Weekend Getaway Ideas: Seattle, Washington

Seattle is a must visit city in the Pacific Northwest.  This is coming from the perspective of someone who grew up in Washington state and spent her childhood traveling to the big city of Seattle, only to attend college and live in Seattle for four years.

Be assured that between the world-famous tourist attractions, the professional sports teams and the large amount of craft breweries to choose from, there is something for everyone!

This Seattle guide will provide an overview of several weekend getaway ideas and 6 not to be missed things to see and do in the Emerald City.

Space Needle

The Space Needle observation tower, soaring 520 feet above the ground, gives the best vantage point to experience all of Seattle’s beauty.  Visitors can even enjoy a glass of wine at the Atmos Wine Bar, located on the World’s first and only revolving glass floor.

Pricing varies but regular priced tickets range from $27.50-$37.50.  Children under 4 are admitted for free and there are Senior discounts for those 65+.

Savvy tip: plan to visit the Space Needle between 10:00am – 12:00pm to save up to $5 off on each ticket!

Seattle Great Wheel

The Great Wheel is a giant ferris wheel on Elliot Bay in Seattle.  The ride takes approximately 20 minutes and will go around three times.

Adult tickets are $14, children 3-11 are $9 and Seniors are $12.  Even if you are not interested in taking a ride on the Great Wheel, head down to Pier 57 on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights to watch the LED light shows. The Great Wheel is covered with 500,000 LED lights and the light shows are so fun to watch when in the area!

Pike Place Market

Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market is located in downtown Seattle.  This public market is a great place to go for fresh seafood, beautiful (and affordable!) flower varietals, unique crafts and specialty foods. While entrance into the market is free, it will be hard to resist purchasing something to eat or to take home as a souvenir!

While in the area, fans of Starbucks coffee can visit the original Starbucks location across from Pikes Place Market.  This historic coffee shop, located on 1^stand Pike, opened in 1971.  Visitors to this location probably won’t recognize the Starbucks logo hanging outside the shop as the original logo from 1971 is still used to this day.

Woodland Park Zoo

The award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is a great family friendly attraction in Seattle.  At almost 100-acres, visitors can plan to spend at least a half-day seeing all of the exhibits.

Ticket prices vary depending on season.  During the off-season (October 1 – March 31) adult tickets are $15.50, children (3-12) tickets are $10.50 and Seniors (65+) are $13.50.  Peak season pricing is much higher; adults $20.95, children $12.95 & Seniors $18.95.  Children 2 and under are always free.

Seattle Professional Sport Teams

Sports fanatics can always find a professional sporting event to attend when visiting Seattle. With teams for the NFL (Seahawks), MLB (Mariners), WNBA (Storm) and MLS (Sounders), professional sports are being played year-round.  In fact, Seattle was just awarded an NHL expansion team, so professional hockey will be coming soon too!

The Seahawks and the Sounders play at CenturyLink Field in Pioneer Square, near downtown Seattle. Across from CenturyLink is the newly renamed T-Mobile Field, home to the Mariners.  The Storm play at Key Arena near downtown, which will also be home to the new NHL team.

Seattle Craft Breweries

The Seattle craft beer scene is one of the most robust in the United States.  With over 60 craft breweries, and new ones opening throughout the year, visitors to Seattle have many options available to try Pacific Northwest beer.

The most well-known breweries that originate from Seattle are Elysian and Redhook.  While both started as craft breweries, they have since been purchased by Anheuser-Busch InBev.  Visitors to Seattle may be drawn to one of these local tasting rooms due to their familiarity, but should instead consider one of the true craft brewery options available.

Seattle Craft Breweries can be found in several Seattle neighborhoods, including Ballard, Fremont and Georgetown.  In fact, some of the neighborhoods are home to craft breweries that share their namesake (like Fremont Brewing and Georgetown Brewing).

Overall, visiting Seattle should be at the top of anyone’s list who is interested in seeing the Pacific Northwest.  Whether your trip to Seattle is for a weekend getaway, or for a longer stay, be sure to check out the highlights listed above.  Cheers!

About the Author:  Andrea is a wife, mom, and full-time HR professional who somehow finds time to travel the world (economically, as insisted by her accountant husband!) and share her wisdom and hard-earned tips on her travel blog, One Savvy Wanderer. Follow her on Facebook to find out more on how to get the smallest bill while traveling the world.

Have you visited Seattle and any of these amazing sights? We would love to hear about your trip in a comment below!

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