Visiting Seattle
 

Visiting Seattle for a week during November. Will also be my first time to the US.

Any suggestions/advice regarding dos & don'ts? Also, worthwhile sites to see & things to do?

Thanks in advance!

In a first trip to Seattle, it's worth the effort to see the main attractions the city is famous for... Pike Place Market, Space Needle, water activity, are great starts... consider Seattle City Pass for discount admissions, take a hop/on hop/off trolley ride, Seattle Duck tour and then focus in on the things you are interested in... have fun.

I agree with Gary, except for the Duck Tour. We thought it was cheezy even when the kids were young, and now with their safety record there is no way I would suggest it.

November weather can be anything. If you are coming over Thanksgiving, know that the Seattle Marathon is Sunday of that weekend, so many hotels get booked up for that Saturday night and then there are road closures on Sunday. Many people will say to not come since the weather tends to be rainy and it gets dark early. I don't mind this at all, but I am a PNW native so maybe its in my genes, lol. I actually love the city in the winter. As Gary suggested, do the main attractions. Just have a light rain jacket and you will be fine.

I agree that I would probably skip the Duck in November as well, depending on the weather. If you are interested in glass art I would definitely recommend seeing the Chihuly Garden and Glass at the Seattle Center is also well worth a visit and is very interesting in the fall and winter as well given the live planting outside where glass works are placed among the gardens.

https://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/

Also if you don't already know it Seattle is also a big coffee and micro brew beer city-both of which are great activities if the weather turns out to be less than ideal during your visit. Milstead and Co. is one of my favorite coffee places. It is in Fremont which is a neighborhood well worth visiting-very arty with lots of local attractions to visiting including the Troll and the Lenin statue-you can google those to find out more info. Here is the link to Milstead:

milsteadandco

I would also add taking a ferry boat ride to Bainbridge island my list of things to do. You can just hop on a ferry at the waterfront and walk off and go have lunch in the little city center of Winslow-it makes for a fun afternoon even in grey weather.

Have you found a place to stay yet? Are you getting a hotel? Or hostel? Or B&B? Or apartment?

Downtown Seattle is convenient for the main tourist sites like Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square. But you might enjoy a residential area nearby like staying on Capitol Hill or in Fremont or Ballard?

If you are interested in music, theater, or just general goings-on, pick up (or check out online) the alternative newspaper called The Stranger. Also the Seattle Times has a good entertainment section on Fridays. These two to find special events going on during the time you're here.

November can be pretty dreary weather-wise. You'll want to read up on indoor and in-city activities most likely to maximize your trip.

November is the highest rainfall month in Seattle, which is why I (a Seattle resident) usually travel somewhere warmer and drier during November. Also, remember Seattle is located pretty far north, so days are quite dark.

We really enjoyed the underground tour at Pioneer Square, yes. Early Seattle history and the story of the how the tides and toilets interacted was eye-opening as well.

I took the underground Seattle Tour when it first started, circa 1969 and really enjoyed it.

I would also back the opinions of the others about the Underground Tour, especially as it sounds like you might be staying close to that area if you are going to a game. Do be aware there are some stairs and uneven footing on the tour just in case that might be an issue for you.

I thought the Underground Tour was very fun and funny. My sister wanted to do it when she visited a couple years ago. We went on the original Bill Speidel one. I wouldn't consider it an absolutely "must do" if your time is short though.

You can say that again. I hate shopping!

The Underground Tour shows you a few physical cool places in the basements and underground, but it's more about the patter of the guides and the way they tell the colorful story of our colorful founding mothers and fathers of this city. It is quite a tall tale! While you're in the neighborhood, also hit the Klondike Museum. It's a couple blocks from the tour, free, national park, only takes 20 mins or so, with exhibitions and interactive displays from the Gold Rush era.