Travel Guide: How to Spend Four Days in Seattle

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Are you planning your first trip to Seattle and looking for things to do? You found the right place! Last month, Me and my husband, Cesar spent four days in Seattle (a Thursday morning through Sunday evening), and I’m sharing some planning tips, an itinerary, and some favorite spots from our first time in Seattle.

Seattle Trip Planning

A Note on Flight Times

To maximize our time in Seattle, we booked a 6am MT flight from Denver on Thursday, landing around 8am PT in Seattle. And our return flight home to Denver was at 8pm PT on Sunday so we had most of the day on Thursday, all of Friday and Saturday, and most of the day on Sunday to explore. It felt like the perfect amount of time to explore.

This was our first time flying Alaska Airlines (normally we fly Southwest), and it was nice to have an assigned seat and plug-ins at each seat.

Lodging and Accommodations

For our lodging, we wanted to stay in a walkable neighborhood to many different attractions. We booked an Airbnb about 10 minutes east of Pike Place Market in the “First Hill” neighborhood. I recommend choosing a walkable neighborhood like Downtown, Belltown, First Hill, Cap Hill, South Lake Union, or the University District.

Transit and Having Your Bags Watched

From the Seattle airport (also called Sea–Tac), you can take the public transit light rail, called the ORCA, to many neighborhoods throughout Seattle. Once you know where you’re staying in Seattle, look at the different transit options (I use Google Maps for this) to see which transit option makes the most sense for you.

Can’t get into your accommodations for some time after you land and don’t want to carry around your luggage? Consider booking luggage storage! A variety of luggage storage services exist. We used Nannybag and chose the location right next to Pike Place Market (it’s called the Green Tortoise Hostel, will find that out after you book) and had a positive experience.

Day One: Exploring Pike Place Market and the Waterfront

We prefer to see and do the touristy things as early in a trip as possible 1) to make sure we see the sites, and 2) the rest of the trip can be more relaxed and usually a bit less crowded.

With that in mind, once you’re ready to explore, make your way to Pike Place Market, which is Seattle’s original farmers market. Altogether, the market has 5 levels and over 500 small businesses. It stretches across a nine acre historic district and is open from 9-6pm daily (some restaurants stay open later). To avoid some overwhelm, I recommend doing some research on the businesses in the Market and creating a Market Day itinerary, which you can build here. 

A few of my Pike Place Market favorites:

• Ellenos Greek yogurt
• Pike Place Fish Market (the guys that throw fish)
• Frank’s Quality Produce (we enjoyed the most amazing yellow peach while visiting in August)
• Rummage Around (if you’re thrifty like me)
• Any and all of the flower stands – y’all, there bouquets are s t u n n i n g and surprisingly affordable! Buy a few $2 dahlias to enjoy where you’re staying, you will not be disappointed. And if you arrive earlier in the day when it’s not too busy and want a specific color palette, the florists often will create a fresh bouquet for you.
• Need a gift or a tasty souvenir? MarketsSpice offers a large variety of teas and spices available in both bulk and prepackaged.

Market Tips

I’ve read that the “Original Starbucks” is actually a marketing gimmick. If you want the photo op there, though, then skip the long, long line there and go to another Starbucks (there are others within walking distance), and then come back to snap a photo in front of the “Original” one (PS go to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery later in your trip).

Secondly, I didn’t know that the Market had a secret garden rooftop when I went, but you should totally check it out if you’re going! Read more about the hidden garden rooftop here.

In terms of time, the Market covers a huge space. Allocate at least three to four hours to explore the market and wander around the Waterfront neighborhood. There’s plenty of restaurants and produce stands around to either fill you up completely or mitigate your hunger while you explore.

After the Market, head to where you’re staying. Once settled in, prop your feet up on a wall for at least 15 minutes to alleviate tired legs and relax. Never heard of this? I love doing it when traveling since my feet get so many steps in. Read more about it here.

A smart #traveltip I recommend is to go to a grocery store and stock up on easy to eat/prepare breakfast items to save a little coin. Greek yogurt is my personal go-to for a light yet filling breakfast (and let’s be honest, I spend my money on getting iced lattes).  😇

Now, for dinner.

Before your trip, consider booking a reservation (we used Opentable) for dinner. I recommend checking out a restaurant near downtown for your first evening out.

