Seattle

Best things to do in Seattle

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   1. Space Needle

   • 1 to 2 hours
   • Tickets needed
   • Couples
   • Families

   An observation tower in Seattle Center, built for the 1962 World's Fair and now a city landmark. Its Loupe is described by the operator as a revolving glass floor, with views of the city below.

   Tickets are sold online and hours vary by season, so check the Space Needle site for your date.

   20,842 readers a month

   Sources

   • Space Needle
   • Wikipedia, Space Needle

2. 

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   2. Olympic National Park

   • A full day or longer
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Active
   • Couples
   • Families

   A national park on the Olympic Peninsula with four regions: the Pacific coastline, temperate rainforest, alpine areas and the drier east side. It covers nearly a million acres, most of it wilderness, and includes Hurricane Ridge.

   Entrance fees and passes apply. Check the National Park Service alerts and road conditions pages before you go.

   11,244 readers a month

   Sources

   • National Park Service, Olympic National Park
   • Wikipedia, Olympic National Park

3. 

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   3. Bainbridge Island (day trip)

   • Half a day to a full day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • Families
   • No car needed

   An island city in Puget Sound in Kitsap County, with a population of 24,825 at the 2020 census.

   Check Washington State Ferries sailing times before you plan.

   9,173 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Bainbridge Island, Washington

4. 

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   4. Pike Place Market

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Families
   • Couples
   • Rainy day
   • No car needed

   A historic public market that opened on 17 August 1907, set in a 9-acre historic district overlooking Elliott Bay. It is a place of business for farmers, craftspeople and merchants and has over 30 international eateries.

   Individual stalls keep their own hours; the market's site has a directory of who is open.

   4,929 readers a month

   Sources

   • Pike Place Market
   • Wikipedia, Pike Place Market

5. 

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   5. Mount Rainier National Park (day trip)

   • A full day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Active
   • Couples
   • Families

   A national park established in 1899, preserving the 4,391 m stratovolcano Mount Rainier, the highest point in the Cascade Range. It has more than 25 glaciers, subalpine meadows and old-growth forest. Paradise and Sunrise are its main visitor areas.

   Roads can close in winter and change quickly. Vehicles must carry tire chains from 1 November to 1 May. Check the park's alerts and road status pages.

   4,643 readers a month

   Sources

   • National Park Service, Mount Rainier
   • Wikipedia, Mount Rainier National Park

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   6. Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • Tickets needed
   • Families
   • Rainy day
   • Adults

   A non-profit museum of contemporary popular culture, founded by Paul Allen in 2000 as the Experience Music Project. Exhibitions cover areas such as science fiction, fantasy and independent video games.

   Pick a visit date when you buy tickets on the museum's site; hours can change.

   4,114 readers a month

   Sources

   • Museum of Pop Culture
   • Wikipedia, Museum of Pop Culture
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   7. Fremont Troll

   • 30 minutes to 1 hour
   • No booking needed
   • Families
   • No car needed

   A public sculpture of a troll in the Fremont neighbourhood, also known as the Troll Under the Bridge.

   3,795 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Fremont Troll
8. 8

   8. Museum of Flight

   • 3 to 4 hours
   • Tickets needed
   • Families
   • Rainy day

   A private non-profit air and space museum at the southern end of King County International Airport, south of Seattle. Founded in 1965, it is described as the largest private air and space museum in the world.

   Tickets are bought online. The museum lists its hours as daily 10 am to 5 pm and free parking.

   3,263 readers a month

   Sources

   • The Museum of Flight
   • Wikipedia, Museum of Flight

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   9. Snoqualmie Falls (day trip)

   • 1 to 2 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Families
   • Couples

   An 82 m (268 ft) waterfall on the Snoqualmie River east of Seattle, with a two-acre park and an observation deck.

   2,976 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Snoqualmie Falls

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    10. Gas Works Park

    • 1 to 2 hours
    • No booking needed
    • Families
    • Couples
    • No car needed

    A 19.1-acre public park on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant, on the north shore of Lake Union. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

    2,616 readers a month

    Sources

    • Wikipedia, Gas Works Park

Just missed the list: Seattle Center (11th by readers; the grounds around the Space Needle); Woodland Park Zoo (12th by readers; a zoo in north Seattle)