When you go to a city like Seattle (especially for the first time), you have to visit the top tourist sights.
The problem is there are so many.
The good thing is several of the main attractions are co-located, and you can take cheap taxi rides (about US$7-10) to get from one side of downtown to the other.
I ate oysters when I arrived, and I saw a lot of the areas outside of the center of Seattle on my photography tour, but on my last full day in Seattle, I still had not seen the main sights WITHIN the city center.
So of course I created an insane itinerary to see what I think are 9 must see sights in Seattle.
9 Must See Sights in Seattle
#1 – Olympic Sculpture Park
Since I stayed downtown at Inn at the Market, I went for an early morning run along the waterfront and could easily pass through the Olympic Sculpture Park.
# 2 – Seattle Aquarium
I don’t recall ever visiting an aquarium before, and the Seattle Aquarium is located right on the waterfront very close to where I was staying, so this was a must for me.
Although I went through the museum super-fast in order to get to the rest of my full itinerary, it was worth the visit.
#3 – Pike Place Market
Because I stayed right next to the market, I actually went here every day.
Pick up some Washington cherries to snack on later.
Grab a savory or sweet pastry at Piroshky Piroshky and a coffee at Local Color to fuel up for the next five stops.
Check out more Pike Place Market photos.
#4 – Capitol Hill
Whenever I visit any city, I like to get to a residential area. That’s where people live, so it is one of the best ways to get a feel for the culture of a place. According to Wikipedia, Capitol Hill is the most densely populated residential area in Seattle.
Wander, people watch, shop, grab a coffee at Caffe Vita and an ice cream at Molly Moon’s. If you’re staying downtown, this is a short and cheap taxi ride. If I had more time, I would have gone back in the evening to experience this nightlife and entertainment district.
#5 – Space Needle
This is one of those attractions that is totally worth the ticket price and waiting in line. I wish I had the time to go back at night.
Check out more aerial views of Seattle.
#6 – Chihuly Garden and Glass
An optional activity while you are here is to visit the Chihuly Garden and Glasshouse. I did not do this because of both time and money and the fact that Columbus seems to have a lot of Chihuly works. However, if you have not seen much of his work, I suggest going. You get discounted entry if you purchase a ticket for the Space Needle.
#7 – EMP Museum
The building itself was designed by Frank Gehry and is quite a sight from the outside. It is an art, design, and music lover’s dream inside. The EMP Museum explores the creativity and innovation in American music across many genres.
I love music, so I spent a lot of time here.
#8 – Pacific Science Center
While I was at the Seattle Center, I admired the interesting exterior of the Pacific Science Center but did not go in. I could have fit it in, but I decided that having cheap happy-hour priced sushi and wine was a higher priority. A girl’s gotta treat herself.
Although this place is billed as a hands-on learning center for kids and families, it seems like a fun place for adults as well.
Next time!
#9 – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center
I would have skipped the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation if it were not for NVR Guys telling me that it is very close to the EMP Museum and only takes about 10 minutes to walk through and get inspired. To read more about it, check out their post.
Check out more photos around Seattle!
Tips for visiting Seattle
- Check out VisitSeattle.org. This is one of the best city tourism websites I have seen with tons of information in an easy-to-use layout.
- Consider purchasing a Seattle City Pass. Four of the sights on this list are included, so it can definitely save you money.
Wow.. that guitar tornado looks awesome!
The EMP definitely exceeded my expectations.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
Seattle is SUCH a cool city. I love it.
Pike Place will probably always be my favorite part of the city, but there’s so much else to see/do, too. I hit up a lot of the same places you did. Once more I’d add would be the Pioneer Square neighborhood (the oldest part of the city), where you can do one of the Underground tours and go beneath the streets of Seattle.
Amanda recently posted..My One-Night Stand With Parga
Yep, I went there too. I didn’t do the Undergrond Tour though (not enough time!) It’s a pretty area.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
My roommate lived in Seattle for a year and is head over heels in love with it. I think she has seriously considered leaving me alone in Chicago to sneak back to Seattle in the middle of the night. From what she and you have both said about it, I probably wouldn’t blame her.
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It’s location makes it beautiful, but there is so much more than that (as you have read here and heard from your roommate). Definitely a unique city.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
I have to agree that the city is easy to fall in love with, as there are so many places and things to do in Seattle. The pictures which you included in your post make place more beautiful especially the photos of space needle and pika place market. After reading your post I am planning to visit this place again.
I love this list. But that EMP Museum looks extraordinary and very worth visiting!
Bama recently posted..Blue Skies Over Bromo
If you care about music at all, it is a must visit.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
I’ll be in Seattle in three days, so these recommendations are just what I needed!
