Apart from its seemingly constant rain, Seattle is a wonderful city to visit with plenty of interesting things to see and do.
NEGOTIATING THE AIRPORT
The Seattle airport is called Sea-Tac (SEA). There are a number of ways to get to and from the airport and into downtown Seattle. To get to and from the airport, you can use light rail, bus, car, ride-hailing and ride-sharing services, taxi, shuttle van, limo and town car. If you bike there, there are spots to lock up as well.
Sea-Tac, is located about 15 miles south of Seattle and 20 miles north of Tacoma.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Seattle ranked in the Top 10 for worst-traffic cities in North America, so if you're headed to or from downtown Seattle during many parts of the day, the Link Light Rail will be your fastest and least-expensive option.
Sound Transit's Link Light Rail currently runs from the City of SeaTac to downtown Seattle to the University of Washington. The service operates from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., Monday through Saturday; from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.
Depending on the time of day, trains arrive and depart about every 6 to 15 minutes.
The SeaTac/Airport Station light rail is connected to the airport parking garage via a covered (but not totally enclosed) walkway (0.3 miles). A free Train-to-Plane shuttle cart for those with mobility issues or excess luggage operates daily from 5 a.m. to midnight.
Transit time on the Link Light Rail from the airport to downtown Seattle is about 35 minutes.
Buy tickets ($3) at the machine in the station or download and use the Transit GO Ticket mobile app to purchase a ticket on your phone. Day passes are available. You won't need to show your ticket to get on the light rail, but fare checkers often board trains to check tickets.
King County Metro and Sound Transit offers bus service to many other Puget Sound destinations. The King County Metro bus stop is by the Light Rail Station; Sound Transit buses pick up at the south end of the main terminal on the lower level. Details on the routes/cities served, fares and pick-up/drop-off locations are on the SEA airport website.
RIDE - HAILING AND SHARED SHUTTLE SERVICE
These services may drop passengers off at the terminal on the upper (departure) or lower (arrival) roads but Lyft, Uber/UberX and Wingz may only pickup in the designated area on the third floor of the parking garage (by rows G through J in the orange and purple sections). Attendants are on duty to help passengers connect with rides.
Transit time between the airport and downtown Seattle can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.
Ride-hailing fares between SEA and downtown Seattle range from $35 to over $50, depending on time of day and type of service.
Scheduled Airporters and shared shuttle vans, including Shuttle Express, also serve SEA airport. Fares for the Shuttle Express Downtown Airporter start at around $25 per person, with scheduled stops at a variety of downtown hotels, including Crown Plaza, Fairmont Olympic, Grand Hyatt, Hilton, Renaissance, Sheraton, Warwick and Westin. This is a good option if you have luggage and are going to one of these hotels or a destination nearby.
TAXIS
There are two taxi options at SEA airport: flat rate and metered.
Both flat rate and metered taxis wait for passengers on the third floor of the parking garage, on the north and south curbs.
Flat-rate taxis are bi-color vehicles with four-digit vehicle numbers and offer a flat price based on your destination's ZIP code.
Single-color taxi cabs have three-digit vehicle numbers and operate like traditional metered cabs with a drop price and per-mile charge.
Seattle Yellow Cab, Orange Cab and others offer a $40 flat rate from the Seattle's downtown hotel district to SEA airport. (At certain times a $1 gas surcharge may be applied). There is, however, no flat rate from the airport to downtown Seattle, but rates generally start a $40, depending on time of day.
CAR SERVICE
Limos and town cars, pre-booked and booked-on-demand, are a more expensive option, of course, but also a convenient option.
STILA limos and town cars are available on the north and south curbs on the third floor of the parking garage, in an area designated as the Ground Transportation Plaza. STILA offers flat-rate fares to downtown Seattle for $45 and drivers may pick up passengers curbside if requested.
Many other limo services, including Blacklane, serve SEA airport as well, but only STILA has cars officially stationed in the transportation plaza.
OTHER OPTIONS
If you're renting a car, board a shuttle outside the bag-claim level at either the north end of the terminal (by Alaska Airlines) or the south end (by the international airlines) for a short ride to the off-site rental car facility. Shuttles operate 24 hours a day.
If family or friends offer to pick you up at the airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has a cellphone lot with 200 parking spaces, free Wi-Fi, free parking for up to 20 minutes and electric charging stations.
You best option may be determined by budget, traffic, time of day and the amount of luggage or number of kids you've got in tow.
