A Guide to Seattle’s Hidden Gems
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Seattle is a city where world-famous landmarks sit side-by-side with neighborhood gems, and the best of it all is within easy reach of Kimpton Palladian Hotel. Set in historic Belltown, our boutique hotel puts you steps from Pike Place Market, the renewed waterfront, and the city’s iconic live music and arts scene. Whether you’re planning a romantic Seattle getaway, looking for family-friendly Seattle activities, or want to check off the top things to do in Seattle, the Palladian is your perfect home base. Visit sites like the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass, take a ferry ride across Elliott Bay, or explore Washington wine country. When you return, enjoy fresh Pacific Northwest seafood at Shaker + Spear, cocktails at Pennyroyal, and guest-focused amenities like yoga mats in every room and a nightly hosted social hour.
1 -2 Day Seattle Itinerary
- With just a couple of days in Seattle, focus on the city’s most iconic sights. Start at Pike Place Market, one of the country’s oldest and most famous farmers’ markets, just blocks from the Palladian. Watch fishmongers throw salmon across stalls, and stroll by the original Starbucks.
- While at Pike Place, be sure to grab a flaky handheld pastry from Piroshky Piroshky, a beloved Eastern European bakery established in 1992. The line at famous Pike Place Chowder can wrap around the block. Skip it! Instead, order ahead on their app and enjoy it at Rachel’s Ginger Beer with a cocktail.
- From there, walk to the new Seattle waterfront, where you can tour the Seattle Aquarium or ride the Great Wheel for sweeping views of Elliott Bay and the skyline. Lunch like a local at the Crab Pot, where seafood boils are piled high right on your table.
- In the afternoon, head to Olympic Sculpture Park, a nine-acre green space filled with large-scale works overlooking the water. Continue to Seattle Center, home to three of the city’s top attractions: the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Museum of Pop Culture.
- Back in Belltown, the best Pacific Northwest dining is found at Shaker + Spear, where fresh market seafood shines with creative flair. Grab a nightcap at sophisticated speakeasy Pennyroyal, home to one of the best cocktail programs in Seattle.
3-4 Day Seattle Itinerary
- With a few more days to play, you can go beyond the highlights and experience Seattle’s neighborhoods, culture, and natural escapes. A Pike Place Market Food Tour is a great place to start, giving you a delicious perspective on one of Seattle’s most iconic locales. Be sure to stop by Beecher’s to experience artisanal cheese making. While many will line up for the mac and cheese (it’s worth it), locals know the real treat is grabbing a hunk of their handmade flagship cheese for later.
- Next, a short walk from the Kimpton Palladian, the Argosy Harbor Cruise offers one of the most scenic ways to experience Seattle, as you glide past the city skyline and waterfront while learning about the city’s unique history and maritime stories.
- For something more immersive, the Locks Cruise through Ballard’s ship canal takes you along the waterfront of historic neighborhoods to see floating homes, fishing vessels, seaplanes, and more while experiencing a “boat elevator” connecting Puget Sound and Lake Washington Ship Canal.
- By evening, make your way to Capitol Hill, a neighborhood known for indie bookstores, espresso bars, creative dining, and its LGBTQ+ scene.
- If you’re still here on day four, take the ferry to Bainbridge Island. Spend the morning wandering Winslow’s walkable downtown, browsing art galleries, boutiques, and wine-tasting rooms.
- Afternoon turns into a great evening at Seattle Center, where you can choose the Museum of Pop Culture, the Pacific Science Center, or an incredible show (like the Seattle Opera or the Pacific Northwest Ballet) at McCaw Hall.
- If it’s a great dinner you’re after, Belltown’s dining scene is a dream. Try the city’s best pizza at Serious Pie or Rocco’s Pizza, or oysters and cocktails at The Walrus and the Carpenter. Dinner at El Gaucho is an experience, but here’s an insider tip: grab a seat at the bar for Happy Hour. Think: perfectly-priced bites, the restaurants famously luxe vibes, and the perfect dirty martini.
- The entrance may be hidden, but the secret’s out: head to The Pink Door for a late-night cocktail with the occasional burlesque or trapeze backdrop.
Family Friendly Seattle Itinerary
- Seattle makes it easy to plan family fun around every corner. Start at Pike Place Market, where kids love the fish-throwing stalls and street performers.
- Grab Beecher’s mac and cheese or a pastry from The Crumpet Shop, then head down to the Seattle Aquarium to explore touch pools and watch sea otters play.
- Cap off your fun morning with a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel, where gondolas give safe, sweeping views of Elliott Bay.
- In the afternoon, stretch out at Olympic Sculpture Park or take advantage of the Palladian’s complimentary PUBLIC bikes nd kids’ scooters for a ride along the waterfront.
- Families can also visit Seattle Center, where fountains and playgrounds give kids space to run while parents take in skyline views.
- Dinner is simple with Belltown favorites like Serious Pie for pizza or Five Point Café for casual burgers.
- Day two brings bigger adventures: choose the Museum of Pop Culture, where exhibits on superheroes, video games, and music invite hands-on exploration. The Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, with massive hangars filled with historic aircraft. For wildlife lovers, spend the day at Woodland Park Zoo for up-close encounters.
- End on a sweet note with ice cream at Molly Moon’s before heading back to the Palladian to relax together after the best family trip to Seattle.
Romantic Seattle Itinerary
- Planning a romantic Seattle getaway? Emerald City makes unwinding and reconnecting feel one-of-a-kind. Start at (you guessed it) Pike Place Market, picking up pastries at Le Panier or Piroshky Piroshky.
- Next, visit Chihuly Garden and Glass for vivid glass sculptures in the Glasshouse and large architectural installations outdoors.
- Tour the Space Needle next door—Seattle’s 605-foot tower with indoor/outdoor decks and unbelievable views of Mount Rainier and Elliott Bay.
- Before sunset, stop at Kerry Park, the classic skyline overlook. As the sun descends, the city begins to glow and twinkle with lights. In terms of scenery, it doesn’t get much more romantic than this park.
- Dinner at Le Pichet delights with the food, wine, and café culture of France. It’s a regular on Eater Seattle’s “38 Essential Restaurants” list. Cap off the night with a bold cocktail like the Smoked Maple Old Fashioned at Radiator Whiskey.
- Day two of your romantic Seattle getaway is about unique experiences together. Choose a hot tub boat on Lake Union or an Argosy Locks Cruise through the working ship canal.
- Midday, head to Woodinville Wine Country, about 35-minutes’ drive from the hotel, to taste the best of Washington’s unique wine varietals in intimate, boutique tasting rooms. For a wine adventure a little closer to town, SODO Urban Works is a hub of urban wineries tucked into cool, industrial warehouses.
- Return to the city for dinner at Shaker + Spear, one of Seattle’s most celebrated and chef-driven seafood restaurants, or Mint Progressive Indian for bold flavors like their Tandoori Pineapple Burrata.
- Catch a post-dinner comedy show or intimate concert at the Moore Theatre. Then, cap off your evening with late-night dessert – molten chocolate cake at Dahlia Bakery, a decadent slice at 24-hour The 5 Point Café, or a sweet nightcap back at Pennyroyal in the Palladian’s own lobby.