Some highly-rated restaurants options near/in downtown include:

After wrapping up dinner in downtown, make your way to a hole-in-the-wall pinball bar, called Shorty’s. And if you’re competitive at all, this is such a fun spot for some friendly pinball (and skiball!) competition.

Day Two: Ferrying to Bainbridge Island

Whether you choose to sleep in or start your day early, Bainbridge Island will be ready for you. During the week, the first ferry leaves Seattle at 5:30am (6:10am on the weekends) and operates approximately every 50 minutes (review it’s weekday and weekend sailing schedules here).

On the way to the ferry, pick up your favorite caffeinated beverage from Retro Coffee – the best iced latte I had in Seattle!

To take the Bainbridge Island ferry, you will need to leave from the Washington State Ferry Terminal, which is Pier 52. It costs $9.25/person to go to Bainbridge Island from Seattle, but the return trip from Bainbridge to Seattle is free (fare information here).

While on the ferry, you’ll enjoy some of the most scenic views of Seattle – great photo opportunities! And we greatly enjoyed the sunshine and breeze on our faces while commuting to Bainbridge. It takes about 35 minutes to arrive at the island.

One the ferry docks, follow the crowd up the hill (you’ll be walking on Olympic Drive)l. If you’re into art, take some time to visit the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, which is located at the top of the hill (Olympic Drive and Winslow Way intersection) and has FREE admission for visitors.

Not feeling a museum? Continue by taking a left onto the main street, which is called Winslow Way. This is the street with the most action! Pop into a variety of shops and eateries while strolling down the street. 

One of the first spots we saw and hit up was Emma and Otto’s. Here, get a one scoop ice cream in a homemade waffle cone. I’m not kidding, it was the tastiest ice cream cone I’ve ever had! They also added a whopper at the bottom of the cone (and randomly, whoppers are one of my husband’s favorite candies – he was ecstatic). I had the vegan strawberry ice cream, and my husband ordered the salted caramel ice cream, which was freshly made and TO DIE for.

As you continue on Winslow Way, you’ll see a variety of shops – from second hand book stores, an antique mall, toy store, jewelers, to bakeries, wine tasting rooms, and a variety of restaurants. On our trip, we wandered around for a couple of hours, and then grabbed sandwiches at Red Cedar Cafe for lunch. After lunch, we wanted to stretch our legs so we walked a ways and then discovered the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum, which highlights the islands history, beginning first with the native Squamish people and continuing with major milestone’s over time (the first European explorers, history of the logging and agricultural industries, effects of WWII, the invention of pickle ball on the island!, and more). It took us about 40 minutes to get through the museum. 

If you have to wait on the ferry to arrive, check out Hi Life for a beverage (and poke if you’re hungry). Most likely, the ferry line will be long, but it’s a huge ferry with plenty of space for everyone, and remember, it’s free to ride on the way back to Seattle.

After arriving back in Seattle, go back for an afternoon siesta and shower/freshen up. Then, make your way to Capitol Cider for a flight of cider and roasted brussel sprouts. Go and put your name on the waitlist at Tamari (they’ll text you when a table is available for you) then cross the street to continue exploring Cap Hill. We had a drink at Mercado Luna while we waited for our table at Tamari. The mezcal margarita was good but $$$ for its size.

At Tamari, we ordered bao buns and ramen and a highball cocktail – everything was d e l i c i o u s. Be forewarned: you may leave Tamari in a food coma. Stroll down Pine Street to help walk it off. You actually have a variety of transit options: walk around, scoot around, or take a rideshare back. We opted to scoot back to our Airbnb (Lime via uber and Bird are the popular scooters in Seattle). 

Other highly-rated dinner options in/near Capitol Hill include:

Shop the Look: Seattle in the Summer Exploring Outfit Inspo

Day Three: Kayaking and Lunch near Alki Beach

It’s your third and final full day in Seattle! If you haven’t already, jump online and reserve a kayak (or a two-person kayak) via Alki Kayak Tours for the time you want (you could also schedule the reservation more in advance, but there were plenty of time slots open the morning of when we did it). The reservation is for one hour.

Since you’re going to be kayaking today, I’d recommend NOT showering in the morning but later after kayaking. Today, you’re going to head to Pier 50 to catch the West Seattle ferry. Check the ferry schedule to make sure you get there near a departure time.

