Seattle Travel Guide

The Coast Starlight is Amtrak's flagship scenic train on the West Coast, with one daily departure in each direction between Seattle and Los Angeles covering some 1,377 miles in around 35 hours across two nights. Leaving Seattle it runs via Tacoma, Portland, Eugene and Oregon's Cascades, past Mount Shasta and through California's Central Valley to Sacramento, then south through the Bay Area and San Jose to San Luis Obispo before hugging the Pacific coast into Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The train is made up of Superliner double-deck coaches, built around the Sightseer Lounge, whose upper deck is all window seating and whose lower deck is a cafe; southbound trains also carry the Pacific Parlour Car, a vintage lounge with a bar and afternoon wine and cheese tastings, open to sleeping-car passengers only. There are two classes, coach and sleeper - there is no business class on this route - with roomy reclining coach seats and sleepers that include meals and attendant service. The standout stretch is the ocean run from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara; the overnight crossing of the Cascades is also memorable if you are awake for Mount Shasta before dawn. Commentary is broadcast free on board and onboard Wi-Fi is unreliable on long-distance runs, so download content in advance.

The Space Needle is Seattle's skyline symbol, built for the 1962 World's Fair at ~184 m, its slender 'flying saucer' deck suspended above the city. The revolving restaurant and all-glass observation level frame Puget Sound, Mount Rainier and downtown; a 2018 renovation added a cantilevered glass floor (The Loupe) for a walk-in-the-air thrill. Lit at night, it is Seattle's most photogenic landmark and the first place to grasp the 'Emerald City's' tech-and-future spirit.

Gas Works Park sits on the north shore of Seattle’s Lake Union, converted from a decommissioned gasification plant — one of the world’s rare industrial-ruin parks. Massive rusted towers and pipes are kept as sculptural landmarks, while open lawns overlook the skyline and kayakers on the lake. A beloved urban oasis for picnics, kite-flying and sunsets.

Chihuly Garden and Glass sits at the foot of Seattle Center, a museum dedicated to the work of contemporary glass art master Dale Chihuly, opened in 2012. The Owen Richards-designed glass and steel building is itself an artwork, with exhibition spaces in a series of connected glass galleries and outdoor gardens displaying Chihuly's signature giant glass sculptures, suspended glass bouquets, glass boat installations, and forest glass columns. The most breathtaking is the Glasshouse, where a 30-meter suspended glass flower sculpture shifts through countless colors in natural light, echoing the Space Needle. Chihuly is renowned for blowing giant glass sculptures and extreme color, his work fusing organic natural forms with the limits of glass craft. It is a must-visit Seattle contemporary art destination and a window into the Pacific Northwest art spirit.

The Museum of Flight beside Boeing Field in south Seattle is one of the world's largest independent air museums. Its 150+ aircraft range from a Wright Flyer replica to the Concorde, a full-size space shuttle trainer and a 'first Air Force One'; the Boeing Red Barn — the company's original factory — tells the industry story, and a working restoration shop is on view.

Kerry Park is Seattle's most beloved miniature viewpoint park, perched on the western slope of Queen Anne Hill. Though less than half a hectare in size, it is renowned for offering the most classic viewing angle of the Seattle skyline. From the viewing terrace, the Space Needle, Amazon Spheres, downtown skyscrapers, and distant Mount Rainier all come into view, creating a perfect Seattle postcard scene. On clear evenings, the park steps fill with locals and tourists watching sunset and nightfall: golden light bathes the Space Needle, city lights gradually illuminate, and the distant mountain silhouette fades into twilight, a breathtakingly beautiful Seattle moment. The park features a changing sculpture by artist Doris Chase, adding artistic flair. It is also one of Seattle's most popular photography spots, where both professional photographers and casual phone shooters can capture the city's most stunning skyline. Open and free around the clock, it is a must-visit for experiencing Seattle's urban charm.