Not sure what to choose or need more information? Call the Ground Transportation Booth for help: (206) 787-5906.
ACCOMMODATIONS
I'm going to show you the $$$ accommodations in Seatle as they have some very nice ones.
FAIRMONT OLYMPIC HOTEL SEATTLE
I bet you already knew this would be my #1 pick, right? I love Fairmont Hotels as you get luxury without paying 5 star hotel prices. The location of this hotel is great too, right in the heart of downtown Seattle.
The hotel has five unique restaurants and bars, a full-service luxury spa, an indoor pool, solarium, and health club. Everything you need is here and within walking distance of the city's main attractions.
LEVEL SEATTLE DOWNTOWN, SOUTH LAKE UNION
This boutique hotel is unique in that if offers suite/apartment style rooms rather than your standard hotel rooms
The modern rooms feature everything you need: a desk, coffee machine, kitchen, personal outdoor balcony or patio and spacious living room. It's the shared amenities that really make the place pop. Guests also have access to an outdoor pool with cabanas, a fitness center, yoga and spin studio with Peloton bikes as well as private indoor dining and lounge areas.
PALIHOTEL SEATTLE
The Palihotel is a 3 star hotel but it's boutique cute rooms, vintage eclectic decor and unpretentious vibe make it suitable for adults and teenagers alike.
If you’re travelling with kids, book them into a fun bunk room, and get an adjoining Deluxe King room for yourself.
The hotel is located In the Pike Place Market area of town, with Pier 62 and the Aquarium just across the way - an excellent location.
HOTEL 1000 (HILTON)
Hotel 1000 is a waterfront favorite of visitors to Seattle. It's located right in downtown on the Central Waterfront.
Complimentary flutes of sparkling wine upon check-in set the tone for a comfy stay in one of Hotel 1000’s 120 guest rooms. The staff is friendly and attentive.
Modern, elegant, and focused on service, the Hotel 1000 is an excellent choice for travelers wanting luxury amenities in a smaller downtown property. Opened in 2006 two blocks from the Seattle Art Museum and the pier, this hotel puts an emphasis on technology—its rooms are equipped with individual Wi-Fi networks for guests’ Internet needs and heat sensors so the staff knows when not to interrupt. Some of the rooms are configured with open baths (with optional privacy screen) to allow for a view of the bay while soaking in the deep bathtub that fills up from a spout in the ceiling—a feature in even the standard rooms. The entire hotel underwent a major renovation in May 2017 after it became a part of the Loews Hotels family.
Also check out the hotel’s full-service luxury spa while you’re here – I particularly love the sound of the luxury bath experiences featuring chilled champagne, caviar and a personal bath butler.
Also check out:
ATTRACTIONS
FREE WALKING TOUR
There is one free walking tour available of Seattle. It starts at Pike Place Market, one of the oldest public markets in the United States. Then you'll move on to the Waterfront and downtown area where you'll see the famous Gum Wall and Seattle Museum. Your tour will conclude at the pier, site of the Seattle Great Wheel and Puget Sound. If the day is clear you may even see Mt. Rainier.
CITY PASS AND GROUPON
Before you go to Seattle, check out their City Pass and also Groupon.
The City Pass will allow you to 5 of the top Seattle attractions, including the Space Needle and Seattle Aquarium. Then choose from 3 of the following:
You can save between 46% and 50% with the Seattle City Pass but do the math to see if it's the most cost effective route to go for you.
Groupon has a bunch of savings options for Seattle to save on accommodations to attractions.
PIKE PLACE MARKET
Pike Place Market is huge (9 acres) and it's FREE to just walk around and browse the market.
Take advantage of the photo op provided by the pig statues in the market. (They're giant piggybanks).
Get there early and have breakfast at one of the 24 breakfast spots in the market before strolling around the market.
While you're there, stroll through Overlook Walk—which opened in 2024—it's a beautifully landscaped elevated park that connects Pike Place to the Seattle Aquarium and the city’s newly redesigned waterfront.
THE GREAT WHEEL
The best time to see and ride the Great Wheel is at night when it's all lit up. Yes, it's a tourist trap but the view from the top is outstanding.
For between $18 and $23 per person, you'll do 3 rotations on the wheel, lasting 15 to 20 minutes.
Tip: When you ride, ask for a gondola that's equipped with a photo system, allowing you to capture your experience with the backdrop of the city and bay. (Not all of the gondolas have them!)
