Everyone knows there’s plenty to do in Seattle, but few people know about all the free things to do in Seattle. Sure, like most big cities there are parks and a good number of free, community-focused events. But Seattle is also known for being really expensive, which isn’t ideal for those of us looking to pinch a penny.
Fear not. There are in fact free things to do. To break down all of the free activities in Seattle, I’ve composed a list so you can experience the best of the city on the cheap.
Free Things to Do in Seattle
Save this to Pinterest for later because I’ll keep updating this as I discover more Seattle free activities ideas!
Explore the city’s many parks
There are over 485 parks within the city limits, each with unique attributes like jogging trails, beach access, greenery, and picturesque viewpoints. Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest park with over 530 acres of beaches, meadows, and active sand dunes.
Green Lake is one of my favorite parks for paddle boarding and includes a 2.8-mile path around the lake. I also love Gas Works Park because it has unparalleled views of the city skyline and Lake Union.
Jefferson Park is the sixth-largest park in the city and offers unfettered views of Seattle’s skyline and the Olympic Mountains. Visit during April when the cherry blossoms bloom and play a round of lawn bowling!
For even more ideas, check out my list of the 20 best Seattle parks.
Visit a museum on one of their free days
Seattle has tons of museums, and most offer at least one free day per month to encourage tourists and families looking for enriching activities. These museums offer free days on the first Thursday of the month:
- Seattle Art Museum
- Seattle Asian Art Museum
- National Nordic Museum – Must be reserved in advance
- Museum of History and Industry – 5-8 PM
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
- Henry Art Gallery – and every Sunday
- Museum of Flight – 5-9 PM and for dads very Father’s Day
- Volunteer Park Conservatory – Also on the 1st Saturday of each month
- Washington Park Arboretum – They offer free walking tours 11:30 AM-1 PM
- Seattle Japanese Garden
These museums offer free admission every day:
- Frye Art Museum
- Olympic Sculpture Park
- Center for Wooden Boats
- The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center
- Klondike Gold Rush Museum
- Center on Contemporary Art
Check out the Olympic Sculpture Park
website | Downtown (get directions) | best for: sculptures
The Seattle Art Museum owns the Sculpture Park, the largest green space downtown. It includes 9 acres of waterfront with unique sculptures set against the backdrop of Lake Washington.
They also host Summer at SAM on Thursdays and Sundays. This free event has music and performances, making it one of Seattle’s best summer activities.
You’ll also find a paved path that hugs the water. That’s Elliott Bay Trail and it extends for ~3 miles from the sculpture park all the way to Magnolia. You can also take it south from the park along the waterfront piers toward T-Mobile Park, which is another 3 miles one way. If you have some money to spare, you can often find Lime bikes and scooters nearby.
Attend a neighborhood art walk
Every month, local artists and businesses support the city’s art scene by showcasing original artwork in businesses and art galleries all over Seattle. Here’s a breakdown of which days each neighborhood has their art walk.
Go on a self-guided tour of the city’s neighborhoods
One of my favorite free things to do in Seattle is go on an urban walk to check out new neighborhoods. Many of them have public art, so it’s a great way to take in the many talented PNW artists the city has to offer.
One of the Seattle’s coolest neighborhoods is Fremont, which has a bunch of shops, funky art, and other things to do. You can take an audio walking tour of the area, hitting up art like the Fremont Troll, Lenin statue, and Fremont rocket.
History Link offers free audio tours of a bunch of Seattle neighborhoods. You can also follow this Seattle art map for finding murals, sculptures, and more around the city.
Take a free walking tour
If you’re visiting and want to find the most worthwhile free stuff to do in Seattle, I highly suggest taking a free walking tour. Seattle Free Walking Tours offers a 101 flagship tour that takes you through downtown, the waterfront, and Pioneer Square.
Note: While the tour is free, it’s technically “pay what you feel,” meaning a donation is highly encouraged. They recommend $25 per person, but I’m sure even something like $10 is appreciated.
Check out the beaches
Between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, Seattle boasts 200 miles of rugged and lounge-worthy shoreline. If you’re into water sports, Alki Beach and Golden Gardens are best for swimming. Lake Union Park is a great jumping off point for stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking.
Walk around the farmers markets
Seattle boasts a number of farmers markets with local produce, seafood, and artisanal goods to boot. Pike Place Market is the most well-known, with 9 acres worth of vendors and fish markets (get my free self-guided tour here). For a list of all the markets around the city, check out my guide to the best Seattle farmers markets.
