.png)
12 Things To Do In Seattle
Washington
Picture By Zhifei Zhou | Unsplash
Activities
Planning to visit Seattle? From parks to museums passing by iconic sites, this list of activities is there to guide you in your discovery of emerald city.
Updated on Sep 11, 2025
1. Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is a public farmer’s market featuring several stores and restaurants. That can sound a bit boring described this way, but actually it is so good and iconic that most travel guides will at least mention it. The waterfront location coupled with the old buildings really makes it a charming place. You may like it or not, but the best way to know is to see by yourself right?
Admission: Free
Address: 85 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Picture By Jason Leung | Unsplash
2. The Space Needle
What would be the skyline of Seattle without the Space Needle? That 605ft (184m) high observation tower was built for the 1962 World’s Fair. The tower is a mix of different ideas of design among which one was to build a flying saucer looking tower– that’s not a joke. But what will mainly be of interest for visitors are the two observation decks overlooking the city. We would definitely recommend it.
Admission:
-
Adults (ages 13-64) from $37.5 to $49
-
Senior (ages 65+) from $32.5 to $44
-
Youth (ages 5-12) from $32.5 to $44
Picture By Michael Discenza | Unsplash
Address: 400 Broad St. Seattle, WA 98109
3. Chihuly Garden and Glass
The Chihuly Garden and Glass is an exhibit of glass sculptures in Seattle center. This exhibit focuses on the colorful work of Dale Chihuly, a glass artist. It features three different areas that offer a unique spectacle. A nice experience for art lovers.
Admission:
-
Adults (ages 13-64) from $37.5 to $49
-
Senior (ages 65+) from $32.5 to $44
-
Youth (ages 5-12) from $32.5 to $44
Address: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA
Picture By Finn | Unsplash
4. The Museum of Flight
You may not know it, but Seattle shares strong bonds with the aviation industry, and this since decades. It's a major aviation hub, and the home of giants of the field like boeing. This heritage is celebrated at Seattle’s Museum of Flight. This museum is the largest private air and space museum in the world. It features some of history’s most well known planes like the Concorde, the Boeing 747 and more. Additionally, the museums hold some special exhibits on a frequent basis. So whether you are an aviation lover or not, this may be worth a try.
Admission:
-
Adults - $29.00
-
Senior (ages 65+) - $25.00
-
Youth (ages 5-12) - $21.00
-
Children (under 4) - Free
Picture By Jack | Unsplash
Address: 9404 E. Marginal Way South, Seattle, WA 98108-4097
5. Museum of Pop Culture
Who doesn’t like Pop Culture? Well you may not. Anyway, whether you do or not, you may definitely enjoy Seattle’s museum of Pop culture. The museum features a wide collection and many interactive exhibits going over many aspects of pop culture including sport, movies, music and more. Definitely something for the whole family, or just yourself (nothing wrong with being alone of course). If you would like to visit, we encourage you to take a look at the exhibits being held at the time of your visit.
Admission:
-
Price varies depending on day and time. Adult usually ranges around $35-$40
-
Children's (ages 5-12) tickets starts around $17.50
Picture By Hester Qiang | Unsplash
Address: 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
6. Walk Around Discovery Park
One of the best things about Seattle is its closeness with nature. That statement is proven true by the nearby national parks, but also the great urban parks within the city. These two long sentences are a great way of introducing Discovery park. This 534-acre park lies on the shores of Puget Sound in Seattle. It includes miles of trails for walkers, but also historic sites, and peaceful views over the surrounding bays, or even Mount Rainier on clear days.
Admission:​ Free
Address: 3801 Discovery Park Blvd., Seattle, WA 98199
Picture By Rodney Saigeon | Unsplash
7. Make A Trip To The Surroundings National Parks
Seattle has something truly special, something that few big cities could boast about. Nearby stunning national parks. At a range of about a 2H drive and less, you can access Olympic, North Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks. It would clearly be a loss to not talk about those, so let’s about each of these gems.
Olympic National Parks
Lying on the Olympic Peninsula, this national park has it all. Mountains (the Mt. Olympus), Rainforests, Falls, Sea shores with stacks. Olympic National Park is a gem that anyone should visit at least once. We do not know how to describe this unique site. The best way might be for you to see by yourself.
Address: Olympic National Park Visitor Center, 3002 Mount Angeles Road, Port Angeles , WA 98362
Picture By Brianna Parks | Unsplash
North Cascades National Parks
After the seashore of the Olympics, the pure air of the mountains. North Cascades is likely the least known of these three parks. It is located up in the North Cascades range and a relatively wild environment. Since most of the site has been protected as wilderness, there are few structures allowing visitors. But if you have what’s necessary, it is a great place to enjoy the peaceful sound of nature.
