Here’s a very quick travel guide to exploring Downtown Seattle. Since we were in Seattle for 48 hours, we only scratched the surface of what there is to do, but we had a fun time exploring restaurants and museums. This post is a recap of my trip with recommendations for your trip to Seattle.
3 Things to Do in Downtown Seattle
My favorite things we did were:
Pike Place Market
A necessary stop, Pike Place Market was the spot for several meals and entertainment. There are multiple restaurants and shops in the area, and you’ll see fish throwing, plenty of beautiful flowers, and views of the water.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
My favorite thing we did was go to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. Dale Chihuly’s glasswork is incredible! I’ve watched all of the competition show Blown Away on Netflix and went to a glass-blowing workshop at my bachelorette party, so I have a tiny bit of knowledge about what it takes to create these huge glass exhibits. I love how they installed the glass in the garden.
Olympic Sculpture Park
A short walk from the Space Needle Complex, the Olympic Sculpture Park has a few sculptures. It overlooks the bay.
The Space Needle is a popular sight in Seattle. This tower will give you tall views and can be seen in the complex that includes all the museums.
I can’t say this is a favorite thing we did, but since we were here, we stopped by the infamous Gum Wall to see how disgusting it is in person. It’s at Pike Place Market, so it’s an easy stop. It’s more of a gum alley at this point.
If it interests you, the Seattle Aquarium and Seattle Art Museum are also in the Downtown Seattle area.
If I had more time in Seattle (or when I return), here are some other things I would check out:
- Museum of Pop Culture
- Fremont Troll – the famous troll sculpture under a bridge
- Add-A-Ball – pinball bar
- Discovery Park
- Alki Beach
- Bill Speidels Underground Tour
- National Nordic Museum
7 Downtown Seattle Restaurants I Loved
Even with a short time in Seattle, we got some good eating! Here are seven spots I recommend.
Le Panier
a great spot for to-go coffee and pastries
Din Tai Fung
delicious dumplings
Pike Brewing
good IPA
Umi Sake House
delicious sushi dinner
Cupcake Royale
solid lavender cupcake
Pike Place Chowder
best chowder I’ve ever had
The Hart and the Hunter
a cute place for breakfast
2 Places I Could Have Skipped:
- Piroshky Piroshky – This is a buzzy bakery known for its Eastern European turnover sandwiches (like a kolache or empanada). Nationally known, they even have pop-ups in Austin. The salmon piroshky was good but the chocolate hazelnut roll was not.
- Mee Sum Bakery – This Chinese bakery near Pike Place Market frequently had a line but their egg tart and pineapple bun left a lot to be desired.
How to Get Around Seattle
We used the Sound Transit light rail to get from the airport to downtown very easily. It’s about 30 minutes and $3 per person. We had a little bit of walking to and from the train station (less than 10 minutes). The rail is a good option for getting around, and rideshare is available. Since we stayed downtown, we walked a lot.
Until Next Time, Seattle
Hopefully one day I’ll be back! I know Washington has great outdoor spots to explore, so maybe I’ll be back someday.
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