Overview:
Seattle stands as a remarkable city in the United States, offering a myriad of unique attractions and cultural landmarks. From its historical significance in the motion picture and entertainment industry to its contemporary role as one of the most culturally diverse cities globally, Seattle presents various facets for exploration. The city boasts a wide array of activities, attractions, and geographical features, including its waterfront, parks, and monuments, making it an ideal destination for discovering a place that feels like home.
Written by Stacker
“For those who are lost, there will always be cities that feel like home,” Simon Van Booy wrote in his 2011 novel “Everything Beautiful Began After,” and what better way to find the cities that might feel like home than to get lost? Travel beckons, and there are many great cities to explore in the U.S. From New York to Los Angeles, Chicago to Miami, and Las Vegas to San Francisco, metro regions in the U.S. offer an incredible range of activities, attractions, and cultural monuments to enjoy.
Every city has its own unique history—stories of industry, immigration, and imagination. Plus, each city offers its own geographical specificity: San Francisco’s gorgeous heights and quad-killing hills; the bustling boroughs of New York and how they wind around bodies of water; the flat desert of Las Vegas with its tremendous, wide-open sky (try stargazing at the nearby Red Rock Canyon for awe-inspiring views of the heavens).
Each city also has its own flavor. Some metros are practically a Baskin-Robbins of adventure, featuring all kinds of flavors, some of which might be complex, unfamiliar, or even new. Los Angeles, for example, can be experienced in so many ways, from its history as the motion picture and entertainment capital to its modern incarnation as one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world—there are many versions of LA to visit, just as there are many iterations of San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas. Cities, after you scratch the surface, reveal even more treasures within—but first, you must know where to begin!
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated things to do in Seattle using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of May 31, 2024.
#30. Gas Works Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (995 reviews)
– Address: 2101 North Northlake Way Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. Benaroya Hall
– Rating: 5/5 (522 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Seattle Aquarium
– Rating: 4/5 (4,334 reviews)
– Address: 1483 Alaskan Way Pier 59 Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Bruce Lee Grave Site
– Rating: 4.5/5 (525 reviews)
– Address: 1554 15th Ave. East Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Seattle Waterfront
– Rating: 4/5 (1,725 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. Seattle Art Museum
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,600 reviews)
– Address: 1300 1st Ave. Carro Eatacionamiento Seattle · SAM Shop & Gallery Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Discovery Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (879 reviews)
– Address: 3801 Discovery Park Blvd. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. University of Washington
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,234 reviews)
– Address: 1410 Northeast Campus Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. Green Lake Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,123 reviews)
– Address: 7201 East Green Lake Drive North Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. Museum of History & Industry
– Rating: 4.5/5 (876 reviews)
– Address: 860 Terry Ave. North Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. Smith Tower Visitor Experience
– Rating: 4.5/5 (821 reviews)
– Address: 506 2nd Ave. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Lumen Field
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,292 reviews)
– Address: 800 Occidental Ave. South Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. Kubota Garden
– Rating: 4.5/5 (518 reviews)
– Address: 9817 55th Ave. South Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. Washington Park Arboretum
– Rating: 4.5/5 (723 reviews)
– Address: 2300 Arboretum Drive East Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Seattle Great Wheel
– Rating: 4/5 (2,946 reviews)
– Address: 1301 Alaskan Way Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Seattle Center
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,537 reviews)
– Address: 305 Harrison St. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. Alki Beach
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,086 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Woodland Park Zoo
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,105 reviews)
– Address: 5500 Phinney Ave. North Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,091 reviews)
– Address: 319 2nd Ave. South Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Seattle Public Library
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,233 reviews)
– Address: 1000 4th Ave. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Sky View Observatory
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,625 reviews)
– Address: 700 4th Ave. 73rd floor, Columbia Center Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Museum of Pop Culture
– Rating: 4/5 (7,258 reviews)
– Address: 325 5th Ave. North Seattle Center Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3,258 reviews)
– Address: 3015 Northwest 54th St. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. T-Mobile Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (4,411 reviews)
– Address: 1250 1st Ave. South Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Kerry Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3,510 reviews)
– Address: 250 West Highland Drive Queen Ann Hill Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Washington State Ferries
– Rating: 4.5/5 (8,588 reviews)
– Address: 801 Alaskan Way Pier 52 Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. The Museum of Flight
– Rating: 4.5/5 (6,866 reviews)
– Address: 9404 East Marginal Way South Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Space Needle
– Rating: 4.5/5 (19,894 reviews)
– Address: 400 Broad St. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Pike Place Market
– Rating: 4.5/5 (21,952 reviews)
– Address: 85 Pike St. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Chihuly Garden and Glass
– Rating: 5/5 (25,026 reviews)
– Address: 305 Harrison St. Seattle, Washington
– Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Andrea Richards, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 100 metros.