Planning a quick trip to Seattle and looking for the best things to do? Maybe you have a long layover and want to see as much of the city as you can in a short time? The good news is that although Seattle is a large city, it’s absolutely possible to see most of the major highlights in just one day. Ready to plan your trip to the Emerald City? Keep reading for how to spend the perfect 24 hours in Seattle, Washington.
Sleep
If you only have one day in Seattle, I definitely recommend staying downtown – ideally as close to Pike Place Market as possible. This will put you in a great location for sightseeing and walking around the city.
Seattle Hotel Recommendations
- Palihotel Seattle
- citizenM Seattle Pioneer Square
- The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel Seattle
- Green Tortoise Hostel Seattle
Eat
Seattle is definitely a great city for foodies! Starting with the famous Pike Place Market, you’ll find tons of great options for casual eats all day long. When in Seattle, this is certainly a great place to grab coffee, breakfast, lunch or a snack.
Coffee
Pike Place Market, and the streets directly surrounding it, are a great place to grab coffee in the morning. Seattle is a coffee city, so there’s no shortage of great coffee shops to check out. While Pike Place Market is home to the original Starbucks, there will likely be a long line. Instead of Starbucks, below are some recommendations for where to get a delicious cup of coffee to start your day.
- Ghost Alley Espresso
- Storyville Coffee (multiple locations)
- Note: this is one of the most expensive coffee shops I’ve ever been to, but the coffee is really good.
- Caffe Ladro (multiple locations)
Breakfast
After grabbing a coffee, it’s time to grab some breakfast. Downtown Seattle has some great casual breakfast spots where you can have a quick meal before starting a day of exploring.
- The Crumpet Shop
- Biscuit Bitch (to-go)
- There will likely be a wait, but these are really good biscuit breakfast sandwiches
- Bagelbop
- Daily Dozen (coffee and donuts)
Lunch
After a full morning of exploring, it’s time to grab some lunch! Although I’ve already recommended Pike Place Market for breakfast, it’s also a great place for lunch with a selection of casual options.
If you’ve had your fill of Pike Place, consider checking out Asean Streat Southeast Asian Food Hall. This food hall is located in the Westlake Shopping Center, which is also where you can ride the monorail to the Space Needle and popular museums like Chihuly Garden and Glass.
- Asean Streat Southeast Asian Food Hall
- Piroshky Piroshky – Pike Place (hand pie/empanada style)
- Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – Pike Place (for the famous mac and cheese)
- Pane Pane Sandwiches (delicious affordable sandwiches)
Dinner
To end your day in Seattle there are a wide variety of dinner options to choose from! If you really love Pike Place, you can head back in that direction to visit The Pink Door. This Italian restaurant features burlesque and trapeze shows and is one of the most famous restaurants in the city. You will definitely need to make a reservation in advance.
Another great option, if you’re visiting during the warmer months, is to check out a rooftop with good drinks, views and food. One of my favorites is mBar! You’ll want to make a reservation in advance.
Other dinner options:
- Din Tai Fung (Chinese restaurant known for its bao and soup dumplings)
- Bangrak Thai
- Serious Pie Pizza
Drinks
- Bathtub Gin (speakeasy style)
- Smith Tower Observation Deck (speakeasy style bar at the top of the observation deck)
- You will have to pay to enter the Smith Tower since it’s a museum/observation deck.
- mBar
- This rooftop bar is also a great place for dinner.
Sweets and Treats
- General Porpoise Doughnuts (multiple locations)
- Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream (multiple locations)
- Salt & Straw Handmade Ice Cream (multiple locations)
24 Hours in Seattle
Explore Pike Place Market
Pike Place market is a great place to start your day in Seattle! This famous market is filled with tons of fresh produce, meats, souvenirs, flowers, restaurants and more. You could easily spend several hours wandering around the market, trying some delicious food and purchasing souvenirs.
I definitely recommend taking a food tour in Pike Place Market, that way you know you’re hitting all of the best stops! A food tour is also a great way to learn more about the history of the market and its vendors.
Pike Place Food Tours
- Pike Place Market Tasting Tour
- Taste Pike Place Walking Food Tour
- Early-Bird Tasting Tour of Pike Place Market
- Plant Based Food Tour in Pike Place Market
Take the Monorail to the Space Needle and Museums
The Monorail connects Downtown Seattle to Seattle Center, where you’ll find the Space Needle and a collection of museums. You pick up the Monorail at the Westlake Shopping Center and after a quick .9 mile ride you’ll exit the monorail right at the entrance to many museums and the Space Needle.
While you can also walk between Downtown and Seattle Center, the Monorail is a fun way to see the city.
