10 of the best things to do in Seattle for under $30

So, you’re thinking about visiting the Emerald City? Well, I’ve decided to share a short list of places of some of my favorite things to do in Seattle that are around $30 a person or less. Some of the spots may be well-known and others are a little off the beaten path. I encourage you to venture out a little bit outside your comfort zone as there really is so much to see & do in and around the city of Seattle and it doesn’t have to break your wallet.

1. If you make it through the almost always present traffic to get into the city you can head down to Seattle Center which is the area located around one of Seattle’s most well-known attractions; the Space Needle. Hold up! I’m not going to talk about the Space Needle just yet but more so some of the other attractions that you may not have heard of around the area. I’m trying to give you some information on finding spots that aren’t just tourist attractions so that you can really get a taste of the culture of Seattle. Seattle is such a melting pot of all demographics and interests, so again I encourage you to try something new. If you’re near the Space Needle, head over to the International Fountain at 305 Harrison St. When I first moved to the area I wasn’t really feelin’ this fountain. I can now, after living here for almost 8 years, the fountain has grown on me. It’s not so much because of the structure of the fountain itself but more so how it brings people together and gives families a commonplace to just chill for free. Since hardly anything around the Space Needle area is free, coming to the International Fountain is a great way to be outdoors but still absorb some of the ambiances of a major metropolitan area. It’s exciting to watch all the families running around the fountain playing in the water on a warm day. The way the fountain works is that water sprays out from jets around the UFO-shaped dome of the fountain. Then, after you wait for a while, a huge cannon of water shoots out of the center of the fountain probably 50-100 feet in the air and you can hear everyone gasp and hoot and holler. I found the continuous spray of water quite relaxing the longer I sat there. I didn’t even notice two hours go by. You can also just sit in the grass, read a book, practice guitar, sit and gossip with friends, have a picnic, or just sunbathe. There are also street performers out just feeling the vibe and food vendors if you’re looking for a bite to eat. You can also take a short walk to the Armory if you’re looking for more food options. There was some much going on around the fountain that I think it gives the fountain more life. On a side note, you will notice that a lot of the places to visit in Seattle Center were built to have a futuristic feel. This is because many of the structures were built for the Seattle World’s Fair in the 1960s.

2. There are so many theaters and performing arts venues in and around Seattle. If you’re looking for something to do in the afternoon or evening, look to see if you can find tickets to a show or performance. One of my favorite venues, Benaroya Hall, is home to the Seattle Symphony. Both of the auditoriums are beautifully designed and the acoustics are magical no matter where you sit. Other venues around the area are the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall which is home to Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Paramount Theatre, The Moore Theatre, the 5^th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Showbox, and Seattle Children’s Theatre to name a few. I know you might be thinking that tickets to shows are probably going to be expensive, but like I mentioned earlier, this blog post is relating to things to do that are around $30. I’ve been to many shows and have even got reasonably good seats for less than $30 so take a peek at what is available.

3. The Chihuly Garden & Glass is also in Seattle Center and is right next door to the Space Needle. Visiting this place will cost around $24 for non-King County residents. Dale Chihuly is a local artist who’s glass work exhibitions and installations have been shown in Las Vegas, Israel, The Netherlands, Canada, Florida, St. Louis, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere worldwide.

I love how unique the designs of his pieces are and also how something so fragile can be turned into something so beautiful. It is so interesting how glass is turned into fine art with such a contemporary flair and original style.

You may have seen his works in a museum or airport or vestibule and not really known where the art pieces originated. The Chihuly Garden & Glass has a lot of his glass works in one place so it’s really great for showcasing the talent of a local but world-renowned artist. More of Chihuly’s works can be seen at the Tacoma Art Museum which is just about 30 miles south of Seattle.

This attraction is just big enough to give you a taste of his larger collection without tiring you out with endless walking. As it’s both a museum and a garden, plan for the weather if you are going to step outside to see the garden. Bring and umbrella or poncho since it tends to sporadically rain more than half the days of the year here in the Pacific Northwest. 

