Things to Do in Seattle, Market to Parks
Seattle rewards a mix of food, art and green space. Prices below are in US dollars and exclude sales tax, which adds roughly 10 percent at the register. Tipping 18 to 20 percent is standard in restaurants and bars.
Pike Place Market
The market at 85 Pike St is free to enter and open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Most shops keep roughly 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours, while merchants and food stalls often open earlier and stay later, from about 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Go early on a weekday to see the fish and produce stalls before the crowds build. Pike Place Market visitor information lists current hours and events.
Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks
The Locks and fish ladder are free grounds run by the US Army Corps of Engineers, where boats move between Puget Sound and the fresh water of the Ship Canal. Visitor center hours change with the season and reports disagree, so check with the Corps before you go. Free tours are reported at 2 p.m. on open days. The north lot is paid city parking.
Discovery Park
At more than 500 acres, this is the city’s largest park, with forest trails, bluffs and a beach on Puget Sound. Daybreak Star, a Native cultural center, sits inside the park. Wear layers, because the bluff catches the wind even on sunny days.
Seattle Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park
Adult admission at the Seattle Art Museum is about $30, with reduced prices for seniors, military, students and teens, and free entry for children 14 and under. Entry is free for everyone on the first Thursday of each month. The Olympic Sculpture Park on the waterfront is free to visit all year.
Paddling on Lake Union
Northwest Outdoor Center at 2100 Westlake Ave N rents kayaks and paddleboards. Rates and days change, so confirm before you arrive. Washington law requires a Coast Guard-approved life jacket for every person aboard a kayak, canoe or paddleboard, and children 12 and under must wear one. Lake and Sound water stays cold all year, so dress for a dunk rather than a swim, and stay out of the water near Gas Works Park, where the shoreline has contaminated sediment.
Glass, metal and wood classes
Pratt Fine Arts Center at 1902 S Main St in the Central District teaches glassblowing, metalwork and woodwork. Class schedules change, so look at its calendar before planning around a session.
Seattle Center icons
The Space Needle (400 Broad St) charges roughly $35 to $55 for general admission depending on season and time of day, with timed entry. Chihuly Garden and Glass next door lists adult tickets at about $40 to $45. A combined ticket is listed at $74 on both official sites. Compare options at the Space Needle plan-your-visit page .
Getting around
Link light rail costs a flat $3.00 per ride for adults, free for riders 18 and under, with a single tap on a contactless card or phone before boarding. See Sound Transit fares for details. Seattle is hilly, so comfortable shoes matter more than they would in a flat city.
Read more: outdoor activities in Seattle covers parks, waterfront walks and more places to be outside. To compare guided options, browse Seattle tours and activities .