3 days in Seattle

Day by day

1. Day 1: Pike Place Market and Waterfront and Pier 62

   Pike Place Market, Waterfront and Pier 62 and Seattle Aquarium, then Space Needle in the evening.

   1. Morning

      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.

   2. Late morning

      Waterfront and Pier 62

      Walk from Pike Place down to the water, then south to Colman Dock for a ferry ride at sunset.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Wild Pacific salmon

      Fish stalls and restaurants at Pike Place Market, seafood restaurants on the waterfront and in Ballard.

   4. Afternoon

      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.

   5. Evening

      Space Needle

      Save it for a clear day; if Rainier is hidden by cloud, the view loses much of its point.

2. Day 2: Chihuly Garden and Glass and Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

   Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and Olympic Sculpture Park, then Kerry Park in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Chihuly Garden and Glass

      Visit late in the day when the glasshouse and garden pieces are lit, or buy a combined ticket with the Space Needle.

   2. Late morning

      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.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dungeness crab

      Seafood restaurants on the waterfront and in Ballard; Pike Place fish stalls sell cooked crab to take away.

   4. Afternoon

      Olympic Sculpture Park

      Combine it with a walk along Myrtle Edwards Park, which continues north along the water.

   5. Evening

      Kerry Park

      Come at dusk on a clear evening when the city lights come on and Rainier glows pink.

3. Day 3: Seattle Art Museum and Pioneer Square and the Underground Tour

   Seattle Art Museum, Pioneer Square and the Underground Tour and Ballard Locks, then Capitol Hill in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Seattle Art Museum

      SAM's downtown building, marked by Jonathan Borofsky's giant Hammering Man outside, has strong collections of Northwest Coast Native art, African art, European paintings and contemporary work.

   2. Late morning

      Pioneer Square and the Underground Tour

      Do the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park museum first; it is free and gives useful context.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pacific Northwest oysters

      Oyster bars in Ballard, Capitol Hill and downtown; many run happy-hour oyster deals.

   4. Afternoon

      Ballard Locks

      The Hiram M.

   5. Evening

      Capitol Hill

      The busiest nightlife district, with cocktail bars, clubs, LGBTQ+ venues and late-night food along Pike and Pine Streets.

Before you go

• Space Needle: Timed tickets are sold online; sunset slots sell out on clear summer evenings.

If it rains

• Swap in Museum of Flight (Tukwila): Allow at least half a day; the Aviation Pavilion across the footbridge holds the large airliners.
• Swap in Volunteer Park and Conservatory (Capitol Hill): Climb the stairs of the water tower for a free view over the city and the Cascades.
• Swap in Frye Art Museum (First Hill): A short walk uphill from downtown; pair it with lunch on Capitol Hill.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Downtown and Pike Place keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Belltown ($$$) suits nightlife, couples and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–20 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.4 hours in December to 16 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Seattle
• 2 days in Seattle
• 5 days in Seattle

Questions travellers ask