4. If you would like to get some exercise but also have a historical walk for free, you can head down to the International District. Chinese immigrants first came to Seattle in the early 19^th century and settled in what is now known as the Chinatown-International District. The International District is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic places and is mainly composed of Chinatown, Japantown, & Little Saigon. There are several ethnicities represented in the International District like Hawaiians, Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Pacific Islanders, Koreans, and Taiwanese. There is a lot of history protected within the perimeter of the International District and there are several spots around the district that provide information regarding the significance of certain buildings. The landscape and population have also changed a bit during the 19^th century due to the Great Seattle Fire, the forcible removable of the Japanese following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and anti-Chinese sentiments of the late 1800’s.
The International District is an interesting place to stroll around even if you don’t have an interest specifically in Asian cultures. There are a lot of amazing places to eat and get a bubble tea or dim sum all around the District. You can walk by shops with Peking ducks hanging in the windows or watch local chefs cook the food right by the windows of their shops or even peek into the local pharmacies where hundreds of glass containers of Chinese herbal medicine line the walls of the pharmacies. I almost always stop by Uwajimaya, which is a local Asian grocery store where the stock is always changing and it’s always busy with locals and tourists. Uwajimaya is also connected to a Japanese bookstore called Kinokuniya that has neat stationary and all types of books, magazines, and trinkets with all your favorite Asian/Manga characters like Hello Kitty.

One of the other great things about the International District is that it’s close to Union Station and all the bus lines so you don’t have to walk far to jump on the train if you’re trying to get back to the airport or elsewhere.

TIP: If you don’t have a lot of time and are here on a layover, Seattle airport has a luggage drop where you can pay a fee to store your luggage while you venture out and see the city.

5. The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience is within the International District. This place stands out even though it’s nestled amongst all the eateries, herbal shops, grocers, meat markets and bits and bobs of the International District it’s a modern beacon of history.

There are optional tours that run every hour as well as other tours of Chinatown and spots key to the martial arts legend, Bruce Lee.

TIP: Bruce Lee is buried in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle if you want to pay homage.

One other thing I noticed is that the museum isn’t just about Chinese or Japanese but it also tells the tales of Pacific Islanders, Cambodians, Filipinos, Koreans, Indians, and so many others. The tales indicate how much industries like textiles, agriculture, railroads, and food as well as the military owe a lot of credit to the hard work of so many who immigrated here from war-torn countries or just to find a better way of life. Such is the tale of the fabric of the United States and how the country has been built on the backs of many and that there is a long road to where we are now that started from the beginning.

This museum is just as its name says, an experience…unlike none you’ve ever had before.

6. If you like sports, Seattle has baseball, football, soccer teams, and more. Even if you’re not really into sports, going to a Sounders or Seahawks game is part of the experience of visiting Seattle and with certain matches and games with tickets under $30, why not? The Seahawks tickets might be a little harder to come by under $30 since they won the Superbowl in 2013 and are an amazing team but it’s worth a look at the tickets if you’re into football. The Sounders tickets are a little bit more in line with the $30 price point. If you didn’t know, the Sounders are the soccer team/club for Seattle. Again, even if you don’t like sports, you should just go because you can still have a surprisingly fun time. Get a few drinks, grab some nachos, and listen to the fans chant and yell and just chill. Seattle fans are very passionate about their teams and crank the noise decibels up higher and higher every game. So, get into it and maybe they might just win with your support!

7. You’ll probably start to see a trend in my blog that I love to visit places near water or that have reasonable access to water or any kind. I love lakes, oceans, streams, waterfalls, rivers…you name it…I love it. I love to visit Alki Beach which you can find at 1702 Alki Ave SW. There are several miles of walking area and this park/beach is probably my new favorite place. There aren’t a lot of places that I know of where you can get an unimpeded view of the Seattle skyline and the Sound without all the commotion and traffic of the metro city. It’s free parking which is almost unheard of in Seattle and it’s just a beautiful area to walk and relax and take in the sights and sounds and watch the ferries go by. It’s just a total panorama of the area and it’s so gorgeous. I even saw a few seals popping up and down in the water which was also pretty cool. Of course, it’s dog-friendly, stroller-friendly, kid-friendly, & all around friendly place to just be at peace.

TIP: You can get a similar view from Gasworks Park but this view is so much better.

8. This next attraction is a little bit more than $30 but it still won’t put too much of a hurtin’ on the ‘ole pocketbook. It’s Ride The Ducks! The main downtown office is at 516 Broad St, right next to the Museum of Pop Culture (formerly known as the Experience Music Project or EMP Museum). It’s about $37.50 as of the date of this post for an adult.

