Planning to spend 3 days in Seattle? Great choice, this is one of our favorite cities in the U.S.!
Seattle is a breathtakingly beautiful city – it hugs the Puget Sound – whose waters are abundant with whales. And not too far away in Mount Rainier National Park, you’ll find mountain scenery that looks like it has sprung from the pages of a travel brochure! It is, without a doubt, one of the best cities to visit in the U.S.!
You’ve come here in search of the best things to do in 3 days in Seattle and boy, will we deliver on that front. We’ve spent a lot of time in Seattle, as we lived in Whistler, which isn’t too far away, for a couple of years. And so we want to share with you all of our insider tips.
Of course, I’ve highlighted the not-to-be-missed attractions – places like the Seattle Space Needle, Pike Place Market and, the Chihuly Gardens. But I’ve also included some off-the-beaten-path gems on this three-day Seattle itinerary too. Think, the super-cute Bainbridge Island (which we adored!), the quirky neighborhood of Fremont, and of course the infamous Chewing Gum Wall!
In short in this blog, we’ll introduce you to experiences that are not on most Seattle itineraries. So let’s get started!
Is 3 Days Enough to Visit Seattle?
Yes, 3 days is enough time to spend in Seattle. You can pack a lot into three days in Seattle! For example, you’ll get to see the city’s top sights like the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and the Museum of Pop Culture. In 3 days in Seattle, you’ll also be able to squeeze in a day trip to either gorgeous Leavenworth or the quirky Bainbridge Island. But not both. This is why I recommend allowing 5-6 nights in Seattle, if possible.
Related Read: If you’re short on time then two days in Seattle will be the perfect amount of time to see the city. But, it won’t allow for a day trip to Mount Rainier National Park!
Day 1 – Pike Place Market, Bainbridge Island, Beneath the Streets Tour
Morning – Have coffee at the first Starbucks in the world
Start off day one in Seattle at the very first Starbucks in the world!
Yup, the very first Starbucks store is located right here in Seattle. It’s been open for over 50 years and is surprisingly small at just 1,000 square feet. I don’t know why, but I was expecting it to be much bigger. Nonetheless, if you’re a coffee fan, you just have to visit the starting point of the most famous coffee brand in the world! Would you believe there are now over 20,000 Starbucks stores in the world?
Not much has changed in the store since it first opened its doors; the floors, the fixtures, the counters, and the Starbucks sign out front are over 50 years old. You can get everything you’d expect from a Starbucks here from normal coffee and espresso to chai tea lattes and caramel Frappuccinos!
The first Starbucks store is located at 1912 Pike Place, opposite the famous Pike Place Market. It will be hard to miss because there’s likely a queue of lots of people snaking down the street!
Late Morning – Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market sure is a Seattle icon, it’s all hustle and bustle and noise. But, that’s why I love it – here, fishmongers throw large fish to each other and to tourists in an almost staged performance that sure is a lot of fun to watch! The market area is a whopping 9 acres and is filled with some of Seattle’s best restaurants, Cafes, and some unique gift stores.
The market is best explored with a local – someone who can tell you where to go and where to avoid. So, this Pike Place Market Tasting Tour is ideal and lets you sample the very best of this world-famous market. Including Indian samosas, Italian gelato, Greek Yogurt, Pacific Northwest Native American-style smoked salmon, America’s best-rated clam chowder, Italian truffles, the best wild salmon burger in Seattle, and more. Your guide will tell you all about the colorful characters who work here, some of whom have been here since it first opened in 1971.
The tour is 2 hours in length and costs just $62 USD per person! What’s handy is that you can book it now and pay later, and it also offers free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
Book the Pike Place Market Tour here
Afternoon – Cruise over to Bainbridge Island
Just a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle is the very-cute and photogenic Bainbridge Island. You can walk to the main town here -Winslow, from the ferry terminal, or take your car or bike on-board the ferry and drive or cycle the short distance. When I say town, Winslow is more of a village filled with cozy bookstores, Cafes, and boutiques. Stretch your legs further on a short walk to Waterfront Park from the town.
Or head to Blakely Harbor Park, a 40-acre park built on the site of an old mill, which was one of the biggest sawmills in the world in the late 1800s. The park is popular for kayaking and wildlife viewing, and there’s also a surprisingly photogenic, crumbling, graffiti-covered building.
In warmer weather, head to a local favorite hangout – Lytle Beach, you can enjoy the warm waters of Rich Passage here – it’s one of the warmest bodies of water on the island. We also loved relaxing on Point White dock during the warmer evenings we spent here.
If you’d like to try some diving, Bainbridge Island is known as one of the best dive spots in Seattle. You should head to Rockaway Beach, also known as Norrander’s Reef – a shore-accessible dive spot that boasts lots of unique rocks, rockfish, kelp crabs, hermit crabs, and more! When we dive part of our gear is this stylish waterproof dive watch. They are designed for clear visibility even in very low light conditions and are perfectly suited to us as they’re stylish and in can be used as a backup to a dive computer (if it fails).