Gawk at the libraries
One of the underrated free things to do in Seattle is to explore the libraries. Downtown’s Seattle’s Central Library is captivating architecturally, and the interior is just as unique, with 11 floors of continuously inclined rows of books known as the “book spiral.” It’s so cool that I actually took photos of it for a design project when I was in college!
The UW Library looks like something out of a Harry Potter film, especially the Suzzallo and Allen Libraries, with gorgeous cathedral ceilings, ornate detailing, and intricate stained glass windows. It’s one of the best places to take pictures in Seattle!
Play games at Mox Boarding House
website | Ballard (get directions) | best for: board games
Mox Boarding House is one of my favorite hidden gems in Seattle. It’s a board game store, but you can try it before you buy and play the games in their cafe/bar. The idea is that customers buy a game or a drink to support the business, but if you don’t like the game you’re playing, you’re welcome to return it and try another.
Check out the Volunteer Park Conservatory
website | Capitol Hill (get directions) | best for: greenhouse
The Volunteer Park Conservatory is located at the north end of Volunteer Park. Modeled after London’s Crystal Palace, it’s a peaceful oasis lined with exotic plants and vibrant blooms within a stunning Victorian-style greenhouse. The conservatory offers free admission on the first Thursday and Saturday of the month, so time your visit for one of those days!
Go on a hike
One of the top things to do in Seattle for free is to take advantage of the local hiking spots. There are plenty to choose from whether you’re looking for low-effort, maximum reward hikes (like St. Edward State Park) or thigh burners (like Mailbox Peak).
Walk the gardens at Washington Arboretum
website | U-District (get directions) | best for: botanical gardens
The Washington Arboretum is run by UW and the City of Seattle and features rare trees and Japanese gardens overlooking Lake Washington. With over 20,000 trees and plant species, many are found nowhere else in the Pacific Northwest.
Go for a bike ride
Seattle is a bike-friendly city with bike trails in many of the city parks. My favorites are the Burke-Gilman Trail, previously a railway and now a 12.1-mile walking/biking path, and the Elliott Bay Trail, which begins in near T-Mobile Park and takes you through the Olympic Sculpture Park all the way to Magnolia.
Rock out at a free concert
Being a music hub, Seattle is teeming with musical guests from around the world. Many national and local artists host free concerts ranging from hip-hop to folk-pop and psychedelic punk rock. Here are some of the free concert options around the city:
- Downtown Summer Sounds
- Chamber Music in the Park
- Concerts at the Mural
- Live Music in Westlake Park
- Free Summer Concerts at the Locks
- Seattle Buskers Series
- U-Village Summer Concert Series
Live Music Project also keeps a running list of free events, many of which are more obscure for the audiophile.
Take a free fitness class
Many fitness and gym chains sponsor free classes, especially outdoors over the summer. For example:
- Pure Barre offers barre classes at Kerry Park
- Lake Union Park hosts free yoga classes
- Lululemon has free fitness classes year-round in the U-District
- Friends of Waterfront Park hosts free Zumba, salsa, and more
- Seattle Center has free yoga and Zumba classes
Watch a free cirque performance
website | Northlake (get directions) | best for: visual arts
Levity Arts hosts a summer series with DJs, circus arts, and acro yoga to raise awareness for local nonprofits. It’s great for all ages and participation is encouraged. While free, donations are accepted.
Take a boat tour at the Center for Wooden Boats
website | South Lake Union (get directions) | best for: free boat tours
The Center for Wooden Boats is a museum dedicated to sharing Seattle’s maritime history. During the summer, they offer a ton of free programs like boat tours, one-hour rowboat rentals around Lake Union, speaker series, crafts, and more.
Stroll the Kubota and Chinese Gardens
When you need an escape from the hustle of the city, dip into Seattle’s Asian gardens. There’s Kubota Gardens, a well-kept secret in Rainier Beach, and the Seattle Chinese Gardens located in Riverview. Both are free (donations accepted) and offer complimentary self-guided tours.
Visit the Spheres on their free day
website | South Lake Union (get directions) | best for: conservatory
The Amazon Spheres are a unique set of three spherical conservatories located at Amazon headquarters. You’ll find a speakeasy and some of the cutest restaurants in Seattle in the bottom of the Spheres. However, the looming dome houses some of the most interesting tropical plants with many walkways meandering up the sphere. To enter, reserve a spot on the first and third Saturday of the month.
Attend a Seattle Center free cultural event
website | Downtown (get directions) | best for: cultural festivals
Each year, the Seattle Center teams up with the city to host a series of free festivals, each with a unique cultural focus and a range of fun, family-friendly activities. You’ll find countries like Tibet, Croatia, Hawaii, and more represented.
