What do you do if you only have 1 day in Seattle? I get asked this all the time from people coming for day trips from Vancouver BC, or from the Clipper in Victoria and quite often from people who are going on a cruise to Alaska from Seattle too. I’ve included some of my favorites in the list below and please feel free to message if you’re curious about anything on this list. All of these places are walkable from the downtown core.
What can you do if you have one day in the city and you’re staying downtown Seattle?
Pike Place Market
This is always my number one thing to do even though I live here and I visit at least once a week. Pike Place Market is iconically Seattle and it’s also the longest running public market in the United States. Places in the market you will likely want to see are Daily Dozen Doughnuts for made-right-in-front-of-you mini donuts, Pike Place Fish to see the fish fly through the air, a secret garden with great views, the gum wall and the Beecher’s cheese window where you can watch cheese being made. And when you walk through the day stalls you’ll see flowers that reflect our seasons changes all year round-from Tulips in early spring, and peonies in early summer to dried flowers in the winter months, you never get the same Pike Place Market experience.
You can sightsee from the water with Argosy Cruises
This is something that took us way too long to try as Seattle locals but it’s a perfect way to see the city. You can book either a one hour harbor cruise where you can get multiple views of the city skyline and see freighters loading cargo or a 2 hour locks cruise that takes you under bridges, through the Ballard Locks and near the famous Seattle houseboats. I have a video of the Ballard Locks Cruise on my instagram and it’s really cool to ride through this boat elevator. If you are doing the Harbor cruise along with other Seattle activities a cityPASS might help with discounts.
The “Almost Original Starbucks”
While you are in the market you need to stop at the almost Original Starbucks, or the oldest Starbucks you can visit. The original original Starbucks was a few blocks away and is no longer a Starbucks so this is the oldest shop. (If you want to see the site of the Original Seattle’s Best Coffee, this is also in Washington too, but not in Seattle. You can find Kapaw’s Iskreme shop in Coupeville on Whidbey Island and you’ll see the info about Seattle’s best on a sign on the wall of the building.). The lineup at the original Starbucks is usually incredibly long unless you are there before 9 in the morning-last I checked it opens at 7:30am but you need to always check the ACTUAL store listing before you go just in case. Almost next door to Starbucks is another Pike Place Market favorite-it’s Piroshky Piroshky and once you try their piroshkies you will wish you had more than one day in Seattle for sure.
The Starbucks Roastery
If you like Starbucks then you might also want to head to the first Starbucks Roastery as well. This is about a 20 minute walk away in Capitol Hill (uphill you’ve been warned) and in this gigantic factory-style store they have store specific drinks and merchandise and if you’re lucky you might see beans roasting and coffee being packaged too. Capitol Hill is a food-lover’s dream with almost any food you can imagine. I tend to frequent Oddfellows for lunch when I’m in the area and Glossier and Elliott Bay Book Company nearby. I also love Victrola Coffee and Mamnoon in this area too.
Seattle Waterfront to the Olympic Sculpture Park
If you don’t head from Pike Place Market up to the Starbucks Roastery, you can head down from the market to Seattle’s Waterfront. On a beautiful day this is really where you need to be in the city. There are many places to eat on the piers including Ivar’s, the Crabpot, and the Fisherman’s Restaurant. The walk from the Market to the Olympic Sculpture Park (which will be celebrating 20 years in 2022) is about 20-30 minutes but you can often find scooters or bikes to rent along the way. If you find one of these, you might even take it through the Sculpture Park to one of our favorite places to grab a pretzel and a cold drink from the Queen Anne Beerhall to take to the park and watch the sunset.
The Seattle Monorail to Seattle Center
From downtown Seattle you also have the option of taking the Seattle Monorail to Seattle Center. This is one of the shortest train rides you’ll probably ever take but it gives great views of the city and its entertainment just as much as it is transportation. If kids (or grown up kids) are lucky they can try to get the seat next to the driver. Once you reach Seattle Center, you have access to the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Seattle Children’s Museum, the Pacific Science Center and one of the greatest playgrounds in our city. (Also if you love coffee you can find Monorail Coffee downtown near Westlake Center where you catch your train-it’s in a little window and they are a local favorite as well. The new Museum of Illusions just opened up downtown Seattle a little near Westlake Center too.)
Have you ever spent just 1 day in Seattle? Is there anything you would add to this itinerary?
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)
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