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Seattle in 3 days with friends

Itineraries · Seattle, WA · 3 days

A 3-day Seattle plan for a group: Pike Place Market, Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Space Needle, sunset at Kerry Park, a ferry to Bainbridge Island, Fremont and the Ballard Locks, and Capitol Hill before the light rail to the airport.

Seattle splits neatly into a downtown day, a water day and a neighborhood day. Day 1 runs from Pike Place to the Space Needle, Day 2 takes the ferry to Bainbridge Island and ends with dinner in Ballard, and Day 3 stays on Capitol Hill, a direct light rail ride from the airport.

Day 1

Pike Place and the Space Needle

7 stops
  1. StayKimpton Palladian Hotel2000 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA · Map of Kimpton Palladian HotelOr wherever the group is staying
  2. 9:00 AM9:00 AMDoPike Place Market85 Pike St, Seattle, WA · Map of Pike Place MarketStart under the clock and work through the lower levels
  3. 11:30 AM11:30 AMEatPike Place Chowder1530 Post Alley, Seattle, WA · Map of Pike Place ChowderOpens at 11 AM; the line moves quickly
  4. 1:30 PM1:30 PMDoChihuly Garden and Glass305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA · Map of Chihuly Garden and GlassTake the monorail from Westlake Center; plan on one to two hours
  5. 3:15 PM3:15 PMDoSpace Needle400 Broad St, Seattle, WA · Map of Space NeedleTimed entry; stand on the rotating glass floor
  6. 6:30 PM6:30 PMDoKerry Park211 W Highland Dr, Seattle, WA · Map of Kerry ParkTime it for sunset; the classic skyline view with the Space Needle
  7. 7:30 PM7:30 PMEatToulouse Petit Kitchen & Lounge601 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA · Map of Toulouse Petit Kitchen & LoungeCajun and Creole, downhill from Kerry Park; book ahead

If we have time

Day 2

Bainbridge Island and Ballard

6 stops
  1. 9:00 AM9:00 AMTravelSeattle Ferry Terminal, 801 Alaskan Way, Pier 52 to Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal270 Olympic Dr SE, Bainbridge Island, WA · Map of Bainbridge Island Ferry TerminalWalk on; the crossing takes about 35 minutes. Check the sailing schedule
  2. 10:00 AM10:00 AMDoBainbridge Island Museum of Art550 Winslow Way E, Bainbridge Island, WA · Map of Bainbridge Island Museum of ArtFree; a five-minute walk from the ferry
  3. 11:30 AM11:30 AMEatBlackbird Bakery210 Winslow Way E, Bainbridge Island, WA · Map of Blackbird BakerySoup, quiche and pastries; then catch a ferry back after lunch
  4. 2:15 PM2:15 PMDoFremont TrollN 36th St and Troll Ave N, Seattle, WA · Map of Fremont TrollUnder the north end of the Aurora Bridge
  5. 3:30 PM3:30 PMDoHiram M. Chittenden Locks3015 NW 54th St, Seattle, WA · Map of Hiram M. Chittenden LocksFree; watch boats lock through, and look for salmon in the fish ladder from late July into early fall
  6. 6:00 PM6:00 PMEatRay's Boathouse6049 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle, WA · Map of Ray's BoathouseBook the Boathouse downstairs, or try the more casual Café upstairs

If we have time

Day 3

Capitol Hill

5 stops
  1. 9:30 AM9:30 AMDoVolunteer Park1247 15th Ave E, Seattle, WA · Map of Volunteer ParkClimb the water tower from 10 AM for city views
  2. 10:30 AM10:30 AMDoVolunteer Park Conservatory1400 E Galer St, Seattle, WA · Map of Volunteer Park ConservatoryClosed Mondays; the kiosk takes cards or $1 bills only
  3. 12:00 PM12:00 PMEatDick's Drive-In115 Broadway E, Seattle, WA · Map of Dick's Drive-InBurgers, fries and shakes from the walk-up window
  4. 12:45 PM12:45 PMEatMolly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream917 E Pine St, Seattle, WA · Map of Molly Moon's Homemade Ice CreamOpens at noon
  5. 1:30 PM1:30 PMTravelCapitol Hill Station, 140 Broadway E to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport17801 International Blvd, SeaTac, WA · Map of Seattle-Tacoma International AirportTake the Link 1 Line south to SeaTac/Airport Station. Allow about an hour, including the walk to the terminal

If we have time

Tips

  1. Link light rail takes about 38 minutes between downtown and SeaTac/Airport Station, with trains every 8 to 10 minutes most of the day. At the airport, the station is across the skybridge and through the parking garage.
  2. On the Bainbridge ferry, walk-on passengers pay only when leaving Seattle; the ride back is free. Arrive about 15 minutes before your sailing.
  3. Pike Place Market's produce and fish stalls open around 7 AM, before most shops open at 10 AM. Go early to see it before the crowds.
  4. Space Needle tickets are timed in 15-minute arrival windows, and Chihuly Garden and Glass sells a combined ticket. Book both before you go.

Plan it together in Freya

Every stop goes on your trip with its place from Apple Maps, so the group gets directions, drive times and the weather. Then swap things out, vote and split the costs.

Add to FreyaCustomize in the builder

Change any stop, move things between days or add your own, then add your version to Freya. Not on an iPhone? Copy the plan for the group chat.

Questions

Is 3 days enough for Seattle?

For a first visit, yes. This plan fits 18 stops into 3 days (Day 1: Pike Place and the Space Needle; Day 2: Bainbridge Island and Ballard; Day 3: Capitol Hill). Add a day if your group likes a slower pace.

When is the best time to go to Seattle?

June to September, when it's driest and the sunsets are late.

Where should a group eat in Seattle?

This plan stops at Pike Place Chowder, Toulouse Petit Kitchen & Lounge, Blackbird Bakery, Ray's Boathouse, Fremont Brewing and Dick's Drive-In. Vote on dinner in Freya if the group can't agree.

What if the group wants to split up?

The ideas under “If we have time” (Seattle Aquarium, Fremont Brewing and Cal Anderson Park) are optional. In Freya, set who's going on a stop so everyone knows where to meet back up.

How do we use this plan as a group?

Tap Add to Freya on an iPhone. Every stop goes on a shared trip with its place from Apple Maps, so the group gets directions, drive times and the weather. Friends join from a link with just their first name, then swap stops, vote on plans and split the costs.

More itineraries

Have your own plan in a Google Doc, a Google Sheet or an AI chat? Paste it into Freya, or import it in the builder. Here’s how, or plan together with our Google Sheets and Docs templates. Or make your own version of this plan in the builder.