Picture By Nate Foong | Unsplash
Address: 376 Newhalem St, Marblemount, WA 98267
Mount Rainier National Parks
Established in 1899, this is the fourth national park of the United States. Its focal point is Mount Rainier, a 14, 410-foot (4, 390m) stratovolcano. But don’t worry, there is no climbing needed to enjoy the park. The area surrounding the volcano includes falls, valleys, forests and more. It is a great place to hike, camp and outdoor lovers.
Address: Paradise Vly Rd E, Ashford, WA 98304
Picture By KaLisa Veer | Unsplash
​Each of these parks may have multiple entrances. The addresses given above correspond to the visitor centers.
Admission:
-
Standard Pass ranges from $15.00-$30.00
-
Annual Pass $55.00
-
America the Beautiful From Free to $80.00
-
Parks may each have different entrance fees, and may require timed reservation. North Cascades is free.
8. Snoqualmie Falls
Located only 30miles of Seattle, the Snoqualmie falls are one of Seattle’s most visited attractions. The 268-foot tall fall can be seen for free, the surrounding areas feature several trails, and one visitor center.
Admission: Free
Address (for parking): Fall City, WA 98024
Picture By Michael Denning | Unsplash
9. Washington Park Arboretum
Seattle is often known as “Emerald City”. This nickname comes from the lushes and green areas found around and throughout the city. One of these areas is Washington Park. This urban park features many walking trails, picnic areas and beautiful sights. However, the attraction to see there is the arboretum. It features a wide collection of plants and a Japanese Garden (which is not free).
Admission: Free
​
Japanese Garden:
-
​Adults (ages 18-64) $64
-
Youth (ages 6-17) $6
-
Senior (ages 65+) $6
-
Student, Military (with ID) $6
Picture By Brett Wharton | Unsplash
Address: 2300 Arboretum Drive E Seattle, WA 98112
10. Woodland Park Zoo
Animal lovers, we got you! Woodland Park Zoo is a ~92 acres zoo featuring over 1000 species. First and foremost, let’s mention that it is AZA accredited, meaning it demonstrates a good respect of animal life. The Zoo includes several exhibits, and multiple areas with different themes. It also exhibits endangered species. And if you want more to motivate you, know that you can expect to see Red Pandas, a Snow Leopard, Komodo dragons and more.
Admission: Prices swing from less than $20 to $35 for adults. Prices for children and seniors are lower. Since prices are highly variable, we encourage you to check the zoo's website. (Click on "learn more).​
Address: 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103
11. Seattle Underground
What if we tell you that there is a city under Seattle? Well, know that there is actually one, even if that is not really a city. The Seattle Underground is a network of underground passageways located beneath Seattle neighborhood of Pioneer Square. These underground are actually the remnants of the old Seattle which was destroyed after the Great Seattle Fire. To protect the streets from flood, the streets were elevated above the ruins, and they can be visited with a guide.
Admission: Cost will vary depending on tours.​
Address: Located beneath Pioneer Square
Picture By Brett Wharton | Unsplash
12. Explore The Capital of Coffee
Summing coffee as an attraction sounds weird for sure. However, you should know that coffee is an important part of Seattle. It is the birthplace of the Starbuck company, and many high quality coffee shops can be found all around the city. You can also visit the first Starbucks location established in 1971 and found at Pike Place Market. Of course, don’t just take your coffee at Starbucks, explore Seattle in search of the best coffee!
Address of First Starbucks: 1912 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101
Picture By Jon Tyson | Unsplash
BONUS: Other Activities
​There are many more activities that we could have mentioned here. Nonetheless, we decided to include the most relevant. The following sections give you a quick glance at others activities.
Boeing Future Of Flight – A museum focusing on Boeing’s history. It is also possible to take a tour in the Everett factory where planes are assembled.
Seattle Aquarium – The aquarium is small, but a nice visit for families and people interested in the local marine wildlife.
Gas Works Park – Urban park well known for its view over Seattle and the remnants structures of the past gas industry.
Amazon Spheres – Make a reservation to visit these very peculiar offices, or conservatory of plants?
Seattle’s Chinese Garden – Well, the name speaks for itself right?
Seattle Sky View Observatory – Enjoy a sweeping view of the city from Columbia’s center 73rd floor.
More To Explore
California, USA
New York, USA
California, USA