I have been to Seattle numerous times! It’s one of my favourite getaways from Vancouver because it’s so close to home- about 3 hours of driving to be exact.
Seattle is one of those places that is great as a one-day excursion, or to spend a weekend at. I’ve been to the city with family, Elbert, friends and honestly, I have a slightly different experience all the time. I find that travelling strongly depends on the people you go with. You can go to the same place a gazillion times, but still find something new.
Hence, I want to share my favourite things to do/ places to visit while in Seattle! This list can be done all in one day, or mixed and matched to your liking.
My Tips on How to Spend One Day in Seattle:
Plan Your Travel Time, Route and Itinerary Ahead of Time
This is a key component in planning your one day trip to Seattle.
If you are aiming to have a busy day filled with activities to the brim, plan ahead and aim to leave the house early in the day.
It helps to also research on American/Canadian holidays, as to avoid MAJOR congestion at the border. There was once where the girls and I almost drove down during Black Friday. Dodged a bullet!
I like to play on the side of caution when travelling, so I recommend to leave extra time for traffic delays and unexpected pit stops en route to Seattle. I usually like to stop by the Premium Seattle Outlets, though that should be a full day on it’s own.
Best Places to Eat in Seattle
So I’m a huge foodie. One of the reasons I don’t blog about food is because I never have the patience to take photos of it. I’m a diver when it comes to eating as mentioned in my LA post
Elbert and I went on a self-planned ‘food tour’ on our one day visit to Seattle. Here’s some of my favourite spots:
Pike Place Market
has such a great variety of food! It can get quite busy and overwhelming, depending on the type of person you are. I had THE best taco breakfast bowl in a little corner inside Pike Place and still dream about it.
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
IS AMAZING. I’m not the biggest fan of mac and cheese but I understand the long line ups. It’s a full experience. You get to watch the cheese being made and then indulge in the most delicious piece of fromage ever.
Dong Thap Noodles
if you like me, love Pho. To be honest, the pho wasn’t amazing compared to what I have in Vancouver. BUT, they are known for serving GIGANTIC bowls of pho (you need to request in advance), so if you’re up for the challenge..
Chinatown
is good for dimsum! My family and I had delicious dim sum here and you can wander around. I particularly enjoyed browsing through Kinokuniya (an Asian bookstore brand).
Unicorn Seattle
To be fair, I’ve never been here but always wanted to go. It seems cool through IG and their website, so it must be. Right?
Purple Wine Bar
is fantastic and so fun for dinner! It’s a fancy little establishment with beautiful décor, and delicious bites. Also get the wine- always get wine.
Seattle is known for their coffee (or so I’ve been told). I do have to say that the last time I visited, we went to The Hart and The Hunter because it was pouring rain out. I had a huge cup of Irish Bailey’s infused coffee, and I was wired for the day.
Where to Visit in the Day that is Free :
The first ever Starbucks
is located in Seattle in case you didn’t know. I personally don’t find it too interesting after the first visit but, if you like Starbucks..
Walk along the Pier
is one of my favourite things to do while in Seattle. I find that there are cool restaurants as you walk, grab an ice cream cone and get on the Ferris Wheel.
Exploring Pike Place Market
is something you can do for free, unless you make a purchase here and there! There’s plenty to do- I got a caricature done so that’s fun. Also the infamous Gum Wall is there- it’s absolutely disgusting, just a heads up.
Where to Visit that Incur a Fee :
Chihuly Gardens
is very beautiful if you love artwork and particularly glass work. Every piece is so intricate, detailed and stunning!
The Space Needle
is fun if you’re looking to see the city from above. I went once and it was alright for me. That said, I’m afraid of heights and the dinner I had was extremely overpriced. If you do want to go, probably go to see the birds eye view and go somewhere else for dinner.
Museum of Pop Culture
is somewhere that is on my list but have yet to explore. I hear good things about it from those who love pop culture though! It also looks cool from the outside lawll.
Go shopping in the city
I tend to go to the stores that are not available in Canada- like Target or Trader Joes. Sadly I couldn’t find a Trader Joes but Target’s pretty fun. Nordstrom Rack has some cute things too! I found my beloved white teddy coat there.
Thinking outside the box is inevitable when I travel with my boyfriend. He’s the adventurer and I’m the planner, so we make a good mix. We explored the residential areas in Seattle to see the neighbourhood and being the silly billies we are, explored the local colleges to see if we still passed as students. Oh, and we played on the swings at the park. SO YES, PLENTY TO DO if you look for it!
Lastly, if you are thinking to yourself, ‘This ain’t no bloody itinerary’, you’re right. Everyone is different when it comes to travelling so treat this as a buffet where you can pick what you like. Though, if you really want a full on itinerary, I can’t say no..
Samsational Itinerary for One Day in Seattle (if you’re coming from Vancouver)
5:30 am : Depart Vancouver
6 am : Stop by McDs for Breakfast
8:45 am : Reach Seattle City Centre
9 am : Explore Pike Place Market and grab second breakfast
10:30 am : Peek into the first Starbucks before line ups
10:45 am : Explore the Pier
12 pm : Lunch time at Dong Thap Noodles
1 pm : Explore Seattle City and do a little window (or actual) shopping
2 pm : Visit the Chihuly Gardens
3:30 pm : Mid day snack at Belcher’s
4 pm: Check out the Seattle Space Needle
5 pm : Coffee time at The Hart and the Hunter
7 pm : Dinner time at Purple Wine Bar
9 pm : Head Home
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I hope this list helps you plan out your one day trip to Seattle! Everyone is different and if you have suggestions that I didn’t include here, I’d love to hear it. Be sure to tweet me @otisamantha , comment below OR DM me on Instagram!
Till next time loves,
xoxo Samantha
