Seattle itinerary: 1 to 7 days
Plans for two, six or seven days in Seattle, day by day: Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and MoPOP first, then the waterfront, Seattle Art Museum and the Central Library, and Capitol Hill, the University of Washington museums and Pioneer Square as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Seattle in 1 day
Day 1
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market since 1907, with fish stalls, farm produce, crafts and food counters on several levels above Elliott Bay.
Original Starbucks
The Pike Place Market Starbucks, operating since 1976 near its 1971 founding site, with the original brown logo; expect a queue.
Seattle Great Wheel
A 53-metre Ferris wheel on Pier 57 with enclosed gondolas giving views over Elliott Bay and the downtown waterfront.
Space Needle
The 184-metre observation tower from the 1962 World's Fair, with a rotating glass floor and wide views of the city, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Exhibition of Dale Chihuly's colourful blown-glass sculptures in galleries, a glasshouse and a garden beside the Space Needle.
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry's curving building at Seattle Center, with exhibits on rock music, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, science fiction, horror and video games.
Kerry Park
A small hillside park on Queen Anne with the classic view of the Space Needle, downtown and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Seattle in 2 days
Day 1
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market since 1907, with fish stalls, farm produce, crafts and food counters on several levels above Elliott Bay.
Space Needle
The 184-metre observation tower from the 1962 World's Fair, with a rotating glass floor and wide views of the city, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Exhibition of Dale Chihuly's colourful blown-glass sculptures in galleries, a glasshouse and a garden beside the Space Needle.
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry's curving building at Seattle Center, with exhibits on rock music, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, science fiction, horror and video games.
Day 2
Smith Tower
Seattle's first skyscraper, completed in 1914, with a 35th-floor observatory and speakeasy-style bar offering open-air views over Pioneer Square.
Seattle Central Library
Rem Koolhaas's glass-and-steel library from 2004; free to enter, with a book spiral and a tenth-floor reading room with city views.
Seattle Great Wheel
A 53-metre Ferris wheel on Pier 57 with enclosed gondolas giving views over Elliott Bay and the downtown waterfront.
Seattle Center
The 1962 World's Fair grounds, now a large park with the Space Needle, MoPOP, the International Fountain, theatres and the Armory food hall.
Fremont Troll
A huge concrete troll sculpture crushing a real Volkswagen Beetle under the Aurora Bridge in the quirky Fremont neighbourhood.
Seattle in 3 days
Day 1
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market since 1907, with fish stalls, farm produce, crafts and food counters on several levels above Elliott Bay.
Original Starbucks
The Pike Place Market Starbucks, operating since 1976 near its 1971 founding site, with the original brown logo; expect a queue.
Seattle Aquarium
Waterfront aquarium on Pier 59 focused on Puget Sound and Pacific sea life, with sea otters, harbour seals and a large underwater dome.
Seattle Great Wheel
A 53-metre Ferris wheel on Pier 57 with enclosed gondolas giving views over Elliott Bay and the downtown waterfront.
Seattle Art Museum
Downtown art museum with Native American, African, Asian and European collections; look for the giant Hammering Man sculpture outside.
Day 2
Space Needle
The 184-metre observation tower from the 1962 World's Fair, with a rotating glass floor and wide views of the city, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Exhibition of Dale Chihuly's colourful blown-glass sculptures in galleries, a glasshouse and a garden beside the Space Needle.
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry's curving building at Seattle Center, with exhibits on rock music, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, science fiction, horror and video games.
Kerry Park
A small hillside park on Queen Anne with the classic view of the Space Needle, downtown and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Fremont Troll
A huge concrete troll sculpture crushing a real Volkswagen Beetle under the Aurora Bridge in the quirky Fremont neighbourhood.
Ballard Locks
Locks linking Salmon Bay to Puget Sound, where you can watch boats being raised and lowered and see salmon climb the fish ladder in summer.
Day 3
Pioneer Square
Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, with brick Victorian buildings, galleries, the Underground Tour and the Klondike Gold Rush museum.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Seattle Unit)
A free National Park Service museum in Pioneer Square on how Seattle outfitted the 1897–98 stampede to the Klondike gold fields.
Smith Tower
Seattle's first skyscraper, completed in 1914, with a 35th-floor observatory and speakeasy-style bar offering open-air views over Pioneer Square.
Seattle Central Library
Rem Koolhaas's glass-and-steel library from 2004; free to enter, with a book spiral and a tenth-floor reading room with city views.
