How To Spend 24 Hours In Seattle

Seattle, Washington, is chock-full of activities. Its days are full of opportunities to explore scenic parks, locally sourced restaurants, and museums. And its nightlife is rich with breweries, speakeasies, unique movie theaters, and cultural events. It’s difficult to explore any city in just 24 hours, but below is a guide to navigating the Emerald City in only one day.

Morning:

1. Portage Bay Cafe

Bar, Cafe, Market, American

Grab breakfast at this lively joint located in the University District. The Portage Bay Cafe is a Seattle breakfast hot spot and offers a variety of locally sourced, organic foods such as Benedicts, breakfast burritos, hot sandwiches, and salads. Its breakfast bar, which customers visit to top their thick pancakes and classic french toast with seasonal fruits, nuts, and whipped cream, makes this restaurant a perfect spot to grab a morning bite to eat.

2. Washington Park Arboretum

Botanical Garden, Park

Japanese Garden in autumn, Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle, Washington.

Then take a walk through the Washington Park Arboretum. The arboretum covers 230 acres and hosts 5,500 different plants from around the world, the popular Japanese Garden, and boasts one of the largest Japanese Maple Tree collections. The beautifully maintained park located in the Madison Park neighborhood is a joint effort between the University of Washington and the City of Seattle. While any time of year is a good time to visit, spring and fall are certainly remarkable for the color and grandeur on display from the myriad plantings and native species.

Afternoon:

Evening:

4. Dick’s Drive-in

Restaurant, American

Sit down for a burger at Dick’s Drive-In, a Seattle fast-food institution satisfying both locals and tourists. Dick’s has been serving up cheeseburgers, French fries, and milkshakes for pennies to the masses since its establishment in 1954. It’s known primarily as a walk-up restaurant where customers order their greasy food from a window before taking it back to their car to devour, but its Queen Anne location, which sits across the street from the SIFF Cinema, offers some seating.

5. SIFF Cinema Uptown

Cinema, Movie Theater

Then catch a movie at the SIFF Cinema Uptown theater. The Uptown location is the original of the three SIFF Cinema venues, and it’s a film enthusiast hub. From its Cinema Dissection to Screenplay Competition, the Queen Anne institution works to bring filmmakers of all ages together not only to watch films but to explore them as well. SIFF Cinema is also home to the Seattle International Film Festival, the biggest international film festival in the nation. It’s no wonder locals praise the independent theater for its exciting and fresh movie circulation.

Night:

6. Kerry Park

Park

Stop by the 1.26-acre Kerry Park, which lends some of the most spectacular cityscape views in all of Seattle. Perched on top of the Queen Anne neighborhood, the park overlooks everything from the Emerald City to Elliott Bay. Visitors can spot the colossal Mount Rainier during the daytime and the glowing Space Needle and Pier 57’s Great Wheel at night.

7. The Backdoor at Roxy’s

Cocktail Bar, American

Finish the day at The Backdoor at Roxy’s, a speakeasy lounge located in the Fremont neighborhood. As its name suggests, visitors can access the bar via the backdoor entrance behind Roxy’s Diner. The lounge offers everything from craft cocktails, pub-style entrées, and rich late-night bites. With occasional live music, this 1920s-inspired establishment is a perfect spot to kick back and relax after a long day.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

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Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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