Visit Seattle: Best of Seattle Tourism

Seattle is known for a unique lifestyle of laid-back coffee shops, pleasant waterfront relaxation and endless opportunities for outdoor activities. Explore the iconic downtown marketplace and cultural highlights. Visit distinct neighborhoods and venture beyond the city for amazing natural attractions.

Read the book Fish! about business success and employee morale at the Pike Place Fish Market. During the day see employees tossing fish as they fill orders. Nearby is the amazing but rather disgusting Gum Wall. Stop at the market’s many other shops for souvenirs and dining. The original Starbucks store is a popular attraction.

Walk the short distance to the Seattle Waterfront area for shopping, dining and attractions along several piers. Visit the touch pool at the Seattle Aquarium and ask questions of divers swimming among sea creatures in the giant tank. Enclosed gondolas on the Great Wheel provide comfortable rides year-round. Take a harbor cruise and gaze back at the city’s pretty skyline.

Wander along the downtown streets to tour the oddly shaped Central Public Library and the Seattle Art Museum. In the evening the Seattle Symphony performs across the street at Benaroya Hall.

Take the short overhead monorail to the Seattle Center and rise 520 feet (160 meters) in the Space Needle for 360-degree views encompassing Puget Sound, Mount Rainier and the entire Seattle area. At the base of the tower are several museums. The Experience Music Project features an eclectic collection ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Star Trek inside a Frank Gehry-designed building. See amazing artworks created from colorful glass in the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center offers inspiration for global innovation and aid.

Seattle’s Chinatown-International District is walkable from downtown. Visit great Asian restaurants and shops. Attend professional football or soccer at nearby CenturyLink Field and baseball at Safeco Field.

Gaze at Mount Rainier from many vantage points across the city or drive 2 hours from Seattle for a close-up view of this impressive snow-covered active volcano.

Best neighborhoods to visit in Seattle

Downtown Seattle

A clean, walkable city center with tree-filled public spaces, shopping, boutique bars and restaurants, and views across the Puget Sound.

Downtown Seattle

Capitol Hill

Experience the leafy green parks, world-class art gallery and electric nightlife of this up-and-coming Seattle neighborhood.

Capitol Hill

University District

As you stroll through the collection of urban shopping and historic homes, mix in with students rushing between classes or relaxing when their work is done.

University District

Ballard

Ballard is a welcoming neighborhood with many tasty options for bars and coffeehouses. The neighborhood has many charming qualities, its natural features among the more noteworthy. Other highlights include the local shopping and the natural splendor of the gardens.

Ballard

Belltown

Seattle’s ultra-modern side is evident in this neighborhood, where an active arts and partying scene thrives amid its shining skyscrapers.

Belltown

Queen Anne

Tour some of Seattle’s greatest sights in a neighborhood that encompasses spectacular architecture, colorful art and swaths of green parkland.

Queen Anne

Top hotels in Seattle

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Seattle’s skyline is instantly recognizable when you see this soaring slender structure, built as a showpiece for the 1962 World’s Fair.

Climb the steps from the waterfront to discover Seattle’s fresh food hub, the oldest farmers’ market in the U.S.

Thanks to its wood paneling, ancient fir tables and locally produced food, this conference center lets you experience the beauty of Seattle even when you’re inside.

A product of the 1962 World Fair, this cultural precinct is where sports, theater, film and fine dining come together in Seattle.

From tiny poison dart frogs to majestic lions, this award-winning zoo in Seattle gives you the opportunity to walk among the world’s most fascinating wildlife.

Take in breathtaking views of Seattle as you are suspended above Puget Sound on one of the tallest Ferris wheels in North America.

A wonderful place to stroll and dine, this ever-changing attraction is more than just a place where land meets sea.

Admire the riotous color of this museum’s exhibits, which feature kaleidoscopic glass sculptures from a renowned local glass artist.

Tickets & Tours

Seattle CityPASS® tickets include prepaid admission to Seattle’s top attractions at signifcant savings off the price of the same tickets purchased separately. CityPASS tickets are valid for nine consecutive days, beginning with the first day of use.

Tickets & Tours

Seattle’s must-see marvel is now a can’t-miss experience after the Space Needle's transformational renovation. Explore two entirely new levels of thrills, plus views of sparkling waters and snow-capped mountains.

Tickets & Tours

Escape the buzz of the city and venture out to the 5th most popular national park in the United States. From evergreen forests and wildflower-filled meadows, to thundering waterfalls and massive glaciers—immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of Mount Rainier National Park.

Tickets & Tours

Enjoy the Museum’s magical presentation of the worlds of flight in one of Seattle’s most spectacular settings. This world-renowned 25-acre campus displays over 160 airplanes and spacecraft, the original Boeing factory, flight simulators, and dozens of fun interactive family activities.

Tickets & Tours

Immerse yourself in the animal kingdom at Woodland Park Zoo, the 92-acre (37-ha) home to more than 1,100 animals and 300 species. The divided bioclimatic zones allow you to visit greater one-horned rhinos, African giraffes, and Asian small-clawed otters—among the newest residents.

Tickets & Tours

Hands-on experiences, iconic artifact displays, and in-depth exhibitions dedicated to the past, the present, and the supremely cool moments of pop culture make Museum of Pop Culture a destination unlike any other.

Visitor guides from our travel experts

Local experts explore every corner of Seattle for you

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