Enjoy Shakespeare in the Park
If you’re a theater buff, you’ll be pleased to know there are several Shakespeare in the Park performances over the summer. The Seattle Shakespeare Company hosts Wooden-O, a series of free performances at Volunteer Park. GreenStage also offers Shakespeare performance at various Seattle-area parks.
Watch a free outdoor movie
Seattle offers a lot of opportunities to watch free outdoor movies in various parks around the city. No reservations are needed, and every movie is family-friendly. Bring a picnic and a blanket, and get ready to experience classic movies on one of these big screens:
- Center City Cinema
- Movies at the Mural
- Kirkland Outdoor Movies
- Auburn Friday Night Flicks
- Bellevue Movies in the Park
Check out the salmon at the Ballard Locks
website | Ballard (get directions) | best for: salmon run
If you’re in Seattle from May through September, stop by the Ballard Locks and peek at the water. You may notice a school of salmon running through it on their way to the Pacific Ocean. Visit Wednesday through Sunday at 2 pm for a free guided tour.
If you visit another time of year, there’s still plenty to do. For example, you can watch the ships come in and out of the Locks, walk around the botanical gardens, or explore the Salmon Education Center.
Seek out flower fields
Depending on the time of year, Seattle may be abloom with flower fields. Cherry blossoms come around March and April and are best viewed at the UW Campus and the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden. Come June, the Point Defiance Rose Garden is abloom with the aroma of budding roses.
If you don’t mind driving a bit, Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula has lavender fields and a festival every July. There also some lavender and sunflower farms in Olympia, the latter running August and September. Check out my guide on fun things to do in Olympia for specifics!
Go foraging in Beacon Hill Food Forest
website | Beacon Hill (get directions) | best for: community garden
The Beacon Hill Food Forest is a volunteer-led urban garden with 2 acres of edible food farms. Visitors can take free guided tours, sample freshly grown produce, or take a class to hone their gardening techniques.
Visit North Cascades National Park
website | get directions | best for: free national park
One of Washington’s best-kept secrets is that North Cascades National Park is the only NP in Washington that’s free to enter. Unlike the other national parks, the North Cascades is more rugged, with backcountry camping, steep cliffs, and gorgeous glacial peaks. Check out my North Cascades National Park itinerary for a full list of things you must see when you visit.
Take a day trip to an abandoned asylum
website | Sedro-Woolley (get directions) | best for: ghost town
If you’re heading to North Cascades NP, stop at the abandoned aslyum Northern State Recreation Area. Once home to the largest hospital for the mentally ill in Washington, it was a town unto itself. Some parts are off-limits, but the farm has since become a park with graffiti covered, dilapidated buildings that are cool to explore. It’s one of the funnest Halloween activities in Seattle!
Take a scenic drive
Seattle is the ideal starting point for a scenic drive because there is no wrong direction. Heading north towards Vancouver, BC, you’ll pass Bellingham and the Chukanut Scenic Byway. If you head south towards Portland, you’ll drive through Tacoma and the city’s capitol, Olympia.
Check out my guide to scenic day trips from Seattle or Seattle road trips for more ideas!
Attend a free coffee cupping
website | Queen Anne (get directions) | best for: coffee tasting
Want to refine your coffee tasting skills? Caffe Vita hosts free coffee tasting (known as “cupping”) every Friday at 10 AM. It’s perfect whether you’re a newbie or an aficionado who’s tried all the best coffee roasters and coffee shops in Seattle!
Browse a craft fair
Seattle is teeming with craft fairs, most of which are free to enter. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s fun to window shop and learn about the local makers.
One of my favorite craft fairs is hosted by Renegade Craft and takes place at Magnuson Park at Hangar 30 in summer and winter. Urban Craft Uprising is another favorite that hosts craft vendors around the city as well as the Gobble Up Food Fair.
Find even more in my guide to the best holiday markets in Seattle, the prime time for craft fairs around the city (there are often about 100 each year!).
Take the kids to U-Village
website | Ravenna (get directions) | best for: kids events
U-Village is a shopping mall located between the Ravenna and Downtown neighborhoods. It hosts regular free events, including the Village Playdays, where kids 2-7 can free play, and get face paintings, balloon animals, and more. There’s a free summer concert series on Wednesdays, plus a play structure for kids to climb.
Take a free class
Nowadays there are so many resources for getting a free education on any topic. For example, the Seattle Public Library offers free language classes, technology, gardening workshops, and creative writing and publishing.
More fun Seattle activities
After you check out all these free things to do in Seattle, check out my other guides for exploring the city.
