90 Best Sights in Seattle, Washington

Approximately 27 miles long, the paved, flat, tree-lined Burke-Gilman Trail runs from Seattle's Gas Works Park, on Lake Union, east along the ship canal, and then north along Lake Washington's western shore. At Blyth Park in Bothell, the trail becomes the Sammamish River Trail and continues for 10 miles to Marymoor Park in Redmond. Except for a stretch of the Sammamish River Trail where horses are permitted on a parallel trail, the path is limited to walkers, runners, and bicyclists.  Bike share options are abundant in Seattle, including near the trail. Look for their locations using the Lime or Bird apps. For all-day rentals, there are a few bike rental shops close to the trail, including in the Fremont neighborhood, Lake Forest Park, and Bothell to the north. For trail access points, view the map online at www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/burke-gilman-trail.

Seattle's newest museum is also its largest and most outlandish. Cannonball Arts opened its doors in August 2025 in Belltown and has made a splash since its debut. This 66,000 square foot space is a mecca for contemporary arts, embracing the eclectic and experimental essence of Seattle's modern art scene and featuring everything from experiential sculptures and VR exhibits to an indoor garden and live canoe carving by Native artists.

Nestled between the University of Washington campus to the west and the Laurelhurst neighborhood to the east is the Center for Urban Horticulture, consisting of the 74-acre Union Bay Natural Area and 16 acres of landscaped gardens. The UW Botanic Gardens department uses the center as an open-air laboratory. Their main interest is studying land reclamation: until 1966, the Natural Area was a city dump, and recovery is still an ongoing process. Both animals and humans seem happy with the results. It's popular with bird watchers, who have spotted more than 200 species here; the swampier areas yield frequent beaver sightings; and joggers and walkers enjoy the flat gravel trails, which lead past interesting plant life and include scenic views of Union Bay. To get here, head east from the U-District on 45th St. and turn right onto Mary Gates Drive.

Just steps from the base of the Space Needle, this museum celebrates another Seattle icon—the Pacific Northwest’s own Dale Chihuly. Since the 1970s, Chihuly has redefined glass as an art form, crafting vivid, fluid sculptures that have been exhibited around the world. Eight immersive galleries showcase his mastery of color, light, and form, revealing how he uses glass’s translucence to mesmerizing effect. Throughout the day, visitors can watch live glassblowing demonstrations or step into the theater for short films that illuminate the artist’s life and creative process. If you're also planning to visit the Space Needle, a combination ticket will save you some money.

The roof of Seattle's major arena dates from the 1962 World's Fair, but everything beneath it is the product of a $1.15 billion rebuild completed in 2021. The only way to see the inside is to attend an event—it's home to Seattle's WNBA and NHL teams and hosts concert throughout the year. If you do, you're likely to be impressed by its features including a spectacular entrance with 50-foot-tall windows, 39 plant species spread over a 1,700-square-foot "living wall," and more LED lights than in any other arena in the world.

Heading west on Cherry Street in the Central District, you'll see a 17-foot-tall mural of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the side of Fat's Chicken & Waffles restaurant. Pacific Northwest artist James Crespinel painted the mural on the eastern face of the building in 1995 and touched up his faded work two decades later while the community gathered to watch.

A city landmark that offers a little something for history buffs, architecture fans, and public-art lovers alike, this 1914 library was the first to be funded entirely by the city. It also houses one of the largest collections of African American literature and history on the West Coast, including a dynamic collection of Black and social justice-focused childrens books. Local artists Marita Dingus and Vivian Linder created sculptures and three-dimensional relief panels for the branch, which can be seen in the spacious corridor connecting the two buildings. Paintings of former slaves and abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth by artist Eddie Ray Walker are also on display. Don't miss the recently restored Soul Pole, a totem pole depicting African American history, located outside on the grassy area on the corner of 23rd Avenue and East Yesler Way.

In the land of IPA enthusiasts, Fair Isle bravely brews an assortment of innovative saisons and farmhouse ales, sometimes incorporating local ingredients such as rhubarb and elderberry. Fair Isle lends its kitchen to a wide variety of pop-ups serving everything from Turkish lamb roasts to Taiwanese soups. The taproom is all-ages, so bring along your little future beer lovers. On Fridays at 5 pm, one of the co-owners guides tours through the brewery that include a tasting of young ales.

Founded in 1886, First African Methodist Episcopal is the state's oldest church founded by African Americans. The community's nexus has operated out of this historic building since 1912. FAME's gospel choirs are among the city's best, and discussions with intellectuals, authors, artists, and the community are regularly scheduled.

One of the Seattle art scene's heaviest hitters has digs as impressive as the works it shows: a century-old building with high ceilings and 7,000 square feet of exhibition space. Works by internationally acclaimed Northwest masters Kenneth Callahan, Mark Tobey, Alden Mason, and George Tsutakawa are on permanent display, alongside rotating exhibitions.

