Seattle is Washington’s largest city, however, not the capital of it. Situated on numerous hills and shouldering the Pacific shore, Seattle attracts masses of visitors from all over the world. Although we all have different interests, there are MUST things to do in Seattle. Without doing them, you can’t say that you’ve been there. Be prepared to smell a haunting scent of weed everywhere downtown and start exploring!
1. Get some coffee!
A lot of us can’t imagine our mornings without a nice cup of coffee. There’s no reason to change your routine while being on vacation. You’re in the right place since Seattle is the capital of coffee in the US! The worldwide known Starbucks was opened here, in Seattle, in 1971. This first coffee shop is still open near the Pikes Market. However, the lines to enter the shop sometimes gets ridiculously long. And no, no one will give you coffee for free there. Save your time and find an alternative instead.
One alternative could be to go to a random non-chain coffee shop, sit by the window, and sip coffee while staring at pedestrians. Just admit: it’s somehow weird but also pleasant. Suppose you’re a real fan of Starbucks and can’t get rid of the desire to go there. Head to Starbucks Reserve instead. It’s more pricey, but you’ll immediately understand what you are paying for once you enter. An exceptional environment, plus coffee tasting, is a perfect combo.
2. Seafood
No matter how much you love burgers and steaks, you must try some seafood in Seattle. If you’re not adventurous, fish & chips will work. If you’re more into this kind of food, try their famous chowder, clams, or crab cakes. And don’t forget to order sushi! It tastes much better when a fish wasn’t frozen for ages before landing on a rice roll.
We visited several restaurants there, and all of them were great. However, I feel a moral obligation to mention separately two places: Lowell’s and Wasabi. The first one is located at the Pikes Market and is operating since 1957. Lowell’s is a famous restaurant without a fancy-looking environment. Gather leftovers of your patience and stay in the line to order your food as long as it takes. It’s worth it. Wasabi is a great sushi place. We liked it so much that we dined there twice. Just make your life easier and make a reservation online to avoid crazy waiting times.
3. A day trip to Mt Rainier
On a clear day from the right location, you can see a white mountain peak in the distance. It’s Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the state of Washington. Take a day trip to visit Mount Rainier National Park, just 59 miles away from Seattle. We highly recommend hiking there in the summer months. At other times, be aware of snow and prepare yourself accordingly.
4. Pikes Market
Do you need a postcard from Seattle? Or did you get cold and want to buy a hoodie? Or maybe you’re craving fresh fruits? A flower bouquet? Anything else you can think of? Well, you can consider yourself lucky because you can find all these things and much, much more in the famous Pikes Market right at the waterfront.
Pikes Market is one of the oldest continuously operating public markets in the US since 1907. Not surprisingly, it’s the best-known place in Seattle with 10 million annual visitors. Don’t forget to take a picture near Rachel, probably the most famous piggy bank in the world. Rachel receives at least $6000 annually in different currencies that later fund the Market’s social services.
5. Space Needle
I would probably be struck by the lightning if I would not mention the Space Needle. And how could one forget it if it’s the main landmark in Seattle? Every tourist postcard, notebook, or mug displays it. The Space Needle was build in 1962 for the World’s Fair and it surprisingly took just a bit over a year to finish this 184 m (605 ft) structure.
We purchased our tickets online. Even though our time was scheduled at 4 pm, it took about 45 minutes to reach the top of the tower. The line to the elevators was super long. Luckily, while waiting, we could read the tower’s construction timeline together with some interesting facts about it. For instance, do you know that The Space Needle was built to withstand a 9.0 earthquake and 100 mile-per-hour winds? Well, now you know—no need to thank me.
We didn’t spend too much time on the top of the Needle. Of course, the panorama was breathtaking but also the number of visitors. We snapped some pictures, walked on the turning glass floor that freaked me out, and headed back to the elevators. Keep in mind that there’s a possibility to book a table for a fancy dinner or cocktails.
6. Chihuly Garden and Glass
The Space Needle ticket also includes entrance into Chihuly Gardens and Glass. This is a place where you can see colorful outstanding glass sculptures that equals the ones made on the small island of Burano near Venice. It’s hard even to believe that one can make such pieces of art from blowing glass.
If you are lucky, you might have an opportunity to attend a glass blowing workshop where skillful glass masters demonstrate how sand, heat, and handwork transform into glass sculptures.
7. Underground tour
An underground tour somewhere in Europe isn’t anything unheard of. But in Seattle? Have you noticed that in downtown Seattle there are a lot of staircases that lead to the basements? What if I told you that it’s not a basement at all but a ground level?
To learn more about the history of Seattle and why basements are not basements there, I highly recommend attending one of the underground tours. Just to see this city from a different perspective. I guarantee you’ll hear a lot of new things.
8. The Smith Tower
The Smith Tower was my personal discovery in Seattle. I dare say that I loved it much more than the Space Needle. This 38-story building was completed in 1914 and is the oldest skyscraper in Seattle. The most fascinating thing is its authentic interior with historic Otis elevators. Stepping inside one of them felt like stepping right at the beginning of the XX century.
To go to the Observatory restaurant and bar costs $16 per person. A cocktail there will cost another $15 but is optional. You can go straight to the observatory to admire panoramic views. We got there right at sunset. While sipping cocktails, we could see how the burning red light was fading, and one by one, surrounding skyscraper’s windows light turned on. No noise, no masses of tourists. An experience worth every dollar.
9. Amazon Spheres
Amazon Spheres is a perfect example of urban architecture where nature is partly incorporated into the city. The Sphere is a part of Amazon headquarters that serves as a work and a lounge place for employees. There are more than 40,000 plants inside these glass buildings—a real jungle inside the city jungle.
Although this place is reserved for Amazon employees, limited public access is available on the ground floor exhibit or scheduled headquarters tours. Anyway, if you won’t get inside the Spheres, at least make a quick stop at Rachel’s Ginger Beers. Get a cup of spicy pineapple ginger beer and sit outside for a while surrounded by skyscrapers.
10. Vistas of Seattle
Just admit: you also want that perfect Seattle panorama picture. Preferably with Mount Rainier in the background. Of course, you will capture some great views from the Space Needle, Smith Tower, or any other publicly accessible skyscraper. But what if you don’t like skyscrapers?
One of the options can be Hamilton Viewpoint Park in West Seattle. You can take a nice waterfront picture with skyscrapers and the Space Needle in the background. However, Mount Rainier won’t be visible from that point.
My personal favorite, however, was Kerry Park. Much closer to the downtown, and you’ll have both – the Space Needle and Mount Rainier – in one picture on a clear day. Be prepared to elbow people for a perfect spot to take a perfect picture.
10 things to do in Seattle in a nutshell
Talking about stomach pleasures, Seattle is famous for its coffee and seafood. Get an awesome panoramic picture from the Space Needle, Kerry Park, or Hamilton Viewpoint Park. Don’t forget to stop at Pikes Market, spend at least an hour in Chihuly Gardens and Glass. For some physical activity, take a day trip to Mount Rainier or learn more about the history of Seattle in one of the underground tours. But my personal favorite is Smith Tower. A place where old times mixes with the present ones accompanied by outstanding panoramic views. Make sure to find the right company to go there.
