21 Things to Do in Pike Place Market (& Nearby!)
Seattle’s iconic waterfront market has been fueling hungry crowds and curious wanderers for more than a century.
Here’s a guide to the best things to do in and around Pike Place Market to help you squeeze every drop out of your visit.
1. Three Girls Bakery
If you’re hungry mid-market stroll, Three Girls Bakery is a classic pick for fresh-baked goods that hit the spot. With over a century of practice (since 1912!), they’ve got their recipes down.
The bakery cranks out everything from flaky croissants to warm breads, with cookies and pastries from various cultures. You’ll spot Sephardic family treats like Rugelach, Hammentaschen, and Boreka, plus crowd-pleasers like chocolate chip cookies and lemon bars.
If you need something heartier, sandwiches and cozy soups are on deck and wallet-friendly. It’s an easy, casual stop for a quick bite that won’t have you checking your bank balance.
2. Pike Place Fish Market
The fishmongers here don’t just sell seafood; they send it soaring through the air. Order salmon or halibut, and there’s a good chance it’ll be tossed across the counter, with staff shouting your purchase for everyone to hear.
This flying fish tradition has turned an ordinary seafood vendor into a must-see spectacle. The energy is contagious — sometimes you just can’t help but laugh as the fish sail overhead.
3. Food Tour of Pike Place Market
Why stick to the usual sightseeing when you can eat your way through history? A food and culture tour of Pike Place Market is a great excuse to sample Seattle’s best bites and hear the stories behind them.
Guides lead you to local specialties from several vendors, mixing food tastings with tales of the market’s past. You’ll find everything from fresh seafood to artisan cheeses. It’s a delicious way to get a feel for Seattle’s food scene and fill up on the city’s flavors.
4. Explore Seattle’s Waterfront
The waterfront district is packed with shops, attractions, and restaurants, all hugging Elliott Bay. Browse quirky stores, grab seafood, or just soak up the views of the water and mountains.
The Great Wheel offers aerial views of Puget Sound from enclosed gondolas, and the piers are alive with street performers and vendors. Waterfront Park hosts free events in the warmer months — markets, concerts, and more.
5. Create Your Own Custom Bouquet
Forget the pre-made bouquets at chain stores; Pike Place Market is the place to build your own. There’s a wild variety of flowers here, from peonies to sunflowers, all just begging to be picked.
Vendors let you mix and match stems until your arms are full. Whether you’re gifting or just want to brighten your day, handpicking each flower makes it feel personal.
6. Visit the Original Starbucks
You can visit the original Pike Place Market Starbucks — yes, the one from 1971. The shop at 1912 Pike Place keeps things pretty old-school. The brown logo is on display, looking nothing like the modern green one.
Grab a bag of beans or an exclusive mug you’ll only find here. It’s busy, so expect a line, but sipping coffee where it all began is a bit of a bucket-list move for caffeine devotees.
7. Visit the Gum Wall
Hidden in an alley near Pike Place Market, this quirky spot stretches over 50 feet and is covered in thousands of pieces of chewed gum. Since the ’90s, people from around the world have stuck their own colorful contributions, making for a constantly changing, weirdly photogenic wall.
It’s tucked away in Post Alley, just below the main market. Add your own gum if you want to join the tradition that’s been growing since the 1990s. The colors and patterns make for some offbeat photos.
8. Visit the Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum is just a block from Pike Place and houses three floors of art from around the globe. You’ll catch everything from ancient Native American pieces to contemporary works .
Exhibits rotate regularly, so you might stumble into something you didn’t expect. Northwest artists like Mark Tobey get their due, and there’s plenty from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
The 48-foot Hammering Man sculpture stands guard outside; inside, galleries are bright and open. Interactive events and programs pop up often, so you might luck into something hands-on.
9. Explore the Seattle Aquarium
Down at Pier 59, just a short walk from Pike Place, the Seattle Aquarium lets you get up close with Pacific Northwest marine life. Playful river otters, giant Pacific octopuses, and all kinds of local fish are on display in interactive exhibits.
The focus is on Puget Sound and Pacific Ocean creatures, so it’s a chance to see wildlife you might not spot anywhere else. Sea otter feedings are a hit, and the touch pools let you feel sea stars and anemones.
10. Take a Ride on the Great Wheel
The Seattle Great Wheel spins you up 175 feet (about 53 meters) for panoramic city and Puget Sound views. Elliott Bay, the Space Needle, and Mount Rainier all make appearances from enclosed gondolas.
Weekend nights, the Ferris wheel lights up with colorful LEDs, so it’s worth seeing after dark, too. Try to spot as many Seattle landmarks as you can while you’re up there.
