A weekend in Seattle: Ultimate 2-day itinerary
Seattle is a destination everyone should visit at least once. It’s scenic, with stunning seaside views, great food, and just a cool place to be. And that’s exactly why I think it’s the ultimate weekend destination. This 2-day itinerary will show you just how to spend an epic weekend in Seattle.
Is Seattle worth visiting?
Seattle is absolutely worth visiting. And with budget-friendly direct flights from most major and mid-size airports, it’s easy to get to. There is plenty of great things to do while in Seattle to truly get a local experience, which is why it’s the perfect place to spend a weekend in Seattle.
A weekend in Seattle: 2-day itinerary
Day 1: Pike Place and Downtown Seattle Highlights
Start your day with real local Seattle coffee at Storyville Coffee Company. This upstairs cafe has incredible cozy vibes with arched windows and great coffee. Plus, if you sign up for their newsletter you’ll get a free mug. (And who says you need to buy souvenirs?)
After your morning coffee, the Pike Place Market will just be opening, which is a perfect time to walk the stalls of local artisans. If you don’t have time to walk all the market’s options be sure to visit Made In Washington for a fantastic selection of locally made products. They make great gifts!
You won’t have time to visit all the eateries in Seattle, so I recommend taking a guided Food Tour with a local chef at Pike Place Market. This will give you a taste of all the Seattle highlights like clam chowder and Beecher’s famous mac and cheese. Plus you’ll get a lot of history on Pike Place and some photo opportunities, too.
After your food tour take the train to Chihuly Garden and Glass. This sculpture park has some amazing glass blown creations worthy of a visit. If glass art isn’t your thing, you could instead visit the Museum of Pop Culture right next door. Both Chihuly and the Museum of Pop Culture are adjacent to the Space Needle. Spend time taking some photos with the Needle for a perfect backdrop.
Get back to the Pike Place Market in time to visit the Truffle Queen for their great selection on wines for a quick tasting. Their tasting is one of the cheapest and best ways to get a glimpse at the Washington winery scene without leaving the city.
You might not be very hungry after your food tour today, so instead of a huge Seattle meal consider some dumplings for dinner at Dough Zone, a favorite Seattle chain.
Day 2: Surrounding Seattle: Oldest winery and waterfall
Pick up a rental car for the day because you’ll want to see the surrounding areas of Seattle to fully take in the beauty of the area. I use AutoSlash to find the best rates on rental cars.
Take a quick detour on your way out of town to Top Pot Doughnuts for a doughnut and coffee for the road. Be sure to get an old fashioned doughnut, which is what they are known for. If doughnuts aren’t your thing, head back to Pike’s Place market for an epic savory piroshky at Piroshky Piroshky.
With breakfast, head out of town to visit Snoqualmie Falls for some beautiful views of mountains and a 270-foot waterfall. The falls are about a 45 minute drive from downtown Seattle, free to visit and the perfect spot to get a glimpse of the scenery in the area.
Afterwards, if you enjoy hiking there are many trails near the falls. Mount Si has trailheads for every type of hiker and is a great way to see the views. If hiking isn’t for you, check out some of the local shops and cafes in Snoqualmie. It’s a quaint town perfect for a quick look around.
For lunch be sure to eat at Scott’s Dairy Freeze. It’s a local favorite for burgers, shakes and fries. And with a cheese burger just $7, it’s a steal of a meal!
After lunch take in the wineries of the Seattle area at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. There truly isn’t anything like this place in the area, with picturesque views of the mountains and rolling hills at Washington’s oldest winery it’s worth the visit.
Return your rental car back in Seattle before freshening up for dinner on the water.
Duke’s is a local favorite with three locations but the one you’ll want to visit is on Alki Avenue, with views of beautiful boats in the harbor while you eat dinner. The restaurant serves some of the Pacific Northwest’s classic dishes like clam chowder, crab cakes, and salmon. I’d recommend snagging a bread bowl of clam chowder.
How to visit Seattle on a budget
Though like most coastal cities Seattle can be expensive, there are plenty of ways to visit Seattle on a budget. Here are some of my favorite ways to save money on a trip to Seattle:
Use points on your hotel stay. Seattle hotels are incredibly expensive, which is why it’s the perfect opportunity to use points and miles on your hotel stay. I stayed at the Thompson Seattle right at Pike Place Market using World of Hyatt points transferred from my Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Want to know how I travel the world on a budget?
Earn points towards free travel on your Lyft rides. If taking ride share, I recommend using Lyft with your Chase Sapphire Preferred to earn 5x on your rides. Be sure to also link your card to your DOSH app for potential 10% back savings and to BILT for 2x earnings.
… But also take the public transit. Seattle has amazing and cheap public transit. Be sure to use your Google Maps transit feature to check out your options.
Use a reciprocal membership for free museum access. Did you know that if you’re a member of your local museum, zoo, or other cultural sites you likely have reciprocal benefits for free access to many Seattle museums!
Take advantage of happy hours. Happy hours are a part of the Seattle culture and locals certainly take advantage of them to save on food and drink. Be sure to use my FREE Search Term Guide to find the best happy hours on a budget.
Want more savings opportunities like this? Join Stacking Academy!
