A must visit when in Seattle. The upstairs floor always seems to be crowded no matter what. Though…read moreyou can escape the crowds somewhat by going to the back patio area overlooking Elliott Bay, or going to the lower 2 floors. The downstairs floors have some decent non-food and non-fish stores. Like i.e. there was a bookstore down there, and another selling old music tour and political posters. The music posters were the most interesting things I saw in that store. Pike Place is definitely worth a stop despite the crowds.

Seattle's world-famous Pike Place Market is one of the Emerald City's most popular tourist traps,…read moreand for good reason. The sprawling, multi-level marketplace dates back to 1907 and remains one of the oldest, continually operating farmers markets in America. It's narrow arcades are home to dozens of stalls selling everything from candy and cannolis to flowers and jewelry. The main attraction, of course, is the fresh seafood, which arrives every morning from boats trolling nearby Puget Sound. At peak hours, hundreds of tourists crowd around the Pike Place Fish Market, near Pike Place's main entrance, to watch fishmongers toss Salmon, Halibut, Cod and other customer selections from the market floor to the sales counter to be filleted and wrapped. Onlookers clap and cheer as the fish fly through the air, while the mongers politely remind the crowd that they're operating a working seafood market, not a circus. When you're done watching dudes toss fish, take some an hour or two to explore the rest of this massive marketplace. Pike Place has six levels of shops, restaurants, brewpubs and produce stalls across two large buildings that are bisected by a roomy pedestrian plaza with outdoor tables for enjoying a bite when the weather cooperates. The market gets oppressively crowded on weekends, so go early if you can. There are multiple parking decks at the complex and near the waterfront, but if Uber is an option, you'll save the stress of finding a spot. No visit to Seattle is complete without a visit to Pike Place Market. Plan on spending half a day here if you want the full experience, but I found a couple hours to be enough for me. While you're in the area, walk a couple blocks over to Seattle's fabulous waterfront and stroll the pedestrian plaza for some amazing views of Puget Sound. The city's new Overlook Walk pedestrian bridge lets you move between the two without crossing busy Alaskan Way, and makes this area of downtown an incredible destination for tourists and locals alike.

An absolute gem in downtown Seattle! Highly recommend. I had…read morea wonderful time exploring the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). The layout is fantastic--spacious, bright, and very easy to navigate. What I loved most was the incredible contrast between the exhibits. You can admire classical European oil paintings in one room, and then walk into a gallery featuring cutting-edge modern art. The current exhibits using unique materials like aromatic cedar, plastic film, and even electronic waste are mind-blowing. It's the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon or grab some artistic inspiration. Don't forget to take a close look at the details of each piece! **Helpful Tip for Visitors: While the first Thursday of the month offers free admission, it tends to be very busy. For seniors aged 65 and older, admission is only $5 on the following Friday. Visiting on Friday is definitely the best way to avoid the crowds and enjoy the art at your own pace!

The Seattle Art Museum, or SAM as it is known locally was a cool place to visit…read more We went to the main location but they have 2 other locations as well. Very educational with tons of art works from several eras. Great place to get your culture on.

I peeked into Fireworks Gallery minutes after deplaning in Seattle. Not because I'm an idiot who…read moreshops for souvenirs on the first day of a trip, but because I'm an idiot who forgot to put shoes on her two-year-old before leaving for the airport back home. I kind of thought you could buy most essentials at the airport, but it turns out children's shoes are not a typical travel need, at least when they aren't being worn by traveling children. Fireworks did carry children's slippers, which caught my eye as I passed, as well as a nice assortment of unique, crafty toys and gifts. Unfortunately, my five-year-old followed me into the store and zeroed in on a tiny, colorful finger puppet in the shape of a parrot. He asked me to buy it for him, and I declined, telling him we weren't getting a souvenir before we even left the airport. He was upset by this to the point of tears, but I managed to get us out of there. We had a wonderful time in Seattle, and to his credit, the five-year-old behaved well the whole trip (and the two-year-old got new shoes). When I saw Fireworks Gallery again by our departure gate, I decided at the last possible second to stop in and get him the parrot. It was one of several Folkmanis finger puppets in a wire basket. I picked it up along with a bunny rabbit and went to check out. There was a short line at the register--I guess this shop gets decent traffic--and by the time I was up, my husband was calling to tell me we were boarding. This is how I paid $36.36 for two finger puppets that cost $10 apiece online. Fireworks got me good, but my boys do love their little puppets, which are soft and cute and well made. The wares here are definitely nicer and less generic than at your average airport store. It might cost you, though, if you wander in there with your kids.

I mean EVERYTHING but the kitchen sink is in this joint!…read more Expensive jewelry, stationary, candy, books for the kiddo's, charcuterie boards in the shape of Washington, knick-knacks just perfect for souvenirs to bring home and to carry on board. Service was a plenty here and I was there after 9:30pm on a Wednesday evening. Respectfully Reviewed

This place is a site to see!!! Definitely take the whole family! 3 floors of education and games…read morefor the kiddos! There are 3 floors of wonderment! You'll enjoy this place for sure!!! Every type of specimen is available to see & learn about! There staff were very friendly and knowledgeable! There are classes during the week you can partake! Clean clean clean place!

Came for first Thursdays so can't speak to value for money, but had an amazing experience. Staff…read moreare friendly. Museum is chock full of artifacts, fossils, and animals. There are also lots of areas for kids to interact. I also loved that they make the research labs so accessible to the public, with signs explaining what they are doing and windows to watch the scientists work. I've never been to a museum that did that and I think it is so special. First floor is about culture with a large emphasis on indigenous cultures. I really enjoyed the weaving exhibit. Second floor is biology with some stunning set ups of ecosystems and lots of stuffed animals. Third floor is paleontology and archaeology. I found the archaeology exhibit not as engaging as the rest. The fossils are very cool and well laid out.

We visited the Chihuly garden and glass museum/exhibition in Seattle. It was amazing! I am a huge…read moreart glass lover and collector. I have always loved and appreciated Chihuly's large pieces, but never his or anyone's "modern" art glass. After seeing this place, I really understand the abstraction that is happening and appreciate the glass more fully. I loved this experience! Highly recommend!

What a beautiful place to visit. The glass work is breathtaking…read more How they hang it from the ceiling without it falling is surprising. The glasswork is so detailed and displayed nicely. I like that there is indoor and outdoor. A it's really cool to see the space needle from the garden.

Great option for a free museum in Seattle! It's a bit smaller but still full of great art work…read more There is also a store/gift shop & cafe in site!

The Frye Art Museum, located in downtown Seattle, was found on Yelp. I did notice that people said…read morenot to have a car so we walked here from the hotel which is about a 20-minute walk. Some uphill walks but it was a nice walk actually. The museum is free which is nice you walk through and it is pretty much filled with many unique rooms, each with different pieces of art. It was pretty quiet but I do enjoy the placement of every piece. It's not a big museum so this probably won't take up so much time.