Season guide · Seattle · United States
Seattle in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rootology, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Showery and cool with cherry blossoms, tulip fields in the Skagit Valley and gardens in bloom; it dries out by late May. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 44 rainy days across March–May.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 4°C (39°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 44
- Sea
- 8°C (46°F) to 10°C (50°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 12°C (54°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 18 | 11.8 h | 2/5 |
| April | 15°C (59°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 15 | 13.6 h | 2/5 |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 11 | 15.1 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 15°C (59°F) against a yearly 16°C (61°F), and 44 of the year's roughly 155 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Cherry blossoms at the University of Washington Quad (usually mid-to-late March)
- April: Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (usually throughout April)
- May: Opening Day of boating season on the Montlake Cut (first Saturday in May)
- May: Seattle International Film Festival (usually May)
- May: Northwest Folklife Festival at Seattle Center (Memorial Day weekend)
Good choices for spring
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)
Head to the Sound Lab early, before school groups arrive.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
- History
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
Museum · Downtown and Pike Place
Seattle Art Museum
It is two blocks from Pike Place, so it makes a good wet-afternoon follow-on to a market morning.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
Historic site · Pioneer Square
Pioneer Square and the Underground Tour
After the 1889 fire the city raised its streets by a storey, leaving old sidewalks and shopfronts below ground.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Day trips in spring
- 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.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Seattle?
It is a trade-off: Showery and cool with cherry blossoms, tulip fields in the Skagit Valley and gardens in bloom; it dries out by late May. The best months overall are June–September.
+What is the weather like in Seattle in spring?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 44 rainy days over the season.