If you’re wondering what to do in Seattle during spring break, you’re in for a treat. Starting in March, Seattle starts to come alive after our often dreary winters. While we still see spring showers, the days get longer and we often see more sun. In fact, there’s a joke that “false summer” starts appearing this time of year.
Everyone is aching to get outside come Seattle’s spring season that runs March through mid June. The temperate weather will range between the 50s and low 70s on gorgeous days, particularly during that window of false summer. This variability means you’ll find both indoor and outdoor things to do during spring break.
So whether you’re in school yourself or trying to find something to do with your kids, here’s what to do in Seattle during spring break.
This post has affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you click on them and make a purchase. This is a small way I earn money to support this site. If links aren’t showing up for you, turn off your ad blocking software. Thank you for your support!
What to Do in Seattle During Spring Break
Here’s everything to do during spring break in Seattle, whether you only have 48 hours in Seattle or live here! Save this to Pinterest for later, as I’ll keep adding more ideas to it!
Explore parks and beaches
There are so many awesome Seattle viewpoints for taking in the nicer weather. Here are some of my favorites worth exploring on weekdays with less crowds. For even more spots, check out my full list of the best Seattle parks.
Discovery Park
Discovery Park is my favorite park in Seattle, so it’s my number one tip on what to do during spring break. I love the varied terrain: it starts in meadows, then goes through woods, and ends on a pebbly beach with a lighthouse. Kids love coming here to pick sea glass and rocks, while adults love the ability to hike and run the trails.
If you want to explore the park from a different perspective, take this electric bike tour of Discovery Park!
Alki Beach
Alki Beach in West Seattle is a popular spot for a beach day. There is a paved path along the beach perfect for walking or biking. Explore it yourself or take this guided West Seattle e-bike tour.
There are also shops along the other side of the street that makes it feel like you’re down the shore. It also has gorgeous views of the Seattle skyline across the Puget Sound. If you come here, make to also check out the best restaurants in West Seattle for lunch!
Golden Gardens
Golden Gardens is the beach everyone in North Seattle comes to for a beach day. It offers a soft sandy shore for swimming, lounging, and beach volleyball. It also has a playground, barbecues, and fire pits for passing the time while you take in views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains.
Gas Works Park
Gas Works Park sits right on Lake Union in Fremont. It still houses the historic gas light company machinery, offering steampunk vibes among breathtaking views of the Seattle skyline.
Olympic Sculpture Park
Olympic Sculpture Park is right along the Seattle waterfront downtown, which means you get uninterrupted views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains. It’s one of the free museums in Seattle operated by the Seattle Art Museum, so you’ll also see funky sculptures scattered around the park.
My favorite thing to do is walk the about 3 mile paved Elliott Bay Trail to Magnolia. It weaves along the water before getting to the train yard. I love the stark contrast in landscape between nature and industrial!
Green Lake
Green Lake can get crowded in the spring, but it’s worth a visit during weekdays when most people are at work. It’s one of the most family-friendly parks in Seattle, with swimming spots, paddle board or SUP rentals, and playgrounds. There’s an approximately 3-mile paved loop popular for biking, walking, and running. There are also hiking trails, tennis courts, and a skate park in Woodland Park across the street from the lake.
Seward Park
Seward Park in South Seattle is another family-friendly Seattle park to visit during spring break. They have a playground in one area and a ~2.5 mile paved loop that weaves along Lake Washington.
Attend the Tulip Festival
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is perfectly timed during spring break. Every April 1-30 you can drive the hour north up to the Skagit Valley to witness rows upon rows of colorful tulips and daffodils. It’s a fun experience for photography enthusiasts, plus it’s the perfect excuse for exploring all the other fun things to do in Skagit County.
Since this annual festival typically draws more than a million visitors per year, make sure to check out my guide on avoiding crowds at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. And since you’ll need to eat between tulip stops, check out my guide to the best restaurants in Skagit Valley.
If you don’t want to have to worry about driving from Seattle, check out this Skagit Valley Tulip Festival day trip tour.
