Downtown Seattle
Downtown Seattle is a classic American urban center full of tall towers, a vibrant urban atmosphere (with quite a few ills), and must-see spots on your city tour. The heart of downtown is Pike Place Market, one of the oldest and most famous urban markets in the United States.
- At the spot where the first Starbucks opened, there's a plethora of hangout spots on the piers at Elliott Bay like the giant wheel and the city's aquarium.
- Up the hill is the financial district with its skyscrapers, topped by the Columbia Center.
- To the south in Pioneer Square, urban atmosphere and residential life blend together, and nearby is the Chinatown-International District, the city's most vibrant ethnic neighborhood.
- Belltown to the north, towards the Space Needle, is home to the hip crowd and the inspiration for Frasier Crane's wondrous world.
How long should you spend touring downtown Seattle?
You should dedicate between a full day to two days for a downtown Seattle tour (including the Space Needle and Seattle Center).
Downtown Seattle is the place to find accommodation for your Emerald City trip.
Click here to check availability and prices at Seattle hotels…
12 Must-See and Must-Do Things in Downtown Seattle
- Eat, browse, shop, and have fun at Pike Place Market
- Seattle Aquarium
- The Seattle Great Wheel
- The breathtaking view from the Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center
- Cruise ships and downtown skyscrapers view from Bell Harbor Marina
- The stunning elegance of Smith Tower at Pioneer Square
- Discover Far East immigrants at the Wing Luke Museum
- Chinatown at its best in the Uwajimaya Seattle grocery mall
- Cutting-edge art and stunning bay views at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Belltown
- Contemporary and local art at the Seattle Art Museum
- Seattle Seahawks NFL game at Lumen Field
- Seattle Mariners baseball game at T-Mobile Park
Click here for the complete Seattle travel guide…
What is Downtown Seattle?
- Seattle's downtown is comprised of two main districts – the Central Business District and the Pike Place Market district
- South of the financial district is the elegant Pioneer Square neighborhood
- East of Pioneer Square is the Chinatown-International District, which is comprised of three sub-neighborhoods – Chinatown, Little Saigon, and Japantown
- North of Pike Place Market, towards the Space Needle and Uptown, is Belltown, a residential neighborhood immortalized in the magnificent sitcom Frasier. This is the city's affluent residential area with tall condo buildings and a mix of snobbery and luxury
- Seattle's downtown is the heartbeat of the city. It's the main area for exploration in the city, together with the Uptown sites where the Space Needle stands.
- Below Pike Place Market is also the city's harbor area. It offers a wide variety of attractions like the giant Ferris wheel and the city's aquarium.
- The city center stretches along the Elliott Bay Waterfront, which is part of the Puget Sound.
Click here for a guided tour of all the main sights and attractions in Seattle…
Map of Downtown Seattle
Everything to See and Do in Downtown Seattle
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is Seattle's number one tourist destination and one of the city's main symbols (along with the Space Needle). The market opened as a farmers' market in 1907 and is one of the oldest urban markets in the entire United States. The market structure is built on an elevated section above Elliot Bay and hosts hundreds of food stalls, restaurants, shops, and more—all the fun of Seattle.
Click here for the full street food tour of Seattle…
At Pike Place Market, there are thematic sections of the farmers' market. The favorite and most popular part of the market is the Pike Place Fish Market, one of the most colorful places in this part of the United States. On the exterior of the market structure, in Post Alley, you'll find the city's iconic (and pretty gross if you think about it) Gum Wall. The partially covered alley's walls are scribbled with graffiti and plastered with millions of chewed gums in what has become a trend.
Click here for a delicious chef-guided culinary tour at Pike Place Market…
Address: Pike St. 85, Seattle
Click here for the latest opening hours and all the information about the market…
Bell Harbor Marina
Bell Harbor Marina is one of the most beautiful spots on the Elliott Bay waterfront in downtown Seattle. The marina is located on the southern part of Pier 66, Seattle's cruise terminal and the departure point for cruises heading to Alaska. The Bell Harbor International Conference Center is also located on the pier.
