3 days in Seattle: a walkable itinerary

Before you start

Arrive on the Link 1 Line from the airport; Sound Transit quotes 38 minutes from SeaTac/Airport Station to downtown. Get off at Westlake, then it is about a 7-minute walk to our building at 1400 Hubbell Place. Our airport light rail guide has the details. Attraction hours change by season, so check each official site the night before.

Day 1: Pike Place Market and the waterfront

• Morning: Pike Place Market. Walk west down Pike Street, about 15 minutes, and arrive early; produce, seafood and breakfast start at 7 a.m., per the market. Breakfast at the market, or at Le Pichet or Café Campagne.
• Midday: down to the water. Take the stairs from the market's lower levels to the waterfront. The Seattle Aquarium is at Pier 59 and Pier 60, and the Seattle Great Wheel at Pier 57.
• Afternoon: Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave, just south of the market and about 12 minutes from us.
• Evening: seafood at Elliott's Oyster House on Pier 56, or cook what you bought at the market in your apartment's full kitchen.

Day 2: Seattle Center

• Morning: the monorail. From Westlake Center (5th and Pine, about 7 minutes on foot), the Seattle Center Monorail takes about 2 minutes to Seattle Center.
• The Space Needle, with the Loupe revolving glass floor. Buy tickets on the official site.
• Chihuly Garden and Glass, at the foot of the Needle.
• Afternoon: MoPOP, the Museum of Pop Culture, in the building the monorail runs through.
• Evening: back by monorail to Westlake, then dinner downtown; Purple Café and Wine Bar at 1225 4th Ave and Wild Ginger at 1401 3rd Ave are both short walks.

Day 3: Pioneer Square, the International District and Capitol Hill

• Morning: Pioneer Square. Take Link south from Westlake to Pioneer Square station, or walk. Join Bill Speidel's Underground Tour at 614 1st Ave, then drop into the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park visitor center at 319 Second Ave S.
• Optional: Smith Tower, 506 Second Ave, for the 35th-floor observatory.
• Afternoon: Chinatown-International District. The Wing Luke Museum is at 719 S King St, near International District/Chinatown station.
• Evening: Capitol Hill. Ride Link back to Westlake and on to Capitol Hill station, or walk up Pike from the Convention Center, about 10 minutes. Our Capitol Hill food walk has the route.

Make it 4 days

Add The Museum of Flight (9404 E. Marginal Way South, open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. per its website) by car or ride-hail, or ride the King County Water Taxi from Pier 50 to West Seattle; King County says the crossing takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

Your base for 3 days

All three of our 2-bedroom apartments are in one downtown Seattle building: the Lumière 2BR, the Two-Bath 2BR and the Top-Floor 2BR. Each has a full kitchen and an in-unit washer & dryer, which helps on longer trips. Book direct, 10% off: check dates on our booking search or our secure booking site.