Seattle Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Seattle tours and things to do in the Emerald City: take in the views from the Space Needle, graze your way through Pike Place Market, cruise Elliott Bay and the Puget Sound, and head out to majestic Mount Rainier and the rainforests of Olympic National Park. Compare top-rated experiences and plan your perfect Pacific Northwest trip.
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Explore Seattle by interest
Whatever brings you to Seattle — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Pike Place & city
Market & sights.
ExploreMount Rainier
Iconic volcano.
ExploreHarbor cruises
Elliott Bay sails.
ExploreOlympic Park
Rainforest & coast.
ExploreBoeing & flight
Aviation heritage.
ExploreFalls & Leavenworth
Scenic day trips.
ExploreWhale watching
Orcas & whales.
ExploreSpace Needle
City icon.
ExploreTop attractions in Seattle
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Space Needle
City icon.
Pike Place Market
Famous market.
Mount Rainier
Iconic volcano.
Olympic Park
Rainforest & coast.
Elliott Bay
Harbor cruises.
Boeing Factory
Future of Flight.
Underground Seattle
History tour.
San Juan Islands
Whale watching.
Seattle in 3 days
- 1Day 1: the city
- 2Day 2: Mount Rainier
- 3Day 3: Olympic Park
- 4Harbor cruise
Seattle & Mount Rainier
- 1Drive to Rainier
- 2Guided hike
- 3Waterfalls & meadows
- 4Snoqualmie Falls
Seattle with kids
- 1Space Needle
- 2Pike Place Market
- 3Harbor cruise
- 4Whale watching
~2.5 hrs awayMount Rainier
Iconic volcano.
~3 hrs awayOlympic Park
Rainforest & coast.
~1 hr awayBoeing Factory
Future of Flight.
~30 min awaySnoqualmie Falls
Scenic waterfall.
Full day awaySan Juan Islands
Whale watching.
Full day awayVancouver BC
City day trip.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Seattle visitor asks before booking.
Summer (Jun–Sep)
The best time, with warm, dry, sunny days perfect for cruises, mountains and the islands.
Spring (Apr–May)
Fresh and green with blossoms and fewer crowds, though some mountain roads are still snowy.
Autumn (Oct–Nov)
Crisp, colourful and quieter, lovely for the city and lowland scenery.
Winter (Dec–Mar)
Cool and rainy in the city, with skiing in the nearby Cascade Mountains.
Best for mountains
July to September is best for Mount Rainier, with clear roads and wildflower meadows.
Whale season
Roughly April to October is best for whale watching in the Salish Sea.
One day
Pike Place, the Space Needle and a cruise.
Three days
Add Mount Rainier and Olympic Park.
Five days
Add the islands, Vancouver and wine country.
Nature lovers
More time for mountains and rainforests.
Foodies
Pike Place and neighbourhood food tours.
With kids
Sights, cruises and whale watching.
On foot
Downtown, Pike Place, the waterfront and Seattle Center are easily explored on foot.
Light rail & monorail
The Link light rail connects the airport and downtown, and the monorail links to Seattle Center.
Tours & transfers
Guided tours with pickup are the easiest way to reach Mount Rainier, Olympic Park and the Boeing Factory.
Ferries
Washington State Ferries offer scenic crossings of Puget Sound to the islands and peninsula.
Rental car
A car helps for independent day trips, though downtown parking can be pricey.
Getting there
Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport is linked to downtown by the Link light rail.
US dollars
Seattle uses the US dollar; cards are accepted almost everywhere, with tipping customary.
Book ahead
Mount Rainier, Olympic Park and Boeing tours fill up in summer — reserve in advance.
Dress in layers
Weather can change quickly; bring layers and a rain jacket even in summer.
CityPASS
A Seattle CityPASS can save money if you plan to visit several top attractions.
Clear-day views
On clear days, Mount Rainier is visible from the city — a great photo backdrop.
Plan travel time
Day trips to the mountains and park are long; book full-day tours and start early.
Mount Rainier tours
Day tours sell out in summer — book ahead.
Olympic Park tours
Limited day tours fill up — reserve early.
Boeing Factory
Popular factory tours have limited places — book ahead.
Pike Place food tours
Small-group food tours sell out — reserve early.
Space Needle
Timed tickets are best booked ahead in peak season.
Whale watching
Summer cruises fill up — reserve early.
Pike Place food tour
Around $40–70 for a guided market food tour.
Space Needle
About $35–60 for a Space Needle ticket, more with Chihuly.
Harbor cruise
Roughly $40–70 for a harbor cruise or sunset sail.
Mount Rainier tour
Around $120–180 for a full-day Mount Rainier tour.
Olympic Park tour
About $140–200 for a full-day Olympic National Park tour.
How to save
Join group tours, use a CityPASS and travel midweek.
Seattle through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mountains & sea.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Book ahead.
- Best for
- Blossoms, green.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Some snow up high.
- Best for
- Colour, quiet.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cooler, wetter.
- Best for
- Skiing nearby.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Rainy in city.