Travel guide · United States
Seattle travel guide
Pike Place Market, Puget Sound ferries and mountain views on clear days
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jeffery Hayes, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Seattle stretches along hills between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, with Mount Rainier visible to the southeast on clear days. Most first-time visitors stay downtown and walk to Pike Place Market, the rebuilt waterfront and Pioneer Square, then take the monorail to the Space Needle and Seattle Center. Neighbourhoods such as Capitol Hill, Ballard and Fremont each have their own food and bar scene, and ferries, islands and national parks are within a few hours. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are June–September.
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- Best time to visit
- June–September
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- SEA, PAE
- Mid-range daily budget
- $250–$420 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Coffee culture and Seafood
Why visit Seattle
- Pike Place Market has operated since 1907 and remains a working market of fishmongers, farmers, bakeries and small restaurants above the waterfront.
- The Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Museum of Pop Culture sit together at Seattle Center, a two-minute monorail ride from downtown.
- A 35-minute Washington State Ferries crossing to Bainbridge Island gives skyline and mountain views for the price of a ferry ticket.
- Seafood is a highlight: Dungeness crab, Pacific oysters and wild salmon, especially in early summer.
- Mount Rainier, the Cascades and Olympic National Park are all reachable for day trips or overnights.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 18 things to do.
Market · Downtown and Pike Place
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market has run since 1907 across several levels above the waterfront, with fish stalls where workers throw salmon to each other, farmers, flower sellers, bakeries and small restaurants.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
Landmark · Seattle Center
Space Needle
Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the 184-metre tower has an observation level with floor-to-ceiling glass and a rotating glass floor, The Loupe.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
Gallery · Seattle Center
Chihuly Garden and Glass
A museum devoted to the work of Tacoma-born glass artist Dale Chihuly, with eight galleries, a glasshouse with a 30-metre suspended sculpture and a garden where glass forms mingle with plants beneath the Space Needle.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Art
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Rainy day
Museum · Seattle Center
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
Frank Gehry's crumpled metal building houses exhibitions on music, film and gaming, including permanent galleries on Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, both of whom came from the Seattle area.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
- History
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Waterfront · Downtown and Pike Place
Waterfront and Pier 62
Since the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the downtown waterfront has been rebuilt as a promenade with new parks and an Overlook Walk connecting Pike Place Market to the shore.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
Aquarium · Downtown and Pike Place
Seattle Aquarium
On Pier 59, the aquarium focuses on the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Ocean, with sea otters, harbour seals, a giant Pacific octopus and touch pools.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Where to stay
Downtown and Pike Place is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, families and food lovers
Downtown and Pike Place
Hotels, shopping and the market above the waterfront
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples and solo travellers
Belltown
Bars, restaurants and condo towers between Pike Place and Seattle Center
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and budget
Capitol Hill
Bars, independent restaurants and the city's LGBTQ+ heart around Broadway and Pike/Pine
$$ · Best for culture, budget and first-timers
Pioneer Square
Red-brick Romanesque Revival blocks, galleries and the Underground Tour
What to eat
- Wild Pacific salmon — King, sockeye and coho salmon are grilled, smoked or cedar-planked across the city.
- Dungeness crab — Sweet-fleshed Dungeness crab is served whole and cracked with butter, in crab cakes or in crab rolls.
- Pacific Northwest oysters — Washington is a major oyster-producing state, with Kumamoto, Shigoku, Totten Inlet and other varieties from the inlets of Puget Sound and the coast, eaten raw on the half shell.
- Seattle-style hot dog — A grilled hot dog or Polish sausage in a toasted bun spread with cream cheese, often topped with grilled onions and jalapeños — the classic late-night street food.
- Seattle teriyaki — Charred chicken thighs glazed in sweet teriyaki sauce with rice and a simple salad, sold at hundreds of small counter shops since the first opened in the 1970s.
- Clam chowder — Creamy chowder with clams, potatoes and sometimes smoked salmon, served in bread bowls at the market and seafood counters.
When to go
The best time to visit Seattle is from June to September, when the weather is dry, mild and sunny, the mountains are clear and the ferries, parks and day trips are at their best. July and August are the busiest and most expensive; late June and September are slightly quieter. From November to March it is grey and drizzly but museums, coffee shops and hotel rates make it workable.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Showery and cool with cherry blossoms, tulip fields in the Skagit Valley and gardens in bloom; it dries out by late May. |
| Summer | June–August | Dry, mild and sunny with long evenings, outdoor festivals and peak crowds and prices; occasional wildfire smoke in late summer. |
| Autumn | September–November | September is often excellent; rain returns in October and dominates November, with autumn colour and lower prices. |
| Winter | December–February | Dark, damp and cool rather than cold; snow in the city is occasional, while the Cascade ski areas are in season. |
Getting there and around
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is about 20 km south of downtown. Link light rail runs from the airport station to downtown in about 40 minutes; taxis and rideshares take 25–45 minutes depending on traffic. Paine Field (PAE), north of the city, has a small passenger terminal with some domestic flights.
Downtown, Pike Place, the waterfront and Pioneer Square are walkable, though hilly. Link light rail connects the airport, downtown, Capitol Hill and the University District, buses reach other neighbourhoods, and ferries cross Puget Sound.
Plan your days
Three days covers Pike Place, the waterfront, Seattle Center, Pioneer Square and a neighbourhood such as Ballard or Capitol Hill. A fourth day adds a ferry to Bainbridge or a day trip to Mount Rainier; a week allows the Olympic Peninsula or the San Juan Islands.
Practical information
- Currency
- USD
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe and good to drink; much of it comes from protected mountain watersheds.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
Car break-ins are common, so leave nothing in parked cars. Parts of downtown and Pioneer Square have visible homelessness and drug use; stay on busier streets after dark. Puget Sound and the lakes are cold enough to cause cold-water shock even in summer.
Flights to Seattle
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Seattle?
Three days covers Pike Place, the waterfront, Seattle Center, Pioneer Square and a neighbourhood such as Ballard or Capitol Hill. A fourth day adds a ferry to Bainbridge or a day trip to Mount Rainier; a week allows the Olympic Peninsula or the San Juan Islands. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Seattle?
The best time to visit Seattle is from June to September, when the weather is dry, mild and sunny, the mountains are clear and the ferries, parks and day trips are at their best. July and August are the busiest and most expensive; late June and September are slightly quieter. From November to March it is grey and drizzly but museums, coffee shops and hotel rates make it workable.
+What is Seattle known for?
Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Coffee culture, Seafood, Mount Rainier views, Grunge and music history and Ferries and islands. Pike Place Market has operated since 1907 and remains a working market of fishmongers, farmers, bakeries and small restaurants above the waterfront.
+Is Seattle expensive?
Seattle is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $250–$420 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Seattle?
Not in the city, where parking is expensive and transit plus rideshare cover most needs. Rent a car only for Mount Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula or the Cascades.