A one-time rustic logging community, Seattle has transformed into a cosmopolitan metropolis brimming with fantastic brews, award-winning restaurants, eye-catching attractions, and an array of trendy boutiques.
With a scenic jaunt across the Salish Sea aboard the Victoria Clipper ferry, there are still plenty of inexpensive or free ways to explore the stunning city of Seattle without maxing out your credit card.
Book Now: Victoria to Seattle Overnight Package with Two Nights
Day 1
8:15 p.m. – Hyatt Place Hotel
When visiting Seattle, you have more than a few excellent options for a place to rest your head. However, with a prime location in the heart of downtown and luxe amenities, the Hyatt Place hotel is pretty hard to beat! An upscale, modern property, the hotel is a quick 8-minute (complimentary) shuttle ride from the FRS Clipper terminal, backed by epic views of the majestic Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, and downtown skyscrapers. And that’s before you even check in!
The entire city is at your doorstep! The iconic Space Needle, Seattle Center, and Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) are a mere 7-minute walk away. Bustling Pike Place Market and the action-packed Seattle waterfront are only a few steps further. (Inside tip: If you book your ride in advance, the hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to attractions within one mile of the property).
Fair warning — with plenty of space to spread out in your airy suite and sweeping vistas of the Emerald City, it’s tough to pry yourself away from your room. Once you do, however, you’ll find the hotel’s indoor heated pool (a rare luxury in Seattle) along with three excellent dining options within the confines of the property.
Start your day at the Gallery Kitchen’s buffet breakfast. Swing by the Gallery Market for a 24/7 grab-and-go café chock-full of snacks, drinks, salads, and more, or grab a beverage at the Coffee to Cocktails Bar, which offers a cozy setting to curl up with a newspaper and coffee, or wind down the evening with a cocktail of choice. Book this hotel with FRS Clipper, learn more.
10:00 p.m. – Umi Sake House
A mainstay in the Seattle sushi scene, Belltown’s Umi Sake House is an ideal spot to soak in Seattle’s nightlife without spending a lot of cash. Hit up their late-night happy hour for solid drink specials alongside an array of rolls, offerings from the raw bar, and hot appetizers that will fill you up without breaking your trip budget.
Day 2
9:00 a.m. – Gallery Kitchen Breakfast at Hyatt Place
Pop downstairs for an outstanding complimentary breakfast. Quick, convenient, and full of tasty breakfast options – think hearty steel-cut oatmeal, whole fruit, bacon and sausage, and build-your-own parfaits (hello caramelized bananas) – it hits the spot for a day of fuel. Book this hotel with FRS Clipper, learn more.
10:30 a.m. – Fremont Stroll
Great food, an immaculate atmosphere, and budget-friendly shopping? You heard that right. Just a short 10-minute bus ride or Uber, head to the other side of Lake Union for the morning to the quirky and hip neighborhood of Fremont! Catch the expansive Sunday Market that has become a local Seattle staple for over 30 years. Stroll through booths and tents featuring over 100 different vendors and swoon over vintage antiques, accessories, fashion, books, and world imports.
Can’t make the market? No worries. Dine, shop, play and stroll through vintage shops and eclectic storefronts at the Vintage Mall. Don’t let looks deceive you from the outside; down the short staircase, there is plenty to explore at this underground, two-floor shop! (Insider tip: In true Seattle fashion, grab a coffee as you browse from Caffe Ladro)
After you finish thrifting, find your way over to the iconic and beloved public sculpture: The Fremont Troll. Climb up and snap a picture under the bridge before heading out!
1:45 p.m. – Lunch at Paseo
Hands down one of our favorite spots for Caribbean cuisine, Paseo will fill you up while being easy on the wallet. Featured on the Food Network as the 2nd best sandwich shop in America, get your hands on their Famous Caribbean Roast with marinated and slow-roasted pork shoulder with seared garlic and caramelized onion for a delicious lunch for less than $15.
2:30 p.m. – Beneath the Streets
You’ve seen the ever-bustling streets of Pioneer Square, but did you know there’s a whole, less bustling, city below? Discover the roots of Seattle as your guide leads you through the catacomb-like maze of the Seattle underground on a Beneath the Streets tour. At $20 a pop for adults and $12 for children, it is one of the more affordable tours in the city. Explore a network of subterranean storefronts, sidewalks and basements that were once the hub of the city, but became entombed by the Great Fire of 1889.
Not only will you leave with a greater appreciation of the city, but you’ll leave armed with insights into the history of the Klondike Gold Rush, Skid Row and the Coast Salish Peoples. As an added bonus, you’ll also get the story behind those purple glass squares embedded into the Seattle sidewalks! Book this tour with FRS Clipper, learn more.
4:00 p.m. – Pinball Museum
A labor of love created by two pinball fans and dedicated to the “preservation of pinball for future generations,” Chinatown’s Seattle Pinball Museum will transport you to your childhood days of arcades. Grab an old-fashioned soda, craft beer or cider (all machines come conveniently equipped with cup holders) and spend the afternoon clinking, clacking and whirring on the machines to your heart’s content. With more than 50 classic and modern games that are free to play with admission to the museum, you’re bound to find at least one that brings on a bout of nostalgia!
6:30 p.m. – Pho Bac
One of the Emerald City’s finest cultural destinations, the International District (known by locals as simply “ID”) also happens to be a go-to spot for restaurants that serve up quality eats, while leaving you enough cash for cocktails at the night’s end. Beeline it to Pho Bac, the first restaurant in Seattle to serve up what has become one of the city’s culinary staples — piping hot bowls of pho. Housed in an eye-catching red boat-like building, the long-standing local favorite nails it for both chill vibes and phenomenal dishes.
While anything you order off the menu is a sure-fire winner, we highly recommend the restaurant’s namesake pho. With a steaming, spice-laden broth that’s been simmered for more than 10 hours, plus tender meat, mounds of rice noodles and topped with all the fixings, the soul-warming soup will please your palate any time of year.
8:00 p.m. – Sunset at Dr. Jose Rizal Park
Sunset is the time to be at the secluded Jose Rizal Park. Perched on the western slope of Beacon Hill, the spot offers postcard-worthy views of the downtown skyscrapers, stadiums, Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains. Stroll across the bridge from the south and snap a shot of the Seattle skyline as the sun sets slowly over Puget Sound. Stick around till after the sun goes down and you’ll be rewarded with even more breathtaking sights as night falls on the city like a velvet blanket and the lights of the Emerald City twinkle below.
Day 3
7:00 a.m. – FRS Clipper Terminal at Pier 69
Grab a coffee and a breakfast sandwich to go from Hyatt Place’s Gallery Market before zipping down to the Pier 69 on the waterfront to catch the Victoria Clipper ferry for the ride home. Kick back in your comfortable seats and enjoy a front-row view of some of the Pacific Northwest’s most awe-inspiring natural beauty. With snow-capped Olympic mountains, incredible views back on the city of Seattle, and miles of sparkling water on all sides, it’s hard to think of anything more relaxing or freeing.