The Wheel also features laser light shows on some evenings that can be viewed from surrounding areas.
WARNING: There is a park-like area around Pier 57 and had her sister the cop not been on the ball, my sister would have been mugged by a guy that had been following us through the park. So be aware of your surroundings when on and near Pier 57.
You can also enjoy a 4 course meal as you ride the Great Wheel with prawn cocktails, salmon and wine, with a maximum of four people inside a gondola. The gondolas are fully enclosed. Make a reservation.
If you purchased the Seattle City Pass a ride on the Great Wheel is included on your City Pass.
If you didn't purchase City Pass then book your tickets online rather than at the ticket booth.
While visiting the Great Wheel check out Miner's Landing. Take your kids on a ride around the carousel at Miner's Landing, or hang out in the games arcade there. There's also a Wings over Washington 5D Theater, that takes you on a flying tour of popular Washington State sights, like Snoqualmie Falls and the San Juan Islands.
Also check out the Aquarium at Pier 59. The popular Seattle Aquarium is just a 3-minute walk north of the Seattle Great Wheel, in a blue building on Pier 59. The ferry has touchtanks full of sea anemones, starfish and sea urchins, a Giant Pacific Octopus, jellyfish, tanks full of brightly colored tropical fish, sea otters, harbor seals and fur seals.
THE SPACE NEEDLE
Like the Great Wheel, the area immediately surrounding the Space Needle offers a variety of other activities to enjoy.
It's the city's most recognizable landmark, located at the Seattle Center. This futuristic structure stands 604 feet high and provides superb 360 degree views.
In 2018 the Seattle Needle got an $100 million makeover, with stunning results. The views are better than ever, with floor to ceiling glass panels on the Observation Deck, and the world's first spinning restaurant with a glass floor.
Take a free digital welcome picture, just before you enter the elevators.
Ride the 41-second elevator to the Observation Deck, 520 feet up into the sky!
Step out onto the open air Observation Deck, then walk down the grand staircase, that connects the Observation Deck to the The Loupe.
Stand on the world's first and only rotating glass floor at the bottom of the staircase, known as "The Loupe". Look hundreds of feet down through the glass floor. Each rotation takes 47 minutes.
The Loupe Lounge that offers wine, cocktails and superb views is on this level. There's also a gift shop at the base of the Space Needle.
The Chihuly Garden and Glass is located at the base of the Space Needle, housing the work of famed glass sculptor and Pacific Northwest Native, Dale Chihuly. The elaborate glass creations are spectacular, and are best viewed in the evening when fully illuminated.
The nearby Museum of Pop Culture features incredible memorabilia from bands like Nirvana, ACDC and Jimmy Hendrix.
If you have kids, the Pacific Science Center is next to the Space Needle with a planetarium, science demonstrations, a train table, toddler area, and dinosaur exhibit.
The Seattle Childrens Museum is also perfect for kids under 7, with creative play areas they can interact with. The excellent Artists at Play Playground is just outside the Museum of Pop Culture, and also a big hit with kids. In summer, take them to the nearby International Fountain to splash around.
The Space Needle is located at 400 Broad Street. Tickets and hours: check here.
VISIT THE GUM WALL
Definitely one of the most unique attractions I've ever seen! The colorful, 50-foot long Gum Wall, is the Pike Place Market's most famous attraction.
The Gum Wall is located in Post Alley next to the Market Theater, down the stairs from the market. Look for the signs to the Market Theater.
Bring your gum, blow a bubble, slap it up against the Gum Wall, and take a selfie!
However, I will warn you...you might want to bring a face or surgical mask along as the wall can give off quite the stench although it's now being cleaned annually. However, it only takes a short time after each cleaning for the Gum Wall to fill up again.
The tradition started in 1993, while patrons were waiting in line to see a show at the Market Theater. Back then they wrapped coins in gum before attaching it to the wall. Theater employees removed the gum, but gave up when new gum immediately re-appeared.
Visitors get creative with their gum creations, fashioning love-hearts, butterflies and letters out of their gum. It's a giant work of collective art, constantly growing and evolving.
VISIT THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH MUSEUM
The Klondike Gold Rush Museum is located in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square district, south of Seattle's downtown.
There's two floors of exhibits and a cinema, explaining this fascinating time during Seattle's history.
Learn what kicked off the 1897 Gold Rush in Seattle, and how Seattle businesses boomed as prospectors loaded up on supplies before traveling to Alaska.
