How to Spend 24 Hours in Downtown Seattle Like a Local

If you only have one day to explore Seattle, I highly recommend you spend those 24 hours in downtown Seattle. When I moved to Seattle more than10 years ago, everyone told me to stay away from downtown Seattle. I initially agreed when I started working downtown and saw throngs of tourists.

But the longer I worked in the neighborhood, the more I came to realize just how many amazing hidden gems there are in the neighborhood. You just have to know where to look.

Whether you’re doing a quick layover after a cruise, spending the night for a work trip, or looking to book a staycation, I’ve outlined everything worth doing downtown if you only have 24 hours in Seattle.

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How to Spend 24 Hours in Downtown Seattle Like a Local

When I ask locals where they take visitors or read articles about downtown Seattle travel tips, I notice that a lot of people highlight things to do in the nearby Capitol Hill and Pioneer Square neighborhoods. Both of these are easily accessible from downtown Seattle, but neither of them technically are downtown Seattle.

I’m not going to recommend things in other neighborhoods (ok, some of my recs are technically in “Belltown”, but it’s all in the main downtown area). I don’t want to assume you have the time or energy to travel between Seattle neighborhoods.

So I’m listing out how I would spend my ideal 24 hours in downtown Seattle. These are all places I’ve gone to countless times, and many of them are places locals told me they didn’t even know existed.

I’m also going to give you tips on where to stay and transportation so you can make the most of your trip. Ready? Here’s an itinerary for exactly how to spend your 24 hours visiting Seattle.

5 pm, day 1: Kick off your trip with a drink

After checking into your hotel, it’s time to get things started with a drink. Having worked downtown for the majority of my time in Seattle, it was essential to find a place for a drink after work that wasn’t overwhelmed with tourists. I’ve been to a lot of cocktail, beer, and wine bars, but when I think about my top pick, one places comes to mind.

For wine: Go to Le Caviste. I almost don’t want to tell anyone about this place because it’s so magical. It’s a small French wine bar that’s one of my go-to restaurants in Seattle. It was created by David Butler, the sommelier of the cult favorite, but closed, Le Gourmand restaurant.

I remember going to Le Gourmand and always saying to myself, “Who is this guy?” After each course, he’d kneel down at our table and take us on a journey as he relived his days galavanting around France and choosing wines from the little family-owned winery he stumbled across in the so-and-so valley…

I was mesmerized by his knowledge. And also jealous as hell. But either way, he immediately proved he knew his French wines.

And that’s exactly what you’ll find at this place. Le Caviste literally means “the wine shop” in French. You can purchase wines to take home at 50% off the retail price, but it’s worth going to again and again to just sip on a glass or three

All the wines by the glass are under $15, most are under $12.

Unless you know a ton about French wine regions, you likely won’t understand the wine list written on the chalkboard. That’s ok. Just tell them what you’re craving and they’ll give you a wine that you’ll most likely love.

If you’re feeling peckish, the food here is really good and an amazing value. I’m convinced you can’t get a better valued charcuterie plate in the city. We always get the Planche de Beaujolais, which has a variety of meats, spreadable goat cheese, and the most addictive butter.

Like literally, I eat the butter! My last time here I ordered just bread and butter so I can eat this addictive fat before heading to another dinner reservation.

If I’m feeling super hungry, I’ll get the off-menu steak tartare because it’s some of the best steak tartares in Seattle. I also always get the Poisson de Papillote, fish cooked with butter and potatoes in parchment paper. If you only have time for a quick place to eat or grab a drink when spending 24 hours in Seattle, this is my top pick! However, if you’re doing the full itinerary you probably don’t want to get a ton of food her or else you’ll spoil your appetite for the next stop.

7:30 pm: Eat alongside locals

Dinner is where you always need to be careful. Downtown Seattle has a lot of good restaurants, but it also has a lot of mediocre places catered more toward tourists than locals. But the restaurants locals go to are places worth seeking out.

Affordable:

When I’m looking for a cozy restaurant that’s been open for as long as I’ve lived in Seattle, I go to Le Pichet. It’s near Pike Place Market, but is off the main drag so it caters to tourists and locals alike. It’s another cozy French restaurant that executes classic dishes exceptionally well.

