Fun Things to do in Seattle (even if you only have 1 hr, half-day, or 1 day!)

What if I have an hour off?​

• Public Viewing spot in the Columbia Tower
• Go to Pike Place Market or Seattle Center and wander around
• Bike on the Myrtle Edwards Trail
• Check out Pacific Place Mall is close to Convention Center
• ​Lecosho by Pike Place is walking distance from the Convention Center, and so is the Zig Zag cafe-retro bar in Pike Place
  

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Best Microbrew

• Pyramid Alehouse - 1201 1st Avenue S
• Chuck’s Hop Shop - 2001 E. Union St. 
• Fremont Brewery - 1050 N 34th St
• Elysian - 1221 E Pike St
• Cloudburst - 2116 Western Ave
• Optimism Brewery - 1158 Broadway
• Ravenna Brewing  - 5408 26th Ave NE (small but super friendly, great bear, has a food truck most nights)

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Best Family Friendly Dinner Spot

La Fontana Siciliana
120 Blanchard St, Seattle, WA 98121

Bongos
Carribean Restaurant with sand area (awesome on a nice day)
6501 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Ba Bar
550 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Crab pot
1301 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101

Dueminuti
It is an order-at-the-front and watch the healthy tef-based pasta being made.
412 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102

5 Spot
1502 Queen Anne Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109

Uneeda Burger
(not fancy, great shakes!)
4302 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

​Palace Kitchen
(fancy but kid-friendly)
2030 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

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Best Happy Hour

El Gaucho
2505 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Mamma Melina Restaurant
5101 25th Avenue NE, Seattle WA 98105

Tavern Law
1406 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Sansei
815 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101

Witness, in Capitol Hill
410 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
Pretty good one at the Seattle location of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
727 Pine St, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Seattle, WA 98101

Burgundian
Super friendly neighborhood pub with great food
2253 N 56th St, Seattle, WA 98103

​Ba Bar
Modern Vietnamese with great cocktails
550 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

What if I have a half day off?

• Pike Place Market
• ​Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum in Seattle Center
• Gasworks park 
• Bike on the Burke-Gilman Trail around Lake Washington
• Argosy cruise
• ​Seattle Center
• Jazz Alley
• Moore theater
• See the space needle / Seattle center, the market, the duck tour
• Ferry to Bainbridge Island is a must do. Just walk on. The view of Seattle from the sound is spectacular.
• Underground tour under Pioneer Square
• ​Ballard (Hit the Ballard Locks and then Golden Gardens, shop or eat on Ballard Avenue, maybe add in a couple hours of rock climbing at Stone Gardens)
• Pacific Science Center
• ​Space Needle

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Best Restaurant

Cha’n
(modern Korean at Pike Place market)
86 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101

Place Pigalle
81 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Grill from Ipanema
2313 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Sushi Kashiba
86 Pine St #1, Seattle, WA 98101

Il Terrazzo Carmine
411 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

RockCreek Seafood and Spirits
4300 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Canlis
– but pricey!
2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Aqua
2801 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121

Shiro
2401 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

How to Cook a Wolf
2208 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Barolo
1940 Westlake Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Wataru Sushi
7051, 2400 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115

Revel-Fremont
has authentic Korean with a great adjacent bar!
513 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Terra Plata
in Cap Hill has a fun rooftop deck.
1501 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Harvest Vine
2701 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112

Assagio
2010 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Purple Café
1225 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Shuckers
411 University St, Seattle, WA 98101

Etta’s
2020 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

El Gaucho
2505 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Dalia Lounge
2001 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Wild Ginger
1401 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Salty’s on Alki
(For Sunday brunch especially)
1936 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126

Din Tai Fung in Pacific Place
(But warning – no reservations and long waits)
600 Pine St Suite 403, Seattle, WA 98101

Salare
Best fancy restaurant
2404 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115

Junebaby
Best less fancy restaurant where you might have a wait but no reservation needed
2122 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115

Palace Kitchen
Best standby within walking distance of convention center with no reservation needed
2030 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Best resource for learning about good restaurants – seattle.eater.com

What if I have a whole day off?

• Chihully Gardens 
• Argossy / Harbor Cruise
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation discovery center 
• Museum of Pop Culture (museum adjacent to Chihully gardens) – 
• ​Tulip festival in Skaggit (40 miles north – impressive tulips in April)
• Take a ferry or boat ride around the harbor or nearby island (Bremerton, Kingston)
• Kayak on Lake Union if weather permits
• Ride a sight-seeing seaplane with Kenmore air
• Underground tour
• Aquarium
• ​Ferris wheel
• Go to Washington Park in Anacortes, WA and walk around there. Hit Deception Pass on the way there.
• Hiking from Paraside Base on Mt. Rainier
• Mt. St. Helens
• ​Ferry to Bainbridge Island,
  
• Flying Heritage Collection (WWII Airplane Museum) in Everett

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Best Coffee

Roys Café
700 Broadway Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102Storyville Coffee Pike Place

94 Pike St #34
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 780-5777Analog Coffee

235 Summit Ave E – SeattleFonté Coffee Roasters

1321 First Avenue, Seattle
206-762-0760Kaladi Brothers

517 East Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98122
206.257.1688The Traditional – Starbucks.

Good tourist experience at Pike Place location, but unique experience at:
Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Capitol Hill, 1124 Pike St.La Marzocco Cafe

Seattle Center Campus
472 1st Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
It’s in the lobby of KEXP – the best independent radio station in the country. Can listen to music, browse through a record shop, maybe catch a live on-air show.

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Best Group Gathering Spot (short wait times)

Il Bistro
93 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Agua Verde Café and Paddle Club
1303 NE Boat St, Seattle, WA 98105k-6701

Rhein Haus
(go early)
912 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Ray’s Cafe in Ballard / Shilshole Bay
6049 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Two Beers Brewing
4700 Ohio Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134
Any of the great brewpubs, really https://seattle.eater.com/maps/best-seattle-breweries