Seattle.
Follow Elliott Bay on foot and give the ferry crossing enough time for a proper walk on the other shore.
Travel style
Overview
Seattle’s downtown slopes toward Elliott Bay. Pike Place Market gives that geography a purpose: you can buy lunch among the stalls and then follow the waterfront north toward Olympic Sculpture Park. Across the bay, the Bainbridge ferry turns a view of the water into a journey through it.
Three days leave room for a sailing, a South Lake Union bathhouse and a concert near Belltown. Choose your return ferry before settling into an island afternoon. In town, plan for the climb back from the water.
Shortlist
Olympic Sculpture Park
Olympic Sculpture Park brings art and paths down toward Elliott Bay. Decide how much slope you want before setting out.
Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry
The Bainbridge crossing lets an outdoor day include the water without requiring a car. Check the return sailing before walking farther into Winslow.
Bruciato
Bruciato gives the Bainbridge walk a proper meal at the island end. Share a blistered Neapolitan pie on Winslow Way before walking back to the ferry.
Dining ↓Three excellent days
Day 1
From Pike Place to the piers
Pike Place → Elliott Bay
The market stands well above the bay. Set out on foot after breakfast and come down via the new waterfront terraces, with time to stop for a tide-pool exhibit or a waterfront lunch.
- Morning
Pick up a savory pastry, look through the stalls where craftspeople sell their work, then walk down the terraces toward the water.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
Piroshky Piroshky
Split a filled pastry at the Pike Place bakery. A savory one travels well if you would rather take breakfast to the overlook than stand in the market to eat.
Pike Place crafts market
Look along the covered tables for work by local craftspeople. Choose one maker and ask about the material or technique. The stall assignment can change, so browse the day’s tables.
Overlook Walk
Follow the public terraces that connect the market with the waterfront. Pause above the aquarium for the panorama of ferries and cranes. Elevators make it possible to skip the long stair descent.
- Afternoon
Explore marine habitats, climb back for the salmon sandwich or stay at water level for an hour on the public pier.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Seattle Aquarium
Book an entry time and choose which waters to explore. The habitats on the piers introduce the Salish Sea while the Ocean Pavilion turns to tropical Pacific marine life.
Market Grill
Take a counter seat in the main market arcade for a blackened salmon sandwich. The grill is right in front of you, so the cooks, the fish and the passing market crowd are all part of lunch.
Pier 62
Go down to the open pier for a look across Elliott Bay. Consult Waterfront Park’s calendar for live music or public events. On a quiet night the ferry lights provide the movement.
- Evening
Eat beside the ferries at Pier 54. The wheel gives a higher view after dark, while the Hillclimb bar offers a seat on the way back uphill.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Ivar’s Acres of Clams
Sit down for clams or fish and chips at Pier 54, just north of the ferry terminal. Choose the dining room for a full meal or the nearby fish bar for a quick bite.
Seattle Great Wheel
Ride the enclosed wheel on Pier 57 as the lights come on. A turn out over the water gives you time to look back at downtown from beyond the seawall.
Zig Zag Café
Head to the cocktail bar on the Pike Street Hillclimb. Tell the bartender which spirits or flavors you like, then leave time to sit with the drink before climbing back toward the market.
Day 2
A walk off the ferry
Colman Dock → Hawley Cove → Winslow
Bainbridge is a walking day with a boat ride at either end. Head east of the landing for wetland and shoreline, then west into Winslow to eat.
- Morning
Ride the ferry, walk the wetland boardwalk to the cove and come into Winslow for breakfast at the neighborhood bakery.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry
Walk aboard at Colman Dock. Sit outside for the departure if the weather allows. The change from container cranes and downtown towers to wooded headlands is part of the outing.
Hawley Cove Park
Walk the boardwalk through the wetland to the beach east of the ferry terminal. Watch a ferry pass close to shore and allow time to return on foot.
