Seattle on a Budget

Seattle offers an impressive array of free or affordable attractions. Additionally, savvy travelers take advantage of some major seasonal and year-around sightseeing, dining and accommodations packages.

Seattle CityPASS

Visitors wanting the “full Seattle experience” often choose to purchase a Seattle CityPASS to get the most for their money. Included in the CityPASS are admission tickets to many of Seattle’s most popular attractions including the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Argosy Cruises’ Harbor Tour and two option tickets with the choice of visiting the Pacific Science Center or Chihuly Garden and Glass and the second option of visiting the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) or Woodland Park Zoo. The cost of Seattle CityPASS is $99 for adults and $79 for children, equaling 47% or more savings. For more information, visit citypass.com.

Beverage Tasting

Bainbridge Island Vineyards and Winery (low cost) – The first winery in the Seattle area to grow all their own grapes on location is just a 35-minute ferry trip across Puget Sound. Wine tastings are offered Thursday-Monday. Four wines can be tasted for a $3 donation to an animal rescue organization. For more information visit bainbridgevineyards.com or call (206) 842-9463.
Chateau Ste. Michelle (low cost) – Washington state’s oldest and most acclaimed winery features award-winning wine. Guided tours are available daily from 10:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; closed holidays. Tasting is $15 or $5 for VCR members. For more information visit ste-michelle.com or call (425) 415-3633.
Columbia Winery (low cost) – Columbia Winery is Washington’s first premium winery, producing distinctive Washington wines from European vinifera grapes since 1962. Open 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily, and until 7:00 p.m. on Fridays; closed holidays. $15 tasting fee. For more information visit columbiawinery.com or call (425) 482-7490.
Silver Lake Winery (low cost) – Founded in 1987, Silver Lake Winery is Washington’s largest consumer owned winery. Open Tuesday – Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; closed holidays. Wines from several small wineries are available for tasting. Tastings are $5 and include four to six wines. For more information visit silverlakewinery.com or call (425) 486-1900.
Januik/ Novelty Hill Wineries (low cost) – Januik and Novelty Hill are two independent wineries that share a tasting room and production facility in Woodinville. $15 tasting fee of waived upon purchase of three or more bottles. Open daily. For more information visit noveltyhilljanuik.com/wines or call (425) 481-5502.
Woodhouse Wine Estates (low cost) – Woodhouse Family Cellars is a maker of high-quality, boutique Washington wines produced in the old world style, located in Woodinville, Washington, just east of Seattle. Open Wednesday – Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.. Tastings of reserve wines are available for $15, fee waived upon purchased of bottle of wine. For more information visit woodhousewineestates.com or call (425) 527-0608.
Redhook Brewlab (low cost) – Redhook Brewlab offers 16 taps of rotating small-batch beers. This Capital Hill brewery is a space to test new beers and develop recipes that will eventually be released in Washington on a wider scale. For more information visit redhook.com or call (206) 823-3026.
Woodinville Wine Country (low cost) – Woodinville Wine Country is a non-profit organization with more than 60 wineries located in Woodinville, just east of Seattle. Visit woodinvillewinecountry.com for a complete list of wineries, tastings and events.

Attractions

Pike Place Market (Free) – Established in 1907, Pike Place Market is one of the oldest continuously-operated farmers market in the U.S. Enjoy samples of local foods from vendors and be entertained by street musicians. Entrance to the market is free, street performers gladly accept donations. For more information visit pikeplacemarket.org.
Glass Art Displays (Free) – Various locations throughout downtown Seattle have displays of glass art for viewing. Some places to see these exhibits include: the U.S. Bank Building at 5th & Pike, The Sheraton Hotel at 6th & Pike, Benaroya Hall at 3rd & University and various galleries. Free.
University of Washington Campus Tours (Free) – You don’t have to be a student to take this tour of the UW campus. The 90-minute walking tour allows visitors a glimpse of Red Square with its gothic style buildings, Drumheller Fountain, Husky Stadium and other notable sights. Spring is an especially beautiful time to visit when the cherry trees on campus are in bloom. For more information visit washington.edu/Visit/GuidedTour.
Fremont Sunday Market (Free) – Host to more than 180 vendors from around the region who bring fresh flowers and produce, crafts and world imports. Market hours are Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the winter and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the summer, rain or shine. Browse the flea market in search of the rare or funky or eat in one or the neighborhood bistros. For more information visit fremontmarket.com.
T-Mobile Park (low cost) – Visit the home of the Seattle Mariners. The tour includes areas of the ballpark that are not normally open to the public, such as the press box, luxury suites, field, dugout and visitor’s clubhouse. Hours and dates vary; adult tickets are $12 and children tickets are $10. Tickets can be purchased at Mariners Team Store locations, via Ticketmaster at (206) 622-4487 or online at seattle.mariners.com.
Lumen Field (low cost) – Visit the home of the Seattle Seahawks, Sounders FC, and OL Reign. The tour allows fans to sit in a luxury suite, suit up in the visitor’s locker room, and eventually set foot on the same playing surface as Seahawks players. Adult tickets (ages 12 and up) are $12, children (ages 5-11) tickets are $5 and children (ages 4 and under) are free. Hours vary; to check tour availability call (206) 381-7582 or check online at lumenfield.com.

