Best time to travel in Seattle?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with 2015-2024 averages
Best time: June to September
Best avoided if possible: November to April (less pleasant weather or big crowds).
Temperatures and rainfall: 1991-2020 normals from the Seattle (Boeing Field) station, NOAA data (public domain).
Temperate oceanic: dry, bright summers around 25°C, with 16-hour days in June, then a long grey, damp season from October to April, not very cold, around 8 to 10°C, with fine rain that is more frequent than heavy. The best time to visit Seattle is June, July, August and September, with temperatures reaching 24-26°C (July). By contrast, January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December are generally less favourable (less pleasant weather or big crowds, depending on the destination), though a trip is still possible with a bit of planning. In high season, book early: prices and visitor numbers climb fast.
Go against the flow. To avoid the crowds without sacrificing too much on the weather, aim for May and October: the crowds thin out, prices drop too, and the climate stays pleasant.
Do these months appeal to you? See what's best elsewhere too: where to go in June · where to go in July · where to go in August · where to go in September.
At a glance
Why go to Seattle?
Seattle is a city of water above all. It stretches across an isthmus between Puget Sound, an arm of the Pacific, and Lake Washington, criss-crossed by canals, floating bridges and houseboats, like the one in the film Sleepless in Seattle on Lake Union. State ferries leave the centre for the islands every half hour, seaplanes take off from Lake Union, and from almost every hill you can see a range of snow-capped mountains, the Olympics to the west and the Cascades to the east.
It is also a city that has changed the world several times in a century. Boeing has built its planes here since 1916, Microsoft grew up here, Amazon and Starbucks were born here, and the music scene produced Jimi Hendrix and then, in the 1990s, the grunge of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. That wealth shows in the museums, from MoPOP to the Museum of Flight, in the glass towers of South Lake Union and in a food scene centred on Pacific Northwest produce: wild salmon, Puget Sound oysters, Dungeness crab and coffee from local roasters.
Finally, Seattle is the gateway to the nature of the American Northwest. Mount Rainier, a 4,392-metre volcano, is two hours' drive away, Olympic National Park and its rainforests two and a half hours via the ferry, the San Juan Islands and their orcas three hours, and the Woodinville vineyards 40 minutes. You can spend the morning at the market, the afternoon kayaking on Lake Union and the next day on a glacier, and the city combines easily with Vancouver, three hours to the north, or Portland, three hours to the south.
Tourist map of Seattle: what's where?
The map below pinpoints the 6 places covered in this guide: a handy way to picture the distances between each stop and plan your route in Seattle.
- Pike Place Market
- Space Needle
- Pioneer Square
- Capitol Hill
- Ballard Locks
- Discovery Park
How much does a trip to Seattle cost in 2026? Budget calculator
Estimate your budget for Seattle based on your travel style: accommodation, meals, activities and local transport included (flights excluded). Adjust the length and the number of travellers, and the totals update.
Totals for all travellers over the chosen length; the daily amount is per person. Flights extra, indicative amounts to adjust depending on the season.
Cards are accepted everywhere, and more and more businesses refuse cash. Prices are shown before tax: sales tax exceeds 10% in Seattle, and taxes on hotel rooms exceed 15%. Restaurants sometimes add service charges of 3 to 20% to the bill, so read it before leaving a tip, which otherwise remains 18 to 22%.
Safety in Seattle: should you be worried?
Seattle is safe for visitors in the tourist areas, but the housing and drug crisis is very visible. The stretch of Third Avenue between Pike and Pine, part of Pioneer Square and the International District in the evening have concentrations of people in distress: stay alert, avoid lingering there late and do not respond to provocation. Theft from cars is very common, so never leave anything visible, even for a few minutes. Pickpockets operate at Pike Place when the crowds are dense. Rain makes the sloping streets slippery, and the water of Puget Sound stays cold, around 12°C even in summer. For Mount Rainier or Olympic National Park, the weather changes quickly in the mountains, so carry warm and waterproof layers. The region is seismic: hotels post instructions on what to do in an earthquake. Insurance covering medical care in the United States is essential.
Things to see and do in Seattle
Our first-hand favourites, and the great classics:
- Pike Place Market
- Space Needle
- Chihuly Garden and Glass
- Museum of Pop Culture
- Ballard Locks
- Discovery Park
- Kerry Park
- Bainbridge Island Ferry
What to book before you go to Seattle →
🧭 Discover the Seattle itinerary, day by dayMap, timings, budget and where to stay: free to access, to fit your dates. Create my tailor-made itinerary →Downtown, Pike Place and the waterfront
The centre slopes steeply down to Elliott Bay. Pike Place Market occupies its western flank, above the waterfront, which was redeveloped after the elevated highway was demolished: a pedestrian promenade now runs along the piers, from the Seattle Aquarium to the Great Wheel and the Colman Dock ferry terminal. The Seattle Art Museum, marked by Hammering Man, a 15-metre steel figure, is two blocks from the market. The department stores and hotels cluster around Westlake Center, the starting point of the monorail and the light rail.
