10 must-do experiences for your next trip to Seattle

National Geographic

3 hours ago

Known for its rainy weather and as the birthplace of Starbucks, Seattle offers far more than these well-worn reputations. From wandering the city's mysterious underground to immersing yourself in the vibrant glass art scene or joining the roar of crowds at a local sports game, these 10 experiences invite you to uncover what truly defines Seattle. Watch the fish fly at Pike Place Market in Seattle. In addition to fishmongers, the farmers' market also sells jewelry, art, baked goods, books, flowers, and more. Photograph by Peter Horree / Alamy Stock Photo Shop at Pike Place Market
Since 1907, the flying fish and buskers have injected Pike Place Market with an energetic vibe that represents Seattle's community spirit. You'll brush shoulders with chefs picking up seafood for their restaurants' dinner crowd, local entrepreneurs selling everything from jewelry to ceramicware, and residents grabbing lunch from generational vendors serving everything from piroshkis to chowder. 'Many locals are deeply engaged with Pike Place Market and genuinely shop there,' says Heather Refvem, director of operations at Savor Seattle, which offers tours centered around the market.
If you're looking to avoid the crowds, Refvem has one tip: 'I suggest visiting around 8 a.m., when the vendors are just setting up. It's the most peaceful and special time to experience the market.'
(Meet the famous fish throwers of Seattle's Pike Place Market) Visit a popular pop culture museum
The Museum of Pop Culture's (MOPOP) metallic exterior in hues of fuchsia, silver, and gold makes it hard to miss. Inside, the 140,000-square-foot space celebrates Seattle's creative legacy as the birthplace of grunge and a hub for indie game design and tech innovation. The Seattle Monorail, Seattle Space Needle, and Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) are all popular attractions located within the Seattle Center area of the city. Photograph by Eric Carr / Alamy Stock Photo
Start with 'Massive: The Power of Pop Culture,' an exhibition developed as an introduction to MOPOP itself. 'It explores what pop culture is, how it constantly evolves, why it's worth preserving and interpreting, and how MOPOP does that work. It's the perfect first stop for understanding both the museum and the wider cultural world we're all part of,' says Jacob McMurray, chief collections and exhibitions officer.
Don't miss the Sound Lab, where you can play drums and electric guitars, mix tracks, and record your own music like a pro. Try the Seattle's fresh seafood
Seattle's celebrated seafood scene nods to tradition, like alder-smoked salmon rooted in Indigenous practices, while also pushing boundaries as chefs blend local catch with global flavors. Whether you're perched at the rustic counter at Pike Place Chowder, slurping oysters at James Beard–nominated The Walrus & the Carpenter, or dining with a view of Lake Union and the Cascade Range at Canlis, one thing stays constant: the freshness. Local icons like Dungeness crab, geoduck, and black cod remind you you're squarely in Pacific Northwest waters.
(The essential guid to visiting Seattle) First-time visitors to Seattle should consider adding the Chihuly Garden and Glass to their itinerary. Colorful glass artworks created by American glass artist Dale Chihuly fill the sculpture garden. Photograph by Mara Brandl via imageBROKER.com/Alamy Stock Photo Delve into the glass art scene
Seattle's status as a global glass art hub owes much to Dale Chihuly, whose bold installations inspired a local community of glass artists who continue to shape the medium in unexpected ways
Though Seattle's home to several glass art galleries and studios, Paula Stokes, a local arts consultant and artist working primarily in glass and printmaking, says Chihuly Garden and Glass is essential viewing. 'Dale Chihuly's work in glass has pushed the boundaries of traditional glassmaking into the realm of fine arts and architecture. This venue is the perfect entry point into Seattle's glass art culture as it demonstrates his overarching vision and its evolution from simple objects to complex installations in a way that is visually engaging, delightful, and welcoming to all.'
Save time for the light-filled Glasshouse, a showstopper that's both functional and artistic. 'The red and yellow Persian chandelier soars overhead in undulating, dynamic curves, suspended in space,' says Stokes. Tour Seattle's underground