Take in the Views from the Space Needle
The Space Needle is the most iconic landmark in Seattle and it’s absolutely worth a visit. The Space Needle is, of course, very touristy and with this comes high admission prices. However, the views from the top are impressive and it’s worth going up during your trip to Seattle.
The Space Needle was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair and as you wait in line to take the elevator to the 520 foot observation deck, there’s tons of information about the building process and history of the Space Needle.
To save a little money on entry tickets, you can combine your admission to the Space Needle with the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum (the next stop on this itinerary.)
Marvel at the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum
Right next to the Space Needle you’ll find the impressive Chihuly Garden and Glass museum. This museum is packed full of beautiful, colorful blown glass art created by Dale Chihuly.
The museum has both an indoor and outdoor section and every single piece is truly beautiful.
Visiting the museum was, without a doubt, the highlight of my trip to Seattle!
Lunch Break at any of the Above Recommendations
Have an Afternoon Pick-Me-Up at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery
Seattle is famous for being home to the first ever Starbucks, and while you can visit the original location in Pike Place Market, I recommend the Starbucks Reserve Roastery instead.
Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Reserve Roastery is a great place to go for a more “luxurious” and unique coffee experience. The Reserve Roastery has a variety of food and drink items that can’t be purchased at regular Starbucks locations and the quality is significantly better.
Be prepared that there is often a long line at the Reserve Roastery, but it’s worth the wait.
Walk Around Capitol Hill and Check out Elliott Bay Book Company
The Capitol Hill neighborhood is a grungy area that makes for a good place to take a little afternoon walk. My favorite place in the neighborhood is the Elliott Bay Book Company, an independently owned bookstore that has been a Seattle staple since 1973.
In addition to the great selection of books, they also have a cafe.
Enjoy the Sunset
There are so many great places to watch the sunset in Seattle! Just to name a few places, you can watch it from the Seattle Great Wheel, Kerry Park or on a sunset sail.
Take a Ride on the Seattle Great Wheel
Located at Pier 57, the Seattle Great Wheel is a great option for anyone who loves ferris wheels and views – oh, and who isn’t afraid of heights.
If you are planning to take a ride on the Great Wheel, sunset is absolutely the time to do it. The views are absolutely stunning and it’s a fun ride. I’m a little afraid of heights, so for a laugh check out our Instagram reel of our experience. You can buy tickets at the Great Wheel or online in advance.
Take in the Views from Kerry Park
If you want a beautiful place to watch the sunset without having to go on a cruise, to a rooftop or on a ferris wheel, then Kerry Park is the perfect place for you! Located on a hill in the Queen Anne neighborhood, this park provides beautiful views of downtown Seattle.
Watching the sunset over the Space Needle is a wonderful Seattle experience.
One thing to note about Kerry Park is that it’s on quite a steep hill. It’s definitely walkable from downtown, about 25 minutes from the Space Needle, for example – however, the last 10 minutes of the walk are uphill. For most travelers this won’t be a problem, but it is something to keep in mind.
If you would prefer to drive, that’s also possible, as is Ubering. After watching the sunset, take the 5 minute walk over to Molly Moon’s for some delicious homemade ice-cream! Their ice cream is some of the best I’ve ever had.
Enjoy a Sunset Sail
One of the best things to do in Seattle is to take a sunset sail in the Puget Sound or Lake Union. If you’re staying in downtown Seattle, cruises on the Puget Sound will be most convenient as they start and end at Bell Harbor Marina – which is walkable from the downtown area.
Some of these cruises include food and/or drinks and they’re such a fun way to enjoy the evening and take in the views of Seattle.
Sunset Sails in Seattle
- Evening Colors Sunset Sail Tour in Seattle
- Seattle’s Favorite Sightseeing and Cocktail Cruise
- Seattle: Pacific Northwest Sailing Experience
Check Out a Fun Bar or Brewery
Seattle has some fun nightlife and to end your perfect 24 hours in Seattle, checking out a fun bar is a great option.
In downtown Seattle, a few of my top recommendations include:
- Bathtub Gin – speakeasy style
- Kell’s Irish Pub
- Pike Brewing
So there you have it! How to spend the perfect 24 hours in Seattle, Washington. I hope you found this one day in Seattle guide to be helpful. If you have any questions, or any other activities to add to this post, please let me know in the comments!
For photo inspiration and mini-guides, be sure to follow us on Instagram, @twosistersabroad.
For more recommendations for fun things to do in Seattle, be sure to check out my post about the 6 best things to do in the Emerald City.
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♡Kate
This guide for how to spend 24 hours in Seattle includes affiliate links at no cost to you! Read our disclosure here.
We’ve only lived in the area for a few months now, so we’re still getting to know it! We get our carpets cleaned every couple of months, so we’re always looking for things to do to get out of the house. This is such a great list of fun things! Thank you!