Seattle Tourist Attractions

Local Favorites and Top Tourist Attractions for First Time Visitors to Seattle

Seattle Southside is the perfect home base to explore the Pacific Northwest.
Eat, play, stay, and venture forth from Seattle Southside.

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Seattle is a beautiful city located on the Puget Sound in Washington state.  There are many popular tourist attractions for people to visit, including the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). If you're looking for a great place to visit, then Seattle is a perfect and unique destination for you to add to the top of your bucket list.

The Space Needle is a famous landmark that was built for the 1962 World's Fair.  It is 605 feet tall and offers amazing views of the city, Puget sound, and surrounding mountain ranges.  The Space Needle is typically open daily from 10:00 am - 10pm, so you can choose between daytime, sunset, or night time views of the city skyline. For a truly spectacular experience, check whether there might be a full moon rising on the day of your visit.

Pike Place Market is a popular tourist attraction that dates back to 1907.  The market is located on the Elliott Bay waterfront and is home to an eclectic variety of shops and restaurants, as well as the world-famous fish market where you can see a 30 lb. salmon being tossed and caught by the fish mongers in their orange overalls. In addition, you can find fresh local produce, flowers, seafood, and souvenirs for sale every day except Christmas.

Founded in 1933, the Seattle Art Museum is one of the largest art museums in the country, and features works from both local and international artists in an array of permanent and rotating exhibitions.  The SAM also offers educational programs for all ages, as well as special events throughout the year. 

Additionally, there are many other great places to visit in the greater Seattle area, including the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, Woodland Park Zoo, The Museum of Flight, Westfield Southcenter Shopping Mall, iFLy Indoor Skydiving, Des Moines Beach Park, and Saltwater State Park.

If you are looking for a fun and exciting way to see all of Seattle's tourist attractions, consider taking a guided tour.  There are many different Seattle tour companies that offer tours of Seattle's landmarks, and tours that include winetasting at local vineyards, a visit to the state's highest waterfall in Snoqualmie, and even whale watching.

Whether it’s your first-time visiting Seattle or you’re a local looking for staycation ideas or new experiences to add to your bucket list, we’ve put together a list of just a few of the fun things to do in Seattle to help you plan the perfect trip. Our list includes iconic Seattle “must-dos” as well as some local secrets you won’t find in most travel guides.

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