Seattle Center and Queen Anne
The site of the 1962 World's Fair, north of the centre, brings together the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, MoPOP, Climate Pledge Arena and the Pacific Science Center, around a fountain where children play in summer. The original monorail links it with Westlake Center in two minutes. Above it, Queen Anne Hill is lined with Victorian houses and viewpoints, including Kerry Park, with the most famous view of the city. Lower Queen Anne, at the foot of the hill, has bars and restaurants that fill up on concert nights.
Pioneer Square and the International District
The city's original neighbourhood, south of the centre, was rebuilt in brick and stone after the Great Fire of 1889, with the streets raised by one storey: the Underground Tour shows the old shopfronts left beneath the pavements. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, which is free, tells how Seattle grew rich by equipping the prospectors who left for the Yukon in 1897. Next door, the Chinatown-International District brings together Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese restaurants and the Japanese grocery store Uwajimaya.
Capitol Hill
The liveliest neighbourhood in the city, on the hill east of the centre, reached by light rail. Broadway and Pike-Pine are lined with bars, music venues, bookshops, restaurants and roaster cafés in former car garages, and its LGBT nightlife is the biggest in the Northwest. Volunteer Park, at the top of the hill, has a Victorian conservatory from 1912, the Asian Art Museum and a 1906 water tower whose staircase you can climb for the view. Bruce Lee and his son Brandon are buried in the neighbouring Lake View Cemetery.
Fremont, Ballard and Lake Union
North of the canal, Fremont proclaims itself the centre of the universe and cultivates eccentricity: a 5-metre concrete troll crushing a car under a bridge, a statue of Lenin salvaged from Slovakia, a flea market on Sundays. Ballard, to the west, the former Scandinavian fishermen's quarter, keeps its locks, its Nordic museum and a Sunday farmers' market, with a high concentration of breweries. Lake Union can be explored by kayak or paddleboard, between houseboats and seaplanes, and Gas Works Park, a former gasworks, offers the view of the centre.
Mount Rainier and day trips
The 4,392-metre volcano, covered by 25 glaciers, is two and a quarter hours' drive to Paradise, on the south side, where trails cross wildflower meadows in July and August facing the seracs. Allow a long day, or a night there. Other day trips lead to Snoqualmie Falls, 82 metres high, 45 minutes away, the Woodinville vineyards, the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, south of the city, or by ferry to Bainbridge Island. Olympic National Park and the San Juan Islands deserve at least two days.
How many days, and which itinerary in Seattle?
Three days cover the centre, Pike Place, Seattle Center, a neighbourhood such as Capitol Hill or Ballard and the Bainbridge ferry. Five days add Mount Rainier and a day on the water. A week lets you push on to Olympic National Park or the San Juan Islands.
🗺️ Day-by-day Seattle itinerary · 📓 Printable Seattle travel guide (PDF) · 🌍 Discover all of the American West
The essentials (3 days)
Day 1: Pike Place Market at opening time, the waterfront and the Seattle Art Museum, Pioneer Square and the Underground Tour, dinner in the International District. Day 2: Seattle Center with the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and MoPOP, sunset at Kerry Park, an evening in Capitol Hill. Day 3: the Ballard Locks and Discovery Park in the morning, Fremont and its troll, kayaking on Lake Union, then the Bainbridge ferry back for sunset.
Seattle and its volcanoes (5 days)
The three days of the essentials, then a day at Mount Rainier via Paradise, with the Skyline Trail in July and August, leaving at 7am to find a parking space. A final day of your choice: the Museum of Flight and the Boeing assembly lines in Everett, Snoqualmie Falls and the Woodinville vineyards, or a boat trip to see orcas in Puget Sound.
Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula (8 days)
Three days in Seattle, then the ferry to Bainbridge and the road to Port Angeles, two nights for Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent. Head down via Forks to the Hoh Rain Forest and the beaches of Rialto and Ruby, two nights in Kalaloch or at Lake Quinault. Return via Olympia and a night at the foot of Mount Rainier for Paradise before returning the car at Seattle airport. Allow 900 km.
How to get to Seattle and get around?
From Europe, Air France flies non-stop from Paris to Seattle in about 10 hours 30 minutes, and European and American airlines offer many one-stop flights, via Amsterdam, London, Reykjavik or an American city. Seattle-Tacoma Airport, known as Sea-Tac, is 20 km south of the centre.
The Link light rail, Line 1, links the airport with the centre in about 40 minutes, then continues to Capitol Hill and the university, for $3 a ride, about €2.60. Buses, light rail, streetcar and passenger ferry are paid for with the ORCA card or the Transit GO Ticket app. The monorail links Westlake Center with Seattle Center in two minutes for $4, about €3.40.
The centre, Pike Place, Pioneer Square and Seattle Center can be done on foot, but the hills are steep: bring good shoes. Buses serve Ballard, Fremont, Queen Anne and Discovery Park well. State ferries leave Colman Dock for Bainbridge and Bremerton, and a water taxi runs to West Seattle.
A car is useless in the city, where parking costs $30-50 (about €26-43) a night at downtown hotels. Hire one for Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park or the San Juan Islands, €50-90 a day at the airport. Car ferries must be booked in advance in summer on some routes, notably to the San Juan Islands.