You may have experienced similar tours in towns near you but Ride The Ducks is a driving tour where the passengers sit in a boat on wheels and drive by all the main tourist attractions of the city. Yes, you heard right, a boat…on wheels. Ride The Ducks is pretty cool for someone who is not from the area as well as natives. I am not a native but I have been to all of the places that we went to on this trip (Space Needle, EMP, Gasworks Park, The Ogre under the bridge, the pier, Sleepless in Seattle houseboat, the Waterfall within the city, the art museum, Pike’s Place, etc). To be honest, the whole thing was really very corny (but again, it is probably super fun for a genuine tourist). It was corny but still fun to just let someone else drive you around with weird music playing and weird conversation and the occasional call for people to quack. You can purchase optional “quackers” prior to leaving the main office. The quackers are basically yellow duck call whistles whereas every time you blow into them, it emits a sound like a duck. Let me tell you, it gets a little annoying after a while but just roll with it and have a good time.

Oh…you’re still puzzled about the boat on wheels reference? So, after you drive by all the tourist sites, you will head into the water of Lake Washington to take a spin around the lake. So, the tour goes from land to water in a two-for-one experience in the amphibious boats specifically designed for the Ride the Ducks tours.

9. In my opinion, no experience to the Pacific Northwest is complete without a ride on one of the many ferries of the Washington State Ferries system. Washington state has one of the largest ferry systems in the world. If you’ve never been on a ferry, what you need to know is that you can pay online for many of the ferries before you board or you can pay at the kiosks at the ferry terminal. Some of the terminals require that you book ahead online, so check the website to verify before you show up and get denied. Also, the Lummi Island ferry is walk-on only and is through a different ferry system than Washington State Ferries. Check the ferry schedules online or just show up to the terminal and buy a ticket for the next boarding time if you’re not pressed for time.

You can board by walking on or you can drive your vehicle on. Then, you just sit back and relax and 20-30 minutes later, you’re docking at a completely different location and possibly saved a bit of time avoiding a drive. Most ferry rides are under $20 depending on how many passengers you have or if you’re walking on or bring a bike.

TIP: If you’re coming as a tourist, I’d suggest trying to go on the ferry at a non-peak time as peak times tend to have longer ferry wait times. So, basically don’t go during or around rush hour in the morning or afternoon.

10. Of all the places to see animals in the area, I would say that the Woodland Park Zoo at 5500 Phinney Ave N is one of the best places to a wide range of animals. Honestly, when I travel, I hardly ever visits zoos. This isn’t because I feel like they are for kids, but more so because I feel like I can see a zoo anywhere and usually they’re all about the same. This zoo is a little different in its design so you don’t get too tired walking the whole thing. Also, the amount of animals they have that I actually love is pretty substantial and the price is reasonable at around $20. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes because this zoo is soooooo big & there are multiple hills and inclines and declines. Take note of this if you have a stroller or are keeping track of hoards of little heathens. I did like that the paths are really wide so you don’t get jammed up behind people with those double-wide strollers or the people who still use those kid leashes.

I went close to when they opened on a weekend and all the animals that I wanted to see were not asleep or laying in a place where you could see them. They had my favorites which are HIPPOS!!!!!!!! Yusssssssssssssssssssssssss! They also have my other favorites, the giraffes, which are almost equally as amazing!!! Well all the animals are good and it sounds weird saying this, but good quality animals, not sickly or scaly or crusty lookin’. Well, the snakes were scaly, but they can’t help it. Oh…and how can I forget the ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEBS! I love zebras, giraffes, & hippos the most.

I loved the ostriches and the elephants and the grizzly bears and the lions and lemurs. Please check out the penguins too. They’re so silly. I love this zoo so much!

TIP: Check for a Groupon or LivingSocial deal before you go because I had a coupon for adult entry for $7 which I think is half the normal cost.

Obviously, there are discounts at most of these places if you’re senior, military, kids under certain ages so check the websites to see how much it’ll set you back. All prices mentioned are of the date of publication of this blog post and are subject to change so please visit the websites or do an online search to verify the price of admission prior to going. There are discount codes and things as well to decrease the expense of some of these attractionswhich you can search on your own. If you can’t find anything, you can sign up for Ebates and at least get cash back if you book through Viator, Tripadvisor, or Expedia.

Keep checking back in the weeks to come as I have a whole lot of other places that can make a visit to Seattle spectacular and definitely give you something to tell your friends about when you return home.  If any questions, send me an email, comment below, or use the social media links to the right to contact me.

Have a great day!