Blackbird Bakery
Make your first Winslow stop a pastry and coffee on Winslow Way. The neighborhood bakery gives you a warm place to settle while the crowd from the boat disperses.
- Afternoon
Eat fish and chips, visit the island history museum or follow the short trail to the city dock on Eagle Harbor.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Proper Fish
Order fish and chips in Winslow. The British-style battered fish makes a substantial lunch after a waterfront walk. Share an order if you want to leave room for a coffee stop.
Bainbridge History Museum
Visit the museum on Ericksen Avenue for the island’s human history. Look for the account of the Japanese American community and the forced removal of island residents during World War II.
Waterfront Park & City Dock
Take the short detour from Winslow Way to Eagle Harbor. Sit by the city dock to watch the small boats, a more intimate view of island life than the one from the ferry deck.
- Evening
Have pizza before the sailing or try a locally brewed beer at the Winslow alehouse. If you are heading back early, finish the afternoon with coffee on Parfitt Way.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Bruciato
Order a Neapolitan-style pie at the pizzeria on Winslow Way. One pie arrives soft in the center with a blistered rim. Order two different toppings for the table if you want to compare.
Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse
Stop at the Winslow alehouse for a local beer before the boat home. Choose the location near the ferry when you look at the brewery’s listings. Its taproom at Coppertop Park is a separate trip.
Pegasus Coffee House
Go to the coffee house on Parfitt Way, near the harbor. Its ivy-covered brick building is a pleasant place to read over a cup before walking back through Winslow.
Day 3
Art beside the bay
Olympic Sculpture Park → Seattle Center → Belltown
The sculpture terraces make a good trailhead for the open shoreline. Loop back inland through Seattle Center so there is somewhere warm to go when the wind comes off the Sound.
- Morning
Pick up a croissant, walk the sculpture terraces and listen to KEXP over a cup of coffee at Seattle Center.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
La Parisienne French Bakery
Meet on Fourth Avenue for a croissant or a slice of quiche. Its Belltown address puts the group within walking distance of Seattle Center when the last coffee is finished.
Olympic Sculpture Park
Walk the descending terraces and pause at Alexander Calder’s red Eagle. From the right angle the open steel frames Elliott Bay. One visit takes in both the sculpture and the waterfront route.
KEXP Gathering Space
Listen to the broadcast with a Caffe Vita coffee at the radio station’s public gathering space. Check its event listings if you would like to hear a performer in person.
- Afternoon
Stretch the walk along the waterfront, explore the Glasshouse or warm up with a wood-fired pie on Fourth Avenue.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Myrtle Edwards Park
Take the waterfront trail north for open views across Elliott Bay. Walk as far as you enjoy and return on the same path. The shoreline is the point here, with no summit to reach.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Spend an indoor hour with Dale Chihuly’s glass at Seattle Center. The suspended installation in the Glasshouse shows how a collection of individually blown pieces becomes one sculpture.
Serious Pie Downtown
Order a blistered-crust pizza to share on Fourth Avenue. The wood-fired pies give a table of two or three a reason to try a second topping and stay over the last slice.
- Evening
Book a nigiri dinner to end the walking day. Choose a play back at Seattle Center or a film on Belltown’s curved screen.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Shiro’s Sushi
Book the Belltown sushi restaurant for nigiri. Pick the counter if watching the chef shape and season each piece is part of the draw, or a table if conversation matters more tonight.
Seattle Rep
Choose a play at Seattle Center and book for the performance itself. The theater sits on the north side of the campus, within walking distance of the Belltown end of the waterfront route.
SIFF Cinema Downtown
Catch a film on the big curved screen in the former Cinerama. Pick your seats in advance and try the chocolate popcorn. The theater is an easy indoor finish to a Belltown evening.
What to book
Check the Bainbridge return sailing and the forecast. At the sculpture park choose paths that fit your group’s mobility.
Olympic Sculpture Park
Olympic Sculpture Park puts outdoor art on sloping ground beside Elliott Bay. Look at the site map and choose a route that works for everyone’s mobility.
Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry
The Bainbridge sailing is an outing in its own right. Save the correct terminal and leave room on the island side for a walk before boarding again.
The full guide
Neighborhoods
Belltown fits the sculpture park and evening music. Near Pike Place, breakfast is outside the door but delivery mornings start early. Capitol Hill suits nightlife and asks for a ride back from the piers.
Dining
At Pike Place you can eat blackened salmon while watching the cook work, or climb to Post Alley and share a sampler of chowders. Belltown is better for a dinner reservation before a show. Across the water in Winslow, let the return sailing determine when you order.
Market Grill
Main Arcade · Pike Place Market
Order the blackened salmon sandwich at this compact seafood counter. The grill sits right in the arcade, so lunch comes with a close-up view of both the fish and the market at work.
Zaddy TipAim for lunch. The market’s evening restaurants keep different hours from its fish counters.
Pike Place Chowder, Post Alley
1530 Post Alley · Pike Place Market
Choose the classic New England clam chowder for a single bowl, or split a sampler to compare the clam with smoked salmon and the day’s other recipes. This is a good lunch for friends who want to taste more than one without ordering several bowls.
Zaddy TipThe Post Alley shop is the original and serves lunch. The Pacific Place location is a different counter with its own menu.
Serious Pie Downtown
Fourth Avenue · Belltown
Before a set at Jazz Alley, share a wood-fired pie at Serious Pie Downtown. The blistered crust is substantial enough for seasonal toppings. Order two styles for the table and pass slices.
Zaddy TipUse the downtown location for this plan. The Ballard restaurant is across town.
Shiro’s Sushi
Second Avenue · Belltown
Come to Shiro’s for nigiri. A counter reservation puts the chef’s hands in view as each piece is prepared, while a table makes it easier for a group to talk over the fish.
Zaddy TipChoose counter or table when you reserve. If you have a show later, tell the restaurant when you need to leave.
Bruciato
Winslow Way · Bainbridge Island
Make a Margherita the center of an island dinner. Bruciato’s Neapolitan pies have soft centers and charred edges. One simple tomato-and-mozzarella pie gives a seasonal topping on the second one something to play against.
Zaddy TipLook up the return ferry before ordering. Leave time to walk back to the terminal as well as to finish the meal.
Culture
This is a museum outing with sky for a ceiling. Follow the path down toward the shore and look back at the sculptures against the city.
Olympic Sculpture Park
Belltown waterfront
The Seattle Art Museum’s outdoor collection connects a hillside with the water. It suits a short visit as well as an afternoon with a book.
Zaddy TipThe grounds have posted opening hours. Bring a rain layer for the exposed waterfront.
Activities
Take the Bainbridge sailing as a pedestrian. Winslow’s lunch streets are close enough to the island terminal to leave the car in Seattle.
Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry
Colman Dock
Pick a return sailing before wandering into Winslow. The crossing and a meal make enough of a day.
Zaddy TipUse Washington State Ferries’ service alerts and current walk-on instructions. Arrive before loading starts.
Medgar Evers Pool
Central District
A municipal 25-yard pool gives swimmers a rainy-day alternative to walking the waterfront. It is a separate outing from downtown.
Zaddy TipChoose a published public or lap session and bring the listed drop-in fee. The city asks for exact change at early lap swim.
Banya 5
South Lake Union
Book the hydrotherapy session when a slow afternoon in town sounds better than another crossing of Elliott Bay.
Zaddy TipRead the reservation and bathing rules before arriving. A body treatment is a separate decision.
Nightlife
An early show makes it easy to walk home to a Belltown hotel. Read the seating rules before deciding whether to eat at the club.
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
Belltown
Choose the musician first, then the seating. A dinner reservation changes the shape of the evening.
Zaddy TipUse the club FAQ for arrival, seating and food arrangements for your particular show.
Where to stay
A hostel bed near Pike Place buys time at the market. A private room in Belltown makes a convenient retreat before jazz.
