I’m going to cut to the chase: my 2 days in Seattle itinerary is secretly a love letter to this awesome city. I’ve lived here for about 15 years and I love it more and more everyday.
Like San Francisco, Seattle is known as a tech hub. But there’s so much more to The Emerald City.
From the mild weather and gorgeous summers to the incredible food and art, Seattle really has it all no matter what time of year you visit. However, it can be difficult to decide how to spend just two days when you get a ton of search results touting various tourist attractions.
Let me help you cut through the noise and experience Seattle like a local. Here’s how I’d spend my perfect 2 days in Seattle…and what I’d skip.
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2 Days in Seattle Itinerary
Depending on what days you’re traveling, feel free to swap days in this itinerary! Need help customizing your trip? I’m a travel planner and would love to plan your dream itinerary!
Day 1: Ballard & Fremont
I always recommend starting a 2 days in Seattle itinerary checking out where the locals hang. Two of my absolutely favorite neighborhoods in Seattle are Ballard and Fremont thanks to their countless restaurants, shops, and bars. So start your explorations here to get a good sense of the real Seattle!
This itinerary assumes you’re able to visit on a Sunday when the popular markets are happening, but if not you should still visit these quaint neighborhoods full of shops and restaurants! Just know the markets referenced won’t be happening.
Start your day in Ballard & the farmers market
website | directions | best for: souvenirs, especially food ones
The Ballard Farmers Market is arguably the best Seattle farmers market. It runs every Sunday 9 AM – 2 PM rain or shine year round. I love visiting it while doing my self-guided Ballard food tour so that I can graze and pop into boutique stores along the street that the market is located. If you’re in Seattle on a Sunday, definitely go here! If not though, exploring Downtown Ballard’s shops is still a great way to explore Seattle in 2 days!
You can easily spend 2-3 hours in the area. While browsing the market, keep an eye out for these vendors:
- Foraged & Found Edibles – Fresh and dried mushrooms, teas, and greens.
- St. Jude’s Tuna – Local fishery making exceptional canned tunas.
- Jonboy Caramels – These are crazy addictive soft caramel chew candies.
- Ayako & Family – They make beautiful jams.
- Salt Blade – Really yummy locally-made salamis.
- Collins Family Orchard – An excellent orchard my sister is a CSA member of. Check out their stall for any fresh fruit that looks appealing to have on hand for the snacks. Their rainier cherries and doughnut peaches in summer are the absolute best.
Check out Fremont & the Sunday Market
website | directions | best for: vintage, maker goods, and food trucks
About a mile away from downtown Ballard is downtown Fremont. Here you’ll find more funky boutiques and the Fremont Sunday Market.
Unlike the Ballard Farmers Market, this caters more to gifts and food trucks. Pop into stores and stalls that interest you while taking my self-guided Fremont food tour. When all is said and done you’ll probably spent about 2 hours in this charming Seattle neighborhood. Here’s my guide on things to do in Fremont Seattle for ideas of how to fill the time.
Get on the water with Argosy Cruises
website | directions | best for: water views and history of the city
Seattle is surrounded by water, so one of the best things to do on a 2-day Seattle itinerary is explore the city from a boat. Argosy Cruises has been around for 75 years, so they’re the quintessential tour operator in the city.
They offer two cruise options year round, plus some fun seasonal ones like a Christmas Ship™ or Husky Football Sailgating. Most cruises are kid friendly and all offer bathrooms and refreshments. They even have happy hour if you go on one of their late afternoon tours!
Of their two year-round cruise options, the Harbor Cruise leaves from downtown Seattle and takes one hour to complete. It’s perfect if you’re short on time and offers stunning views of the city skyline, but it stays in the harbor.
That’s why this itinerary has you going on Argosy’s Locks Cruise.
You’ll depart from the downtown waterfront or Lake Union (depending on the time of day), cruise for two hours, and end at their other location (downtown or Lake Union). The cruise is one way, but it offers double the sights so it’s a better value. Plus, you can add on a shuttle back to the departure point through October or take a ride share back.
The Locks Cruise takes you by some of Seattle’s best sights. For example, you’ll get uninterrupted views of Gas Works Park and the floating homes made famous in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. You’ll pass through the Fremont Cut and take the water elevator in the Ballard Locks, catching glimpses of sea lions, pelicans, and jumping salmon (May – September). Then you’ll be met with stunning views of the Seattle skyline and islands surrounding the Puget Sound.
In addition to plenty of photo-worthy moments, the tour will be fully narrated. You’ll learn interesting facts about Seattle, its history, and the various landmarks you pass. For example, I’ve lived in the city for more than 15 years and learned how a horse’s corpse caused Ballard to join Seattle (ack!). So even locals will learn something on this cruise!
Disclaimer: Argosy Cruises paid for a spot in this article and provided me with a complimentary tour. However, I’ve recommended them countless times on my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that let me continue to provide you with free content!