Entertainment

Downtown Summer Sounds (Free) – Free public concerts are held in Seattle’s downtown parks and plazas every Wednesday and Friday at lunchtime during the summer. Groups range from classical to rock and jazz. For more information visit downtownseattle.com.
Seattle Center (Free) – The 74-acre park was the site of the 1962 World’s Fair and now is the city’s cultural center—location of the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle Opera House, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Children’s Museum, Seattle, Children’s Theatre, Pacific Science Center and Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). Entrance to the Seattle Center grounds is free. For more information visit seattlecenter.com.
Northwest Folklife Festival (Free) – One of the largest folk festivals in the country—arts, crafts, music, food, performers—on the grounds of the Seattle Center, Memorial Day weekend. For more information visit nwfolklife.org.
Pioneer Square Artwalk (Free) – A long-standing tradition among art lovers and one of the most successful regular gallery tours in the nation. Take time to meander thorough Pioneer Square’s galleries on the first Thursday of the month from noon – 8 p.m. Many parking garages in the Pioneer Square area offer free parking for the event. For more information visit pioneersquare.org/experiences.

Museums

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (Free) – Actually a museum dedicated to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897, this is one half of a two-part park; the other half is in Skagway, Alaska. Visit www.nps.gov/klse for information on seasonal hours of operation.
Coast Guard Museum (Free) – Collection of Coast Guard memorabilia, uniforms, guns; when not on duty, Arctic icebreakers are usually moored nearby. Located on the Seattle waterfront at Pier 36. Open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information visit rexmwess.com.
Seattle Art Museum (Free) – Free on the first Thursday of the month. Major Asian, African and Pacific Northwest art collections. Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information visit seattleartmuseum.org.
Frye Art Museum (Free) – This museum houses a large collection of German and American art as well as others. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Thursday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.fryemuseum.org.
Museum of Flight (Free) – Free on the first Thursday of every month from 5 – 9 p.m. This museum is considered one of the foremost flight museums in the world. Walk within inches of a Blackbird spy plane or board the original Air Force One. Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information visit museumofflight.org.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) (low cost) – Purchase your ticket online for $22 admission or $25 at the ticket counter. MoPOP is dedicated to exploring creativity and innovation in American popular music, from rock ‘n’ roll, to jazz, soul, gospel, country, blues, hip-hop, punk and other genres. MoPOP is a one-of-a-kind collection of artifacts and memorabilia include works by Isaac Asimov, Ursula Le Guin, H.G. Wells and George Lucas. Open daily; summer hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and winter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information visit www.MoPOP.org.

Scenic Parks

Seattle boasts many parks that offer stunning views of the city, Elliott Bay, Mt. Rainier and the Olympic Mountains or just a quiet shady retreat from the fast-paced city. Pack a picnic lunch of fresh fruits, meats and cheese from Pike Place Market and enjoy Seattle from off-the-beaten path.

Olympic Sculpture Park (Free) – The nine-acre park unifying the Belltown neighborhood in downtown and the waterfront features a 2,500-foot, descending, z-shaped pedestrian path leading to a beach on the waterfront. With sweeping views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains, the path takes visitors past sculptures and major works by world-renowned artists such as Richard Serra, Alexander Calder and Mark di Suvero. Open daily; opens 30 minutes prior to sunrise and closes 30 minutes after sunset. For more information visit seattleartmuseum.org/olympicsculpturepark.
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Free) – One of the city’s most popular visitor attractions, locks raise and lower boats between salt and fresh water between 6 to 26 feet. Watch salmon make their way up the fish ladder from the viewing window or just watch pleasure boats go through the locks. For more information visit nws.usace.army.mil.
Washington Park Arboretum (Free) – The Arboretum collects, conserves and teaches about plants that are hardy to the Northwest. Its 230 acres are filled with 10,000 native plants and its landscape is an excellent setting for hands-on learning and recreation. The Arboretum is recognized as one of the most beautiful and diverse collections in the western United States. For more information visit botanicgardens.uw.edu/washington-park-arboretum.
Japanese Gardens (Low Cost) – Completed in 1959, and located at the south end of Washington Park Arboretum, this garden contains native Japanese flowers, shrubs and trees. The park is also home to the Seattle Japanese Garden Shoseian Teahouse, where 40-minute tea demonstrations and presentations are available. Admission is $8 for adults and free for children ages 0 – 5. For seasonal dates and times, visit www.seattle.gov/parks/find/parks/japanese-garden.
Discovery Park & Daybreak Star Indian Center (Free) – Situated in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood, Discovery Park is the perfect urban retreat. Spend the day exploring 534 acres of wooded trails where small animals hide among native plants. Open meadows and bluffs overlook Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Stop by the Daybreak Star Indian Center to view original Native American arts and crafts. For more information visit seattle.gov/parks and unitedindians.org.
Kerry Park (Free) – This small grassy strip on Upper Queen Anne offers a picture-perfect view of Seattle Center, downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay. On clear days Mount Rainier looms above providing a stunning backdrop. Free of charge. For more information visit seattle.gov/parks.
Volunteer Park (Free) – The park includes a conservatory, a water tower with an observation deck that is often voted one of the best free view in Seattle, and a wading pool which is operational in the summer months, daily 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. For more information, visit seattle.gov/parks.