Click here for a cruise in Elliott Bay and the Puget Sound…
The marina itself hosts a wide variety of boats and yachts. Around the marina is a deck where you can walk along the waterline and enjoy views of the downtown skyscrapers up the hill and the Ferris wheel on Pier 57. There are a few seafood restaurants and hotels in the area, making it a very pleasant place to stroll around.
Click here for ferry tickets to Victoria (one-way or round trip)…
Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium might not be the largest, but it's a popular attraction mainly due to its central location. It's right at the heart of Seattle, just at the foot of Pike Place Market and close to the Great Wheel. The aquarium opened in 1977 and has since become one of the cherished attractions in downtown. The main tank showcases the best of the Puget Sound sea life. Nearby, you can also spot amphibious animals like seals, sea lions, and more. The aquarium also has sections with seabirds and smaller climate-specific aquariums.
Address: Alaskan Way 1483, Pier 59, Seattle
Click here for the aquarium's opening hours…
The Seattle Great Wheel
Seattle's Great Wheel is located on Pier 57 of the waterfront and has become one of the city's icons since its opening in 2012. The wheel's height is 53 meters, making it the tallest wheel on the entire Pacific coast of the USA. It was built following the model of the Niagara SkyWheel in Niagara Falls (Canada) with exactly the same proportions. The wheel is a particularly popular family attraction in downtown Seattle, in conjunction with the nearby aquarium. It offers stunning views of Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle.
Address: Alaskan Wy. 1301, Seattle
Click here for the Great Wheel's operating hours…
Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum is located just south of Pike Place Market on First Avenue, across from the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle. The SAM collection is based on works from the Seattle Artists' Association and the Washington Artists' Association, and it now holds over 25,000 exhibits. It opened to the public in 1933 and mainly showcases the best works of local artists. The museum also features rotating exhibitions with fascinating curations and plenty of contemporary art displays.
Click here to purchase tickets online for the Seattle Art Museum…
Address: 1st Ave. 1300, Seattle
Click here for the museum's opening hours…
Harbor Steps
Half a block south of the Seattle Art Museum, you'll find the charming harbor steps of downtown. The steps descend from the intersection of 1st Avenue and University Street directly to the Ferris wheel at Pier 57. These elegant steps are part of the downtown Seattle walking tour, mainly offering a stylish descent towards the waterfront. On sunny days, there are café tables along the staircase route.
Click here for the complete downtown Seattle coffee tour…
Columbia Center
The Columbia Center is the tallest skyscraper in Seattle. Previously known as the Bank of America Tower and Columbia Seafirst Center, it's a classic '80s skyscraper with black granite tiles and glass, similar to Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York or Trump Tower on the river in Chicago. Ironically, Columbia Center is also located on Fifth Avenue, but in Seattle. It stands 307 meters tall and has 76 floors. Completed in 1985, it has since become one of the sparkling stars of the city.
The Sky View Observatory, the tower's observation deck, is the highest observation deck in the western United States. It's the main competitor to the iconic Space Needle's observation deck. The observatory is located on the 73rd floor of the tower and also features a bar and café.
Address: 700 4th Ave., Seattle
Click here for tickets to the Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center…
Click here for the observatory floor's hours of operation and costs…
Pioneer Square
The Pioneer Square neighborhood extends over the southern part of Downtown Seattle. The neighborhood's boundary is the Columbia Center tower, and its center is Occidental Square. The main area stretches along First Avenue, filled with restaurants, art galleries, and vintage stores.
Besides the fun streets, the neighborhood houses several sites such as the elegant Smith Tower and the Waterfall Garden, a small enclosed urban park that simulates the tropical atmosphere of botanical gardens.
Smith Tower
Smith Tower looms over the dark corner at the intersection between Second Avenue and Yesler Way. It's one of the cutest skyscrapers in the entire United States. It was built in 1914 and rises to 38 stories. Upon its completion, it was considered the tallest skyscraper west of Chicago and the tallest tower in Seattle and the entire Pacific Coast until the completion of the Space Needle in 1962. The tall tower of the building is inspired by Italian Campanile towers. At the top of the tower, there's a bar offering a stunning view of the city.