You won’t have time with only three days in Seattle but for your next visit to the ‘rainy city’, I highly recommend spending the night at the fairytale-esque Eagle Harbor Inn on the island.
Early Evening – Beneath the Streets Tour
Seattle’s reputation as the rainiest city in the U.S. means that indoor activity options are always a good-shout. And this underground tour, which explores eerie subterranean passages is a must-do in Seattle.
This short one-hour tour takes you back in time to explore over 4 historic blocks of Pioneer Square and underground pathways built way back in the 1890s. Your guide will tell you all about the history of Seattle, most notably the decision to bring the city’s streets above the swampy ground. Essentially, on this tour, you are exploring what should have been Seattle CBD.
The tour costs from $29 USD per person. There are various tour start times throughout the day, including one at 4:30 pm, which is the one I recommend booking if you’re following this three-day Seattle itinerary!
Book the Beneath the Streets Tour here.
Dinner in Pioneer Square
This evening, I recommend heading to Pioneer Square, aka the oldest part of the city. Yep, it’s here that the city’s founding fathers first settled way back in 1852. And you can see remnants of its fascinating past in the brick buildings that line the streets. Be sure to also check out the huge totem pole and the iron pergola.
Today, it’s a popular shopping and nightlife destination, and it’s also where you’ll find some of the best restaurants in Seattle, like Nirmal’s, one of the best Indian restaurants in the state, and 84 Yesler, a modern upscale eatery that specializes in Italian and Japanese fusion.
Day 2 – Day Trip to Mount Rainier National Park
Today, we recommend getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city and out into nature. Of course, no 3-day Seattle itinerary would be complete without a visit to one of the most beautiful national parks in the country. The distance between Seattle and Mount Rainier N.P. is 172 km (107 miles), and you’ll need at least a couple of hours at the park – which is why we recommend one full day here.
On your visit today you’ll witness stunning mountain scenery like wild-flower meadows, old-growth forests, and waterfalls on this full-day tour to Mount Rainier National Park. Your professional guide will guide you through the area on a hike, which will be adapted to suit all fitness levels and abilities. So, even if you’re not a hiker you’ll still enjoy it as the guide will only go at a pace that’s comfortable for you.
Mount Rainier National Park has been described as “an arctic island in a temperate sea” because of the contrast of the huge snow-covered mountain with the colorful wildflower meadows!
After exploring the Park, you will visit the interpretive center at Paradise to discover more about the Park’s glaciers, plants, and animals. And finally, one of the best stops at Wapiti Woolies to try their famed (& delicious) huckleberry ice cream.
The tour includes hotel pick-up and drop-off, lunch is extra so you can choose to enjoy this at a mountain-side Cafe or pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it in the Park. The tour costs from $185 USD per person.
Book the tour to Mount Rainier National Park here.
Day 3 – Whale Watching Tour, Seattle Space Needle, Chihuly Gardens
Morning- Whale Watching Cruise
Enjoy the experience of a lifetime with this half-day whale-watching tour, which guarantees a whale sighting. It’s also the only whale-watching tour in Seattle, and it departs from the Edmonds neighborhood, which is just a few minute’s drive from Seattle CBD.
On the tour, you may spot orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, and gray whales! There are also dolphins, seals, sea lions, and more marine life. The scenery on the boat ride is stunning, too, with the San Juan Islands in the distance and the city skyline behind you.
The boat is super-comfortable, too, with a large indoor seating area with big windows to spot the whales and an outdoor viewing platform to get as close as possible to the sea life. There’s also a Cafe on board; I hear their blueberry buckle is delicious!
Afternoon – Seattle Space Needle
At 605 feet tall, Seattle’s Space Needle is easily the most recognizable sight in the Seattle skyline. It is in fact, one of the most photographed buildings in the world.
From the top of the Space Needle, you can enjoy 360-degree views of downtown Seattle, Puget Sound, and the Olympic Mountains. There’s an all-glass floor on The Loupe, which is the first and only rotating glass floor in the world! Downtown Seattle is literally underneath your feet, so if you get a little queasy at heights, then this may not be the case for you! Higher up in the Space Needle is the upper level, which has floor-to-ceiling glass and is great for photos!
Pretty cool is that you can watch the views from the Space Needle from the comfort of your own home, via their webcam!
Top Travel Tip: You can visit the Space Needle on the CityPass which gives you access to 5 of Seattle’s top sights including the Seattle Aquarium, the Museum of Pop Culture, Woodland Park Zoo, Chihuly Gardens and Glass, and Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour all for a discounted price. The CityPass costs from $125 USD per adult.
Late Afternoon – Chihuly Gardens and Glass
My next suggested stop for you today is one of the most Instagrammable museums we’ve ever visited – the Chihuly Gardens and Glass. And handily it’s located next to the Space Needle. Another huge benefit is that you can use your CityPass to visit it (no extra charge!)