Get a seafood dinner
After all the walking and kayaking you did, you’ll probably be starving. No 2 days in Seattle itinerary is complete without visiting one of the best fish restaurants in Seattle.
Since you’ll be in Fremont, head to one of my go-to restaurants in Seattle: RockCreek. They have excellent fish and great ambiance with both indoor and outdoor dining.
Get the fish Provençal, which is piled high with herbs and fried shallots. Just make sure to leave room for dessert. They make my favorite desserts in all of Seattle: s’more and key lime pie cups!
Do a crawl around Ballard breweries
Ballard breweries crawl itinerary | best for: local microbrews
Ballard is home to more than 15 of Seattle’s best breweries. The best part? They’re all within walking distance from each other. Since most close at 10 or 11 PM, it’s a great way to end your first night in Seattle.
My favorite of the bunch is Obec Brewing, but find even more nearby in my guide to the ultimate Seattle brewery tour.
Day 2: Downtown, Pioneer Square, & Capitol Hill
If it’s your first time to Seattle, you have to explore the downtown area. Sure, this is where most of the tourist attractions are, but these are places I’ve been to and always recommend locals and visitors alike check out!
Please note that there’s a lot of unhoused people downtown, mostly congregated around 3rd & Pike St and Pike Place Market near the waterfront. This is a sad reality of Seattle, but they’re completely harmless and shouldn’t be a deterrent!
Visit Pike Place Market
website | directions | best for: souvenirs and eats
Even as a local, I love visiting Pike Place Market. I used to work nearby in Downtown Seattle and would sneak to the market to grab food at the places tourists don’t know about. In fact, I’ve been to Pike Place twice in the past month. So no 2 days in Seattle is complete without a visit here!
There are so many hidden gems, but you just have to remember these rules:
- Get there for 9 AM, especially if you’re spending the weekend in Seattle
- Go to the gum wall when vendors are closed and the crowds thin out
- Avoid tourist spots like Beecher’s, the original Starbucks, and Pike Place Chowder. You can get Beecher’s and Pike Place Chowder anywhere, and the original Starbucks is actually the 2nd location.
- Get lost – that’s the fun part!
I have a lot of recommendations of where to go and how to avoid tourists in Pike Place Market. Grab my free self-guided tour of Pike Place Market to get all my insider secrets! If you just care about the eats, check out my guide to the best Pike Place Market restaurants. Here’s one tip: Pike Place Market is home to some of the best restaurants in Seattle with water views.
You can easily spend all day here, but about 3 hours should be enough for a thorough combing of the vendors and enough times to stop at a few different places for eats. Make sure to take in the views of the Olympic Mountains and Elliott Bay from the Marketfront Promenade!
Tours of Pike Place Market
Want a guided tour instead of going it alone? Here are some options:
- Early-Bird Tasting Tour of Pike Place Market
- Pike Place Market Food Tour
- Plant-Based Pike Place Food Tour
- Pike Place Scandalous History Tour
- Seattle Chocolate Tour
- Underground Donut Tour
Check out the Seattle Art Museum
website | directions | best for: contemporary art
I always thought I hated museums, but in my older age I’ve become obsessed with finding the best Pacific Northwest artists. In that discovery I learned that I like museums if they’re contemporary ones, and the Seattle Art Museum fits the bill. It’s also in Downtown Seattle near Pike Place Market so it’s a perfect second stop on your 2 days in Seattle itinerary.
Head to SAM if you are quicker at Pike Place than you thought you’d be. Plan to spend about 1-2 hours here exploring the exhibits. You’ll find everything from paintings to sculptures to installations. Make sure to look up at the ceiling as you enter the lobby!
Pro tips: If you need to drive to SAM, check out this parking deal on Groupon. If you took a long time at the market, skip this attraction and continue to the next!
Walk around the Olympic Sculpture Park
website | directions | best for: water views
One of my favorite ways to spend 24 hours in downtown Seattle is to visit the Seattle Sculpture Park, which is also owned by the Seattle Art Museum. I used to walk home on the 3-mile long Elliott Bay Trail that runs right along the sculptures and water because it offers one of the best views in Seattle.
Keep an eye out for sculptures of all sizes in this 2-level park. You can also walk a bit down Elliott Bay Trail to Myrtle Edwards Park. Sometimes you’ll find seals on the rocks, so keep your eyes out!
Pro tip: Walk down through Pike Place Market to Alaska Way and walk along the waterfront for pretty views of the Puget Sound. You’ll pass the Seattle Aquarium, Great Wheel, Argosy Cruises, and more as you make your way to the sculpture park.
Gawk at Chihuly Glass Museum
website | directions | best for: indoor and outdoor photo opportunities
Dale Chihuly is a famous blown glass artist in Washington. His work is breathtaking…you won’t find little bowls here! Instead you’ll see huge, colorful glass installations at the indoor and outdoor Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. Plan to spend about 1.5 to 2 hours here gawking at his work.
