United States / Destination guide

Seattle.

City views. Waterways. A mountain escape.

See Seattle from the Space Needle and Elliott Bay, explore marine life on the waterfront or give Woodland Park Zoo a generous half-day. Keep a Mount Rainier excursion as its own full-day plan, with room for changing weather.

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Seattle’s skyline from Kerry Park, with the Space Needle and Mount Rainier in evening light, photographed in October 2018
Photo: CommunistSquared (resized and converted to WebP) / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0
Start here

Seattle Center and the central waterfront

Outside the city

Keep Mount Rainier as a separate full-day excursion

Plan the sequence

Seattle in one or two days

Group nearby visits together and give outdoor experiences enough room for weather, travel and an unhurried pace.

Seattle Center

Choose a guided skyline visit

The Seattle Center walking tour includes Space Needle entry. Neighbouring museum admission needs separate planning; confirm the tour’s full duration before adding another appointment.

Plan the Space Needle

Beyond the city

Keep a mountain day flexible

A guided Mount Rainier excursion includes transport and listed essentials, but routes and access depend on conditions. Confirm pickup, walking needs and the return schedule.

Plan a Mount Rainier day trip

Waterfront wildlife

Explore the aquarium campus

Allow about two to three hours across the aquarium’s piers and Ocean Pavilion. Choose your entry time and keep a meal or waterfront walk flexible afterwards.

Plan Seattle Aquarium

A view from the water

Choose your cruise route

Compare a one-hour Harbor Cruise with the longer one-way Locks journey. Check the correct departure pier and arrange return transport for the Locks option.

Compare Seattle cruises

A wildlife half-day

Give the zoo its own time

Start Woodland Park Zoo early enough for its seasonal closing time. Choose a few priority habitats and check which activities and events require separate bookings.

Plan Woodland Park Zoo

The Seattle edit

Explore Seattle