Seattle in 4 days
Day 1
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market since 1907, with fish stalls, farm produce, crafts and food counters on several levels above Elliott Bay.
Original Starbucks
The Pike Place Market Starbucks, operating since 1976 near its 1971 founding site, with the original brown logo; expect a queue.
Seattle Aquarium
Waterfront aquarium on Pier 59 focused on Puget Sound and Pacific sea life, with sea otters, harbour seals and a large underwater dome.
Seattle Great Wheel
A 53-metre Ferris wheel on Pier 57 with enclosed gondolas giving views over Elliott Bay and the downtown waterfront.
Seattle Art Museum
Downtown art museum with Native American, African, Asian and European collections; look for the giant Hammering Man sculpture outside.
Day 2
Space Needle
The 184-metre observation tower from the 1962 World's Fair, with a rotating glass floor and wide views of the city, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Exhibition of Dale Chihuly's colourful blown-glass sculptures in galleries, a glasshouse and a garden beside the Space Needle.
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry's curving building at Seattle Center, with exhibits on rock music, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, science fiction, horror and video games.
Seattle Center
The 1962 World's Fair grounds, now a large park with the Space Needle, MoPOP, the International Fountain, theatres and the Armory food hall.
Kerry Park
A small hillside park on Queen Anne with the classic view of the Space Needle, downtown and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Day 3
Pioneer Square
Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, with brick Victorian buildings, galleries, the Underground Tour and the Klondike Gold Rush museum.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Seattle Unit)
A free National Park Service museum in Pioneer Square on how Seattle outfitted the 1897–98 stampede to the Klondike gold fields.
Smith Tower
Seattle's first skyscraper, completed in 1914, with a 35th-floor observatory and speakeasy-style bar offering open-air views over Pioneer Square.
Seattle Central Library
Rem Koolhaas's glass-and-steel library from 2004; free to enter, with a book spiral and a tenth-floor reading room with city views.
Day 4
Fremont Troll
A huge concrete troll sculpture crushing a real Volkswagen Beetle under the Aurora Bridge in the quirky Fremont neighbourhood.
Ballard Locks
Locks linking Salmon Bay to Puget Sound, where you can watch boats being raised and lowered and see salmon climb the fish ladder in summer.
Museum of Flight
A large air and space museum beside Boeing Field, with historic aircraft, a Concorde, Air Force One and a space gallery.
Seattle in 5 days
Day 1
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market since 1907, with fish stalls, farm produce, crafts and food counters on several levels above Elliott Bay.
Original Starbucks
The Pike Place Market Starbucks, operating since 1976 near its 1971 founding site, with the original brown logo; expect a queue.
Seattle Great Wheel
A 53-metre Ferris wheel on Pier 57 with enclosed gondolas giving views over Elliott Bay and the downtown waterfront.
Seattle Art Museum
Downtown art museum with Native American, African, Asian and European collections; look for the giant Hammering Man sculpture outside.
Day 2
Space Needle
The 184-metre observation tower from the 1962 World's Fair, with a rotating glass floor and wide views of the city, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Exhibition of Dale Chihuly's colourful blown-glass sculptures in galleries, a glasshouse and a garden beside the Space Needle.
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry's curving building at Seattle Center, with exhibits on rock music, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, science fiction, horror and video games.
Seattle Center
The 1962 World's Fair grounds, now a large park with the Space Needle, MoPOP, the International Fountain, theatres and the Armory food hall.
Kerry Park
A small hillside park on Queen Anne with the classic view of the Space Needle, downtown and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Day 3
Pioneer Square
Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, with brick Victorian buildings, galleries, the Underground Tour and the Klondike Gold Rush museum.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Seattle Unit)
A free National Park Service museum in Pioneer Square on how Seattle outfitted the 1897–98 stampede to the Klondike gold fields.
Smith Tower
Seattle's first skyscraper, completed in 1914, with a 35th-floor observatory and speakeasy-style bar offering open-air views over Pioneer Square.
Seattle Central Library
Rem Koolhaas's glass-and-steel library from 2004; free to enter, with a book spiral and a tenth-floor reading room with city views.
Day 4
Fremont Troll
A huge concrete troll sculpture crushing a real Volkswagen Beetle under the Aurora Bridge in the quirky Fremont neighbourhood.
Ballard Locks
Locks linking Salmon Bay to Puget Sound, where you can watch boats being raised and lowered and see salmon climb the fish ladder in summer.