A menacing 18 feet tall, with only one eye and long, gnarly fingers clutching an actual old VW Beetle, as if recently plucked from the highway above, the Troll is a compelling and enticing piece of public art. Just a few blocks off each of the neighborhood's main drags, it makes a nice destination for a post-meal stroll and photo-op. Kids love to climb the stairs behind the statue and play on the beast itself, though parents should beware that the location means it is always covered in a mix of dry dust and highway soot. Built in 1991, it's one of the city's early and most prominent examples of art as hostile architecture, designed to prevent people experiencing houselessness from using the covered area as shelter.

In addition to its beloved permanent collection—predominantly 19th- and 20th-century pastoral paintings—the Frye hosts eclectic and often avant-garde exhibits, putting this elegant museum on par with the Henry in the University District. No matter what's going on in the stark, brightly lit back galleries, it always seems to blend well with the permanent collection, which is rotated regularly. Thanks to the legacy of Charles and Emma Frye, the museum is always free, including parking, and its café MariPili at Cafe Frieda serves Galician-inspired sandwiches, salads, and soups.

Gallery 110 is a collaborative space that works with a collective of 30 contemporary artists (primarily Northwest-based), showing pieces in its small space that are energetic, challenging, and fresh. On-site exhibitions change monthly, with new exhibits typically launching during the First Thursday Art Walk.

The Gates Foundation has lofty goals, and across the street from Seattle Center you can witness its plans in action. Thought-provoking exhibits show how the foundation is working globally to combat problems related to health, poverty, and climate change. Interactive features encourage visitors (especially kids) to come up with their own solutions.

In Seattle’s extensive park system, Golden Gardens is one of two main beach destinations (along with Alki Beach in West Seattle). Chilly waters throughout the year make swimming more an act of bravery than a pleasure, but in summer people come here to play in the sand—strolling, sunbathing, picnicking, thumping volleyballs. The main attraction is the view west toward the Olympic mountain range, which draws crowds in the evening for the spectacular sunset. The park has drinking water, grills, picnic tables, firepits, a playground, restrooms, and a better-than-average snack shop. There’s also a wetland area with a short loop trail where you're likely to see turtles sunning themselves. There are two dedicated parking lots that fill up quickly on summer evenings and weekends.

This beautiful 342-acre park is a favorite of Seattleites, who jog, bike, and walk their dogs along the 2½-mile paved path that surrounds the lake. Beaches on both the east and west sides (around 72nd Street) have swimming rafts. Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats can be rented (seasonally) at Green Lake Boat Rental on the eastern side of the lake. There are also basketball and tennis courts and baseball and soccer fields. A first-rate play area includes a giant sandbox, swings, slides, and all the climbing equipment a child could ever dream of—and the wading pool is a perfect spot for tots to cool off (in summer, when the temp is above 70 degrees). The park is generally packed, especially on weekends. And you'd better love dogs: the canine-to-human ratio here is just about even. Surrounding the park are lovely homes, plus a few compact commercial districts where you can grab snacks or dinner after your walk.

On hot days, sun worshippers, swimmers, and the beach-volleyball crowd flock to this beach south of downtown Kirkland on the Lake Washington waterfront. The rest of the year, the playground attracts families, and the fishing pier stays busy with anglers. Facilities include drinking water, picnic tables, a beach volleyball court, and restrooms. Perfect Wave offers stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals at the north end of the park. Park the car and slip on some good walking shoes; it's a lovely stroll along the waterfront to the shops and restaurants of either Carillon Point or downtown Kirkland.

Since his death in 1970, the famed guitarist has rested in Greenwood Cemetery, at first with just a simple tombstone. In 2002, the singer's remains moved to this much more elaborate tribute, with domed roof and granite columns.

Adjacent to the Northwest African American Museum, Jimi Hendrix Park pays homage to one of the Central District's most famous sons. The 2½-acre park features walking paths, landscaping, interpretative signs about Hendrix's legacy, and a colorful 100-foot-long outdoor public art piece called the Shadow Wave Wall. The sculpture, which consists of undulating sections of gray and purple metal with cut-out designs, has a huge mural of the musical icon engraved at the center.  A short walk from the park, the under-construction Judkins Park Station also features two large-scale public artworks of a teen Jimi Hendrix.

A 110-acre urban wildlife habitat, this marshy wetland is the perfect spot to don your binoculars to spot songbirds, shorebirds, turtles, beavers, and other small mammals. Interpretive signs are located throughout the park for self-guided tours along paved trails and boardwalks; or take one of the guided tours conducted by volunteer park rangers from the Eastside Audubon Society on the first Sunday each month.  Just to the north of Juanita Bay Park is Juanita Beach Park, a great spot for picnicking, sunbathing, and swimming. On Friday nights, June through September, there's a farmers market.