It’s such a unique museum and is a tribute to Washington native artist Dale Chihuly – if you love art, you’ve probably heard of him. But even if you’re not a museum fan, this is still worth a visit, believe me!
You could easily spend two hours or more here wandering the 8 galleries and garden. But my favorite part was the magnificent Glasshouse.
If you have time, it’s worth checking out the Capitol Hill neighborhood afterward. It’s a cool, vibrant area with great Cafes and restaurants. And it’s also close to Lake View Cemetery where Bruce Lee is buried. A must-see if you’re a fan, like my husband!
Evening – Chewing Gum Wall
The Seattle Chewing Gum Wall is hidden away in Post Alley, an alleyway off Pike Place in downtown Seattle. The gum wall has been accumulating gum since the early 90s, and it now stretches 50 feet. It is filled with all different colors of gum and even some caricatures and names written on the gum wall. It’s a popular backdrop for photos, and you’ll see hundreds of tourists snapping selfies of themselves as you walk the length of the wall. It’s definitely one of the weirdest and grossest sights in Seattle!
Would you believe it – the wall was only cleaned once in 2015?
Dinner in Fremont
About a 15-minute drive from downtown is the vibrant, quirky Fremont neighborhood. It was originally a city itself but was joined with Seattle in 1891. Locals will tell you that Fremont is “the center of the universe,” and there’s even a sign here that states that it is! But even if we don’t agree with the slogan on the sign, Fremont is still the perfect spot to end your 3 days in Seattle.
For one, it’s home to some of the best restaurants in Seattle – as a BIG fan of Mexican cuisine, I love Red Star Taco Bar, while my husband really enjoyed Jai Thai restaurant.
Some of Seattle’s most weird and wonderful sights can be found right here in Fremont. They include the Fremont Troll, the Fremont Rocket, or a communist statue of Lenin, both of which are within walking distance of one another!
Where to stay in Seattle
- Fairmont Olympic Seattle – a 5-star hotel on University Avenue, in fact, the building itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rooms offer city views with French-inspired furnishings. There are numerous on-site restaurants. Rooms cost from $250 per night.
- The Arctic Club Seattle – is a Hilton DoubleTree 4-star hotel on 3rd Avenue. The hotel has a lot of dark-wood and moody lighting all adding to the overall cozy feel. It’s just a 5-minute walk from here to Pike Place. Rooms costs from $300 per night.
- Seattle Marriott Waterfront – this waterfront hotel, located in Eliott Bay is just a 5-minute walk from the Seattle Aquarium. Many of the rooms here have a balcony with either ocean or mountain views. One of the biggest pluses for this hotel in the indoor/outdoor connecting swimming pool. Rooms here cost from $132 per night.
- Inn at the Market – the only hotel located inside the famous Pike Place Market, the rooms are bright and spacious and some have water views. My top tip for this hotel is to have a drink at the rooftop bar for fabulous views of the city and sea. Rooms here cost from $240 per night.
- Green Tortoise Hostel – a great budget-friendly option, this hostel is located on Pike Street, just opposite Pike Place. It has a fully-equipped kitchen games room and offers private rooms up to 8-bed dorms. Prices start from $34 per night.
- College Inn Hotel – Another fantastic budget-friendly option located in the University District. This hostel is clean, friendly and has fantastic reviews. Prices start from $30 per night.
Related Read: Check out my guide to the most unique Airbnb’s in the United States. They’re so cool!
Getting to Seattle
As I said, we drove to Seattle from our hometown of Whistler, Canada. It’s just under a 4-hour drive. Friends of ours who were living in Vancouver and didn’t have their own car decided to rent a car for their 3 days in Seattle. We recommended they use Discover Cars which is like a search engine for rental cars and they got a great deal. You can filter by car type, price, automatic vs manual, and other factors. Which is so handy!
If you’re flying into Seattle International Airport, you can catch the Link light rail into the city. Trains leave every 10 minutes throughout most of the day. The light rail is well-signposted from baggage claim at the airport. The ride costs around $5 USD one-way and takes around 40 minutes, depending on where you get off.
Alternatively, you can book a welcome pickup (same price as a cab without the hassle of queuing) which will cost over $50 USD and is quicker at around 20 minutes (without traffic). Your driver will meet you at arrivals and help with your luggage.
Getting around Seattle City is a breeze. It’s a very walkable city and we actually didn’t take public transport once while we were here as the weather was so mild. And we love to walk! But, if you wish the Seattle Center Monorail is a great system and it costs $2.25 USD for a one-way ticket. You can also catch the light rail and the bus around the city.
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you enjoyed reading my guide to 3 days in Seattle! 3 days is just enough time to scratch the surface of this incredible city – there really is SO much to do here!
If you enjoyed this blog post, I also have lots of other blog posts on some of my favorite places in North America including the best towns near San Francisco, best things to do in Whistler and the drive from Whistler to Banff.
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Last Updated on December 12, 2024 by snaphappytravel