• Argosy Cruises: Head down to Pier 55 on the waterfront to catch one of the excursion cruises offered by this long-established tour-boat company. You can choose from a tour of Elliott Bay, a locks cruise over to lake Washington, or a trip to Tillicum Village, where Native American hosts put on a salmon bake and perform traditional dances.
  • Museum of Flight: A fascinating collection of airplanes and spacecraft are on display in this enormous museum at Boeing Field, and you can walk through a Concorde, tour the first Air Force One, and steer a spaceship in one of the many interactive exhibits that appeal to kids.
  • Seattle Aquarium: Seattle and western Washington are defined as much by their waters as by their land, so this aquarium on the Seattle waterfront is a great place to familiarize yourself with the sea life of the region. Get up close to giant Pacific octopuses, gently touch a sea anemone, watch the fish of Puget Sound in giant tanks, and enjoy the sea otters and harbor seals out on the pier.
  • Seattle Center: Take the vintage monorail from downtown to the site of the 1962 World’s Fair, where you can zoom up to the top of the Space Needle for an outstanding view of the entire city, then explore the interactive Pacific Science Center with its animatronic dinosaurs and let the little ones explore the Seattle Children’s Museum.
  • Seattle Great Wheel: Up, up, and around. Opened on the waterfront in 2013, the huge Seattle Great Wheel takes you up in enclosed, non-shaky compartments for breathtaking views of Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and the Seattle skyline.
  • Smith Tower: It’s not as tall as the Space Needle, but Smith Tower, completed in 1914, was for years the tallest skyscraper in the city. Elevators whisk you up to the 35th floor for an outstanding view.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.