet but eclectic neighborhood that mixes traits of an urban metropolis (see the Smith Tower, which is an old skyscraper) with the elegant atmosphere of tree-lined squares, above all Pioneer Square and Occidental Park: you may remain a little disoriented (or fall in love!) by the streets of this area, where skyscrapers, late-nineteenth-century buildings and shady paths coexist. Don’t miss the wrought iron Pergola on one side of Pioneer Square: for a moment you’ll wonder if you have arrived in Paris.
Capitol Hill and Fremont: Seattle’s cultural vanguard
These two neighborhoods north of Downtown are home to a completely different Seattle; Capitol Hill is home to college students and artists for nightlife, and the restaurants are some of the best in the city for those who appreciate more alternative options and trendy establishments. Here are the attractions and places of interest to visit in the Seattle of artists and rock musicians:
Volunteer Park
Located in the bustling neighborhood of Capitol Hill, Volunteer Park is one of Seattle’s many parks, the best maintained and the only one that can boast of housing the mortal remains of Bruce Lee: you’ll find his headstone in the park’s cemetery. If it’s fun for you to visit the grave of the actor who made martial arts history, head to the beautiful greenhouse in the center of the park: admission is free.
Fremont Seattle Attractions
Here are the most bizarre attractions to visit (perhaps by bus or car, given the distance) in the neighborhood of Fremont, which is located north of Capitol Hill, past the George Washington Memorial Bridge:
- Fremont Troll: under an overpass on Troll Avenue North is a troll that emerges from the depths of the earth to devour a car;
- Lenin statue: 5 min away from the troll, another ambiguous character: here is a statue of Lenin, brought to Washington state from Slovakia in 1989;
- Fremont Rocket: on the same street, a few feet further on, you will see a rocket absurdly embedded in a building.
- Gas Work Park: a mini-park on the canal, with an old disused factory attached. The picture that emerges is curious and fascinating, and the view of Seattle is suggestive and emblematic.
Guided tour to discover Fremont
After doing this roundup on the main things to see in the city, you may want to read our article dedicated to how to get around Seattle that will help you to organize your movement around the city better.
City Pass Seattle: a money-saving solution
If you have many of these things to see in Seattle written down in your notebook, you will also have budgeted to spend some money, as in some cases there are charges to enter the attractions. In this case, you might decide to buy the Seattle City Pass, which, among others, includes entrance to some of the places of interest we have written about in this article, at an overall affordable price: you will save about 50% on the total expense.
If you want to know if it is worthwhile buying or not for your stay in the city we recommend our guide on the Seattle Pass. Below instead you will find the included attractions:
- Space Needle
- Seattle Aquarium
- Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour
- EMP Museum or Woodland Park Zoo
- Chihuly Garden and Glass or Pacific Science Center
Day Trips from Seattle
Around Seattle there are beautiful national parks full of lakes, forests, rainforests and waterfalls: here are the day trips we recommend you go on.
Mount Rainier National Park
If you climb to the top of the Space Needle you cannot fail to notice the mammoth summit of the stratovolcano Mount Rainier, in the distance. It is 14,000 feet high. You can travel to the national park and enjoy its beautiful landscapes in one day: read our article about the best things to do at Mount Rainier National Park.
Distance from Seattle: 2.30 h (105 miles approx)
Visit Mount Rainier from Seattle with a guided tour
Snoqualmie Falls
Did you know that the locations of Twin Peaks are largely located in and around Seattle? The beautiful Snoqualmie Falls are none other than those in the theme song of David Lynch’s cult series.
Distance from Seattle: 1 hr (55 miles)
Snoqualmie Falls with wine tour
Olympic National Park
The beautiful Olympic National Park is located in the Olympic Peninsula, west of Seattle. Its nature is diverse and wild and offers unforgettable alpine landscapes, lakes surrounded by rainforests and much more.
Distance from Seattle: 2.30 h (82 miles)
Sightseeing of Olympic National Park from Seattle
Where to stay in Seattle
Most hotels are located in Downtown, Pike Place Market, Belltown and Seattle Center, and prices in the low season are very attractive. However, in the neighborhoods of Queen Anne and Ballard (northwest) or Capitol Hill you might find good solutions, in quieter areas not far from downtown. For more specific tips check out our article on where to stay in Seattle.
