For couples · Seattle · United States
Romantic things to do in Seattle
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Photo by Liesl Matthies, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Romantic Seattle centres on water and views: sunset ferries, the skyline from Kerry Park, seafood dinners by the water and quiet gardens. Couples tend to stay in Belltown.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- Belltown
- Best months
- June–September
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset ferry to Bainbridge
Take an evening ferry for the sunset over the Olympics and the city lights on the way back.
2.Kerry Park at dusk
Watch the Space Needle and downtown light up from the Queen Anne viewpoint.
3.Seaplane flight
Short scenic flights from Lake Union circle over the city, the lakes and Puget Sound.
4.Oysters and wine in Ballard
Share a platter of Washington oysters and a glass of local white wine at an oyster bar on Ballard Avenue.
5.Seattle Japanese Garden
A quiet stroll garden in the arboretum, especially lovely with autumn maples.
6.Kayak on Lake Union
Paddle past houseboats and floating homes with the skyline in the background.
Sights couples love
Gallery · Seattle Center
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.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Art
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Rainy day
Viewpoint · Queen Anne and Seattle Center
Kerry Park
Come at dusk on a clear evening when the city lights come on and Rainier glows pink.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
- After dark
Garden · Montlake
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
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples and solo travellers
Belltown
Belltown runs north of Pike Place along First, Second and Third Avenues, with cocktail bars, restaurants and music venues, plus the Olympic Sculpture Park on its waterfront edge. It is walkable both to the market and to the Space Needle, which makes it a useful compromise base.
- Good
- Between the market and Seattle Center; Good bars and restaurants; Waterfront walks
- Watch out
- Noisy on weekend nights; Some street disorder on the inland blocks
- Nearby
- Olympic Sculpture Park, Pike Place Market, Seattle Center
Romantic day trips
- Mount Rainier National Park (About 2–2.5 hours each way by car to Paradise) — The 4,392-metre volcano dominates the region.
- Bainbridge Island (About 35 minutes by ferry) — The ferry crossing gives the best skyline view of the city.
- Snoqualmie Falls (About 40 minutes by car) — An 82-metre waterfall on the Snoqualmie River, with an observation deck and a trail down to the base.
- Woodinville wine country (About 35 minutes by car) — More than 100 wineries and tasting rooms, many making wine from eastern Washington grapes, cluster in this town northeast of Seattle, along with Chateau Ste.
- Leavenworth (About 2.5 hours by car) — A former logging town rebuilt in Bavarian style in the 1960s, set in the Cascade foothills, with German food, beer halls and riverside walks.
- San Juan Islands (About 4 hours including the ferry from Anacortes) — An archipelago in the Salish Sea known for orca and whale-watching, small farms and the harbour town of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Wild Pacific salmon, Dungeness crab and Pacific Northwest oysters. Book ahead for dinner at popular restaurants on Friday and Saturday nights.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Seattle romantic?
Romantic Seattle centres on water and views: sunset ferries, the skyline from Kerry Park, seafood dinners by the water and quiet gardens.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Seattle?
Sunset ferry to Bainbridge: Take an evening ferry for the sunset over the Olympics and the city lights on the way back.
+Where should couples stay in Seattle?
Belltown: Bars, restaurants and condo towers between Pike Place and Seattle Center.