Seattle

Alki Point Lighthouse

Historic Lighthouse on Alki Point a short walk from Alki Beach sometimes offers public tours but can at be at least partially seen from the road.

Burke Museum

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture

Washington's oldest and largest natural history museum. In addition to exhibits on evolution and dinosaur skeletons, there is an emphasis on native peoples of the Northwest Coast, local ecosystems and windows into the day-to-day work of researchers. Most galleries have non-linear arrangements that reward wandering to whatever catches your eye. Highlights include colorful contemporary and historic crafts from Native artists, a well-preserved T. rex skull and the only dinosaur fossil found in Washington.

Tue-Sun 10AM-5PM, first Thu of each month 10AM-8PM·$24 general, $22 seniors, $16 students and youth, children 3 and under free, free for everyone first Thursday of every month

Cal Anderson Park

A very popular park on sunny days. It includes a signature fountain and pond, a basketball court, tennis and softball fields, and a playground. Great for peoplewatching, and you can often see groups of people doing activities varying from hackeysack to drum circles to freeze tag to bike polo to twirling around with colorful scarves.

Carkeek Park

The century-old trees and surprisingly steep terrain surrounding a small valley give the impression that you're far from the city. Excellent for a walk in the woods. Walkable beach below the train tracks.

6AM-10PM daily·Free

Chapel of St. Ignatius

A hidden gem, this small campus chapel was described by architect Stephen Holl as "seven bottles of light in a stone box". It is probably the most notable religious building built in Seattle in the last fifty years.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

This museum provides a look at the inspiration and influences that inform the career of artist Dale Chihuly. The on-site exhibition hall contains eight galleries and three drawing walls, offering visitors a comprehensive look at Chihuly’s significant series of work. The centerpiece of the museum is a glasshouse with a suspended 1,400-piece, 100-foot-long sculpture. Also on the grounds is a lush garden, which serves as a backdrop for four monumental sculptures and other installations.

Mon-Thu 10AM–10PM, Fri-Sun 10AM-11PM; last ticket sold one hour prior to closing; combined tickets with Space Needle available·$19 adults, $17 seniors, $12 children, children 3 and under free

Connections Museum Seattle

Museum of Communications

A museum of antique telephone equipment, although "warehouse" might be a better description than museum, with racks upon racks crammed full of equipment. Many exhibits are kept functional, including mechanical and electronic switches, telephone poles, and antique telephones. Tours take at least an hour, but will go on for 2-3hrs you have strong technical interests and lots of questions. The building itself is still owned by CenturyLink.

Sun 10AM-3PM·Cash-only $5/adult, $2/child

Discovery Park

The largest park in the city can be thought of as Seattle's unofficial central park given its huge, somewhat secluded nature, with a number of trails that meander through the green forests down to the lighthouse at the beach. Discovery Park used to be an army installation called Fort Lawton, and several of the fort's buildings remain. The park features the highest point in the city and wildlife you don't typically find in a large city. A visitors' center with information about the wildlife living in the park and the best trails to hike are in the center of the park. The visitor center is closed until summer 2027.

4ː30AM-11PM

Edith Macefield "Up" House

Edith Macefield received worldwide attention in 2006 when she turned down an offer of $1 million to sell her house to make way for a five-story commercial development. Instead, the Ballard Blocks project was built surrounding her 108-year-old farmhouse. While production of the film Up, based on a strikingly similar premise, started two years before, Disney acknowledged the story with a promotional tie-in.

Fishermen's Terminal

Carefully wander the docks (avoiding stepping on ropes or nets) and look at the boats. Many of them sell fresh crab or fish right off of the boat in season. Much of the Alaska crab fishing fleet moors here (or elsewhere in Lake Union) during the off-season, including vessels featured in the long-running Deadliest Catch television series. Visit the Fishermen's Memorial dedicated to all of those who have lost their lives at sea while engaged in commercial fishing.

Fremont Rocket

A 53' Cold War rocket, improved with neon space blasters and a smoke generator in the engine bay, towers over the corner of N. 35th Street and Evanston Avenue.

Fremont Troll

Strikingly large (photos generally don't do it justice), the Troll is a concrete statue under the Aurora Bridge clutching a full size Volkswagen Bug in its grip. The statue is notable enough to even gets its own street name - just off of N. 36th Street on Troll Avenue.

Frye Art Museum

A small private collection of modern art with rotating contemporary exhibitions. Parking is always available and the place is worth a visit.

Tue-Sun 11AM-5PM, Thu 11AM-7PM·Free

Gas Works Park

"Gasworks" is Wallingford's oddly endearing refuge along the north part of Lake Union — prominently featuring the rusting, hulking remains of the city's old gasworks piping and machinery. More conventionally, a solitary bump of a hill offers the ideal spot for kite flying and views across the lake of sailboats, float planes landing, and downtown Seattle at sunset. Generally quiet but exceptionally crowded during the 4th of July for firework shows.

4AM-11:30PM daily·Free

Grand Opera House

Formerly the city's leading theater. Only its exterior survives as the shell of a parking garage.

Hamilton Viewpoint Park

Hamilton Viewpoint Park rests above the beaches of Alki facing downtown Seattle. Located adjacent to the Seacrest Ferry Dock.

