Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Seattle?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Seattle?
Many visitors spend two to three days in Seattle during their visit. If you're not sure how much time you might need here, we have the answers because there's so much to see and do. This city offers a number of attractions to explore, including the museums and landmarks, the hiking, the big city activities, and the restaurant scene.
Located on the beautiful Puget Sound, Seattle is a quintessential Pacific Northwest city. It is filled with outdoor recreation, water activities, and an amazing restaurant scene. Pike Place Market is an iconic waterfront setting, but the famed Space Needle is the most recognizable sight of the city. Seattle is also at the heart of the country's tech industry, serving as the headquarters for large companies such as Microsoft and Amazon.
Do you have one or two days to visit Seattle? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Seattle?
With only one day, you might feel a bit pressed for time when it comes to exploring the main attractions. After all, The popular city of Seattle has many activities and attractions for visitors. To fully embrace Seattle, a longer visit is better. Most travelers tend to allocate two to three days to browse the museums, take a hike, enjoy the city's energy, and enjoy a meal at a restaurant. Nevertheless, if your schedule is limited, we can provide some suggestions to maximize your visit.
How to spend a day in Seattle
When visiting Seattle, you can't miss the Space Needle as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy it.
You'll absolutely want to spend some time enjoying the food scene in this city, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine for a meal or two. The city has many diverse dining options that make it a popular foodie destination. The seafood is world-class with many restaurants offering fresh caught salmon and oysters. There are also many great Asian restaurants with Pho, sushi, and dim sum all being popular around town. Seattle is also famous as the birthplace of Starbucks coffee, and both chain and independent coffee shops are common. Finally, make sure you check out the donuts at Pike's Place Market.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Savor the Sea: Guided Seafood Tasting at Pike Place Ma ($65)
- Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market- 2 Hours ($67)
- Pike Place Market Tasting Tour ($63)
Seattle is a very walkable city. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. Many neighborhoods are very walkable, particularly in the downtown and major tourist areas.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Seattle?
As a popular city, Seattle offers a large number of activities and attractions for visitors. A weekend is probably not enough. You'd feel rushed to see the main attractions of Seattle such as the great museums and landmarks along with the terrific hiking. To thoroughly enjoy all that the city has to offer, you'll probably want more than just a 2 day trip. Most travelers schedule two to three days to fully experience this city. Nevertheless, if a weekend is all you can spare, we have some suggestions for your weekend getaway to Seattle below.
Seattle, Washington
How to spend 2 days in Seattle
With a weekend (two to three days) in Seattle, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.
Plenty of amazing museums and famous landmarks make Seattle a special place to visit. Spend at least one full day visiting the sights that are appealing to you. The city's most iconic landmark is the Space Needle. There's also a zoo, aquarium, and a handful of nice museums. Several favorites include the Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of History & Industry, and the Seattle Art Museum.
A few tour suggestions include:
- All Day VIP Pass to Original Selfie Museum Seattle ($25)
- Smith Tower Straight Up Observatory Access Ticket ($22)
This city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. The city is known for its breweries and eclectic nightlife scene. There is a thriving theater scene as well as many bars and trendy restaurants. The best neighborhoods for nightlife include Capitol Hill, Belltown, and Downtown.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Seattle Terrors Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl ($38)
Public transit in Seattle is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the city quite easily. There is a light rail system, a monorail, a street car, and buses.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Seattle, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.