Green Tortoise Hostel
Pike Place
Choose this hostel for its market-side position and the chance to meet other travelers.
Zaddy TipAsk about the access route with bags if stairs matter.
Hotel Ändra
Belltown
A private-room splurge for visitors who want to walk home after Jazz Alley.
Zaddy TipCompare room outlooks and the total nightly cost on your dates.
Getting around
Follow signs to SeaTac/Airport station for Link light rail. Choose your downtown stop by the walk to the room, especially with luggage. Wear a wind-resistant layer for the ferry deck.
FAQs
Does the ferry need a car?
No. Winslow is a good walk-on lunch destination. Check the sailing alerts shortly before leaving.
What would you do with one clear morning?
Take the ferry if you can see across the water. The market works nicely on a wetter day.
Researched and edited by Zaddy Travels. The linked sources inform our selections and planning advice. Hotel and dining recommendations are based on published information.
Related destinations
Banya 5
Banya 5 is a bathhouse near South Lake Union. A reserved visit lets the group choose warmth and water without leaving the central neighborhoods.
Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry
The Bainbridge ferry gives you a seat and a moving view of Elliott Bay. Walk in Winslow before taking the boat back.
Market Grill
Market Grill brings the restorative day back to the counters of Pike Place. Lunch there can be the whole purpose of the market visit.
Dining ↓Day 1
A warm afternoon by Lake Union
South Lake Union → Belltown
The freshwater lake north of downtown was once lined with boatyards. Spend the morning beside the working boats, then head a few blocks inland for an afternoon bath.
- Morning
Have breakfast on Terry Avenue, then choose between the wooden-boat docks and the city history museum beside the water.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
Portage Bay Cafe, South Lake Union
Start on Terry Avenue with pancakes or French toast and take your plate to the breakfast toppings bar. A long breakfast works especially well before a walk beside Lake Union.
The Center for Wooden Boats
Walk the docks to see the wooden boats up close. Look at the little sailing dinghies alongside the larger craft. If you want to go out on the lake, arrange that through the center in advance.
Museum of History & Industry
See the Boeing mail plane suspended in the atrium of the old naval armory. The exhibits put the boats, aircraft and industries that grew up around Lake Union in the same story.
- Afternoon
Reserve Banya for the afternoon. On either side of the session there is time to watch glass artists at work or share a coconut cream pie.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Banya 5
Reserve a bathhouse session on Ninth Avenue. There is room in an afternoon for the steam room, a soak and time to sit between them. Bring the swimwear required for the shared baths.
Seattle Glassblowing Studio
Stop at the hot shop on Fifth Avenue. Watching glass change shape on the end of a blowpipe is a pleasure even without taking a class. Check the demonstration schedule if seeing the artists work is the point of your visit.
Dahlia Bakery
Go to the Fourth Avenue bakery for its coconut cream pie. For breakfast, try a sandwich on a house-made English muffin and take a small piece of pie for later.
- Evening
Book a sushi counter for supper. For a seated evening afterward, choose the curved movie screen or a jazz set.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Shiro’s Sushi
Book the Belltown sushi restaurant for nigiri. Pick the counter if watching the chef shape and season each piece is part of the draw, or a table if conversation matters more tonight.
SIFF Cinema Downtown
Catch a film on the big curved screen in the former Cinerama. Pick your seats in advance and try the chocolate popcorn. The theater is an easy indoor finish to a Belltown evening.
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
Choose a set from the artist calendar at this Belltown listening room. Book the sitting that fits dinner and arrive together if sharing a table matters.
Day 2
Lunch on the island
Colman Dock → Winslow
The Bainbridge ferry lands close enough to Winslow to walk to lunch. An art museum, a bookshop and dinner are all within reach of the boat.
- Morning
Cross Elliott Bay as a foot passenger, have a pastry in Winslow and take it down to the little boats at the city dock.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry
Walk aboard at Colman Dock. Sit outside for the departure if the weather allows. The change from container cranes and downtown towers to wooded headlands is part of the outing.