4AM-1130PM·Free

Hat & Boots Park

See a 44 ft wide cowboy hat and a 22 ft high boot in this park.

4AM-11:30PM daily

Henry Art Gallery

One of the biggest contemporary art galleries in Washington, The Henry shows well-known contemporary and modern artists of visual media, as well as an annual exhibition of the UW's Master of Fine Arts students.

Thu Fri 11AM-9PM, Sat Sun 11AM-4PM·$10 general, $6 seniors, free for UW students and staff, free for everyone on first Thursdays

Hing Hay Park

A small park in the center of Chinatown. Though you're not too likely to see old folks doing tai chi or playing checkers, it still has character.

6AM-10PM

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks

Ballard Locks

Linking the freshwater Lake Union and the salt-water Puget Sound across a height difference of 22 feet, the locks allow boats to cross the Lake Washington Ship Canal, relying solely on the force of gravity. A salmon ladder with a viewing gallery allows visitors to witness the salmon migration, which with different species allow for viewing throughout most of the year, but preferably mid to late summer. Adjacent is the Carl S English, Jr Botanical Garden. Guided tours weekdays 1PM and 3PM; weekends 11AM.

7AM-9PM·Free

I-5 Colonnade Mountain Bike Skills Park

I-5 Colonnade

Built underneath a section of 12 elevated lanes of Interstate Highway 5, the I-5 Colonnade Mountain Bike Skills Park consists of several mountain bike skills trails, including novice, intermediate, and advanced sections, a dirt jumping section, pump track, and trials area. Skills classes, organized by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, are occasionally held at the park.

4AM-11:30PM

Jefferson Park

Seattle's sixth largest park at 45.2 acres, this park designed by the Olmsted Brothers offers unparalleled views of the Duwamish River, downtown and the Olympic Mountains. It is the home to the Jefferson Park Golf Course, Jefferson Park driving range, Jefferson Skatepark, tennis courts (lighted), basketball courts, the Jefferson Community Center, Jefferson Lawn Bowling, and Beacon Mountain an ecologically oriented playscape with a water park in the summer.

4AM - 11:30PM

Kerry Park

A photographer's paradise, this is perhaps the most obvious spectacle in Queen Anne. This park affords the quintessential view of Downtown Seattle with the Space Needle in the foreground, and (depending on the weather) Mount Rainier and the Cascades, as well as across the Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island.

6AM-10PM

Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park - Seattle Unit

A key attraction in the Pioneer Square area, this is the Seattle branch of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, the remainder of which is in Alaska. The site highlights the city's key role as the "Gateway to the Gold Fields" for most of the Klondike stampeders of 1897-1898. National Park Service Rangers and volunteers staff the museum and can provide information and perspective not only on the gold rush but also on Seattle's past. The museum contains many artifacts and historical photographs related to the Gold Rush, and movies about the gold rush and Seattle's history are shown upon request (except in summer, when they're shown on a regular schedule). Rangers also conduct free walking tours of the Pioneer Square area in the summer and demonstrate gold panning to school groups.

Daily 9AM-5PM except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day·Free

Kubota Gardens

In 1927 Fujitaro Kubota bought of logged-off swampland in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle and began his garden. Kubota Garden has since grown into a stunning landscape that blends Japanese garden concepts with native Northwest plants. Kubota was a horticultural pioneer when he began merging Japanese design techniques with North American materials in his display garden in 1927. The Gardens are a spectacular setting of hills and valleys, interlaced with streams, waterfalls, ponds, bridges, and rock outcroppings with a rich array of plant material.

Daily 6AM-10PM·Free

Lake Union Park

Home to the Center for Wooden Boats and the Museum of History and Industry. Spray park open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

4AM-11ː30PM

Lakeview Cemetery

Incorporated in 1872, Lakeview Cemetery is set on a hillside with views of Lake Union, the Cascades, Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains. The site holds the final resting places of Seattle's first families, many with diverse backgrounds. Many come to pay tribute at the graves of Bruce Lee and his son Brandon.

Summer 9AM-8PM; spring 9AM-6PM; winter 9AM-4PM·Free

Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park is a big, wild park, next to the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock, serving Vashon Island and Southworth. Lincoln Park has lots of walking paths, picnic areas, beautiful trees, and beach. Unlike Alki Beach, it's quite pebbly and full of driftwood. To reach the park: come across the West Seattle Bridge into West Seattle, bear left at the "Y" intersection at Fauntleroy. Stay on Fauntleroy all the way to the park. Follow the signs to the ferries.

4AM-11:30PM daily·Free

Madison Park

Activities include swimming, bathhouse, restaurants, tennis court (with lights), and great views of the floating bridge and the Cascades. Lifeguards patrol the area during the summer, which creates a safer playground for kids, but it's still a beautiful park to hang out for teens and adults.

4AM-11:30PM

Maple Leaf Park

This area used to be a reservoir. It is now drained, replaced by a wide open green area locals used for playing, but the water tower is still standing. As it is the highest spot in North Seattle, you can catch a wonderful panorama of downtown Seattle, Mount Rainier, the Cascades, Lake Washington, and partially blocked Olympic Mountains.