Beneath Pioneer Square, Seattle's oldest neighborhood and original downtown, lies a hidden layer of storefronts and passageways that once made up the city's original street level. 'It turns out that building at sea level is a bad idea. The fire gave the city planners an opportunity for a reset,' says Terrilyn Johnson, co-founder of Beneath the Streets, which offers walking tours of Seattle's underground. She's referring to the Great Fire of 1889, which destroyed 25 blocks. Planners rebuilt the city by raising the streets, leaving the old city underground. Through guided tours, you can learn about some of the quirky engineering features that were adopted during the rebuild, such as vault lights and hollow sidewalks. 'From early on, resilience and ingenuity have been a part of the city's history,' says Johnson.
(The 9 best hotels in Seattle for every kind of traveler) Explore the hip Capitol Hill neighborhood
Packed with vintage shops, indie record stores, buzzing bars, and music venues, this neighborhood just east of downtown is where creativity and self-expression thrive. Two deeply rooted, overlapping communities—artists and Seattle's queer and trans communities—have shaped Capitol Hill's unmistakable character. 'Everywhere you go, you can see evidence of this, from one of the nation's oldest lesbian bars, the Wildrose, to longtime music venues like Neumos, as well as murals, writers' cafes, street art, a bronze sculpture of Jimi Hendrix, and rainbow crosswalks that dot the landscape across Capitol Hill,' says Egan Orion, executive director of Seattle PrideFest.
To get a feel for the heart of Seattle's LGBTQ+ community, he recommends a walk down Broadway. 'Look up at the light poles at a myriad of flags that represent our community, then stroll through Cal Anderson Park, named after the state's first openly gay representative,' Orion says of one of the city's main gathering spots for PrideFest. Taste a locally-made craft brew
Situated near the Yakima Valley, which produces over 70 percent of the country's hops, Seattle has ready access to prized varieties like Citra, Mosaic, and Centennial, resulting in exceptionally fresh and flavorful beer. Add in a community of brewers experimenting with locally foraged ingredients and collabs with distilleries and coffee roasters, Seattle's craft beer scene is both creative and deeply rooted in place. Beer lovers will find more than 70 breweries across the city, primarily clustered in Ballard, Fremont, and SoDo. 'Every neighborhood in Seattle has a unique feel, and the breweries that exist in those neighborhoods reflect that spirit,' says Robyn Schumacher, co-owner and brewer at Stoup Brewing. 'I think of our breweries as hyper-local community centers where Seattleites hang out for just about every life event you can imagine, big or small.'
(7 of the best coffee shops in Seattle) Experience Seattle's game-day magic
With five major men's pro teams, two women's pro teams, and a spirited college football program, there's a good chance you'll be in town during a high-stakes game or match.
The stadiums themselves are part of the draw. Climate Pledge Arena, home to the WNBA's Seattle Storm and the NHL's Kraken, is the world's first zero-carbon certified arena. Over at Lumen Field, Seahawks fans bring the noise, while the Sounders (Major League Soccer) and Reign FC (National Women's Soccer League) rally equally electric crowds. At T-Mobile Park, you can catch a Mariners baseball game with views of the skyline and, on clear days, Mount Rainier at a distance.
No game day is complete without sinking your teeth into a Seattle dog, a street food staple that takes a classic hot dog and levels it up with a slather of cream cheese and a heap of grilled onions for a savory-sweet combo. Enjoy a perfect day on a lake, beach, or island
Seattleites take full advantage of the city's location because Puget Sound, Lake Washington, and Lake Union surround it. Catch a water taxi to Alki Beach, or hop the 35-minute ferry to Bainbridge Island, where the commute doubles as a scenic tour, with views of the downtown skyline and mountains.
If you're up for a paddle, kayak past bobbing houseboats and floating homes on Lake Union, while seaplanes lift off overhead. Visit the nearby national parks
The city's love of nature stretches far beyond its urban green spaces, as Seattle is also the ideal jumping-off point for two iconic national parks.
Mount Rainier National Park sits less than a two-hour drive away, and in summer, its alpine meadows burst into color, and the 5.5-mile Skyline Trail delivers views of glaciers, jagged peaks, and wildflower-filled terrain.
Olympic National Park is a bit farther, about a 2.5-hour drive from downtown Seattle, but it feels like three parks in one. Explore a rugged coastline lined with tidepools and sea stacks, lush moss-draped rainforests like the Hoh, and snow-dusted mountain ranges. Vivian Chung is a Vancouver-based freelance journalist who covers a wide range of lifestyle stories, including travel and outdoor adventure. Follow her on Instagram.