Seattle, Washington, home to Starbucks and large tech companies. Washington State’s largest city is surrounded by mountain ranges and water due to its location on USA’s Pacific Northwest.
Seattle has the reputation of being the rainiest city but that certainly doesn’t ruin the experience – if you take the correct clothing!
It is possible to cover the main attractions in under 48 hours – I have done it myself – and here’s how you can too.
Before your trip to Seattle, it would be a good idea to plan ahead which activities you want to do and how you plan to get to each one.
We walked around the city and still had plenty of time for each activity, so it is doable on foot.
My advice would be to get the Seattle CityPASS. It may seem a bit pricey but if you are planning to do most, if not all, of the activities in this guide then it definitely works out cheaper in the long run. The CityPASS gives you access to five of Seattle’s top attractions: The Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Pop Culture, Woodland Park Zoo, and Chihuly Garden and Glass.
This guide is how we managed to squeeze the most into our weekend to see Seattle’s highlights.
Friday afternoon:
Walk down to Pike Place Market located near the waterfront to wander around the 9-acre permanent farmer’s market. The public market opened in 1907 making it one of the oldest continuously operated public farmer’s markets in the United States. The market serves as a place for farmers, small business owners and craftspeople to sell their products.
The market is in close proximity to the original Starbucks café that opened in 1971. When I went, the queue was out the door and down the street, so I didn’t manage to get in, but a picture to say you’ve seen it is still a great souvenir. If you’re lucky, you might catch it on a quieter day so you can have a coffee in the first ever Starbucks.
Pike Place Market is located near Downtown Seattle so there are plenty of restaurants and bars to spend your first evening in the city.
(Photos: Pike Place Market, and Original Starbucks)
Saturday morning:
Begin your day bright and early to make the most of your short time in Seattle. Seattle is home to Starbucks so that means that every street corner has a coffee shop so you will never run out of great places to go for breakfast.
Use the first of your CityPASSES today by spending the morning at Chihuly Garden and Glass. The exhibition is both indoors and outdoors and showcases huge glass masterpieces. Not only can you see the amazing glass displays there are also often other things going on as well. When I went, there was a mural being painted which the public were allowed to contribute to, as well as an opera singer and pianist. The chilled atmosphere allows for the perfect morning of relaxation.
(Photos above: Chihuly Garden and Glass)
Saturday afternoon:
After lunch head over to the Museum Pop Culture to use another one of your CityPASSES. You can spend hours wandering around this huge, interactive museum dedicated to the world of music and entertainment.
The exhibits include more than 100,000 items and collections from the pop culture world including props, costumes, and instruments from many famous movies. There are many interactive exhibitions including recording rooms to create your own pop band. This museum has hours of fun for all ages.
Saturday evening:
Located in close proximity to the Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Museum of Pop Culture is possibly Seattle’s most famous landmark, the Space Needle. This uses the third CityPASS and is definitely worth the money. The Space Needle offers 360-degree panoramic views of Seattle from three observation decks, including one with a glass revolving floor. I would recommend looking up the time of sunset on the day of your visit and making your way to the top about half an hour before. This the perfect way to see the spectacular views of Seattle both during the day and at night, all while watching the sunset from the observation deck at 184m – truly amazing to witness.
Sunday morning:
On your last day in Seattle, spend the morning at the waterfront. On your way to the waterfront, make sure to stop off at the famous Seattle Gum Wall. Yes, it really is just an alleyway filled with other people’s chewing gum – gross really but it attracts a lot of visitors every day for the ultimate Instagram picture.
Once you’re at the waterfront, hop on one of the ferries to take a trip around Seattle harbour where you can learn a bit about the history of the city and the businesses that evolved there.
Find out about tickets and schedules here.
Sunday afternoon:
After lunch, use a fourth of your CityPASS tickets to visit the Seattle Aquarium, located at the waterfront next to the docks. The Aquarium is home to six major exhibits: Life on the Edge, Pacific Coral Reef, Birds & Shores, the Underwater Dome, Marine Mammals, and the Window on Washington Waters – where you can watch the divers feed the animals. As well as this, the Aquarium offers various other facilities including a gift shop and café.
End your trip to Seattle by visiting the Starbucks Reserve Roastery located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighbourhood. The experience is located nine blocks away from Pike Place Market, so still walkable if you wanted. The Roastery is an immersive experience for coffee lovers and is one of the largest Starbucks stores in the world. You will find taster menus, a café, Starbucks merchandise and a small Starbucks Reserve where you can watch the coffee be roasted on-site.
(Photo above: Starbucks Roastery)
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