There are a number of different things to do in Seattle - Washington, and your trip will largely depend on whether or not you want the touristy version of the city, or the local version of the city. For the touristy version of the city there are a number of tour packages that can be purchased and that will take you to all of the major tourist attractions including the space needle, the Columbia Center, and the Seattle Art Museum. Many tours are only driving tours that will simply drive you around and point out the names of popular or interesting attractions. The best way to see Seattle, Washington is to rent your own car or take the public transportation to many of the places that the tour companies only mention.

Seattle shopping is now world-renowned by any means, though there are a few gems in this city that shopping aficionados will want to visit. Pike Place market is an indoor outdoor flea market located in the heart of Seattle. The market consists of many small shops and stalls tucked into several buildings on multiple floors. This is more of a tourist experience than anything else because the quality of the products sold are not outstanding however the atmosphere is quite fun. The exception to this is the fish market located within the shopping market where tourists who have never been to an authentic Fish market can get the full experience.

Seattle is a thoroughly modern city with no car problems so to speak of. Of course it is a large cities so congestion is always an issue, but for the most part experienced drivers should have no issues. Car parking is available throughout Seattle and generally is paid for by an hourly rate. Like many other United States cities car hire in Seattle is straightforward and simply requires a valid drivers license. Most of the tourist attractions are fairly close together or accessible by some form of public transportation; for people unaccustomed to driving American roads taking public transportation is generally a better idea, however because not all things are accessible by public transport renting a car can be quite handy.

Finding a Seattle hotel is simple. This world-class city offers all of the large and small hotel chains international tourists come to expect in bigger cities. Because all hotels in the United States are covered under local ordinances there is a general baseline of quality among even the cheapest possible hotels therefore budget and amenities are the only real concern when making a hotel decision. Seattle restaurants can be fairly expensive and a little bit intimidating. Most restaurants feature the flavors of the Pacific Northwest which rely heavily on freshly harvested local ingredients. Regional cuisine is king in Seattle.