I always recommend immediately ordering the roast chicken for 2 when you sit down. It takes an hour because they’re made to order, so this will give you time to get settled and order some appetizers before being served the most juicy and flavorful chicken I’ve ever had in my life. Their wine list is also pretty good if you came from Le Caviste and want to continue your evening of French indulgence.

Splurge:

If you’re looking for a place to throw down some cash and not regret it, Sushi Kashiba is that place. It’s a high-end sushi restaurant owned by the Seattle legend, Shiro Kashiba. You must go here at some point in your life, whether its during your 24 hours in Seattle or another trip. And when you do, make sure to get a reservation well in advance.

What makes it so good? Well, Shiro studied under Jiro in Japan, the famous sushi master known around the world thanks to Netflix’s distribution of the documentary, Jiro Loves Sushi. This training must have served Shiro well, because he makes incredibly simple and authentic dishes oozing with flavor. You’ll find yourself thinking throughout the meal, “How did he make this little piece of egg so. damn. good?!” This is what makes Sushi Kashiba’s omakase (chef tasting menu) worth the price tag.

Note, he used to be the head sushi chef at the restaurant Shiro, which is also downtown. He sold his name and no longer is affiliated with that place, so don’t get confused if you’re looking for Sushi Kashiba. Though if you end up at Shiro, you’re having a pretty good evening, because it also doesn’t suck. 🙂

9:30 pm: Don’t forget dessert

If your stomach can handle some more, I recommend skipping dessert at the above places and heading to Shug’s Soda Fountain, also near Pike Place Market. It’s an old-school-looking ice cream shop serving up classic floats, sundaes, shakes, and malts, featuring ice cream from local Lopez Island Creamery.

There’s a lot to look at on the menu, but there’s one standout I highly recommend: the Dixie Split. This banana split is what all other banana splits aspire to be. First, the bananas are brûléed, which makes it an immediate winner. But then it’s topped with real cherries (not that bright red BS), caramel, candied pecans, and whipped cream. If you want a pro move, sub out the vanilla ice cream with the praline ice cream (I always do).

It’s definitely enough to split, so don’t go crazy if you’re feeling full from your earlier eating adventure!

8 am, Day 2: Head to Pike Place Market

You might be thinking, “Wait, Pike Place Market? Isn’t this a guide to experiencing downtown Seattle like a local?” Well, I’ll tell you a secret. Most locals would still recommend that you go to Pike Place Market at least once. Maybe more, if they, like me, used to work downtown and know which places are worth going to.

I have a free guide to experiencing Pike Place Market like a local, but here are some tips that will make your trip way more enjoyable if you only have 24 hours in downtown Seattle and want this historic landmark to be a part of it:

Go early

I recommend getting there before 9 AM, particularly if it’s the summer. Not all the stalls will be open at that time, but most are usually open by 10 AM. I think it’s a small price to pay to avoid throngs of tourists bumping into you. Plus you’ll be able to get pictures at the gum wall without crowds.

Avoid buying fish

This fish guys are loud and jovial, so it may be hard to avoid stopping for a show. And if you strike up rapport with one of them, it may also be hard to walk away without buying some fish they just threw at each other. I encourage you to keep your money in your wallet and seek out these other best places to buy seafood in Seattle instead.

Avoid buying flowers

I also recommend avoiding the flowers, but for different reasons. You’ll likely not find cheaper flowers elsewhere, unless you’re at another farmers market in the city. That should be a red flag. Flowers sold that cheap are typically not the best quality. And every time I’ve gone to Pike Place Market, I see flowers that are out of season. I’ve bought some before because they’re big and beautiful bouquets, but every time I did they died within a few days. I say avoid the flowers and instead spend your money on souvenirs that will last forever.

Get legitimate Seattle coffee. Please.

It breaks my heart to see people lined up outside the Starbucks in Pike Place Market. They were told Starbucks is representative of Seattle coffee because it started here. They were also told that it’s the first Starbucks. Both of these aren’t true (the original Starbucks moved from it’s original location to here in the late 70s). Luckily there is awesome Seattle coffee right across the street from the market: Seattle Coffee Works. I interviewed the owners for my self-guided Seattle food tour and can tell you they’re the real deal.

don’t wait in line at Beecher’s Cheese, Piroshky Piroshky, or Pike Place Chowder

If no one is there, by all means please go in and enjoy. It’s not that these places are bad! It’s just that you can get Beecher’s at any food store or the airport, Piroshky Piroshky has a location a few blocked up on 3rd Avenue, and Pike Place Chowder has a location in Pacific Place on 6th Avenue. Therefore waiting in line at Pike Place is a waste of time!

