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Seattle’s famous drizzle feels like an afterthought when you’re soaking up the view from aboard a sailing hot tub, and the dampness barely registers while looking up at a spectacular waterfall from an Indigenous cultural center. Getting outdoors all year round—and in any weather—is part of the culture in a city where gardens of colorful glass, giant wooden trolls, and world-class sculptures complement lush parks and tree-lined streets. Puget Sound panoramas unfold all around, from the top of the remodeled Space Needle, to the Marketfront Pavilion addition to iconic Pike Place Market to a ferry ride across Elliott Bay (usually for a great restaurant).
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But the beauty extends to the indoors, too: Look down from the pinnacle of the city’s most famous tourist attraction, the Space Needle, at the patchwork of neighborhoods hosting museums and galleries that show off the city’s deep cultural roots—and, of course, the incredible food scene that comes with Seattle’s diversity. Here are the best things to do in Seattle, no matter what time of year you’re visiting.
Read our complete Seattle travel guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best things to do in Seattle
Every review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that activity. When choosing things to do, our editors consider landmarks and experiences that offer an insider’s view of a destination, keeping authenticity, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
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