Seattle, WA

Seattle travel guide

Coffee, mountains and Puget Sound

Find flights to Seattle See fares from $80

Airports: SEA Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Region: US West
Best time to visit: July–September is dry, sunny and gorgeous — and the most expensive.
Shortest flight: 2h 10m from San Francisco
Round trips from: $80 (live)
Time zone: America/Los Angeles

About Seattle

Downtown Seattle runs along Elliott Bay: Pike Place Market, the waterfront's new promenade, the Seattle Art Museum and, a mile north, the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass at Seattle Center. Capitol Hill and Ballard have the restaurants and bars; Fremont and Wallingford the quirky shops; Bainbridge Island is a 35-minute ferry ride.

Getting in: the Link light rail runs from Sea-Tac to downtown in about 40 minutes ($3), continuing to the University District and beyond. Rideshares cost $40–$55 to downtown. Traffic on I-5 is heavy from 3pm to 7pm; the train is usually faster in the afternoon.

Stay downtown or in Belltown for walkability, Capitol Hill for nightlife, or Ballard for a neighborhood base near the locks and breweries. Budget $15–$20 for market lunches (chowder, piroshky, fish and chips) and $35–$60 per person for dinner. Tip 18–20%; Seattle's minimum wage is high, so some restaurants have moved to service charges instead.

Best time to visit

July–September is dry, sunny and gorgeous — and the most expensive. May–June and late September are good compromises. October–April is gray and drizzly but cheap.

Where to stay

Neighborhoods our travelers like: Downtown / Belltown, Capitol Hill, Ballard, Fremont, Queen Anne.

Flights to Seattle: typical round-trip fares

What economy round trips to SEA usually cost from major US cities, alongside the lowest live fare we can see in the next 90 days. Prices are per traveler and include taxes.

From	Flight time	Typical fare	Lowest live fare	Actions
Los Angeles (LAX)	2h 50m	$118	$83 · Tue, Oct 6	Search dates →
New York (JFK)	6h 10m	$228	$225 · Wed, Dec 9	Search dates →
Chicago (ORD)	4h 30m	$178	$151 · Tue, Dec 8	Search dates →
Dallas (DFW)	4h 10m	$168	$127 · Wed, Dec 2	Search dates →
Denver (DEN)	3h 10m	$128	$92 · Wed, Oct 14	Search dates →
San Francisco (SFO)	2h 10m	$108	$80 · Tue, Oct 13	Search dates →

Typical fares are editorial estimates for economy round trips booked 3–8 weeks out. Live fares refresh several times a day and are shown for the cheapest departure date we found.

Airports in Seattle

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)Seattle · Large hubSEA

What to do in Seattle

The places our editors send first-time visitors.

1
Pike Place Market
The 1907 public market: fish-throwers, the original Starbucks, produce stalls and a warren of shops below street level.
2
Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass
The rotating glass floor at 520 feet, next door to Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures; combination tickets save money.
3
Washington State Ferries
Ride to Bainbridge Island ($10 round trip on foot) for the best skyline view and a walkable waterfront town.
4
Mount Rainier National Park
Two hours southeast; Paradise's wildflower meadows peak in late July and August.
5
Ballard Locks and Golden Gardens
Watch boats and salmon pass through the locks, then sunset at the beach with the Olympics on the horizon.

Seattle weather by season

Average highs and lows in °F, with what each season means for fares and crowds.

Winter

47° / 37°

Gray and drizzly; rarely freezing.

Spring

60° / 44°

Showers and cherry blossoms.

Summer

76° / 56°

Dry, sunny, long evenings — peak season.

Fall

60° / 47°

Crisp September, rain returns in October.

Travel tips for Seattle

Take the Link light rail from the airport — it avoids I-5 traffic and costs $3.
Book Rainier and Olympic National Park lodging months ahead for July–August.
The CityPASS bundles the Space Needle, aquarium and Argosy harbor cruise at a discount.
Rain is light but constant from October to April; a hooded jacket beats an umbrella.
Pike Place is quietest before 10am — go early, then have lunch elsewhere.

Seattle flights: frequently asked questions

How do I get from Sea-Tac to downtown Seattle?

The Link light rail leaves from the airport garage every 8–15 minutes and reaches Westlake Station downtown in about 40 minutes for $3. Rideshares take 25–50 minutes and cost $40–$55.

When is the best time to fly to Seattle?

July through September for reliable sunshine. Fares are lowest from November to March, when the city is cool and rainy but museums, food and the ferries are just as good.

Can I see Mount Rainier without a car?

Several tour operators run day trips from downtown in summer. Otherwise a rental car is the practical option — the park is about two hours away and has limited transit.