11:30 am: Pick up a treat for the road

Dahlia Bakery has the best cookies in Seattle hands down. I used to come here weekly for lunch and can tell you they make a killer tomato soup and turkey BLT. But what you can absolutely not miss here is the peanut butter cookie.

These cookies…I can’t even describe. It’s basically a peanut butter cookie sandwich. There are two thin cookies with peanut butter wedged in the middle. I’m not exactly sure how they infuse so much peanut butter flavor in here.

A lot of times peanut butter cookies are thicker, crumblier, and subtler. But not these. They are border-line soft and don’t crumble. I remember taking this photo and literally drooling as it was dangling in my mouth. I’m drooling right now, actually. Basically, don’t miss this place.

11:45 am: Explore downtown Seattle by foot, making stops along the way

You’ve probably eaten your body weight by now, amiright? It’s time to walk it off. Meander your way around downtown Seattle, stopping in local shops as you discover them.

I highly recommend avoiding the areas along Pike and Pine Street between 3rd and 7th Avenue. This is the high street shopping area of downtown Seattle. If there are stores there that you can’t get home, by all means stop in, but I always recommend trying to find the places you can’t get anywhere else.

If you’re facing west and looking at the waterfront and Pike Place Market, heading left goes toward Pioneer Square. To your right goes deeper into downtown Seattle and the neighboring Belltown (which a lot of people consider basically downtown).

There are some great shops toward the left in Pioneer Square, but I typically walk to the right toward the Space Needle along 1st and 2nd Avenue because it leads to an awesome park and trail (more on that later). Whatever you choose, find shop suggestions in my guide to the best shopping neighborhoods in Seattle and the best Seattle gift shops.

2 pm: Take in views of the Puget Sound

The Olympic Sculpture Park is owned by the Seattle Art Museum and it’s one of my favorite ways to spend 24 hours in downtown Seattle. You can meander among manicured grounds and funky sculptures of all sizes. It’s also right on the water so you get epic views of the Puget Sound.

You’ll notice a paved trail with people walking and biking along the water. It’s called Elliott Bay Trail. I used to walk this approximately 3 mile trail home when I lived in Magnolia, the neighborhood at the end. If you walk a little ways you’ll see a little beach with great views and sometimes seals.

4 pm: Grab a cocktail with gun powder in it

You need a drink after all that walking, right? Head to Rob Roy, a cocktail bar often featured on the “best of the US” lists.

You might have noticed that I reference a drink with gun powder in it. This isn’t a joke. There is in fact a drink with gun powder in it. Real gun powder. The type you put in a gun.

It’s super weird, but also safe. You should try it, as I featured it in my roundup of the best cocktails in Seattle. But even if you don’t get this drink, there’s a lot of other great ones to choose from.

What about all those Seattle tourist attractions?

If you Google “Seattle tourist attractions”, a lot of things will come up, such as the Space Needle or Underground Tour. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth fitting in if you only have 24 hours in downtown Seattle, I typically don’t recommend going to these types of things. I just don’t think they give you a sense of what a city is really about.

However, there are some places that are more “touristy” that I might recommend. I say might, because it really depends what you’re into.

For example, I personally don’t really like museums. It’s something I’ve long resented about myself because I feel like I should love museums, but I generally don’t. However, I know a lot of people love museums and there are some decent ones in downtown Seattle. Also, you might be traveling with kids and need something to do with them besides eating and shopping.

So here are some of the downtown Seattle tourist attractions you’ll read about and my thoughts on them.

Seattle Art Museum

I actually really like the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). Later in life I learned I can tolerate modern art museums, so if I was to choose one museum to recommend this would be it.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

I haven’t been to Chihuly Garden and Glass, shockingly. But I want to go here, because it’s filled with what looks like big and beautiful glass art sculptures that would be a photographer’s dream. Since I want to go here, I would recommend you trying it.

