Spend the Day at the Seattle Waterfront

The Seattle Waterfront in the heart of the city is the greatest place to appreciate how close Seattle is to Puget Sound. The entrance to this recognizable area of the city is the well-known Pikes Place Market.

The greatest time for locals to visit this large public area, which is filled with the aroma of freshly caught fish, is in the winter. This time of year, the summer tourist hordes are less overwhelming. In the winter, the waterfront has a number of additional, less popular attractions. Tourists can ride the Seattle Great Wheel or board a guided cruise above the water on warmer, sunny days. The entire waterfront is very walkable, which makes a casual stroll enjoyable year-round. The waterfront also offers indoor tourist attractions like the Seattle Aquarium for cloudy days. This large nonprofit museum is home to six significant international animal exhibitions. With the exception of major holidays, the aquarium is open every day during the winter. The annual Magic in the Market event adds more holiday happiness to the waterfront. This joyous celebration of the season takes place at the end of November and features live reindeer.