11. Stroll Through Olympic Sculpture Park
Craving outdoor art with a water view? The Olympic Sculpture Park delivers. It covers 9 acres near Pike Place, with modern sculptures scattered along winding paths overlooking Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
There’s a mix of large and small pieces, plus benches for ferry-watching or just catching your breath. Admission is free, so it’s a no-brainer for anyone looking for photo ops or a break from the crowds.
12. Pike Place Market Sign
Snapping a photo at the Pike Place Market sign is almost a rite of passage for Seattle visitors. Stand at the crosswalk to get the bustling market and neon letters in your shot — bonus points if you catch the city skyline in the background.
Best Photo Tips: Go early for fewer people, use the crosswalk angle for more dynamic photos, and always include iconic neon letters.
13. Check Out the Museum of Pop Culture
The Museum of Pop Culture is a curveball compared to Seattle’s more traditional attractions. Frank O. Gehry’s wild building shimmers with 21,000 silver shingles, setting the tone for what’s inside — music, movies, and more, all with a playful twist.
MoPOP is packed with interactive exhibits for anyone into music history or pop culture. Try your hand at sound engineering in the Sound Lab, browse film and music memorabilia, or join one of their community programs.
The 140,000 square foot space covers music, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. If you want to avoid crowds, mornings are your best bet.
14. Chihuly Garden and Glass
Step into Chihuly Garden and Glass and you’re face-to-face with some of the wildest, most colorful glass art you’ll ever see. The museum dedicates its space to Dale Chihuly’s playful, sometimes mind-bending creations, spread across eight unique galleries, each one showing off a different side of his style.
Some of these sculptures seem to swallow up entire rooms; others spill right out into the garden. Outside, glass pieces are tucked between plants, and the way the sunlight hits them changes everything, hour by hour.
15. Don’t Forget About the Farmers Market
Pike Place Market is one of the country’s oldest public markets, packed with fresh produce, seafood caught right off the coast, and handmade goods from local artisans who care about what they’re selling.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are everywhere, picked when they’re just right. You’ll spot flowers, honey, and baked treats, all crafted by people from the area. The market has a way of letting you taste what Seattle’s all about — plus, you’re supporting independent farmers and small businesses while you’re at it.
16. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park drops you straight into the wild days of the 1897-98 gold rush, through exhibits, films, and ranger programs inside the historic Cadillac Hotel in Pioneer Square.
The park sprawls across three units in Alaska and one in Seattle. Each spot played its part in this chaotic chapter of American history.
17. Check Out the Handmade Crafts
Most stores are full of the same old mass-produced stuff, but Pike Place Market has something different. The Handmade Craft Market features over 170 rotating local artisans who create one-of-a-kind pieces you just can’t get anywhere else.
It’s a treasure hunt. Leather bags, wood carvings, pottery, jewelry — they’re all here, each piece showing off the maker’s skill and personality.
18. Seattle Underground Tour
Ever wonder what’s hidden beneath Seattle’s sidewalks? The underground tour through Pioneer Square takes you through secret passageways and tunnels built back in the 1800s.
Guides lead you through storefronts and streets that were buried after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, forcing the city to rebuild higher up. Along the way, you’ll hear stories about early settlers, sketchy business dealings, and the odd building tricks that created this hidden layer of the city.
The tour covers several blocks of real underground spaces, where you can spot old purple glass skylights and original architecture. It’s one of the quirkier historical attractions in the Pacific Northwest.
19. Visit the Frye Art Museum
The Frye Art Museum is one of the cultural gems that quietly sits off most tourists’ radar. The museum’s collection mixes 19th and 20th-century European paintings with contemporary works that aren’t afraid to get a little weird or push boundaries.
Admission is totally free, so you can explore as much art as you want without worrying about your wallet. It’s up on First Hill, about a 15-minute walk from the Seattle Convention Center. You can join tours, catch a gallery talk, or just wander at your own pace and see what catches your eye.
20. Explore the Seattle Central Library
Seattle Central Library is hard to miss; its bold, angular design stands out from blocks away.
International book collections, comfy reading spots scattered throughout, and free admission for everyone make it a go-to spot — whether you’re a local or just passing through.
21. Sky View Observatory
The Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center perches on the 73rd floor of Seattle’s tallest skyscraper, serving up jaw-dropping, 100-mile views when the skies cooperate.
From up here, you can spot Elliott Bay shimmering below, Mount Rainier looming in the distance, the Cascade Mountains stretching out, and downtown’s grid of towers. Just a short walk from Pike Place Market, the observatory fits right into a downtown wander.