Seek out cherry blossoms
Every April the University of Washington quad explodes with pink cherry blossoms. It’s a popular spot to go and feel like you’re transported to Japan.
Get their really early (I’m talking before 8 am) to get photos without a ton of people in your shot. And please don’t shake branches to make the flowers fall. It’s bad for the trees and annoying for UW to have to clean prematurely.
Finally go to that one museum
There are so many museums in Seattle, so why not use spring break as an excuse to finally visit them on a weekday sans the crowds? Here are some of my favorites, but you can find even more in my guide on what to do in Seattle during winter.
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Art Museum is my favorite museum in Seattle. It features modern art exhibits, including everything from paintings to cool sculptures. During non-pandemic times they host a remix event each month which turns the museum into a swank lounge with music, drinks, and posh vibes.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Chihuly Garden and Glass is in Seattle Center right under the Space Needle. It features breathtaking blown glass from artist Dale Chihuly, which you’ll find scattered around manicured outdoor gardens and indoor exhibits.
Afterwards, head up to the Loupe Lounge in the Space Needle for happy hour drinks and bites overlooking the Puget Sound and Seattle skyline!
Pacific Science Center
Pacific Science Center is near Chihuly Garden and Glass so you can hit up both places on the same day. While Chihuly is all about the art, PacSci is where you go to embrace all things science.
They have a lot of exhibits both kids and adults alike can dig, like one about dinosaurs and even a butterfly house. Don’t miss the planetarium to immerse yourself in the stars, and save time to see an IMAX experience. If you visit at night, check out their Laser Dome light experience.
Spend the day at Pike Place Market
Visiting Seattle’s biggest farmers market can be a pain on summer weekends with all the crowds. So I always recommend Pike Place Market when people ask me what to do in Seattle during spring break.
I have a free self-guided walking tour of Pike Place Market you can download and bring along with you as you explore. If you want to make a day of it, take the light rail from Seattle Center after you visit the Chihuly museum!
If you’d prefer an in-person tour, take this early-access Pike Place food tour or this plant-based market tour.
Hit up the city’s other farmers markets
We have a bunch of farmers markets around Seattle so you can find one pretty much any day of the week. My favorite is the Ballard Farmers Market because it’s an excuse to hop into all the quirky shops along Ballard Ave NW. You can also take my Ballard self-guided food tour Ballard Self-Guided Food Tour and make a day of it!
For more information about the other markets and what to expect, check out my guide to the best Seattle farmers markets.
Go on a brewery crawl
The brewery scene in Seattle really comes alive once it starts getting warmer. You’ll see people laughing and vibing in the outdoor patios, enjoying a flight and food truck meal.
My favorite area to go on a brewery crawl is Ballard. Check out my guide to planning a self-guided Seattle brewery tour or take a guided Ballard brewery tour. If you want to visit other areas of Seattle, check out my guides to the best craft beer bars and Seattle breweries.
Visit the zoo and aquarium
I used to work at the Woodland Park Zoo, so I love heading here during spring break with my nieces because it’s perfects for both adults and kids age 12 and under.
Or, if your crew prefers marine mammals, head to the Seattle Aquarium instead. They have a lot of programs for kids ages 12 and under, including virtual programs if you’d prefer to spend spring break at home.
Go foraging
Foodies wondering what to do during spring break? Besides the obvious eating everything in sight and other Seattle for foodies bucket list ideas, do something quirky and go foraging!
One place to do it right in Seattle is the Beacon Hill Food Forest. It’s about 2 acres and in it you’ll find goodies you can forage, like berries, greens, and more.
If you’re looking to get out of the city you can also go on hikes known for foraging. For example, Tiger Mountain in Issaquah is popular for foraging stinging nettles, fiddlehead ferns, and miner’s lettuce. Check out this handy guide from Washington Trail Association for other hikes and tips on identifying edible plants.
If you’d prefer not to figure this out yourself, Savor the Wild Tours hosts foraging trips for mushrooms most of the year!
