There are many reasons you may want to get off the beaten path in Seattle. Maybe you’re on a tight budget and some of the more iconic Seattle spots (ahem, Space Needle) are too pricey. Maybe, like me, you get anxiety from crowds and would like to avoid the crush of people at well-known spots like Pike Place Market. Or maybe this isn’t your first trip to Seattle and you feel you’ve “done” Seattle and want to check out some places that feel fresh and new. Whatever you’re reason, I’m glad you’re here and can read on to find some off-the-beaten-path ideas for your trip to Seattle!
1. Try Center For Wooden Boats Sunday Sail or a West Seattle water taxi instead of a harbor cruise
If being out on the water, seeing some sights with the fresh breeze in your hair is what you’re after, Center for Wooden Boats Sunday Sail could be a good option for you! Get there early on Sunday to sign up for a time to sail around Lake Union on one of the boats later in the day. If you’re not in Seattle on a Sunday or don’t want to wait in line, you can always rent a kayak or rowboat from them too and paddle around the lake yourself!
If you’re more interested in the city skyline than actually being on the water, consider taking the King County Water Taxi over to West Seattle from downtown (or vice versa). It only costs $5 one way and you’ll have great views of the skyline and Space Needle on your way out!
2. Try Uwajimaya and Kinokuniya instead of Pike Place Market
When we stopped by Pike Place Market on Saturday afternoon it was so crowded that we only spent a very short amount of time there. It was in stark contrast to the peaceful experience we had just had in the International District earlier in the afternoon. Uwajimaya is a Japanese grocery and gift store and Kinokuniya is a Japanese bookstore located right next door.
We had a great time visiting both! Kinokuniya had washi tape, origami paper, fans, manga books–something for everyone. Even if you’re not much of a Japanophile there were some super cute little maneki neko lucky charms we bought for friends back home and some adorable stickers. You can avoid the crowds and experience another culture by checking out shopping options in the International District instead of the famous fish market.
If you’re in Seattle on a Sunday, you can also check out Fremont Art Market. We loved shopping for beads and antiques, trying some new foods from the vendors, smelling the lovely fresh-cut flowers, and buying a personalized poem from a poet with a typewriter as a souvenir!
3. Climb the Volunteer Park water tower for Space Needle-worthy views
Of all the “on the beaten path” things we did in Seattle, Space Needle is probably the one I would skip on my next trip. It was fun to experience it once but I could do without the wait in line or hefty price tag again. Luckily, there is an option with similar views for more budget and time-constrained travelers. The Volunteer Park water tower has benches at the top and great views of the city, if you’re willing to climb about 100 steps to see it!
4. Try the Fremont troll instead of the infamous Gum Wall
The Seattle Gum Wall has to be one of the most disgusting “tourist attractions” I’ve visited. Just imagine what being in a narrow alley covered in chewed up gum looks and smells like… Then imagine that it’s extremely crowded with tourists chewing up gum and getting selfies for Instagram. Not my cup of tea.
If you want to visit something with a similar quirkiness, why not check out the Fremont Troll? He’s a concrete sculpture underneath one of Seattle’s bridges. We only saw him from the bus, but we are told the tradition is to go up and pick his nose, so if you wanted something with a similar nasty factor to the gum wall, he can provide that too!
5. Try Olympic Sculpture Park or the Volunteer Park Conservatory instead of Chihuly Garden and Glass
Chihuly Garden and Glass is amazing, so if you haven’t been and can stretch the budget to make it there, go! But if you can’t, don’t worry–there are alternatives! If it’s a nice day and you were more interested in the art side of the place, check out Olympic Sculpture Park, which is a free park near the sea with great city skyline views and, of course, outdoor sculptures.
If you were more excited about the “garden” aspect or are inspired by glass conservatories (as Dale Chihuly was when creating his museum), you could check out the Volunteer Park Conservatory. It would also be a good alternative if the weather isn’t nice enough for a stroll through Olympic Sculpture Park. At just $4 for an adult ticket, it’s a very affordable option and lets you surround yourself with tropical plants on a dreary Seattle day in a lovely Victorian-inspired glass conservatory.
6. Try Discovery Park instead of a day trip to Olympic National Park
While in Seattle I really wanted to experience the incredible rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. At first I thought a day trip to Olympic National Park would make sense, but we just weren’t going to be able to fit it in with everything else we wanted to do in Seattle. Luckily, Discovery Park, Seattle’s largest city park, was there for us. It features nearly 12 miles of hiking trails through forest and beaches, with great views of the Pacific and a cultural center. Don’t miss it while you’re in Seattle!
7. Try Top Pot Donuts instead of Starbucks
Sure, Starbucks started in Seattle, but they’re everywhere now! If you want a Seattle treat that hasn’t taken over the globe yet, try Top Pot Donuts! There was a location close to our Airbnb, and our host said that Oprah Winfrey loves these donuts and sometimes has them flown to her in Chicago! They lived up to the reputation (as did the iced chai I had there), and this location had a really fun book room where we were able to relax and have breakfast. Give it a try while you’re in town.
8. Try the Seattle Pinball Museum instead of MoPop
We loved the Museum of Pop Culture – from the Science Fiction & Fantasy Hall of Fame to the Marvel exhibition that was going on while we were there. But it is a little pricey and if you’ve already been, or you’re just looking for another fun place to go with a pop culture vibe, give the Seattle Pinball Museum a try! The museum is located in Chinatown/International District and has dozens of vintage pinball games from as early as 1934. The $15 admission fee is actually a pretty good deal when you consider that it allows you to play unlimited pinball for as long as you’re there!
9. Try the Frye Art Museum instead of the Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum is definitely worth the time and money if you have it. They had a great variety of different types and time periods of art, and we were impressed by how many female and non-white artists were featured in the collection. However, if you don’t have the money or the time, you can still get your art fix in Seattle. The Frye Art Museum is a much smaller collection that offers free admission. They have a large room hung gallery style with paintings that belonged to the Frye family, and when we visited there was an exhibition titled “Towards Impressionism: Landscape Painting from Corot to Monet” that was quite nice.
10. Try orca whale watching at the San Juan Islands instead of Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is a very popular attraction in the city, but at $30 for an adult admission it isn’t cheap. My suggestion, which is that you take a whale watching tour out of Seattle up to the San Juan Islands isn’t really cheaper, coming in at $100-135 per person, depending on which tour you take. But when you consider the experience–seeing orca whales in the wild in one of the best places for it in the world, as well as possibly minke or humpback whales–you may just find that it’s worth your time and money. This is definitely at the top of my list to do the next time I’m in Seattle, though we couldn’t fit it in on this trip!
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide helping you to find 10 ways to get off the beaten path in Seattle. What do you think? Have you visited Seattle, or always wanted to go? Anything I missed covering in this guide? Let me know in the comments below!