The Best Seattle Weekend Trip Guide & Itinerary from a Local
As a local, I need to recommend adding a Seattle weekend trip to your United States bucket list. Seattle is known for coffee culture, big tech, and rain, but to truly understand what Seattle is about you need to visit.
The city is beautifully located on the Puget Sound and surrounded by snowcapped mountains. I’d argue that Seattle is one of the most scenic cities in the United Sates.
I grew up in a suburb of Seattle, then went to college at the University of Washington. Since I have lived close to the city my entire life, I have spent many weekends exploring downtown including the great activities and restaurants.
A weekend in Seattle is the perfect amount of time to hit the highlights of the city, and this guide will explain how.
Keep reading to learn what to do in Seattle, where to stay, what to eat, and other Seattle travel tips from a local.
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3 Day Itinerary in Seattle
Day 1: Popular Tourist Sites in Seattle
Morning:
- Start your day with breakfast at Lola in downtown Seattle, known for its Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Don’t miss the famous donuts!
- After breakfast, head to Pike Place Market, one of Seattle’s iconic landmarks. Stroll through the market, sample fresh produce, and watch the famous fish-throwing at the fish market.
Lunch:
- Enjoy lunch at The Pink Door, a charming Italian restaurant with a hidden garden. The lasagna and seafood dishes are highly recommended.
Afternoon:
- Explore the Chihuly Garden and Glass, an art museum showcasing the stunning glasswork of Dale Chihuly.
- Walk to the nearby Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), which features interactive exhibits on music, pop culture, and science fiction.
Dinner:
- Have dinner at Tavolata, a cozy Italian restaurant offering delicious pasta dishes and an extensive wine selection.
Evening:
- Visit the Space Needle, one of Seattle’s most recognizable landmarks. Take the elevator to the top for panoramic views of the city and Puget Sound. I recommend visiting at sunset for the best views.
Day 2: Outdoor Adventures and Waterfront
Morning:
- Start your day with breakfast at The Biscuit Bitch, a local favorite known for its hearty biscuit sandwiches and coffee.
Late Morning:
- Head to Olympic Sculpture Park, a beautiful outdoor sculpture garden with stunning views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
Lunch:
- Enjoy a seafood lunch at Elliott’s Oyster House, located on the waterfront. Their fresh oysters and clam chowder are must-try dishes.
Afternoon:
- Take a scenic ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. Explore the island, visit the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, and enjoy the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Dinner:
- Return to Seattle and dine at The Crab Pot, a seafood restaurant famous for its “Seafeasts” where you can enjoy a variety of seafood, including Dungeness crab.
Day 3: Seattle Neighborhoods and Culture
Morning:
- Start your day with a breakfast at Portage Bay Cafe in the South Lake Union neighborhood, known for its delicious breakfast and extensive topping bar.
Late Morning:
- Explore the historic Pioneer Square district, home to art galleries, boutique shops, and the fascinating Underground Tour, which delves into the city’s history.
Lunch:
- Have lunch at Salumi, a beloved spot for artisanal cured meats and sandwiches, founded by Mario Batali’s father.
Afternoon:
- Visit Fremont, Seattle’s quirky neighborhood, and see the Fremont Troll sculpture. Stroll through the neighborhood, which is filled with street art, breweries, and eclectic shops.
Dinner:
- Dine at Red Star Tacos, a casual street taco restaurant in Fremont. Their margaritas are delicous!
Where to Stay in Downtown Seattle
Since you only planning to only spend a few days in Seattle during your Seattle weekend trip, I recommend staying downtown.
The best downtown hotels are the W Hotel Seattle and the Fairmont Olympic Seattle. Both are luxurious, with friendly staff, and are walking distance to major attractions and shopping.
If you are deciding between the two, the W is more modern and catered to a younger audience. The Fairmont Olympic is grand, traditional, and the large rooms are better for families.
If you prefer to stay in an Airbnb, some good neighborhoods with larger homes are Capitol Hill, Greenlake, or the nearby city of Bellevue.