Take a hands-on class
There are so many fun hands-on activities you can do during spring break. For example, those who love the kitchen can take cooking classes at places like PCC or The Pantry.
If you’d prefer more crafty activities, check out The Works for DIY kits and in-person events during non-pandemic times. If you have kids, another fun activity is pottery painting at ceramic art shops like Paint the Town in U-Village.
Partake in casual sports
If you’re wondering what to do in Seattle during spring break that’s a bit more active, rent a bike and take a long ride on the Burke-Gilman Trail. You can also take a guided Emerald City bike tour. Or get outside by playing some mini golf at the Interbay Golf Course.
For indoor activities, try axe throwing or bowling in Capitol Hill for a quirky way to spend a rainy day during spring break.
Go kayaking or whale watching
Seattleites flock to the water come the warmer weather. Do the same by renting kayaks from NWOC to take on Lake Union and Lake Washington. Or if you’d prefer not to do a ton of work, go whale watching on a motorized vehicle.
Take a day trip
With the extra time, one of the best things to do during spring break is take a day trip to some of the awesome areas surrounding Seattle. I have a whole list of awesome scenic day trips from Seattle, but here are some of my favorites for spring when you need both indoor and outdoor options.
Overwhelmed trying to choose? Let me plan your trip for you!
Bainbridge Island
There are a ton of islands near Seattle, but Bainbridge is only a 20-minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle. Read my guide on how to spend one day on Bainbridge Island. While there, make sure to check out the best Bainbridge Island wineries and Bainbridge island restaurants!
Vashon Island
Vashon Island is another great island for a day trip from Seattle because it’s only about a 20 minute ferry ride from West Seattle. Check out my guide on things to do on Vashon Island, including the best Vashon Island restaurants worth a visit.
Olympia
Visit our state’s capital for a fun day trip exploring wildlife, farmers markets, breweries, and more. Read my guide of the best things to do in Olympia, Washington for ideas of what to do in the area.
Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington is about an hour south of Seattle and is a perfect family-friendly day trip. It has a lot of parks along the water, museums, and the Point Defiance Zoo. Read my favorite things to do in Tacoma, WA for ideas of what to do in the area. And if you go, make sure to try the best food in Tacoma, WA.
Woodinville
When I was in college at Syracuse University in upstate New York, one of my favorite ways to spend spring break was wine tasting in the Finger Lakes. Seattle urban wineries are worth a visit if you’d prefer to stay in the city, but it’d be a fun spring break activity to make the drive 30 minutes east of Seattle and go wine tasting in Woodinville.
If you don’t want to have to think about driving, check out these Seattle wine tours that will take you wine tasting to areas within an hour of the city.
Mt. Rainier National Park
Yes, it’s possible to take a day trip to Mt. Rainier from Seattle! It’ll be a long day, but there’s still plenty of time to explore the best hikes at Mount Rainier. Just make sure to check the weather and conditions before you go. If it’ll be snowy, consider going snowshoeing or cross-country skiing and the stretch the winter a bit further into spring!
If you don’t want to have to think about driving, take one of these tours:
- Mt. Rainier Guided Full Day Tour
- Best of Mt. Rainier Private Tour
- Hiking and Wine Tasting at Mt. Rainier
San Juan Islands
Sure, the San Juan Islands are 2-3 hours away from Seattle, but you can still do a day trip to San Juan Island if you’re ready to make a long day of it. Or stay overnight so you can spend the day kayaking with orcas or whale watching via a high speed boat.
Here are my guides to Orcas Island and Lopez Island if you prefer to visit those islands instead!
Places near Seattle perfect for spring break
Want to get out of the city? Here are some ideas for where to go during spring break:
- Unique Hotels in Washington State
- Washington Coast Attractions to Visit in Your Lifetime
- Why Whidbey Island Is Worth a Visit
- Things to do in Seabrook, a Quaint Washington Coast Town
- Visiting Columbia River Gorge
- The Perfect Portland Itinerary