Museum of Flight
A large air and space museum beside Boeing Field, with historic aircraft, a Concorde, Air Force One and a space gallery.
Day 5
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Washington's natural history museum on the UW campus, with dinosaur fossils, Northwest Native art and visible working labs.
Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery
A small, quiet Civil War veterans' cemetery on Capitol Hill, next to Lake View Cemetery where Bruce Lee is buried.
Seattle Aquarium
Waterfront aquarium on Pier 59 focused on Puget Sound and Pacific sea life, with sea otters, harbour seals and a large underwater dome.
Pier 54, Seattle
Historic waterfront pier, home of Ivar's Acres of Clams and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, on the rebuilt Elliott Bay promenade.
Seattle in 6 days
Day 1
Seattle Aquarium
Waterfront aquarium on Pier 59 focused on Puget Sound and Pacific sea life, with sea otters, harbour seals and a large underwater dome.
Space Needle
The 184-metre observation tower from the 1962 World's Fair, with a rotating glass floor and wide views of the city, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Exhibition of Dale Chihuly's colourful blown-glass sculptures in galleries, a glasshouse and a garden beside the Space Needle.
Seattle Center
The 1962 World's Fair grounds, now a large park with the Space Needle, MoPOP, the International Fountain, theatres and the Armory food hall.
Kerry Park
A small hillside park on Queen Anne with the classic view of the Space Needle, downtown and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Day 2
Seattle Great Wheel
A 53-metre Ferris wheel on Pier 57 with enclosed gondolas giving views over Elliott Bay and the downtown waterfront.
Pier 54, Seattle
Historic waterfront pier, home of Ivar's Acres of Clams and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, on the rebuilt Elliott Bay promenade.
Seattle Art Museum
Downtown art museum with Native American, African, Asian and European collections; look for the giant Hammering Man sculpture outside.
Day 3
Henry Art Gallery
University of Washington's contemporary art museum, with changing exhibitions and James Turrell's Skyspace installation.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Seattle Unit)
A free National Park Service museum in Pioneer Square on how Seattle outfitted the 1897–98 stampede to the Klondike gold fields.
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market since 1907, with fish stalls, farm produce, crafts and food counters on several levels above Elliott Bay.
Day 4
Seattle Central Library
Rem Koolhaas's glass-and-steel library from 2004; free to enter, with a book spiral and a tenth-floor reading room with city views.
Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery
A small, quiet Civil War veterans' cemetery on Capitol Hill, next to Lake View Cemetery where Bruce Lee is buried.
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry's curving building at Seattle Center, with exhibits on rock music, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, science fiction, horror and video games.
Fremont Troll
A huge concrete troll sculpture crushing a real Volkswagen Beetle under the Aurora Bridge in the quirky Fremont neighbourhood.
Ballard Locks
Locks linking Salmon Bay to Puget Sound, where you can watch boats being raised and lowered and see salmon climb the fish ladder in summer.
Day 5
Pioneer Square
Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, with brick Victorian buildings, galleries, the Underground Tour and the Klondike Gold Rush museum.
Smith Tower
Seattle's first skyscraper, completed in 1914, with a 35th-floor observatory and speakeasy-style bar offering open-air views over Pioneer Square.
Town Hall Seattle
A restored 1916 church on First Hill that now hosts talks, readings and concerts; check the events calendar.
Day 6
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Washington's natural history museum on the UW campus, with dinosaur fossils, Northwest Native art and visible working labs.
Seattle Children's Museum
Hands-on museum for young children in the Armory at Seattle Center, with play areas on themes such as a village and a mountain.
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Art Deco museum in Volunteer Park with Chinese, Japanese, Korean and South Asian art, reopened in 2020 after renovation.
Seattle in 7 days
Day 1
Seattle Aquarium
Waterfront aquarium on Pier 59 focused on Puget Sound and Pacific sea life, with sea otters, harbour seals and a large underwater dome.
Space Needle
The 184-metre observation tower from the 1962 World's Fair, with a rotating glass floor and wide views of the city, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Exhibition of Dale Chihuly's colourful blown-glass sculptures in galleries, a glasshouse and a garden beside the Space Needle.
Seattle Center
The 1962 World's Fair grounds, now a large park with the Space Needle, MoPOP, the International Fountain, theatres and the Armory food hall.
Kerry Park
A small hillside park on Queen Anne with the classic view of the Space Needle, downtown and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Day 2
Seattle Great Wheel
A 53-metre Ferris wheel on Pier 57 with enclosed gondolas giving views over Elliott Bay and the downtown waterfront.
