The Bucket List: Seattle’s Top Attractions

Seattle is a city worth visiting over and over again if you’re a traveler. In addition to the seemingly endless roster of acclaimed restaurants, exhibitions, and breathtaking natural destinations, it’s also home to a variety of beloved landmarks. The Pan Pacific Seattle’s downtown location welcomes travelers to stay near the city’s most memorable destinations.

Whether you’re next visit to Seattle is your first or fifteenth, make sure you’ve seen the city’s bucket list attractions. From city landmarks to high-culture museums, these are the best things to do in Seattle. 

The Space Needle

Standing tall above the city, The Space Needle is arguably Seattle’s most recognizable landmark. Designed by John Gram, who also designed the country’s first shopping mall, the structure was built in just 400 days, an engineering marvel. The rush was to get it prepared for the 1962 World’s Fair. It’s continued to tower and attract visitors ever since. 

It’s open from 9am-9pm every day of the week, with general admission tickets giving access to two levels of lookouts and viewpoints. You can explore a number of other options here, some of which include sunset wine packages, and bundle deals with the famous Chihuly Garden. 

Seattle Parks

People who fall in love with Seattle will always point to its natural beauty. Snow-capped mountains in the distance, hilly neighborhoods and the gorgeous Puget Sound all help add to the city’s rich landscape. To get in touch with more of the nature popping up throughout town, take some time to explore some of the many parks throughout Seattle. 

We have many favorite examples, including Washington Park Arboretum & Botanic Gardens which includes rare trees, and a Japanese garden on the shores of Lake Washington. Discovery Park is a 500+ acre gem with walking and biking trails along the Puget. And, arguably the most famous of the group, the Olympic Sculpture Park should absolutely make your Seattle bucket list with free works of art and scenic beaches. 

Pike Place Market

Pike Place market is an institution of the city’s dining and tourism scenes. The 9-acre destination has been growing since opening over one-hundred years ago. The array of shops there includes fish markets, restaurants, antique booths, and crafts people. It’s an essential spot to visit for all ages of Seattle travelers, as the energy, tastes, and finds are truly plentiful and wonderful. 

One of our absolute favorite places to visit at Pike Place Market is The Urban Garden, which is on the southwest rooftop of the market. Benches sit amongst garden beds offering a quiet place to chill and enjoy something sweet. Grab that something sweet from Indi Chocolate, which sells small-batch, single origin dark chocolates out of Pike Place. We’d also recommend grabbing a coffee at Biscuit B**ch and some French eats at Miximilen. 

Seattle Museums

Home to classic art museums and historical institutions like many other great cities, Seattle also has a quirky collection of unique museums focusing on things like pop culture and arcade games. When filling out your Seattle bucket list, be sure to browse these museums and make sure to add whichever ones stick out to you. 

Among the classic cultural institutions is the Seattle Art Museum, home to an encyclopedic collection of masterpieces. There are also incredible relics and artifacts at the Seattle Museum of History & Industry, and at the Seattle Museum of Flight. The quirky examples include the super-hero filled Seattle Museum of Pop Culture, and the loud, bright Seattle Pinball Museum. 

Discover More of Seattle

Explore the Emerald City with our insider’s guide online. Find our recommendations for the best Seattle experiences on the Pan Pacific blog!