The Ultimate Guide to a Pre and Post-Cruise Stay in Seattle

After checking out a few of Seattle’s best outdoor activities and hopping about some of its most walkable neighborhoods, you’ll be more than ready to board your ship and explore the rugged Pacific Northwest coastline. And after a week at sea, you’ll be ready to get back ashore and spend even more time in Seattle. Here are a few things to consider checking out post-cruise.

Pike Place Market

No trip to Seattle is complete without a jaunt through Pike Place Market. Sample piroshkies from Piroshky Piroshky and grab a milkshake from Shug’s Soda Fountain before heading up to the verdant garden rooftop for sweeping views and breathing room away from the downstairs crowds.

Go for a Jog

Enjoy one of the city’s most gorgeous public recreation areas by taking a jog around Discovery Park’s 2.8 mile trail. Wide-open trails, lush flora, and iconic views of Puget Sound make this the perfect spot for an evening run.

Kayak

Rent a sea kayak to enjoy Seattle’s abundant bodies of water and test your sea legs pre-cruise. Start at Lake Washington, then paddle through the Montlake Cut and dozens of funky floating homes until you get to Portage Bay and Lake Union. From there, if you’re feeling up to it, you can push past open gates into salty Puget Sound.

Window Shop

Our favorite neighborhood for window shopping and general aimless wandering is Fremont’s funky downtown area. Start on Fremont Place North and 36th Street and head southeast. You’ll inevitably run into a slew of quirky boutiques, like Show Pony, a clothing and accessory wonderland and Hub & BeSpoke, a trendy bike apparel shop.

Chihuly Glass and the Space Needle

The Space Needle

Completed in 1962 for the World’s Fair, the Space Needle towers 605 feet above Seattle, yielding 360 degree views of the city and water below. On a clear day, count on seeing Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, The Olympic Peninsula, the Cascade Mountains, and all of the city of Seattle. We recommend going during sunset for even more Emerald City drama.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery

We imagine you saw the first Starbucks ever during your tour of Pike Place Market. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery represents the other end of the spectrum for this Seattle-born coffee behemoth. Built in 2014, the Starbucks Reserve allows you to experience the entire coffee making process--from unroasted green bean, to glorious, aromatic, piping hot pour over. It’s an immersive experience that even tea-drinkers can enjoy.

Chihuly Garden & Glass

Tacoma-native glass artist Dale Chihuly opened his Seattle center studio in May 2012. The Chihuly Garden & Glass museum is composed of three primary exhibits: the garden, the glasshouse, and the interior exhibits, in addition to a cafe, theater, and retail space. It’s most famous for its 100-foot installation inside the glasshouse. Suspended from the glass roof, hundreds of yellow, orange and red glass sculptures fan out and up, reflecting sunlight and providing a unique backdrop to the Space Needle.