Pier 54, Seattle
Historic waterfront pier, home of Ivar's Acres of Clams and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, on the rebuilt Elliott Bay promenade.
Seattle Art Museum
Downtown art museum with Native American, African, Asian and European collections; look for the giant Hammering Man sculpture outside.
Day 3
Town Hall Seattle
A restored 1916 church on First Hill that now hosts talks, readings and concerts; check the events calendar.
Seattle Central Library
Rem Koolhaas's glass-and-steel library from 2004; free to enter, with a book spiral and a tenth-floor reading room with city views.
Pike Place Market
Seattle's public market since 1907, with fish stalls, farm produce, crafts and food counters on several levels above Elliott Bay.
Day 4
Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery
A small, quiet Civil War veterans' cemetery on Capitol Hill, next to Lake View Cemetery where Bruce Lee is buried.
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Washington's natural history museum on the UW campus, with dinosaur fossils, Northwest Native art and visible working labs.
Fremont Troll
A huge concrete troll sculpture crushing a real Volkswagen Beetle under the Aurora Bridge in the quirky Fremont neighbourhood.
Ballard Locks
Locks linking Salmon Bay to Puget Sound, where you can watch boats being raised and lowered and see salmon climb the fish ladder in summer.
Day 5
Pioneer Square
Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, with brick Victorian buildings, galleries, the Underground Tour and the Klondike Gold Rush museum.
Smith Tower
Seattle's first skyscraper, completed in 1914, with a 35th-floor observatory and speakeasy-style bar offering open-air views over Pioneer Square.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Seattle Unit)
A free National Park Service museum in Pioneer Square on how Seattle outfitted the 1897–98 stampede to the Klondike gold fields.
Day 6
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry's curving building at Seattle Center, with exhibits on rock music, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, science fiction, horror and video games.
Seattle Children's Museum
Hands-on museum for young children in the Armory at Seattle Center, with play areas on themes such as a village and a mountain.
Henry Art Gallery
University of Washington's contemporary art museum, with changing exhibitions and James Turrell's Skyspace installation.
Day 7
Original Starbucks
The Pike Place Market Starbucks, operating since 1976 near its 1971 founding site, with the original brown logo; expect a queue.
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Art Deco museum in Volunteer Park with Chinese, Japanese, Korean and South Asian art, reopened in 2020 after renovation.
Museum of Flight
A large air and space museum beside Boeing Field, with historic aircraft, a Concorde, Air Force One and a space gallery.
Watch: Seattle in 3 days
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Seattle
July to September is the best time to visit Seattle, with dry, sunny weather and clear views of Mount Rainier. October to April is cool and rainy, with frequent grey days, though heavy snow is rare in the city. Summer is busiest, with Alaska cruise ships departing from Seattle from May to September and hotels at their highest prices.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Seattle on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Seattle on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Seattle on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Seattle with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Seattle with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Seattle
- Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass sell timed tickets online, and a combined ticket saves money; book a sunset slot a few days ahead in summer.
- Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Asian Art Museum are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Henry Art Gallery opens Thursday to Sunday only.
- Link light rail runs from Sea-Tac Airport to Westlake downtown in about 40 minutes; the 1962 Monorail links Westlake Center and Seattle Center in two minutes.
- Pike Place Market is busiest from late morning on weekends; arrive by 9am for the fish throwers and the market stalls without the crowds.
- Summer (July to September) is dry and mild; from October to April expect frequent drizzle, so plan indoor museums for rainy days.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Ballard Locks: Unknown Photographer / US Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chihuly Garden and Glass: Jllm06, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fremont Troll: GeoTrinity, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Henry Art Gallery: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kerry Park: Sage Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Seattle Unit): Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Museum of Flight: Museum of Flight, Public domain
- Museum of Pop Culture: Cacophony, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Original Starbucks: John Anderson, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pier 54, Seattle: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Pike Place Market: Office of the Seattle City Clerk, Public domain
- Pioneer Square: Anonymous National Park Service employee or contractor, Public domain
- Seattle Aquarium: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seattle Art Museum: Rootology, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seattle Asian Art Museum: Rootology, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seattle Center: Jeffery Hayes, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seattle Central Library: Ɱ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Seattle Children's Museum: Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Seattle Great Wheel: Ron Clausen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Smith Tower: Christopher S. Maloney ( NorthLights ), CC BY 2.5
- Space Needle: Jordon Kalilich, Public domain
- Town Hall Seattle: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