Transportation

Exploring downtown is convenient and affordable thanks to King County Metro, Sound Transit and Community Transit buses. Bus tunnel hours are 5 a.m.-1 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 6 a.m. – midnight on Sunday. All riders will be required to pay exact fare upon entry for all King County Metro, Sound Transit and Community Transit buses operating within King County. For more information on the transit changes, visit metro.kingcounty.gov.

Link Light Rail (low cost) – Sound Transit’s Link light rail line runs from downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). Downtown stations are located in the Downtown Transit Tunnel at Westlake Center, the financial district, Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District. The train then makes stops in several neighborhoods south of Seattle before reaching the Sea-Tac/Airport Station, an approximately 30-40 minute trip. The Sea-Tac/Airport Station connects to the airport through the airport parking garage via lit and covered pedestrian walkway. The fare for the trip from downtown Seattle is $3 for adults, $1.50 for youths 6-18 and free for riders under six when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information, visit soundtransit.org.
South Lake Union Streetcar (low cost) – The streetcar traverses the South Lake Union neighborhood through the Denny Triangle ending in the downtown core area. It runs daily 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Adult fare is $2.50 one-way and children 6- 18 are $1.50 one-way. For more information visit seattlestreetcar.org.
The Seattle Center Monorail (low cost) – For a quick, inexpensive trip between downtown Seattle and the Seattle Center try the monorail. A round trip ticket is $5 for adults, $2 for youth ages 5-12 and $2 for seniors, disabled, persons with Medicare cards and active duty military. Children four and under ride free. Terminals are located on the upper level of Westlake Center and at the Seattle Center near the Space Needle. It runs Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information visit seattlemonorail.com.
The First Hill Streetcar (low cost) – The First Hill-Seattle streetcar connect some of Seattle’s most vibrant neighborhoods. The 10-stop, 2.5 mile route spans from historic Pioneer Square and trendy Capitol Hill with stops in First Hill, Yesler Terrace, Central Area, Chinatown-International District. The street-level street cars provide reliable, frequent service with headways of approximately 10 minutes during peak periods. Streetcar day passes are $4.50 for adults, $2 for youth ages 5-12 and $2 for seniors, disabled, persons with Medicare cards and active duty military. For more information visit seattlemonorail.com.

Out on the Water

Washington State Ferries (low cost) – Take a scenic ferry ride across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island or Bremerton from downtown Seattle. Ferries depart from Colman Dock on the Seattle waterfront. Cost is $8.50 for a passenger only fare. For more information visit wsdot.wa.gov.
Northwest Outdoor Center (low cost) – Rent a kayak for a pleasant afternoon around Lake Union or to take off-site to any of the dozens of popular kayaking locations around Puget Sound. Kayaking instructions and organized kayak trips are also available. Single kayak rentals begin at $15 per hour. For more information visit nwoc.com.
University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center (low cost) – Enjoy a peaceful canoe ride on the waters of Lake Washington near the Arboretum. Located behind Husky Stadium at the UW, the Waterfront Activities Center rents rowboats and canoes for $12 per hour. Hours vary throughout the year depending on daylight; call for current hours. For more information call (206) 543-9433 or visit washington.edu/ima/waterfront.
Alki Kayak Tours (low cost) – This guided sea kayak adventure that overlooks the Seattle skyline also offers inline skate rentals, bike rentals, longboards, and boat rentals depending on the weather. Prices depend on type of rental but range from $5 for hourly inline skate rentals, to $20 per hour for a single kayak and $100 for a two-hour fishing boat rental, including three gallons of gas. For more information, visit kayakalki.com.

Contacts:

Kauilani Robinson – (206) 461-5839 | [email protected]

Cory O’Born – (206) 461-5805 | [email protected]

Updated 2/20)