Best Places to Visit In Seattle

This is a list of some of the best places to visit in Seattle. Having been there a handful of times now, theses are some of my favorite places to visit and hangout when in the city. If you're intrested on other places in Washingtion, check out Top Destinations in Washington State.

Pike Place Market

You can not go to Seattle without visiting the well known Pike Place Market. Pike Place sits next to the Seattle downtown area, and overlooks Elliot bay. The market gets really busy during the day, as it's filled with many local artists selling art, flower shops, restaurants, and fish markets. There are many well known attractions in and around the market like the famous Seattle gum wall, the original Starbucks cafe, and can even watch the famous fish tossing. If you’re looking for a good bite, check out Pike Place Chowder for some delicious clam chowder served in a bread bowl.

Gas Works Park

What was once the location of a gasification plant, is now one of Seattle’s most beautiful parks. Gas Works Park is a lovely park that sits on the north end of Lake Union, and has a stunning view of the lake and Seattle skyline. This may be my favorite place in all of Seattle, as it's a great place to just hang out, enjoy the incredible view of the city, and be around people. The park is a great place to have an afternoon picnic or go for a walk. You’ll see plenty of other people walking the paved paths around the park and lounging around, enjoying the view of the boats covering Lake Union and the beautiful city beyond it.

Kerry Park

A small park in the Queen Anne Neighborhood, Kerry park provides the best and most iconic view of Seattle. On any given evening, you’ll find heaps of people gathering at this park to enjoy the city views at sunset. The park provides a number of benches and a railing at the edge of the park; which ends with a cliff. On a clear day, you’ll also be able to see Mount Rainier looming just to the right of the city skyline. Kerry Park is a must visit location in Seattle.

Seattle Center

Just north of downtown Seattle is the Seattle Center. The Seattle Center, originally built for the 1962 World Fair, consists of many art, educational, and tourist attractions. The most identifiable of them will be the famous Space Needle. Visible from just about anywhere in the city, the Space Needle has become synonymous with Seattle and impossible to imagine without. You can access the top of the Space Needle by buying an entrance ticket around the base of the structure, and see the best aerial view of Seattle. There are plenty of other things to do as well, like visiting the MoPOP just to the side of the Space Needle. The Museum of Pop Culture has an abundance of interesting displays on music, science fiction, and even a fun and interactive indie game section. I would recommend purchasing a ticket online before hand, as the tickets tend to sellout quick. Other attractions like the Chihuly Garden and Glass or Pacific Science Center are worth checking out as well, or even just a walk around the center will lead you to some interesting sculptures.

Washington Park Arboretum

Sitting within Washington Park, the Arboretum is a 230 acre collection of gardens that are open to the public. The park is well maintained jointly by the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the City of Seattle. They combine to allow for observers to see a diverse assortment of plants, some of which can not be found anywhere else in the Northwest. The gardens laid out around the park are displayed in themes such as seasonal, geographic, or taxonomic groups. At the heart of the park is the Azalea way, which is a three-quarter mile walk through beautiful azaleas, magnolias, and flowering cherries; all backdropped by vibrant evergreens. In the southend of the park is the Japanese Garden, which is the only part of the Arboretum with an entrance fee. The Japanese Garden is one of the finest of its kind outside of Japan, and one of the oldest in North America.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

If you’re a coffee lover, then stopping by the Starbucks Reserve Roastery will be a delight to you! The roastery is one of only six in the world, and is considered to be the flagship roastery of all the locations. The inside displays beautiful bronze machinery and the scent of freshly roasted coffee. You can enjoy taste testing and brewing methods or simply order a coffee. The roastery includes many amenities like unique brewing methods, rare Starbucks roast, specialty beverage menus, and many more exclusive luxuries that you can only find at a roastery.