A few years ago, I took my niece on a quick trip to Seattle, Washington, a city we’d both always wanted to visit. We only had two days, so it was super important to have the perfectly planned itinerary to be sure we had time to see everything we wanted to.

This 2-day Seattle itinerary worked so well for us that I wanted to share it with you!

Day 1: Space Needle, Chihuly, and the shore

Our day began with a flight to Seattle, picking up a rental car, and checking in at our hotel. Then our fun started at 1:00 pm, as we visited some must-see Seattle tourist attractions.

MORNING

• Fly to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
• Pick up rental car
• Drive to Hyatt Place Seattle/Downtown and check in
  • 110 6th Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
  • 1-206-441-6041

AFTERNOON

• 1:00 – Lunch at The 5 Point Cafe
  • 415 Cedar St, Seattle, WA 98121
  • Open 24 hours
  • Within easy walking distance (0.2 miles, 5 mins) from hotel
  • P.S. They have great burgers and even better fries!

• 2:00 – Visit the Space Needle
  • 400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109
  • Open Sun 9-10, Mon 10-9, Tue 10-3, Wed/Thu 10-8, Fri 9-10, Sat 9-11
  • Tickets are $35-$42.50 depending on day of week
  • Consider the $64 combo ticket that includes Chihuly entrance
  • Purchase tickets online in advance for timed entrance (limited quantity)
  • Within easy walking distance (0.3 miles, 6 mins) from restaurant

• 4:00 – Visit Chihuly Gardens and Glass
  • 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109
  • Open Sun-Tue 10-6, Wed-Fri 10/7, Sat 9-7
  • Tickets are $29-$37.50 depending on time of day
  • Consider the $64 combo ticket that includes Space Needle entrance
  • Purchase tickets online in advance for timed entrance (limited quantity)
  • Located next to the Space needle (1 min walk)

EVENING

Ready to explore more? Here are some additional nearby things to do with the rest of your day if you’ve still got time and energy.

• Visit Olympic Sculpture Park
  • 2901 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
  • Open daily from sunrise to sunset
  • Free to visit
  • Within walking distance (0.3 miles, 10 mins) from Chihuly Gardens but it puts you further from hotel so the walk back will be longer (0.5 miles, 15 mins)
• Visit Alki Beach
  • 2665 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
  • Open daily from 4am – 11:30pm
  • Park with 0.5 miles of beachfront
  • Known for biking and walking greats and views of the Olympic Mountains
  • The water’s cold enough to prevent swimming, but while there you’ll see a Statue of Liberty replica and an occasional seal. It’s also a good spot to hunt for sea glass (especially during low tide and after storms).
  • Drive time is approximately 20 min from the hotel
• Visit Alki Point Lighthouse
  • 3201 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
  • Open from 1-3:45pm on select days
  • Free admission, reservations not required
  • Drive time is approximately 5 mins from Alki Beach

Day 2: Foodie Delight

The second day focuses the foods and beverages that Seattle is known for, with a few fun and quirky stops along the way.

MORNING

• 9:00 – Drive to the Pike Place Market parking garage
  • 1531 or 1531 or 1901 Western Ave, Seattle WA 98101
  • Open daily from 5am – 2am
  • Flat parking fee is $15 if you enter before 9:30am (leave before 9pm)
  • Hourly parking fee is $5/hr (discounted after 4hrs)
• 9:15 – Visit World’s First Starbucks
  • 1912 Pike Place, Seattle, WA 98101
  • Open daily 6:30am – 8:30pm
  • Within easy walking distance (0.1 miles, 3 mins) from parking garage
• 9:30 – Grab breakfast at one (or more!) of these amazing nearby shops:
  • Walk two doors down to Piroshky Piroshky for amazing Russian turnovers
  • Grab a croissant or fresh French baked good at Le Panier
  • Follow your nose for a giant cookie or cinnamon roll at Cinnamon Works
• 10:00 – Browse the green-roofed Market pavilion across the street
• 11:00 – Walk to The Gum Wall
  • 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
  • This colorful display of gum began in the 1990s when patrons of the nearby bar were restricted from bringing gum inside, and started sticking it on the wall outside before they entered. It soon became a tradition.
  • It can be tricky to find: head down a ramp to the iconic “Public Market Center” clock sign. At the bottom of the ramp, veer left into Post Alley and you’ll see The Gum Wall on both sides.
  • P.S. Don’t forget to chew some gum and add it to this unique work of art!
• 11:15 – Explore the area, visiting one or more of these nearby attractions:
  • The Great Seattle Wheel
    • Pier 67, 1307 Alaskan Way (walk from The Gum Wall is 0.2 miles, 6 mins)
    • Open Sun 10-9, Mon-Thu 11-9, Fri-Sat 10-10
    • General admission tickets are $18-23 and can be used any time any day
  • Waterfront Park
  • Seattle Art Museum

AFTERNOON

• 12:30 – Foodie walking tour with Eat Seattle
  • Chef-guided food tour of Pike Place Market
  • Two-hour tour, $60 per person, buy tickets online in advance
  • Get small bites / samples at 8-9 locations
  • On this tour, you’ll get the inside scoop on where chefs and locals shop and hang out. You’ll skip the lines at popular vendors for and taste without the wait and you’ll learn tons about the local vendors, history of the market, and the artisans who bring Seattle’s culinary scene to life
  • P.S. This was my favorite activity of the whole weekend!

• 3:00 – Explore more of Pike Place Market

EVENING

If you’ve still got time before heading home, here are some additional nearby things you could do with the rest of your day.

• Visit Starbucks Reserve Roastery
  • 1124 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101
  • Open daily 7am – 9pm
  • Rare Starbucks Reserve coffees are roasted on site
  • Ever-changing beverage menu and coffee flights available
  • Menu includes sweets, pastries, and sandwiches
  • Watch, taste, and learn various coffee prep methods
  • Various experiences / tours / tastings are available for booking
  • Drive there from the parking garage (1.5 miles, 10 mins)
• Visit Uwajimaya
  • 600 5th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
  • Open daily 8am – 8pm
  • Massive Asian supermarket in Chinatown
  • Unending assortment of Japanese capsule toys, candies, and Food Hall with many Asian cuisines in one location
  • Free validated parking (spend $20 for 2 hours parking)
  • Drive there from the parking garage (1.5 miles, 10 mins) or from the Starbucks Roastery (2.6 miles, 10 mins)

What did I miss?

If you’re a Seattle native or a frequent traveler and you think I missed something amazing, let me know in the comments below. I’ll try to work it in on my next visit!