Cheap things to do in Seattle
Ferry rides, dim sum, Dick's burgers, and the best free walks in the city.
This is Seattle for people who want the real thing without a credit card hangover: ferry crossings, neighbourhood coffee, street food, and bars where locals actually drink. Three days covers Downtown, Capitol Hill, and Fremont, moving between them on foot and by bus. If you think good travel means spending big, this itinerary will change your mind.
Day 1: Pioneer Square, Ferry, and Dim Sum
Start with serious coffee a block from Pioneer Square, ride the Bainbridge ferry for the best skyline view in the city, eat dim sum at Harbor City, then Szechuan fish and a drink at Dead Line.
- 9:30 AM
Elm Coffee Roasters
Independent roaster a block from Pioneer Square, real Seattle coffee culture, no tourist lines.
Map - 10:30 AM
Ferry to Bainbridge Island
35-minute crossing with the skyline behind you; walk-ons pay going out and ride back free.
Map - 12:30 PM
Harbor City
Cheap dim sum in the International District: har gow, shu mai and baked char siu buns.
Map - 2:30 PM
Museum of Pop Culture
Frank Gehry building: Seattle's music story, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Hendrix, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, hands-on sound labs.
Map - 7:30 PM
Szechuan Fish Szechuan Fish 诸葛私厨烤鱼
Grilled whole fish in a bubbling tray of chilli and Sichuan peppercorn, to share.
Map - 9:00 PM
Dead Line
Pioneer Square bar with serious local cred, top-rated by three guides, ideal nightcap spot.
Map
Day 2: Capitol Hill, the Lake, and Dick's
Coffee at Storyville in the Market, a free morning at Gas Works Park over Lake Union, then the Capitol Hill Dick's Drive-In for the burger every local knows.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:30 AM
Gas Works Park
Free: old gasworks towers on a grassy hill over Lake Union, with seaplanes landing below.
Map - 12:30 PM
Dick's Drive-In
Legendary cheap Seattle burgers, the Capitol Hill Dick's is basically a local rite of passage.
Map - 7:30 PM
Dacha Diner
Dacha Diner on Capitol Hill: dumplings, borscht and hearty Eastern European plates at fair prices.
Map - 9:00 PM
Reckless Noodle House and Cocktails
A good local bar with cocktails and noodles to soak them up, wind down without blowing the budget.
Map
Day 3: Fremont, the Locks, and Phinney Ridge
A quiet neighbourhood café start, a free morning at the Ballard Locks watching boats and salmon, Indian street food at Spice Waala, and cheap tacos at Lupe's to close out the trip.
Where to stay
MarQueen Hotel
The cheapest rated option on the list, sitting right between Seattle Center and Capitol Hill, which puts Days 1 and 2 within easy reach on foot.
Hotel Max
Budget-priced, centrally located, and close to Pike Place and Pioneer Square, so you can roll out of bed and straight into Day 1.
Make Seattle your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Chihuly Garden and Glass: a few days ahead
- Space Needle: a few days ahead
- Museum of Pop Culture: a few days ahead
- Kenmore Air: a few days ahead
- Mount Rainier National Park: a few days ahead
- Puget Sound Express: weeks ahead
Skip these
- The original Starbucks at 1912 Pike Place: a small busy Starbucks with a very long line for a photo. Do not queue.
- The Gum Wall in Post Alley: a 60 second photo on the way through the Market, not a stop to plan around.
- The Space Needle on a cloudy day at full price, and doing two observation decks. One deck, clear day, sunset slot, or Kerry Park free.
- The Crab Pot and waterfront seafood boils: fun theatre, mediocre value versus the Walrus, Matt's or a neighbourhood seafood room.
The full Seattle travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around