Nearby attractions to add on or swap in
Since the glass museum is right in Seattle Center, you’ll find some other famous tourist attractions just steps away. If you love museums, you’ll also find the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) and Pacific Science Center.
Looming above it all is the Space Needle with its glass bottom floor and observation deck looking out onto the Seattle skyline with Mt. Rainier in the distance.
If you want to see any of these attractions, consider getting the Seattle Citypass. It includes admission to the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, and your choice of the Chihuly Glass Museum, MoPop, Woodland Park Zoo, or an Argosy Cruise. You can also buy tickets to any of these independently.
I personally think the Argosy Cruise and glass museum are the best attractions out of all of these, but know you have options! If you’re only interested in the Glass Museum and Space Needle, you can buy discounted combo tickets on Groupon or either attractions’ website.
Shop around historic Pioneer Square
website | directions | best for: historic charm and boutiques
Once you’re done exploring Downtown Seattle, if it’s before around 3 PM and you have time, make your way to Pioneer Square. This is the historic city center and is full of beautiful cobblestone streets and brick buildings that were repurposed into boutiques, cafes, and bars.
Spend about 1-2 hours walking around the streets and popping into some of the best gift shops in Seattle and local Seattle urban wineries.
Some of my favorite stops include:
- Locus Wines – A great spot to grab wine flights from a really talented winemaker making affordable Rhone-style wines. They’re some of the best wines in Washington!
- Salumi – Grab charcuterie gifts or ½ a sandwich before they close at 3 pm. Their meatball sub is one of the best I’ve ever had. This spot used to be owned by Mario Batali’s father until he sold it to two women, but they kept the same recipe.
- J. Reinhart Gallery – This is one of my favorite art galleries. She curates modern original art at affordable price points. Make sure to check out one of my favorite Washington artists, Lesley Frenz.
- Smith Tower – If you don’t make it to the Space Needle, this historic building has a bar and observation offering great views of the city, Mt. Rainier, and stadium area. You walk through a little museum about Pioneer Square’s history to get to the elevator that will take you up to the bar and observatory. Another nearby options that’s taller and sans the museum is the Sky View Observatory.
- Fruitsuper – This beautiful shop has thoughtful gifts and home goods with a hygge vibe. It shares a space with a natural wine bar!
- Flora and Henri – A chic women’s shop with thoughtfully-curated gifts and stunning interiors. It’s attached to the best doughnuts in the city, General Porpoise.
- General Porpoise – Great stop for fluffy brioche doughnuts filled with yummy concoctions. Get the vanilla custard and chocolate marshmallow if available! They’re some of the best desserts in Seattle.
- The Pastry Project – Stop by their soft serve dip window for a sweet treat in summer! I love the guava passionfruit dip shell if available. It’s some of the best ice cream in Seattle!
Pro tip: The most touristy thing to do in Pioneer Square is the Underground Tour. I’ve done it and found the guides a bit crass, but it’s cool going under the streets to see the historic city before current-day Seattle was built on top of it.
Get dinner in Capitol Hill
website | directions | best for: artsy shops, food, and nightlife
Head east on Pike Street to walk up the hill to Capitol Hill. This is an artsy LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood full of great spirit, murals, and a hip crowd. If any shops are still open, pop in because Capitol Hill is one of the best shopping destinations in Seattle. If you have time, you can take a guided neighborhood tour with a local.
Hunger is probably hitting by now, so stop for dinner. There are so many awesome options, but here are some of my favorites to visit during your 2 days in Seattle itinerary:
- Spinasse – Fancy Italian restaurant with the best tasting menu in the city. Reservation required.
- Altura – Avant garde fancy Italian restaurants with a tasting menu. Reservations required.
- Taurus Ox – Awesome Laotian food and one of the best burgers in Seattle.
- Taylor Shellfish – One of the quintessential spots to get oysters in Seattle.
- Canon – One of the best whiskey bars in the US with a robust food menu.
More options to explore Seattle in 2 days
Whew! You’ll have a jam-packed 2 days in Seattle itinerary using my suggestions above. If you want to customize your itinerary, see these guides on other fun things to do in Seattle:
- Ultimate Seattle Bucket List
- Seattle for Foodies Bucket List
- Quintessential Seattle Food
- Dishes You Must Eat in Seattle
Have three days? See my guide on spending 3 days in Seattle.
Or, if you only have 2 days in Seattle but have been here before, see my guide for spending one day in Seattle, then do one of these scenic day trips from Seattle on your second day:
- Eat Your Way Around Edmonds (~20 minutes from Seattle)
- Take the Ferry to Vashon Island (~20 minutes from Seattle)
- Explore Woodinville Wineries (~30 minutes from Seattle)
- Go on a Seattle-Area Winery Tour (30-90 minutes from Seattle)
- Take the Ferry to Bainbridge Island (~35 minutes from Seattle)
- Visit Mt. Rainier National Park in One Day (~2.5 hours from Seattle)
Can’t decide what to? Let me plan a custom itinerary just for you!