Blackbird Bakery
Make your first Winslow stop a pastry and coffee on Winslow Way. The neighborhood bakery gives you a warm place to settle while the crowd from the boat disperses.
Waterfront Park & City Dock
Take the short detour from Winslow Way to Eagle Harbor. Sit by the city dock to watch the small boats, a more intimate view of island life than the one from the ferry deck.
- Afternoon
Visit the island art museum, find something to read in the bookshop, then settle by Eagle Harbor with a coffee.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
Start at the galleries near the ferry landing. The museum concentrates on artists of the Puget Sound region. Its collection of artists’ books is worth looking for on the current exhibition list.
Eagle Harbor Book Co.
Browse the staff picks at the independent bookstore on Winslow Way. Ask the booksellers for a novel set in the islands, something to open on the boat back to Seattle.
Pegasus Coffee House
Go to the coffee house on Parfitt Way, near the harbor. Its ivy-covered brick building is a pleasant place to read over a cup before walking back through Winslow.
- Evening
Eat pizza in Winslow and pause for an ale before sailing back. For a mainland supper instead, Ivar’s is just north of the terminal.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Bruciato
Order a Neapolitan-style pie at the pizzeria on Winslow Way. One pie arrives soft in the center with a blistered rim. Order two different toppings for the table if you want to compare.
Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse
Stop at the Winslow alehouse for a local beer before the boat home. Choose the location near the ferry when you look at the brewery’s listings. Its taproom at Coppertop Park is a separate trip.
Ivar’s Acres of Clams
Sit down for clams or fish and chips at Pier 54, just north of the ferry terminal. Choose the dining room for a full meal or the nearby fish bar for a quick bite.
Day 3
The market at breakfast
Pike Place → Elliott Bay
Come while the bakeries are filling their counters. Staying near the market leaves the whole afternoon for seafood, the aquarium or simply watching the boats.
- Morning
Start at the French bakery, meet a local maker at the craft tables or take a savory piroshky to go.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
Le Panier
Pick a flaky pastry from the French bakery across from the market stalls. A pain au chocolat and coffee give you a reason to linger while the vendors set up along Pike Place.
Pike Place crafts market
Look along the covered tables for work by local craftspeople. Choose one maker and ask about the material or technique. The stall assignment can change, so browse the day’s tables.
Piroshky Piroshky
Split a filled pastry at the Pike Place bakery. A savory one travels well if you would rather take breakfast to the overlook than stand in the market to eat.
- Afternoon
Take a seat at the salmon grill, then descend the public terraces. Choose the aquarium if you want to spend the afternoon below the surface of the bay.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Market Grill
Take a counter seat in the main market arcade for a blackened salmon sandwich. The grill is right in front of you, so the cooks, the fish and the passing market crowd are all part of lunch.
Overlook Walk
Follow the public terraces that connect the market with the waterfront. Pause above the aquarium for the panorama of ferries and cranes. Elevators make it possible to skip the long stair descent.
Seattle Aquarium
Book an entry time and choose which waters to explore. The habitats on the piers introduce the Salish Sea while the Ocean Pavilion turns to tropical Pacific marine life.
- Evening
Sit down for Northwest seafood, take a turn on the Great Wheel at dusk or settle into the cocktail bar on the Hillclimb.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Place Pigalle
Reserve a table tucked behind the main market for French-influenced Northwest seafood. Read the day’s fish specials and ask about a bay-facing table when reserving.
Seattle Great Wheel
Ride the enclosed wheel on Pier 57 as the lights come on. A turn out over the water gives you time to look back at downtown from beyond the seawall.
Zig Zag Café
Head to the cocktail bar on the Pike Street Hillclimb. Tell the bartender which spirits or flavors you like, then leave time to sit with the drink before climbing back toward the market.
