If You Only Have Three Days in Seattle
Collected by
AFAR Editors
, AFAR Staff
If you only have three days in Seattle, dive into the PNW groove. Visit Pike Place Market, ride the Ferris wheel or head to the top of the Space Needle to get some perspective on the layout of the city, eat fresh-caught shellfish and drink craft beer and coffee, hear some music, read some books, see some art, and start planning your next visit.
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1300 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
Guarded by the Hammering Man sculpture outside, thissuperb museum collection romps from native tribal art to African masks to carvings from Oceania. Highlights include the 16th-century wood-paneled Italian Room and The Studio, a portrait of the ...
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85 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
Walk, cycle or people-watch along the shores of Elliott Bay, a downtown stretch known for its circusy flair and spectacular vistas. You can ride the Great Wheel or visit the beloved Seattle Aquarium, home to wolf eels, sea otters, and the world's...
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1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
Taking just the 'right' wrong turn on a visit to Pike Place Market can land you in Post Alley, where spearmint, wild cherry, and tropical punch bubble gum drizzles down the window panes and grape, peppermint, and lemon ice gum-cicles form from...
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1301 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
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2901 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121, USA
Here's a bold claim: the Olympic Sculpture Park might just have something for everyone. Located on the waterfront, not far from Pike Place Market, it features great views of Puget Sound (well, on clear days) and the ferries going back and forth....
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370 Thomas St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
Far and away Seattle's most iconic structure, this U.F.O saucer on a stick is an Atomic Age baby—it only dates back to the 1962 World's Fair. A 41-second elevator still whisks guests to the observation deck, which really ladles on the natural...
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305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
This colorful, photography-friendly collection of the one-eyed glass artist's work is more than just another tourist attractions. The Northwest room, with its ceramics, textile art, Pendleton blankets, and photography of Native Americans, is a nod...
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325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
This sheet-metal fever dream by architect Frank Gehry is like a rock-and-roll Guggenheim, home to interactive exhibits that span music, sci-fi, fantasy, animation, video games, and other scrambled bits of modern life. A hands-on studio lets kids...
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Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
One of Seattle's most postcard-friendly areas, Pioneer Square is a beautiful, historical neighborhood with plenty to do. The galleries come alive for First Thursday art walks, not to mention the delicious lunch spots, quirky boutiques, and vibrant...
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1635 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
Cal Anderson Park (named after Washington's first openly gay legislator) is located at the Pike/Pine nexus of gay-friendly, hipster-filled Capitol Hill. With plenty of grassy lawns for picnics, reading, or playing bocce ball, it's no surprise that...
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Seattle, WA, USA
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1001 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
Yes, you read that right... "Keep clam" is the motto at Ivar's famous Seattle seafood restaurants. Ivar's has plenty of locations around town, from the casual fish-and-chip stands to the fancier waterfront Acres of Clams and Salmon House, but all...
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1531 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
You’ll want to arrive early at Sitka & Spruce to allow time for browsing the other shops inside Melrose Market: Calf and Kid’s artisanal cheeses, Rain Shadow Meats’ sausages and steaks, Glasswing’s home decor, and...
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1741 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134, USA
Outfitter to the Great Klondike Gold Rush, this Seattle-based company supplied stampeders with boots, sleeping bags, Mackinaw wool blankets, and rugged attire made from water-repellent Tin Cloth. "Our materials are the very best obtainable, for we...
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600 5th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
One of the country's largest Asian markets, this massive complex has anchored the International District since 1928—and contains a Japanese bookstore, a 12-station food court, and a Taiwanese hot-pot hot spot: The Boiling Point. Its shelves...
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110 Stewart St, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
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2411 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121, USA
The Edgewater made its mark in Seattle history as the place The Beatles stayed when they came through on tour in 1964. Other rock stars (and those who like to travel like rock stars) have since stayed at the Edgewater, choosing it for its singular...
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1521 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122, USA
The Elliott Bay Book Company is the Seattle bookstore and, thankfully, survived its move from Pioneer Square to Capitol Hill with soul and towering cedar bookcases intact. Elliott Bay lost a significant chunk of square footage during the move...
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