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Seattle
Photo: Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0

3 Days · in Seattle

3 Days in Seattle: The City, the Locks & Lake Union

Three days lets you see Seattle's main sides at a comfortable pace. The first day covers the market, the waterfront and Pioneer Square, the second Seattle Center, and the third the Ballard Locks, Fremont and Lake Union.

3 days

Day 01

Pike Place Market, the Waterfront & Pioneer Square

The market, the bay and Seattle's oldest neighborhood.

  1. Morning

    Pike Place Market

    Arrive early to watch the market open, see the fish fly at Pike Place Fish Market and graze on pastries and fruit.

  2. Late Morning

    Overlook Walk & Waterfront

    Walk the Overlook Walk down to the waterfront and visit the Seattle Aquarium.

  3. Lunch

    Waterfront

    Have chowder or fish and chips at Ivar's Acres of Clams on Pier 54.

  4. Afternoon

    Pioneer Square

    Take the Underground Tour and visit the free Klondike Gold Rush museum.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Smith Tower Observatory

    Ride up to the 35th-floor observatory for views over the waterfront.

  6. Evening

    Pike Place Market restaurants

    Have dinner at Matt's in the Market or The Pink Door, booked in advance.

Day 02

Seattle Center & Queen Anne

The Space Needle, glass art, pop culture and the classic skyline view.

  1. Morning

    Monorail to Seattle Center

    Ride the 1962 monorail from Westlake Center to Seattle Center.

  2. Late Morning

    Space Needle

    Go up the Space Needle and step onto the rotating glass floor.

  3. Lunch

    Lower Queen Anne

    Have lunch in Lower Queen Anne, near Seattle Center.

  4. Afternoon

    Chihuly Garden and Glass & MoPOP

    Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass, then explore the Museum of Pop Culture.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Kerry Park

    Head up Queen Anne Hill to Kerry Park for the classic skyline view at sunset.

  6. Evening

    Belltown

    Have dinner and drinks in Belltown, or catch a game at Climate Pledge Arena.

Day 03

Ballard, Fremont & Lake Union

Locks and salmon, a troll, an oyster bar and sunset over the lake.

  1. Morning

    Ballard Locks

    Watch boats pass through the locks and look for salmon in the fish ladder.

  2. Late Morning

    Ballard Avenue

    Stroll the historic storefronts of Ballard Avenue, or visit the National Nordic Museum.

  3. Lunch

    Ballard

    Have a Caribbean sandwich at Un Bien or oysters at The Walrus and the Carpenter.

  4. Afternoon

    Fremont

    Find the Fremont Troll and explore the neighborhood's quirky public art.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Gas Works Park

    Walk to Gas Works Park and climb Kite Hill for views across Lake Union.

  6. Evening

    Kamonegi

    Have handmade soba at Kamonegi in Fremont, booked in advance.