Click here for a guided tour + access to the Smith Tower's observation deck + cocktail…
Address: 2nd Ave. 506, Seattle
Click here for the observation deck bar's operating hours and costs…
Seattle Chinatown-International District
Chinatown International is Seattle's ethnic district, home to the descendants of immigrants from the Far East. Like other cities in the USA and Canada, Seattle's district is a kind of American ex-territory with colorful signs in Chinese, grocery stores with crazy merchandise, and, of course, excellent Chinese and Japanese restaurants. The district is the historic residence of immigrants from the Far East who arrived in Seattle with the construction of the railway that crossed the Cascade and Rocky mountain ranges in the mid-19th century.
The district is roughly divided into Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon. Each neighborhood in the district has its own grocery stores and restaurants. The district is located east of Pioneer Square and Union Station, with the I-5 highway running through its center. The most attractive part of the district is the two sections of Jackson Street South, which runs under I-5. The eastern part of the street is the center of Little Saigon, while the western part is the heart of Japantown.
Wing Luke Museum
Seattle's largest ethnic museum is located in the eastern part of Chinatown. It is one of the largest museums in the United States focused on the ethnology of the Far East and is affiliated with the Smithsonian Museums. The museum's collection contains over 20,000 items and exhibits related to the culture of immigrants from Japan, China, and Southeast Asian countries. It was founded in 1967 and houses an important research institute.
Address: 719 S King St, Seattle
Click here for the museum's hours of operation…
Uwajimaya Seattle
Uwajimaya is the largest and most famous Chinese grocery store in Seattle. It's located two blocks south of Union Station. The ethnic Chinese mini-mall was founded in 1927 and has since become a very popular institution among local residents and Seattle's food connoisseurs. The grocery store functions like a small market but is very clean and aesthetic (especially compared to grocery stores in other Chinatowns). It's also a great place to sample excellent ethnic foods at stands selling ready-made food similar to what you'd find in China.
Address: 600 5th Ave S., Seattle
Lumen Field
Across the train tracks, west of Chinatown, lies Seattle's large football stadium. This is the home field of the legendary Seattle Seahawks football team. The stadium seats nearly 70,000 spectators, but tickets to games are hard to come by, especially if the Seahawks are playing in the playoffs.
Address: 800 Occidental Ave S., Seattle
T-Mobile Park
Right next to Lumen Field to the south is the T-Mobile Park baseball stadium. This is the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners and a favorite hangout for the city's residents. The stadium can accommodate 48,000 spectators, and usually, there is no problem getting tickets for the games.
Click here to purchase tickets for the Mariners games at T-Mobile Park…
Address: 1st Ave S. 1250, Seattle
Belltown
Belltown is located in the northern part of downtown Seattle, with its southern border at Pike Place Market. This neighborhood or subdistrict of residential and commercial areas is very reminiscent of Manhattan's Upper West Side, including the rise of Amsterdam Avenue in New York. Traditionally, Belltown was the district of the gentry, the wealthy residents of the city.
Today, the district is filled with luxury residential buildings (the inspiration for the Elliot Bay Towers, Frasier Crane's fictional residence in the legendary sitcom), excellent restaurants, and great streets for shopping. The commercial heart of the neighborhood is First and Second Avenues next to Pike Place Market. The neighborhood is the mid-space between Downtown, Uptown, and the Queen Anne districts, where the Space Needle is located.
The Spheres at Amazon Headquarters
The headquarters of the internet commerce giant Amazon is located in Belltown between 6th and 7th Avenues on Lenora Street. Beyond the dazzling high-tech office towers, it's worth visiting the site mainly to see The Spheres, three connected glass domes serving as urban greenhouses. The greenhouses contain about forty thousand plants growing under botanical garden conditions. The Spheres structure has become one of the city's symbols, not far from the Space Needle.
Address: 7th Ave. 2111, Seattle
Olympic Sculpture Park
The Olympic Sculpture Park is located on the Belltown waterfront, just a short distance from the Space Needle. This park is an open extension of the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). It opened in 2007 north of the last pier, along the shores of Elliott Bay. The large garden houses the Paccar Pavilion exhibition space and dozens of postmodern sculptures scattered throughout. The park stretches up the hill above the bay, offering trails that combine sculptures with stunning views. On the bay's edge, there's a Pocket Beach next to the Elliott Bay Trail.
Click here for a guided bike tour of all Seattle's main attractions…