The Museum of pop culture

For museums dedicated to music, TV, and entertainment, the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is pretty good. People who like museum will probably really like it. I’ve seen costumes worn by Lady Gaga and Beyonce, exhibits about David Bowie, and a whole wing dedicated to horror flicks and scaring you. There’s also a lot of interactive music exhibits that will keep any little ones entertained. Plus it’s in Seattle Center near the Space Needle and glass museum so you can visit all three of these places in one go.

Pacific Science Center

The Pacific Science Center is another museum in Seattle Center that I’ve never been to beyond its IMAX theater, but I know it’s good for kids. My sister takes my nieces regularly and they always learn something new with their interactive exhibits.

Museum of History and Industries

The Museum of History and Industries (MOHAI) is another museum right on Lake Union (so technically it’s in South Lake Union and not downtown, but it’ll probably still show up on “24 hours in downtown Seattle” lists). I’ve been to this one because they had an amazing Pacific Northwest food exhibit that I really enjoyed. It’s also a great place to learn more about how Seattle developed over the years and became the city it is today. Plus it’s an excuse to walk around Lake Union. Win/win.

Seattle Central Library

If you need a place to unwind, the downtown branch of the Seattle Public Library is a great place to do it. This is a gorgeous building made of all glass that stands out like an impressive swan among the ugly ducklings of buildings around it. They also have a piano room you can reserve, if you’re the musically inclined type.

Theaters

The Paramount Theater, Moore Theater, or 5th Avenue Theater are all great options for late-night entertaining (I’m a 5th Ave member!). There are a lot of good shows that travel through these theaters. For example, I’ve seen Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Hamilton. If music is more your scene, check out Showbox to see if any bands are playing while you’re in town.

Getting Around Downtown Seattle

Depending on your physical aptitude, downtown Seattle can be very walkable. From Pike Place Market, it’s one mile in either direction to the Space Needle or Pioneer Square.

I typically walk everywhere, but if it’s raining or I’m in a rush, I’ll bus. Most of the buses that run along 3rd Ave. make stops all the way from the Space Needle to Pioneer Square. Google will give you the details, but one thing you should know: the 3rd & Pike stop is a congregation point for the city’s homeless. They’re harmless, but you should know so you aren’t surprised.

This used to be my bus stop and nothing ever happened to me, but the homelessness crisis was a big shock to me when I first moved here. If it makes you uncomfortable, just walk to the 3rd & Virginia stops a few blocks away to pick up the bus instead.

Map of Downtown Seattle

To get you oriented, I made a map of downtown Seattle. This isn’t the official boundaries between neighborhoods (do those even exist?), but it’s a local’s understanding of the borders between neighborhoods.

The big gray box is what I consider all of downtown. All of the recommendations below fall in this boundary. The smaller box is the Belltown neighborhood. It’s distinct, but most people still consider it downtown.

Where to Stay in Downtown Seattle

Whenever I travel, I like to stay in off-beat boutique hotels or Airbnbs so that I can get a real sense of the place. I want to experience ambiance unique to that city, not the same ambiance I can experience at any of a hotel’s other locations.

One option in downtown Seattle is The Paramount Hotel. The location can’t be beat. It’s right on Pine Street, a road you can take to walk right to Pike Place Market. My favorite thing about the location is that it’s a few blocks off the main commuter, tourist, and shopping areas that get a lot of foot traffic. It’s also right on the edge of Capitol Hill, another neighborhood you should explore if you have more that 24 hours in downtown Seattle.

If you’e curious what it’s like, each room has its own personality, designed as if you’re in a Brooklyn loft apartment instead of a hotel. And the bed. The bed is so comfy! This is something I always look for in reviews because it’s difficult to sleep in a new place, especially if you’re sleeping on a crappy bed.

But what made The Paramount Hotel feel like home was the staff.

As soon as I walked in, multiple people greeted my warmly. The desk attendant, the elevator attendant…everyone made me feel so welcome. This is one of the most cited reasons people love them on Trip Advisor, which is likely why they are ranked #3 out of all the hotels on there.

Disclaimer: I was provided a one-night stay for free at The Paramount Hotel in exchange for this article. All opinions are my own and I’d never work with a brand that isn’t one I’d try on my own! Thank you for supporting the businesses that support me and make this blog possible!