5 Things to Do on Your First Visit to Seattle

Lake Union with the Space Needle in the distance

If you’re planning an upcoming trip to the Emerald City, you may be wondering about the must-dos and sees. Below, I’ve listed 5 things to do on your first visit to Seattle!

In November of 2018, I began my move to Seattle, WA from Greenville, SC. I’d only visited the city once before. In high school, I spent 3 days in the city, and then 7 years passed between my visit and move. After that amount of time, it felt like a brand new place for me, so I wanted to play tourist again and get to know the city I was about to call home.

Since moving here, I’ve had a few visits from family and learned how to play tour guide. So, here are my top 5 things to do on your first visit to Seattle!

1. The Space Needle

The Space Needle is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Seattle. It is to Seattle what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, and provides excellent views of the city, the Olympic and Cascades mountain ranges, Elliott Bay, and Lake Union.

It was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair as an example of the future of architecture. Its futuristic flying saucer design went along with the “Century 21” theme. Even the paint colors are space-themed: the legs are “Astronaut White” and the roof is painted “Galaxy Gold.”

The Needle stands over 600 feet high, and offers 360° views. The elevators will take you up to the top floor first, which offers angled glass walls and benches to give you the feeling you’re leaning out over the edge. There are numerous “selfie” stations that you can stand in front of and have your picture taken hands-free. Then, you can save the photo from your Space Needle app!

If you take the spiral staircase down to the lower level, you’ll find The Loupe. This is the world’s first revolving glass floor! This area used to contain the elegant SkyCity rotating restaurant. I sadly never got to eat here before it was renovated in 2019. But now you can step out onto the glass to be treated to dizzying views of the ground 600 ft below as you slowly rotate around.

I have been up at all times of day (noon, sunset, and night) and I personally recommend going at sunset. The light is dazzling over the bay, and if you stay long enough you’ll be treated to both daylight views with the mountains visible and nighttime views of the city lit up. Just know that the wait to ride up can be an hour or more at this popular time.

A trip to Seattle isn’t complete without a visit to its most iconic landmark, and the views and photo opportunities are amazing.

2. Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market opened in 1907 and is one of the oldest continuously run farmer’s markets in the US. It’s one of the top 50 most visited tourist attractions in the world! The market (as locals refer to it) is always bustling with shoppers and a wide variety of vendors.

The main level contains numerous local produce stands, flower sellers, food vendors, fish stalls, and craft stands. Pike Place Fish Market is perhaps the most famous. These fish sellers are known for throwing the fish through the air before they’re wrapped.

Next, venture down Post Alley to find the infamous Bubblegum Wall. You can tell you’re heading in the right direction by the sickly sweet smell in the air. Make sure to snap a picture in front of this yucky landmark, and if you’re brave enough, add your own sticky contribution!

Right in front of the fish market you’ll see a life-sized bronze pig named Rachel. She serves as both the unofficial mascot of the market and a giant piggy bank. All money received goes towards serving the low-income community of the market and their social services.

There’s a maze of shops below the main level, selling everything from records, Native American carvings, vintage periodicals, to video games. It’s worth wandering through and I feel like I discover a new shop every time I venture down.

Food in the Market

Other popular stops in the market are the first Starbucks Coffee, Piroshky Piroshky, Beecher’s Cheese, and Pike Place Chowder. If this stop is on your must-see list, I’d recommend going as early as you can or right before closing. There are always crowds and a long line during the day. Also, check out the Starbucks Roastery on Capitol Hill.

Piroshky Piroshky selles delicious freshly made pirogis and also forms long lines. Beecher’s sells the best macaroni and cheese along with a wide range of other delicious dairy products.

Pike Place Chowder is a personal favorite of mine and is a must-eat. The market location doesn’t offer much seating and often has a long line. But if you don’t mind the walk, here’s a tip: there’s a second location in Pacific Place mall a few blocks away. This one offers more indoor seating with the same menu.

My favorite thing to shop for in the market is definitely the flowers. Local flower farms sell bouquets beautifully arranged with blooms in season. These bouquets are super reasonably priced; I can’t think of anywhere else you can get flowers like this for such an affordable price. I frequently stop by on my way home from work to pick out a bunch to take home.

You could easily spend a whole afternoon exploring and tasting all that Pike Place has to offer, so definitely plan a few hours for this landmark!

3. Chihuly Garden and Glass

Located at the base of the Space Needle in Seattle Center, Chihuly Garden & Glass displays the whimsical blown glass creations of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Chihuly is a Tacoma native, so the area is proud to house his art.

Take your time wandering through the various rooms of the museum, and be sure to snap some pictures. The exhibits’ intense color makes for awesome photography! The massive suspended sculpture and view of the Needle from the Glass House makes it my favorite area of the museum. The garden itself is breathtaking because of the way the glass sculptures are integrated with the foliage. Each section’s flowers and plants are color-coordinated with the glass they display.

The Space Needle as seen from inside the Glass House

If you plan on doing both Garden & Glass and the Space Needle, I’d recommend looking into the Seattle CityPASS. This $99 pass is well worth the price. It covers admission to the Space Needle, a harbor cruise aboard the Argosy, and a choice between Woodland Park Zoo or the Museum of Pop Culture and the Pacific Science Center or Chihuly Garden & Glass.

4. Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden is off the beaten path, up in the lovely Madison Park neighborhood. It’s just a 15-minute car ride from downtown but feels like a hidden paradise within the city. The Japanese Garden makes up part of the larger Washington Park Arboretum. The Arboretum is a 230-acre park designed by the famous Olmsted Firm (known for designing New York’s Central Park and the Biltmore Estate).

The Garden

The Japanese Garden requires an $8 admission fee and has free walking tours throughout the day. It’s a beautiful example of classical Japanese landscaping and includes footbridges, water features, and a variety of beautifully maintained plants. Fall is one of the best times to see it, because of the maples turning bright red and orange.

The Arboretum

The rest of the Arboretum is definitely worth a walk-through if you’ve got the time. It’s easy to get lost (in a good way!) meandering through the hundreds of trails that traverse the gardens. You’ll find different areas dedicated to azaleas, rhododendrons, formal gardens, woodland creeks, giant sequoias, and even exotic plants from around the world. Walk all the way to the end to a point overlooking Union Bay.

So strap on your walking shoes or hop on a Jump bike to explore this gem of a park!

5. Kerry Park and Gas Works Park

Technically, this is two things. I put both of these parks for the fifth thing to do on your first visit to Seattle because they each offer some of the best views of Seattle’s skyline. If you’re pressed for time, either one would be a great choice for a photo. However, each offers something a little different, so you can do them both.

Kerry Park

Kerry Park is located in the Queen Anne neighborhood overlooking Seattle. For fans of 90s rom-coms, you may recognize it from the title scene of 10 Things I Hate About You. The park itself is small, just a little plot of land atop one of Queen Anne’s steep hills. There’s a small parking lot, or you can park on one of the surrounding residential streets. This park is great for photos and is the best view of Seattle. You can see downtown, the Space Needle, Elliott Bay, and, on a clear day, Mount Rainier in the distance.

Gas Works Park

For a close-up view of the city, head to Gas Works Park. This unique park still has the original gasification plant structures built by Seattle City Light. Here, you can walk along the smooth hilltop to look over Lake Union to the skyline and Space Needle. Lake Union is popular for sailing, so relax with a picnic while watching the soothing sight of white sails passing by. Head down to the water’s edge and look to see if you can spot some famous houseboats: the houseboat from Sleepless In Seattle is located here, along with the vacation rental houseboat from Netflix’s Stay Here.