What to Do in Seattle in a Weekend
There are many great activities in downtown Seattle. If you are only spending one weekend in Seattle, the below activities are the highlights that you will be able to see in a 3-day itinerary.
Pike Place Market
The Market is one of the most touristy activities in Seattle, but one that I do most myself. Pike Place Market is made up of stores, restaurants, and a farmer’s market.
I love wandering the stalls, eating my way around the restaurants, and enjoying the views of the water. If you plan to visit the market, this Chef’s tour is a great way to see and learn a lot in only two hours.
Chihuly Glass Museum
Dale Chihuly is one of the best glass artists in the world. The Chihuly Glass Museum is dedicated to showcasing his work. I am not much of a museum person, but this one is fantastic! Plan to spend around an hour checking it out.
Seattle Underground Tour
The current city of Seattle is actually built on the remains of the old Seattle that built down in the late 1800’s.
The Seattle Underground Tour explores the remains of the old city including abandoned storefronts and other remnants of old Seattle. The tour is unique, educational and a bit comical.
Be sure to take this tour during your weekend in Seattle because there’s nothing else like it in the world. If you like spooky things, take one of the night tours.
Harbor Cruise
To see the city from a different perspective, take a quick harbor cruise. You will see views of the city, the surrounding nature, and even whales if you are lucky.
This one-hour cruise is the perfect length for a weekend trip with a packed itinerary.
Gas Works Park
Gas works park is a popular local park that is on the Lake Union waterfront with great views of the Seattle skyline.
It also has the remnants of an old coal gasification plant that now serves as a unique photo backdrop and play area for children.
Cheer at a Sports Game
Even though Seattle’s sports teams aren’t always the best, we are very proud of them, and the games are a lot of fun.
Depending on the season and your favorite sport, plan to attend a Mariner’s baseball, Seahawk’s football, Sounder’s Soccer, or Kraken hockey game.
Where to Eat in Seattle
As a local, one of my main reasons for heading into the city is for the fantastic food and restaurants. While just three days in Seattle isn’t enough time to visit all my favorites, the below options are my top recommendations of where to eat in Seattle when you visit.
Breakfast:
Biscuit Bitch– Grab and go biscuits including biscuit sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, and simple biscuits with jam.
Based on the name, you can probably tell this place is a bit quirky and the menu follow suit. Stop by Biscuit Bitch on the morning of a busy day where you don’t have time to sit.
Portage Bay Café– Portage Bay has multiple locations around Seattle and is a local favorite for brunch. The highlight of Portage Bay is the unlimited toppings bar that comes with any sweet entrée order (pancakes, waffles, etc).
The toppings bar includes fresh fruit, whipped cream, granola, and other fun toppings.
Lunch:
For lunch on vacation, I love quick options or smaller bites. In Seattle, the best place for this is at Pike Place Market.
Stop by Beecher’s for some of the world’s best mac and cheese, Pike Place Chowder for a Chowder flight or Piroshky Piroshky for a pastry of your choosing.
Dinner:
The Pink Door– The Pink Door is one of my favorite restaurants in the entire world. It’s a small, upscale Italian restaurant in Pike Place Market.
The restaurant has fantastic water views, delicious food, and aerial performers on certain nights. Be sure to book your reservation a month in advance because they book up quickly.
Tavolata– For another great Italian option in Seattle, check out Tavolata. Tavolata is trendier and more casual than the Pink Door but the food is as good. Be sure to try any of their pasta dishes.
Daniels Broiler– For a special occasion or date night during your trip, be sure to try Daniels Broiler in South Lake Union.
This seafood and steak restaurant is high-end with excellent service and delicious food. What makes this restaurant extra special is the water views of Lake Union.
What to Pack for a Seattle Weekend Trip
Packing for Seattle is simple. The city has a very casual fashion culture so what you wear during the day can easily be worn at night.