KEXP, Seattle’s beloved and fiercely eclectic indie radio station, broadcasts from a public gathering space at Seattle Center that doubles as one of the city’s coolest hangouts. The large, light-filled venue houses an outpost of local favorite Caffe Vita, a small record shop at one end, a stage at the other, and rotating music-themed art along the walls. Beyond the stage, visible through a glass panel, you can watch the on-air DJ spinning the tracks that fill the room.

Bands occasionally perform live on the main stage—usually around midday, always free—and more intimate shows take place in the interior studio, which fits about 70 people. Free tickets for those performances are handed out 90 minutes before airtime.

A tiny yet delightful free museum illustrating Seattle's role in the 1897–98 Klondike Gold Rush, this gem is located inside a historic redbrick building with wooden floors and soaring ceilings. Walls are lined with photos of gold miners, explorers, and the hopeful families who followed them. Interactive components include ranger talks and gold panning demonstrations.

Follow pathways adorned by Mt. Fuji trees at this lovely hillside pocket park. The trees and a 200-year-old stone lantern were donated by Seattle's sister city of Kobe, Japan. Despite being so close to I–5, the terrace is a peaceful place to stroll and enjoy views of the city, the water, and, if you're lucky, Mt. Rainier; a few benches line the gravel paths. The herb gardens you see are part of the Danny Woo Community Gardens, tended to by neighborhood residents. Across the street from the park is the historic Panama Hotel, featured in the novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. Artifacts from the days of Japanese internment are on display, including a window on the floor showing a basement storage space containing a time capsule of unclaimed belongings.

About 20 minutes south of the International District by car, sit 20 serene acres of streams, waterfalls, ponds, and rock outcroppings created by Fujitaro Kubota, a 1907 emigrant from Japan. (Other examples of his work show up in the gardens on the Seattle University campus, and the Japanese Garden at the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island.) The designated historical landmark of the city of Seattle is free to visitors, and tours are self-guided, though you can go on a docent-led tour on the fourth Saturday of every month, April through October, at 10 am (reservations required).

This 12-acre green space along Lake Union's southern shore is the home of the Museum of History & Industry and the Center for Wooden Boats, and also has a model boat pond, a boardwalk, a small beach, and a spray area for kids. Its Historic Ships Wharf serves as the dock for several classic old boats that are sometimes open for tours, and sometimes go cruising.

One of the area's most beautiful cemeteries, dating back to 1872, looks east toward Lake Washington from its elevated hillside directly north of Volunteer Park. Several of Seattle's founding families are interred here (you will likely recognize some names from streets and public places); the graves of Bruce Lee and his son Brandon are also among the most-visited sites.

If you're in Pioneer Square on a Thursday between 11 am and 3 pm, this museum occupying the bottom floor of the Seattle Fire Department's headquarters includes eight historic rigs from Seattle dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as artifacts (vintage helmets and uniforms, hose nozzles, and other equipment) and photos, logs, and newspaper clippings recording historic fires.

Along the neighborhood's southwest edge, near the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, Lincoln Park sets acres of old forests, rocky beaches, waterfront trails, picnic tables, and a historic saltwater pool against views of Puget Sound. A renovated playground with a nautical theme at the south part of the park is a must-stop with kids. At the forested north end, there's also a wading pool, another playground, and kid-sized zip line. Since 2023, the park's beach has been home to a giant troll sculpture "Bruun Idun," made of recycled materials and one of six unique trolls in western Washington and Portland, Oregon by artist Thomas Dambo. It's a 15 minute walk from the south parking lot to see the 16-foot troll playing her flute for the orcas. Colman Pool is a Seattle landmark you won't want to miss in summer. The saltwater pool is located on the water toward the north end of the park. Public swims often sell out on nice days, so get there early.

Located directly south of Pioneer Square, Lumen Field hosts three professional teams: the Seattle Seahawks (football), the Seattle Sounders FC (men's soccer), and the Seattle Reign (women's soccer). The open-air stadium has 67,000 seats; sightlines are excellent thanks to a cantilevered design and the close placement of lower sections. Tours start at the pro shop (be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to purchase tickets) and last an hour and a half. You'll get a personal look at behind-the-scenes areas as well as the famous 12th Man Flag Pole, and have a chance to sink your feet into the same playing surface as your favorite Seahawks, Sounders, and Reign stars.

In the late 19th century, Madison Park, east of Capitol Hill on the shores of Lake Washington, was the most popular beach in the city, with a promenade, floating bandstands, gambling halls, and ship piers. Now it's a lakefront park with sloping lawns, a swimming area, playgrounds, and tennis courts. The whole area is usually bustling with activity—there are a number of upscale coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques nearby. As the closest beach to densely populated Capitol Hill, it serves a wide audience. The beach has picnic tables, restrooms, showers, and lifeguards on duty in summer, and there's a playground across the street. From Downtown, go east on Madison Street; it'll take you straight down to the lake.