Budget Travel in Seattle

With all of the places to see in Seattle, the best things to do don't cost much money. Here are some of the best bargains you'll find for touring the city famous for its rainy weather and coffee.

The Pike Place Fish Market was made famous by their fun antics the fishmongers have while they work. Standing there and watching the fun is all for free but you may want to take in the sights and sounds of the Pike Place market area that has been developed around it to make one of Seattle's trendiest districts. But if you want some free and fun entertainment, even though it smells fishy, get there early when the catch is brought in to see some fish fly. Literally, they throw fish. Getting there is easy as it is just off of Interstate 5 and public transportation stops nearby.

The Space Needle is Seattle's most obvious landmark. To get to the top, take an elevator that takes a minute to reach the observation deck. But the view will cost you just a little bit of money. Adults are $16 and kids under age 14 are $9 for one ride. If you want two rides in a 24-hour period, one at day and one at night, the tickets are $21 and $12.50 for adults and children respectively. The view is well worth the price and elevator ride. Just don't buy the souvenirs and your pocket book will stay robust.

Celebrate your Nordic heritage or even if you aren't from up north see the Nordic Heritage Museum that celebrates everything from Scandinavia. Open from 10 to 4 Tuesday through Saturday and open at Noon on Sunday, the museum charges $6 for adults and $4 for children. Focusing on the immigrant population of the northwestern United States that came from Scandinavia and settled the Seattle area, the museum pays tribute to the fishing and logging industries, the settlers who came here, and what life was like in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark.

The Seattle Aquarium is a wonderful place to learn about animal life in the north Pacific. For $16 for adults and $10.50 for kids to age 12, you can see the aquarium or for an additional fee you can take a harbor cruise. Get up close to a giant Pacific octopus, a Pacific coral reef, and see some native salmon, seals, and sea otters as they swim in large salt and fresh water tanks.