In the summer, a casual sundress, romper or jeans and a blouse will be appropriate wherever you go. In the winter, a sweater, jeans and boots is a great option.
The shoppable collage above includes what I recommend packing no matter when you visit.
Unless it is the middle of summer and there is no rain anywhere in the forecast, I highly suggest packing a raincoat or umbrella. Above are two great raincoat options depending on how much warmth you are looking for.
The linked umbrellas are also my top two choices. The clear one is great to be able to see your surroundings easily and it matches with any outfit. The black umbrella is compact as easily fits into your purse.
Best Time to Visit Seattle
Seattle is best known for two things: Starbucks and never-ending rain. The latter is definitely accurate, but not as bad as you may think.
In some cities, rain will pour for a couple hours, then clear up. In Seattle, it will drizzle all day, but a raincoat is sufficient to deal with it.
While Seattle experiences all four seasons, when considering the best time to visit Seattle, you can think of it as two seasons – rainy and dry.
The dry season is in the summer from late June until early September. Summer in Seattle is the most popular time to visit with daily temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees.
The summer is also the most crowded and expensive time to visit.
Alternatively, you can visit Seattle in the off-season and still have a great trip. The city is built for bad weather, so there are plenty of indoor and covered activities to enjoy.
Getting to Seattle
There are two airports near Seattle. The biggest airport, that you will most likely fly into, is SeaTac International Airport (SEA) that is 30 minutes from the city.
If you live on the West Coast, you may also be able to fly into Paine Field (PAE) which is much smaller and around an hour from the city.
Alternatively, Seattle is a great stop on a Pacific Coast Highway road trip or a road trip from Vancouver, Portland, or Boise.
Transportation Around the City
Once you get to Seattle, I recommend utilizing public transportation and rideshares over having a car. Seattle is a difficult city to drive around, and parking is very expensive.
For public transportation, Seattle has the Link Light Rail train that connections neighborhoods such as Greenlake, University District, Downtown, and the International District.
There is also decent bus service within the metropolitan area. I recommend using google or apple maps to determine the best public transport route.
For destinations not feasible on public transport, Ubers and Lyfts are plentiful. Walking is also an option for close destinations but be warned that the city is very hilly.
How Many Days Do You Need in Seattle?
A long weekend in Seattle is a great amount of time to explore the city. This 3 day Seattle itinerary allows you to see all the popular tourist sites, taste some of the best food, and learn about the culture.
A longer itinerary of 4-5 days would allow for a couple day trips from Seattle to the surrounding suburbs or the mountains.
Overall, you can see plenty of Seattle in a weekend but can easily stay busy with a longer trip!
Safety in Seattle
As with all my travel guides, I like to provide the truth about the highlights and lowlights of a city. While I love Seattle, the homeless problem and safety concerns have gotten worse in recent years.
The city is safe during the day, simply be aware of your surroundings. Most of the homeless people are kind and gentle, but some are suffering from mental illness or drug addiction and can be unpredictable.
At night, travel in a group and try to avoid walking in less-crowded areas. I also recommend avoiding neighborhoods such as Belltown, Pioneer Square and SoDo at nighttime.
Fun Weekend Trips from Seattle
If you have been to Seattle before, you may want to spend your visit exploring beyond the city. Luckily, there are many great weekend trips from Seattle within a couple hour drive, including two national parks.
Chelan – Chelan is a lake town in North Central Washington. It’s a great destination for wine tasting, boating, and hiking.
Mount Rainier National Park – This beautiful national park is only a coupe hours south of Seattle. There are many amazing hikes, gorgeous mountain views, and romantic cabins.
Olympic National Park – There’s a second great national park within a couple hours of Seattle! Olympic National Park is on the coast and is home to one of the only rainforests in the United States.
Summary of this Seattle Weekend Trip Itinerary
This Seattle weekend getaway guide includes all you need to know to plan a successful vacation to downtown Seattle. The biggest takeaway is to see what is unique to the city and the Pacific Northwest through activities and food. This guide is sure to accomplish that!
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