Find cheap flights to Seattle from C$ 146

If you have watched the movie, “You’ve Got Mail,” you might already be in love with Seattle. From its views of the ocean, favourable year-round temperatures, delectable fish markets, and the famous Space Needle that you can see from your plane ride, Seattle is a destination that is perfect any time of the year. The “best” time to visit Seattle depends on what you would like to experience while you are here. For outdoor activities, visit from mid-July – September. If you want to catch the best of the food and wine industry here, then mid-June is better. Pike Place Market, the famous fish market and art gallery, is open year-round. However, late spring, middle of summer, and early fall are all ideal times to see the market.

Seattle is public transportation-friendly, and most of the city you can explore while on foot. If you are staying centralized in downtown, then you can walk to most attractions and rely on a few lines for the metro system. If you need to venture further out of the city centre, you will need to use the other public transportation options.

Link Light Rail

The Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail takes you from the University of Washington to Downtown Seattle and includes 14 stops. A one-way fare costs anywhere from $2.25 USD – $3.25 USD.

Bus

King County Metro Transit has a bus running from Downtown Seattle to the neighbourhoods of King County. You can use their mobile app to find a route near you and pick-up/drop-off times for the routes. Purchase an all-day regional transit pass for visitors. A day pass costs $8 USD per person from ORCA vending machines and gives you unlimited public transportation on the light rail and buses.

Streetcar

The South Lake Union Streetcar has 11 stops and arrives every 10 – 15 minutes. The First Hill Streetcar has 10 stops running from Chinatown-International District over to Capitol Hill. It departs every 10 – 25 minutes. The fare is $2.25 USD per person for both the lines.

Monorail

The Seattle Center Monorail goes from Westlake Center to downtown and then over to the base of Queen Anne hill. It operates from 7:30 am – 11:00 pm during the week and 8:30 am – 11:00 pm on the weekends. One-way fares are $2.25 USD per person and keep in mind that the day pass card does not work on the monorail system.

Ride Sharing

Ride sharing services from Sidecar, Uber, and Lyft are available. Use their smartphone app to schedule a pick-up. The price depends on the distance, vehicle selected, and number of passengers.

Taxi

Taxi services are also available. You can flag a taxi cab from the curb in downtown. Taxis start at a meter fare of $2.60 USD, and then $2.70 USD per mile. Wait time charges are $0.50 USD per minute.

Things to do and places of interest in Seattle

Seattle is a business, family, and singles destination, all in one. Regardless of what brought you here, pack your days (and weekends) full of as many of the top attractions as you can. Naturally, you want to prioritize with those that give you the authentic Seattle experience first.

• Go over to Pike Place Market, which is often featured in movies based in Seattle. This vibrant marketplace is rich in history and has been around since 1907. Here you find a year-round farmer’s market with local produce, cheese, and of course, the flying fish show.
• The Space Needle is on many bucket lists, and it is the iconic structure of this harbour city. Get the views from 605 feet above the ground and with the 360-degree view you can see everything from Mt. Rainier to Puget Sound. While atop, enjoy the finest cuisine from the Space Needle’s own restaurant.
• Ride on the Seattle Center Monorail, which is an exciting 2-minute ride. It is futuristic and iconic for the city and debuted back in 1962 at the World’s Fair. The Monorail takes up to 2 million people per year and is the perfect way to shuttle around downtown.
• Head over to the waterfront path of Myrtle Edwards Park, which features 1.2 miles of trails. Then see the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park with wondrous views of the harbour and city from a single locale.
• Put the Museum of History and Industry on the top of your list too. MOHAI reopened its doors in 2012 and is now located at Lake Union Park. Admission is $14 USD for adults and it covers everything from cutting-edge technology and culture to the maritime past of Puget Sound.
• Even when limited on time, head over to the downtown waterfront area with its vast sidewalks and harbour-front stores. You can stop here at the Seattle Aquarium or ride on the Seattle Great Wheel, which is a 175-foot ferris wheel with enclosed cabins.

Tips and tricks for visiting Seattle

Seattle is the place to be to experience pop culture at its finest. It is also the land of “McDreamy” and “McSteamy” – if you are a “Grey’s Anatomy” fan. Naturally, as a first-time visitor, you want to hit the hyped tourist attractions. Then, you can take your travels under the city. The Underground Tour shows you the nuances of Downtown Seattle and the surly past of the city. Ride out to Bainbridge Island to see how the locals live, then visit Mount Rainier. If you are an avid hiker, you can try to take one of the many trails, but use a guide because it is one of the most dangerous and active volcanoes. The best neighbourhoods to stay in and walk around include Capitol Hill and the port.