Though Seattle’s not always the easiest city to navigate, it’s small enough that you can see a great deal of it in a week. If you’ve only got a long weekend here, you can easily mix and match any of the days in this itinerary. Before you explore, you’ll need three things: comfortable walking shoes, layered clothing, and a flexible mindset: it’s easy and advisable to meander off track.
Day 1: Pike Place Market and Downtown’s Major Sights
Spend the first day seeing some of the major sights around Downtown. Get up early and stroll to Pike Place Market. Grab a latte or have a hearty breakfast at a café, then spend the morning wandering through the fish, fruit, flower, and crafts stalls. When you’ve had your fill, head south to the Seattle Art Museum or take the steps down to the docks and visit the Seattle Aquarium. Alternatively, stroll to Belltown to take in the views at the Olympic Sculpture Park or getting a roving view of the landscape from atop the new Seattle Great Wheel. Stop for a simple lunch at Pasta Casalinga or Le Pichet. If you’re not too tired, do some late-afternoon shopping at Nordstrom, Pacific Place Mall, Westlake Center, and the surrounding area. Eat dinner and get drinks in Downtown or in Belltown, where terrific restaurants give you a taste of that famous Pacific Northwest cuisine.
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Day 2: Seattle Center or Pioneer Square
Hop the two-minute monorail ride from Downtown’s Westlake Center to the Seattle Center, then travel up the Space Needle for 360-degree city views. Take in one of Seattle Center’s many ground-level attractions: the Pacific Science Center, the Children’s Museum, the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, or the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop). If you didn’t visit it the day before, walk southwest down Broad Street to the Olympic Sculpture Park. From there, take a cab or bus to the Chinatown–International District. Visit the Uwajimaya Asian Market, stroll the streets, and have dinner in one of the neighborhood’s many restaurants.
Option: If you don’t want to start out with the Space Needle, skip Seattle Center and start your day in Pioneer Square. Tour a few galleries (most of which open late morning), peek into some shops, and then head to nearby International District for more exploring—don’t miss the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience. If you still want to see the Space Needle, you can go after dinner; the observation deck stays open late in summer.
Day 3: Side Trips from the City
Now that you’ve seen some of the city, get out of town and get closer to nature. Hikers have almost too many options, but Mt. Rainier National Park never disappoints—though lines can get long to enter in the summer. Crystal Mountain, a popular ski resort (from Highway 410, turn left onto Crystal Mountain Boulevard just before the entrance to the national park), offers gondola rides to the summit, where you can take in unparalleled views of Mt. Rainier and the Cascade Range (to get back to the base, hop back on the gondola or hike down). Plan a whole day for a hiking excursion to this area. Closer and shorter hike options pepper I-90 from the suburbs to the other side of the Cascades; Rattlesnake Ledge is a short, close hike (though sometimes this also means quite crowded). When you return to the city, tired and probably ravenous, grab a hearty, casual meal and check out some live music on Capitol Hill or the University District.
If you’d rather take to the water, get on a ferry and visit either Bainbridge or Vashon islands. Bainbridge is more developed, but the pretty island has large swaths of protected land with trails. At the Bloedel Reserve, trails pass through a bird refuge, forest, and themed gardens, including a Japanese garden and moss garden. The limit on the number of daily visitors keeps it serene (make reservations). Vashon is more agricultural and low-key. The most popular way to explore either island is by bicycle, though note that Bainbridge has some hills. Both islands have beach strolls, many shops, and good restaurants, so grab a bite before heading back into the city. Exploring the island takes less time than a hiking excursion, so you can probably see one or two sights Downtown before going to the dock. If you haven’t made it to the Aquarium yet, its proximity to the ferry makes it a great option.
Day 4: Stepping Off the Tourist Trail
Since you covered Downtown on days 1 and 2, today you can sleep in a bit and explore some of the different residential neighborhoods. Check out Capitol Hill for great shopping, strolling, café culture, and people-watching. Or head north of the Lake Washington Ship Canal to Fremont and Ballard. Wherever you end up, you can start your day by having a leisurely breakfast or getting a coffee fix at an independent coffee shop. To stretch your legs, make the rounds at Volunteer Park in Capitol Hill or follow the Burke-Gilman Trail from Fremont Center to Gasworks Park. Both the Woodland Park Zoo (slightly north of Fremont) and the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (also known as the Ballard Locks) are captivating. In Capitol Hill or in the northern neighborhoods, you’ll have no problem rounding out the day by ducking into shops and grabbing a great meal. If you’re looking for late-night entertainment, you’ll find plenty of nightlife options in both areas, too.
Day 5: Last Rays of Sun and Loose Ends
Spend at least half of your last day in Seattle outdoors, exploring Discovery Park or renting kayaks in the University District, from Agua Verde Café and Paddle Club, for a trip around Portage Bay or into Lake Washington. Linger in your favorite neighborhood (you’ll have one by now). Note that you can combine a park visit with kayaking if you head to the Washington Park Arboretum and Japanese Garden first. From there, it’s a quick trip to the U-District.