Christian recently posted..The City of Murals
Happy to help! Enjoy!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
These are great ideas. My only visits to Seattle have been way too quick so haven’t been able to do any of these. If I get the chance, I’ll start with the sculpture park and Pike Place Market for some tasty treats.
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Flavors of Catalonia
Good plan! I felt like my visit was way too short. I’d like to go back and do a boat cruise on the water and maybe visit the San Juan Islands…. and drink more coffee
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
Great shots of Seattle – glad you got a sunny day for wandering! Love that city and love your blog. I’m actually in Central America right now and for the next 3 months, so I’ll be reading some of your posts to find a few gems and hot spots along the Pacific Coast. Thanks for sharing!
Katie Marti recently posted..Seattle
Thanks, Katie. As the weather gets colder (and I have to have a normal person’s work schedule), I really long for the easygoing, warm days in Central America. Enjoy!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
Looks like such a great city. It’s pretty far from my dream places to visit in the States, yet hopefully I’ll find my way there some day. I managed to miss the Chihuly exhibition when it was showcased in my country, so I’ll probably include it if I ever make it to Seattle.
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I am so glad you enjoyed the city and that you made it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation visitor center. Learning about the remarkable work they do is very inspiring (and the interactive exhibits are pretty cool).
Now – as we highlighted in the post you linked to – we’ve yet to get tot he top of the Space Needle, so we will have to take your advice and make that happen.
I still can’t believe you haven’t been to the Space Needle
I really loved it, and I hope to go back soon to see more. Hopefully, we can hang out more next time too!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Me, a beer, and my goldfish
I lived near Seattle for three years and in WA State for ten, but the only places I’ve been to on this list are the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Ok, and Capitol Hill. It’s one of those things where I always figured I would get around to visiting some touristy spots eventually, but never actually did. Maybe if I ever make it back to visit friends, I’ll feel more like tourist and actually see the city a bit.
Daniel McBane – Funny Travel Stories recently posted..New Year’s Party in a Tiny Laotian Village
You sound like Kent and Canaan from No Vacation Required
I think that tends to happen if you move to a city rather that visit as a tourist. I’m trying to be better about exploring my hometown… but it’s not like Columbus has anything even close to the Space Needle
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Is Portland the Foodie Capital of the US?
Those are some attractions!! I loved the first one especially, that is really a quirky architecture!!
Thanks for sharing
Arti recently posted..Meiji Jingu Shrine In Tokyo: A Walk In Peace
Seattle is somewhere I’ve wanted to go for years and these photos definitely make me want to go even more! Great work.
Becky Padmore recently posted..Our southern California trip highlights
Thanks, Becky. I’m slowly ticking off the list of cities I’ve wanted to go to for years
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Is Portland the Foodie Capital of the US?
Oh yeah you saw WAY more than I did. But did you see the troll underneath the bridge?
Ayngelina recently posted..The scariest but most beautiful thing I have ever done
Yes, I did! It was one of the stops on the photography tour I did. So freaking weird… and awesome!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Is Portland the Foodie Capital of the US?
I’ve never been to Seattle (and, honestly, have no great desire to). But you make it look like quite an interesting place. Lovely photos, as usual!
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You might want to reconsider. It’s a cool city and very pretty.
Love the shot of the little boy at the aquarium!
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Definitely a great spot for kids. They have displays that start lower to the ground, so the fish are right at their level.
I actually really loved Seattle as well – it was a very vibrant city with great restaurants and arts and was just very “pretty” as far as cities go. Loved that it was very walkable and compact as well.
Wanderplex recently posted..Wine tumblers for your picnic basket
Great compilation. Me and my kids are planning to visit the Seattle Aquarium soon. I read somewhere that they are featuring the diving Santa which I think my two little boys will love.
That sounds AWESOME! Take photos!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Cultural highlights of New York City
Does anyone else find it ironic that the title is “9 Must See Sights in Seattle” and yet the author skipped three of them. Shouldn’t it be “6 Must see sights…and some others that I heard were good”?
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It looks like you hit many of the top places in the Seattle area, but you’re missing some great spots. I’m from Seattle so I should know. A visit to Alki Beach to look at Seattle from the other side (daytime and nighttime) is a MUST. There’s also all the incredible nature around Seattle, but there’s always next time right?
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I’ll put it on my list. Thanks!
Those food you got from the market looks so good! And the rest of your photos looks so vibrant, really awesome job on that one. The list itself is also helpful, as much as possible, will try to tick everything on that list. Thank you so much for sharing, I got a lot from this post.
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Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for the tips. If I’m visiting Seattle, I’ll really want to see Pacific Science Center. Cheers,