Reserve the Banya 5 visit and check its bathing rules. On ferry day read the return sailing before leaving Colman Dock.
Banya 5
Banya 5 is an urban bathhouse in South Lake Union. Reserve a visiting session and read the bathing rules before adding any separate treatment.
Seattle–Bainbridge Island Ferry
The Bainbridge ferry crosses from Colman Dock to Winslow. Look at the return timetable first so a late lunch on the island remains a pleasure.
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
Jazz Alley is the listening room to choose by its artist and sitting. Give the performance your attention and let dinner carry the conversation.
Pike Place Chowder, Post Alley
Meet at the Post Alley chowder shop. The sampler makes a convivial lunch before the group splits up to explore the craft stalls and the waterfront.
Hotel Ändra
Hotel Ändra puts a return to the room within reach of the Belltown evening. Consider it when the walk home matters more than another late transfer.
Where to stay ↓Day 1
Gather in Belltown
Seattle Center → Belltown → Jazz Alley
A radio station in Seattle Center welcomes listeners into its gathering space. It makes a natural first stop on a day that ends with live music in Belltown.
- Morning
Meet for croissants on Fourth Avenue, hear the live broadcast at KEXP and ride up the Space Needle if the skies are clear.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
La Parisienne French Bakery
Meet on Fourth Avenue for a croissant or a slice of quiche. Its Belltown address puts the group within walking distance of Seattle Center when the last coffee is finished.
KEXP Gathering Space
Listen to the broadcast with a Caffe Vita coffee at the radio station’s public gathering space. Check its event listings if you would like to hear a performer in person.
Space Needle
Take the elevator to look out over the lake, the shipping piers and the mountain ranges when skies allow. Pick a clear morning for the paid ascent and save the nearby indoor stops for cloudier hours.
- Afternoon
Spend the afternoon with Seattle’s music history, watch a hot-glass demonstration or share pie back in Belltown.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Museum of Pop Culture
Start with an exhibition tied to an artist or genre the group already argues about. The music collection gives everyone something to talk about before the evening show.
Seattle Glassblowing Studio
Stop at the hot shop on Fifth Avenue. Watching glass change shape on the end of a blowpipe is a pleasure even without taking a class. Check the demonstration schedule if seeing the artists work is the point of your visit.
Dahlia Bakery
Go to the Fourth Avenue bakery for its coconut cream pie. For breakfast, try a sandwich on a house-made English muffin and take a small piece of pie for later.
- Evening
Split wood-fired pies before a reserved set at Jazz Alley. A small party can finish with a cocktail off the alley.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Serious Pie Downtown
Order a blistered-crust pizza to share on Fourth Avenue. The wood-fired pies give a table of two or three a reason to try a second topping and stay over the last slice.
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
Choose a set from the artist calendar at this Belltown listening room. Book the sitting that fits dinner and arrive together if sharing a table matters.
Bathtub Gin & Co.
Look for the entrance off the alley in Belltown. The small cocktail room works best for a couple of friends after a show. A large group will have an easier time meeting at dinner.
Day 2
Dinner in Post Alley
Pike Place → downtown
Use the market as a meeting place, then step away from its busy stalls to see art or sit by the bay. The dinner reservation brings everyone back to Post Alley.
- Morning
Grab filled pastries near the arcade, browse the craft tables or watch the cheesemakers across the street.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
Piroshky Piroshky
Split a filled pastry at the Pike Place bakery. A savory one travels well if you would rather take breakfast to the overlook than stand in the market to eat.
Pike Place crafts market
Look along the covered tables for work by local craftspeople. Choose one maker and ask about the material or technique. The stall assignment can change, so browse the day’s tables.
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
Stop at the Pike Place flagship for a cup of macaroni and cheese made with Flagship cheddar. Look through the windows onto the cheesemaking room before you leave.