The Klondike Gold Rush Museum is located at 319 2nd Avenue S. Check hours (admission is free).
WOODLAND PARK ZOO
The Woodland Park Zoo is conveniently located ten minutes north from Seattle's downtown, in a beautiful, park-like setting.
The attractive Woodland Park Zoo is home to a number of great exhibits.
Some highlights include the African Savanna with zebras, giraffes, lions and hippos, the Tropical Rainforest with gorillas, jaguars and lemurs, and Willawong Station where visitors can feed native Australian birds.
But the Woodland Zoo is like but unlike other zoos and kids will love this place!
The Zoomazium is an indoor play area perfect for rainy days, with climbing structures, slides, a tree house, and art projects. The zoo's Historic Carousel is another fun activity for kids.
There's also an enclosed play area for toddlers and babies near the entrance.
The Woodland Park Zoo is at 601 North 59th Street, 20 minutes north of downtown Seattle.
Check hours & admission.
NORDIC MUSEUM
If you're Scandanavian you don't want to miss the National Nordic Museum.
The Nordic Museum has excellent exhibits in a stunning new architectural building. The exhibits include: fascinating household goods and artifacts from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Sapmi and authentic Viking artifacts like jewelry, headgear, combs, and grooming implements.
One of the most interesting exhibits is a scale model of the Viking Oseberg Ship. The famous Oseberg Ship was estimated to have been buried since 834 AD, until it was dug up nearly three thousand years later in 1904.
The ship was found remarkably intact in a burial mound near a farm in Oseberg, Norway. The remains of two women in their 80s and 50s were buried with the ship, and it's speculated the woman in her 80's was a queen!
The 71-foot Oseberg has oar holes for 30 rowers.
The Nordic Museum is 20 minutes north of downtown Seattle, in the bustling neighborhood of Ballard.
Learn the amazing 12,000 year history of Nordic history from the Stone Age onwards!
Seattle's Ballard neighborhood has deep Scandinavian roots, and the Nordic Museum pays homage to the immigrants that shaped this area.
The Nordic Museum is at 2655 NW Market Street. Check tickets & hours.
MT. RAINIER SCENIC RAILROAD
Take a 40-minute steam train ride through the foothills of Washington's Mt Rainier.
The Mt Rainier Railroad train departs from the historic lumber town of Elbe, 1.5 hours south of Seattle.
The open air viewing deck is a favorite among passengers.
The scenic train journey starts at the old train depot at Elbe, home to a gift shop and ticketing office. It then travels 40-minutes through the foothills of Mt Rainier between Elbe and Mineral Lake, stopping at the Logging Museum before retracing its path home.
See magnificent vintage logging trains at the restoration shop at the Logging Museum, from early 19th century companies like the Simpson Logging Co, Weyerhauser Timber Co, and West Fork Logging Co. This is the most comprehensive collection of logging trains anywhere in the world.
Stroll through an authentic logging camp, and observe a steam donkey in action, once used to drag logs downhill.
Check tickets & schedules.
HEAD TO CHINATOWN
The ornate 45-foot-tall Chinatown Gate, decorated with more than 8,000 imported tiles, welcomes you to this diverse neighborhood, known for its incredible food scene.
When your feet need a break, rest for a moment on a park bench in festive Hing Hay Park, then go check out the Seattle Pinball Museum.
Shop for Asian snacks and cute gifts at the impressive Uwajimaya supermarket.
TAKE TO THE WATER
You really haven't seen Seattle until you see it from the water.
Don’t miss the boat getting an up-close look at Seattle’s scenic bodies of water, from wildlife-rich Puget Sound to rippling Lake Union and Lake Washington. One quintessential way is by riding one of the distinctive green-and-white Washington State Ferries that depart from downtown to the nearby, bustling communities of Bainbridge Island and Bremerton. You can also enjoy the scenery on a Seattle Water Taxi from downtown to West Seattle, home to laid-back Alki Beach, and pastoral Vashon Island.
Argosy Cruises has an extensive menu of delightful seaside adventures, including narrated tours of the Ballard Locks to holiday-time Christmas Ship™ Festival cruises featuring carolers and twinkling lights. Waterways Cruises offers the opportunity to feast on a delicious dinner or brunch while soaking up panoramas of the city skyline and Olympic Mountains.
Seattle’s Tall Ship, a classic wind-powered 85-foot gaff-rigged schooner, is one of the more striking tour boats plying the region’s waters.
