Outdoors · Seattle · United States
8 best outdoor things to do in Seattle
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Cody Logan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Waterfront and Pier 62, Seattle Aquarium and Olympic Sculpture Park. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–15 hours across 7 areas; 7 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 7
- Time to see them all
- 11–15 hours
- Areas
- Downtown and Pike Place, Belltown and Ballard
Outdoors in Seattle
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Waterfront · Downtown and Pike Place
1.Waterfront and Pier 62
Walk from Pike Place down to the water, then south to Colman Dock for a ferry ride at sunset.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
Aquarium · Downtown and Pike Place
2.Seattle Aquarium
Check the day's feeding and talk times at the entrance and plan around the otters.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Park · Belltown
3.Olympic Sculpture Park
Combine it with a walk along Myrtle Edwards Park, which continues north along the water.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Views
- Outdoors
Landmark · Ballard
4.Ballard Locks
Visit in summer to see salmon in the fish ladder, then stroll the botanical garden beside the locks.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
Park · Magnolia
5.Discovery Park
Allow about two hours for the loop plus the walk down to the lighthouse and back up.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Views
- Active
Park · Fremont
6.Gas Works Park
Bring a picnic for sunset, when the skyline is lit across the water.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Garden · Montlake
7.Washington Park Arboretum and Japanese Garden
Visit in April or May for azaleas and rhododendrons, or October for maples.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Couples
- Outdoors
Park · Capitol Hill
8.Volunteer Park and Conservatory
Climb the stairs of the water tower for a free view over the city and the Cascades.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown and Pike Place | Waterfront and Pier 62 and Seattle Aquarium | 1–2 hours + 2 hours |
| Belltown | Olympic Sculpture Park | 1 hour |
| Ballard | Ballard Locks | 1–1.5 hours |
| Magnolia | Discovery Park | 2–3 hours |
| Fremont | Gas Works Park | 1 hour |
| Montlake | Washington Park Arboretum and Japanese Garden | 2 hours |
| Capitol Hill | Volunteer Park and Conservatory | 1–2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 7 free, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Discovery Park; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Downtown and Pike Place and Belltown): Waterfront and Pier 62 → Seattle Aquarium → Olympic Sculpture Park, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Ballard and Magnolia): Ballard Locks → Discovery Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Fremont, Montlake and Capitol Hill): Gas Works Park → Washington Park Arboretum and Japanese Garden → Volunteer Park and Conservatory, at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- July: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. Dry, sunny and warm — peak season, with the highest hotel rates and busy ferries; occasional wildfire smoke from late July.
- August: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warmest and driest month and the best for Mount Rainier's wildflower meadows; wildfire smoke can haze the views some years.
- September: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Often a lovely month, dry and mild, with summer crowds thinning after Labor Day.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown and Pike Place — Hotels, shopping and the market above the waterfront
- Belltown — Bars, restaurants and condo towers between Pike Place and Seattle Center
- Capitol Hill — Bars, independent restaurants and the city's LGBTQ+ heart around Broadway and Pike/Pine
- Ballard — Scandinavian roots, breweries and the Sunday market on Ballard Avenue
- Fremont — Quirky public art, the Fremont Troll and canal-side paths
More of Seattle
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Seattle?
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.
+Which of these are free in Seattle?
Waterfront and Pier 62, Olympic Sculpture Park, Ballard Locks, Discovery Park, Gas Works Park, Washington Park Arboretum and Japanese Garden and Volunteer Park and Conservatory.