- Afternoon
Split a chowder sampler, visit the downtown art museum and use Overlook Walk for a look at the port.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Pike Place Chowder, Post Alley
Order the classic clam chowder at the Post Alley shop or split a sampler to compare it with a seafood variation. The little shop can be busy, so put this stop on the lunch side of the day.
Seattle Art Museum
Walk down First Avenue to the downtown museum. Choose one collection or special exhibition and give it time. This is the indoor museum, separate from the outdoor sculpture park.
Overlook Walk
Follow the public terraces that connect the market with the waterfront. Pause above the aquarium for the panorama of ferries and cranes. Elevators make it possible to skip the long stair descent.
- Evening
Book dinner at The Pink Door. Walk down to Pier 62 for the ferry lights, or meet at Zig Zag for one more round.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
The Pink Door
Reserve the Italian restaurant in Post Alley for lasagna layered with pesto and béchamel. If you want a performance with dinner, choose the date and room from the restaurant’s entertainment calendar.
Pier 62
Go down to the open pier for a look across Elliott Bay. Consult Waterfront Park’s calendar for live music or public events. On a quiet night the ferry lights provide the movement.
Zig Zag Café
Head to the cocktail bar on the Pike Street Hillclimb. Tell the bartender which spirits or flavors you like, then leave time to sit with the drink before climbing back toward the market.
Day 3
A show near the waterfront
Olympic Sculpture Park → Belltown
Come to Belltown for its performance rooms. A weekend brunch and an afternoon near the sculpture park leave the group time to choose a bill and sit down to dinner.
- Morning
Try the weekend Dutch baby, see Calder’s Eagle by the bay or head east to the wooden boats on Lake Union.
Expand +Collapse − morning suggestions
Tilikum Place Cafe
Reserve weekend brunch for a skillet-baked Dutch baby. The puffed edges are part of the pleasure. This Belltown café is small enough that it is worth arranging a table before setting out.
Olympic Sculpture Park
Walk the descending terraces and pause at Alexander Calder’s red Eagle. From the right angle the open steel frames Elliott Bay. One visit takes in both the sculpture and the waterfront route.
The Center for Wooden Boats
Walk the docks to see the wooden boats up close. Look at the little sailing dinghies alongside the larger craft. If you want to go out on the lake, arrange that through the center in advance.
- Afternoon
Choose a glass exhibition at Seattle Center, an open-air shoreline walk or a reserved bathhouse session before people regroup.
Expand +Collapse − afternoon suggestions
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Spend an indoor hour with Dale Chihuly’s glass at Seattle Center. The suspended installation in the Glasshouse shows how a collection of individually blown pieces becomes one sculpture.
Myrtle Edwards Park
Take the waterfront trail north for open views across Elliott Bay. Walk as far as you enjoy and return on the same path. The shoreline is the point here, with no summit to reach.
Banya 5
Reserve a bathhouse session on Ninth Avenue. There is room in an afternoon for the steam room, a soak and time to sit between them. Bring the swimwear required for the shared baths.
- Evening
Gather around sushi. For the rest of the night choose the touring band at The Crocodile or a screening in the old Cinerama.
Expand +Collapse − evening suggestions
Shiro’s Sushi
Book the Belltown sushi restaurant for nigiri. Pick the counter if watching the chef shape and season each piece is part of the draw, or a table if conversation matters more tonight.
The Crocodile
Choose a gig at the First Avenue complex. Check the room on your ticket. Several stages share the address and a ticket to one show does not admit you to the others.
SIFF Cinema Downtown
Catch a film on the big curved screen in the former Cinerama. Pick your seats in advance and try the chocolate popcorn. The theater is an easy indoor finish to a Belltown evening.
Choose the artist and seating at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley first. Gather at Pike Place during market hours on a different day.
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
Jazz Alley is a live performance room where the artist and sitting define the evening. Arrange seats together before deciding on a Belltown dinner.
Dinner at The Pink Door
Reserve the Post Alley dining room for Italian food after the market closes. If the entertainment is part of the evening, check which room hosts it on the night you plan to visit.