Where to stay in Seattle?
The centre, between Pike Place and Westlake, is the most practical: chain hotels and historic hotels from €180 to €350 a night in summer, within walking distance of the market and the light rail. Avoid the streets around Third Avenue near Pike Street for a quiet room, as the atmosphere there is rougher in the evening.
Belltown and Lower Queen Anne, between the centre and Seattle Center, offer more affordable hotels, from €130 to €220, and retro addresses such as the Moore Hotel or the Ace Hotel, with rooms with shared bathrooms. There are plenty of restaurants and bars.
Capitol Hill, Fremont and the University District, to the north, have fewer hotels but more neighbourhood life, with a few boutique hotels and B&Bs in wooden houses. The light rail links them with the centre in 5 to 10 minutes.
The luxury hotels are concentrated in the centre and on the waterfront: the Fairmont Olympic of 1924, the Four Seasons and the Edgewater, built on a pier, where you sleep above the water, from €350 to €700 a night. Prices halve from November to March, but major conventions and games push rates up all year round.
Our picks stop by stop, in three price ranges →
What to eat in Seattle?
Wild Pacific salmon, grilled or smoked on a cedar plank, Dungeness crab, Puget Sound oysters and clam chowder are the city's classics. Pike Place offers a tour of them in a morning: chowder from Pike Place Chowder, doughnuts from Daily Dozen Doughnut, Russian piroshky from Piroshky Piroshky, for $8-15 (about €7-13).
Coffee is a local religion. Beyond the first Starbucks at Pike Place and the Reserve Roastery in Capitol Hill, a spectacular roasting hall, the city has dozens of independent roasters, Victrola, Elm Coffee Roasters, Caffe Vita. Allow $5-7 (about €4-6) for a specialty coffee.
The International District and Jackson Street serve dim sum, pho, ramen and teriyaki, Seattle's popular dish, for $12-20 (about €10-17). Capitol Hill, Ballard and Fremont are home to new Northwest cuisine, with produce from the farms and islands, and tasting menus from $60 to $150 (about €52-129) at the acclaimed restaurants.
Craft beer and wine from Washington State, the second-largest producer in the United States, are everywhere. Ballard has more than a dozen breweries within a few streets. At happy hour, from 3pm to 6pm, many restaurants offer oysters and cocktails at half price, a good way to sample the expensive tables.
Which kind of traveller is it for?
Seattle lends itself to a cultural, foodie and nature-focused trip. Whether you travel as a couple, with friends or even with family, everyone finds their own pace. For accommodation, you will mostly find classic hotels and boutique hotels.
Entry requirements & practical info
UK, Australian and most EU passports need an ESTA, applied for online before departure, for stays of up to 90 days; a few EU countries sit outside the Visa Waiver Program and need a full visa. Canadians need neither, only a passport. Anyone who has been to Cuba since January 2021 cannot use an ESTA and must apply for a visa.
Rules change: before you leave, check your country's official travel advice.
Once there, to stay online without paying roaming charges, an Seattle eSIM activates in a few minutes and works as soon as you land (plans from €3.99). Remember suitable travel insurance too.
Frequently asked questions about Seattle
When is the best time to visit Seattle?
From June to September, when it rarely rains, the days are long and temperatures hover around 22 to 26°C. July and August are the safest bets for seeing Mount Rainier and walking in its wildflower meadows. From October to April, the sky is often grey and fine rain is frequent, but hotel prices halve and the museums stay open.
Does it really rain all the time in Seattle?
No. Seattle gets about 950 mm of rain a year, about the same as Bordeaux in south-west France, but spread over many days of drizzle from October to April. Summer, by contrast, is one of the driest in the United States, sometimes with three weeks without a drop. Locals often do without an umbrella and wear a waterproof jacket.
Are there direct flights to Seattle from Europe?
Yes, Air France flies non-stop from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Seattle in about 10 hours 30 minutes. Otherwise, allow one connection in Europe, Canada or an American city, for 13 to 16 hours of travel. The return is about an hour shorter thanks to the winds.
Do you need a car in Seattle?
No, the centre and the neighbourhoods can be done on foot, by light rail and by bus, and parking is expensive. It becomes necessary for Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park and the San Juan Islands. Hire one only for those days, preferably at the airport.
Can you see Mount Rainier from Seattle?
Yes, on clear days, about one day in two in summer and far less in winter. The best viewpoints are Kerry Park, the Space Needle, the Bainbridge ferry and the University of Washington campus. To get close, allow two and a quarter hours' drive to Paradise, on its south side, and a national park entrance fee.
How many days do you need in Seattle?
Three days for the centre, Seattle Center and two neighbourhoods, five to add Mount Rainier and a day on the water. Seattle combines well with Olympic National Park, the San Juan Islands, Vancouver or Portland on a one- to two-week trip through the Northwest.
Where can you see orcas near Seattle?
Resident and transient orcas frequent Puget Sound and especially the San Juan Islands, from May to October. Boat trips of 4 to 6 hours leave from Seattle, Edmonds, Anacortes and Friday Harbor, with high chances in summer. Lime Kiln Point State Park, on San Juan Island, lets you see them from the shore.
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