You get to propel your own boat on a guided paddle around Elliott Bay with West Seattle’s Alki Kayak Tours. Favorite ways to navigate the generally calm waters of Lake Union, while admiring downtown’s modern skyline, are by renting an easy-to-navigate 10-passenger boat from the Electric Boat Company, or lazing away an afternoon with friends while soaking in the 104-degree waters of a Lake Union Hot Tub Boat.
DINING
Seattle is an incredible city to dine in, but too often it’s also an unaffordable one. Fortunately, there are still some great places out there that are easy on the credit card and worth plenty of return visits. Below is a list (In no particular order) of some of the truly excellent meals in the city that won’t break the bank.
MARINATIONS MA KAI - DOWNTOWN SEATLLE
Marinations is a unique blend of Hawaiian and Korean fare that melts delicate heat and the flavors of aloha together in your mouth.
Try their Aloha Fries (double-fried fries topped with kalua pork, kimchi sauce, and other stuff).
Their Luau Plate Combo is also good - Your choice of protein with mac salad, signature slaw, white rice, and a Hawaiian sweet roll. Combo includes your choice of a side and a drink. $18.50
They also offer a Rewards program:
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Earn 1 point for every $1 spent.
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Unlock $5 off every 100 points.
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Earn 50 bonus points just for signing up.
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Unlock exclusive birthday rewards.
For further savings, stop by during their Happy Hour - Monday all day and Tuesday through Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Located at 3714 Hudson Street in downtown Seattle.
EMERALD CITY FISH & CHIPS
Emerald City specializes in salmon, halibut, whitefish, cod.
The prices are still extremely reasonable, with some fish and chip options available for $10.
While fish is obviously the star of the show, Emerald City offers gumbo and po' boys as well.
Join Emerald City's Lunch Club while you're there. Buy 8 lunches, get your card punched, and get your 9th lunch FREE! It doesn’t get much better than that!
Emerald City Fish & Chips is located at 3758 Rainier Avenue South in Seattle.
TAQUERIA SOTELO TACO TRUCK
Everything at this popular Rainier Valley taco truck is delicious and reasonably priced. But if you want the best bang for your buck, the nice big burrito is $9.25, generous on the meat, and one of very few burritos in town under $15. They also do a truly massive torta on a beautiful buttery telera roll, also for $9.25, that’s easily two meals — and it includes smashed avocado, and the full trio of housemade salsas. Or snag a quartet of tacos for a measly $6.
The truck is located at 828 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle.
SAIGON DELI
When in Chinatown you simply must stop at the Saigon Deli. (There are 2 unrelated Saigon Deli's, you want the Jackson St. deli!)
For under $7, one can choose a generously sized banh mi from around ten options, with all the pickly accoutrements, on the freshest of French rolls with the freshest of herbs. Meatball and barbecued pork are fun, slightly unusual banh mi options, while the Three Kinds of Ham roll crushes all others as the crowd fave.
Located at 1237 Jackson Street between Rainier Avenue and 12th Avenue South.
ALADDIN GYRO-CERY AND DELI
I absolutely love gyros and the best gyros in Seattle are at Aladdin Gyro-Cery and Deli.
I always get their Aladdin's Special Gyro - Extra lamb & beef or chicken gyro with grilled onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and garlic sauce. YUM!
There’s so many things to love about Aladdin’s Gyro-cery: the super-late hours (open until 2:30 a.m. on weekends!), the colorful tapestry-bedecked tent room in the back, the interesting beverage options (e.g., blackcurrant-based Vimto soda), and of course, the prices.
The best menu item comes in at a luxe $12.41: the lamb shawarma.
Located at 4139 University Way Northeast, WA
BEST SEAFOOD
Seattle is synonymous with seafood and A “best seafood in Seattle” map would pretty much just be a map of Seattle. But this is my fave:
CRAWFISH HOUSE
The Viet-Cajun seafood boil reigns at the Crawfish House in White Center.
Order seafood by the pound — including regional delicacies like Dungeness crab and, from May to October, signal crawfish, the only one native to the Pacific Northwest — and add sauces like garlic butter or Tango, a house specialty with tamarind for a sweet-savory tartness.
The extensive menu also features the likes of seafood egg rolls, oysters fresh or fried in po’ boys, clam chowder, and fried catfish with crawfish etouffee.
Located at 9826 16th Avenue Southwest in Seattle.