Before you leave, eat breakfast, and explore another coffee shop. There are many coffee shops in the same vicinity as the Pier – from Good Coffee Co, Caffe Migliore, to Victrola Coffee Roasters. 

Once at Pier 50, you’ll need to purchase a ticket (fare info is here) and get in line. The ferry is a quick 10 minute commute to West Seattle with great views of the Seattle skyline. Alki Kayak Tours is less than a one minute walk from the West Seattle ferry dock (just hook a right as you walk past Marination Ma Kai (you’ll be back here for lunch after kayaking!). You’ll be able to store your bag(s) in a locker with a free lock, next they’ll have you listen to a safety info session with the kayak tour staff, and then you’ll be free to explore the Duwamish River Head and paddle by Alki Beach for the next hour. 

Kayaking will probably help you build up an appetite like it did for us. *smiley face* Good news, lunch is right next door at Marination Ma Kai. There will be a somewhat long line – trust us, it’s a great lunch spot and worth the wait. Marination Ma Kai is a popular Hawaiian restaurant and due to its location (right next to the West Seattle ferry dock), it has stellar views of the Seattle skyline. The aloha pork sliders, fish tacos, and shaved ice with mango and passion fruit were our go-to’s for lunch and hit the spot for us.

After eating comes more exploring! You’ll have seen a bunch of electric bikes and scooters on the sidewalks. You can either hop on one of those or walk to Alki Beach (about 1.7 miles – we scooted) using the large walkway path. Lots of people watching here – and soo many golden retrievers! It seemed like everywhere we turned there was a golden enjoying a walk or jumping into the beach, chasing after a ball. Once you explore and walk the beach for a bit, head to West Seattle Brewing Co for a refreshment (and more people watching). 

Check the ferry schedule and make your back towards the ferry to catch the next ride. It’s time to head back to where you’re staying to shower and relax a bit before dinner. Tonight, you can explore a new neighborhood for dinner – Fremont!

Depending on what type of cuisine you’re feeling, here are some highly-rated recommendations:

Day Four: Visiting the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Scooting to Gasworks Park

Ah, your last day in Seattle. You’re going to need to pack your luggage and tidy up a bit before you take your luggage to be held. As a reminder, we used Nannybag and chose the location right next to Pike Place Market (it’s called the Green Tortoise Hostel, will find that out after you book) and had a good experience.

Once you’re checked out and bags are dropped off, it’s time to go to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery! We went on a Sunday around 11am, and it was busyyyy, but we didn’t care because this was the one thing we had planned to do for the day.

If you’re there with another person, I’d recommend one person getting in line right away, and the other person scouting for seats. I had already looked at the menu online and knew what I wanted to order so I texted my husband what I wanted (he was waiting in line). Personally, I loved trying the cold brew flight, which is a trio of 3oz cold brews, and I also ordered a grande nitro cold brew with a ham and cheese croissant – absolutely hit the spot for me. At the roastery, you can see parts of their manufacturing process in action while you’re there. It was fascinating to see how some of it works while sipping on the beloved cold brew.

Altogether, we spent about an hour and fifteen/thirty minutes at the roastery. What you do next will depend on when your flight is. If you have an evening flight, you’ll have plenty of time left to continue exploring. If you have an afternoon flight, you may need to pick up your bags and head to the airport. 

A fun way to kill some time is to spend it is scooting to Lake Union! You can scoot all the way to the north side and check out Gasworks Park. We visited on a Sunday afternoon in August, and there was a band playing live music and a ton of people out enjoying their day. It has a different vantage point and beautiful view of the Seattle skyline (you’ll be looking south compared to when you’re taking a ferry/in West Seattle and looking east at the skyline).

If you’re into brunch and have the time, I highly recommend that you check out Dreamland Bar and Diner in Fremont. This was one of the most instagrammable brunch spots that I’ve been to – the hallway is filled with dozens of disco balls! The aesthetic was so fun. And the breakfast sandwich was so flavorful – would go back again in a heartbeat. 

Right outside of Dreamland’s steps, there is a Sunday market, which is fun to walk through before making your way back to pickup your luggage and get on the light rail to the airport.

Shop the Look: Seattle in the Summer Dinner Outfit Inspo

As a first-time visitor to Seattle, I hope you found this travel guide helpful! Would love to hear from you once you take your trip.

Cheers,

Marah Elizabeth