Seattle is a cosmopolitan waterfront city often voted as one of America’s favourite cities, due to it’s beautiful natural setting surrounded by the waters of Lake Washington and Puget Sound and set against the spectacular backdrop of the Olympic Mountains.
A thriving, young, dynamic city, home to Microsoft and Boeing, most people visit Seattle for the scenery and outdoor activities surrounding the city.
Seattle is often overlooked in favour of popular West Coast destinations like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but I really liked visiting Seattle, and not just because of my love of Pearl Jam.
Here’s the inside scoop on Seattle including what to do, where to stay and how to save money.
How to Get from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Seattle Airport is located 19km south of Seattle. Buses run 24 hours a day and you can get a shuttle which runs a door to door service. Taxis are also available and will cost around $30. The journey to the city takes around 30 minutes.
Where to Stay
If you are on budget the Green Tortoise Seattle is my top pick! They have a prime location in downtown Seattle literally across the street from Pike’s Place Market. The hostel itself has a chill vibe with 3 free dinners a week, as well as comfy beds each with a light, a mini fan for warm nights and a curtain divider for privacy.
Getting Around
Stay centrally and you can walk around the city taking in some of the main attractions. In the majority of downtown Seattle, bus fare is completely free between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. You can hop on and off as many times as you like says Seale, and the transportation in the free-ride zone will still cost you nothing. According to the city’s Metro Transit website, the zone extends from Battery Street to South Jackson Street, and from Sixth Avenue to the waterfront.
Seattle on a Budget
If photos of the iconic Space Needle have you dreaming of a getaway, I’m happy to report you’ll be able to travel to Seattle affordably. This isn’t a super cheap city, but it is better value for money compared to Los Angeles and NYC. There are also lots of tourism activities which are totally free.
Top Things to Do in Seattle
The Seattle Center is home to the city’s most recognisable landmark – the Space Needle. Take a ride up to the observation deck for great views of the city and coastline.
Pike Place Market still thrives as a working market as it did in the last century and features local handcrafted items, a variety of unique pubs, restaurants and is home to the original Starbucks.
Be sure to check out Capital Hill, this is a vibrant, colourful and trendy neighbourhood with quirky shops, bars and night-spots.
On the waterfront the promenade and piers that line Elliot Bay are in constant action, with shops, restaurants, harbour tours and island cruises.
The biggest and best of Seattle’s museums is the Museum of Flight which charts the history of flight via the Wright brothers to the growth of Boeing. In the Great Gallery there are 20 full size aircraft and a replica of John Glen’s 1962 Mercury space capsule.
Parks
Seattle has more than 400 parks and open spaces as the top places to have frugal fun. Of note is the Warren G. Magnuson Park on the shores of Lake Washington. It offers one of the largest off-leash dog parks in the city, as well as a free outdoor climbing wall and bouldering pit.
Golden Gardens Park on the other hand, has a beachfront location, barbecue pits and plenty of kite-flying space for families. Washington Park Arboretum is another city gem boasting a 230-acre botanical garden with hiking trails and a rhododendron forest.
Culture
Budget options abound, including the lunchtime concerts held throughout the year at Seattle City Hall Plaza. On the first and third Thursdays of every month, free live music performances take place at noon. If free theater fits your definition of thrift, then the no-cost presentations offered by the Seattle Shakespeare Company every July and August at various parks throughout the city.
Seattle Like a Local
• For breakfast check out the Crumpet Shop and for a midday snack hit up the Piroshki Piroshki Bakery whether you want something sweet or savory.
• Across the street in Post Alley is the famous gum wall! You’ve got to see it to believe it.
• Get a latte at the flagship Starbucks coffee shop!
• Go to Ballard with your new hostel friends and make a night of it! All the fun bars in this neighbourhood make it a great area for a pub crawl.
Food and Eating Out
Seattle offers plenty of places in which to dine and you do not have to spend a fortune to feel satisfied. Seafood is a Seattle speciality and you can choose salmon, crab or a bowl of clam chowder.
My top picks include the food stands of Pike Place Market and several restaurants in the International District. The Tamarind Tree offers a lunch order of prawn satay for less than $5, and a shitake mushroom version for less than $4.
Another favorite of Karim’s is a restaurant called Sichuanese Cuisine, where the majority of entrees will cost you $8 max.
Additionally, the Seattle Deli offers Vietnamese takeout for bargain prices. Grab two banh mi sandwiches for roughly $4, and add on two 50-cent egg rolls for a bargain lunch date price of five bucks.
Nightlife
Seattle offers a convivial atmosphere for a beer or two and around Pioneer Square you will find plenty of bars often with pool tables and live music.
Plan Your Trip to Seattle
Seattle is a great city to be a tourist for a few days, especially if you like live music and aren’t too bothered about missing out on the California sunshine. View more recommendations with my USA travel tips.