Day Trip: Seattle's Historic Pike Place Market

Located on the Seattle Waterfront, Pike Place Market is a historic market that has been open for business since 1907. It's home to some of Seattle's most popular restaurants and shops, and is a great place to people watch. Plan on leaving with a bag of fresh fruit, vegetables, pastries, and a few souvenirs to remember your visit. This is the place where you can see fish thrown around by the fish mongers.

There is no shortage of activities to do in the Pacific Northwest! Even if you have lived in this region your entire life, there are always new places to explore. To help you get inspired, we plan to highlight a different Day Trip once a month. This month, we’re headed to Pike Place Market to rediscover the “Soul of Seattle.”

On August 17, 1907, Pike Place Market was born and over the next century it would become internationally known as the nation’s oldest operating farmers market.

Today, there are more than 200 year-round commercial businesses, 190 crafts people, 100 farmers and 240 street performers. The market attracts 10 million visitors yearly, making it one of Washington State’s most frequently visited destinations.

So… what do you do when you get there? Explore! Rain or shine, there is so much vibrant energy in this one space you can’t help but walk away feeling revived. Duck as fish fly over your head, browse hundreds of local artisan crafts, view the season’s most beautiful flowers, taste fresh produce and view the Puget Sound skyline.

Eight of our Favorite Things to Do at the Pike Place Market

  1. Take a photo with Rachel the Pig, Pike Place Market’s icon, located at the entrance.
  2. Grab lunch and an ice cold beer at Pike Brewing Company.
  3. Shop for fresh fish and produce to make a Pike Place Market inspired dinner after your visit. You can browse a complete list of merchants on their website.
  4. Walk the full length of the market and stop to view Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
  5. Sample many delicious tastes of the Market like Chukar Cherries - chocolate covered cherries (to die for!), Pike Place Chowder - whose clam chosder has won the world championship so many times it has been disqualified, Daily Dozen Doughnuts - hot, fresh, melt in your mouth doughnuts, Piroshky Piroshky - stuffed savory pies eaten only by hand, no forks here! If you're a major foodie, this is a definite must-do - and we have a whole itinerary with you in mind.
  6. Stop by the Athenian Inn to see where scenes from Sleepless in Seattle were filmed. It has a casual dining atmosphere with incredible views of Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains.
  7. Pick up a bouquet of beautiful fresh flowers for a very affordable price. Availability changes with the seasons, so you never know what you're going to get, but it's always beautiful.
  8. Swing by the original Starbucks for a double tall skinny half caf extra whip latte (aka coffee) and listen to the sweet melodies of talented street performers while you wait in line - and you will be waiting a while. Thankfully there's also first Starbucks exclusive merchandise here to take home to the coffee lover in your life. Or just for yourself.

There's so much more to do - be sure to venture both downstairs and upstairs on both sides of the street to see all the wonderful oddities the market has to offer. And of course there's the famous (if a bit gross) Gum Wall, where generations of performers and patrons have stashed their gum before entering an improv theater.

The sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the market will thrill and enchant your senses. You will want to come back again and again. Be sure to save a little extra room in your suitcase for all of your treasures!

Been on a great Day Trip recently? Do let us know! We’d love to hear your ideas of great places to explore.

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Author

Ashley Comar