Visiting Seattle, Washington on a Budget

In today's economy, you may be searching for a way to take a vacation in a great city without breaking the bank. Welcome to Seattle, Washington. Possibly the most important thing to remember while you're here visiting for the day, a week or even longer is that many of our events and landmarks are free and open to the public.

Let's start with Seattle's Pike Place Market. Open seven days a week with the exception of Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year's, Pike Place Market is a favorite hangout among locals and visitors alike. There is no admission fee and with hundreds of vendors selling everything from fresh crab to raspberry honey, chances are you'll have multiple free samples to try during your visit. After you've checked out the market, walk across the street from the main building for a coffee break at the very first Starbucks store. Have a little more time to spend near the market before moving onto your next location? Take a walk along the waterfront on Alaskan Way. If you pay close enough attention, you may spot some seals on a barge nearby.

No visit to Seattle would be complete without visiting the Space Needle located in Seattle Center. At 605 vertical feet, the Space Needle can be viewed from the outside as well as the inside. If you're looking to conserve your cash, walk right up to it and take pictures and enjoy the surrounding scenery. You won't be able to get to the observation deck without an entrance fee, but you can definitely spend some quality time in the shadow of the Space Needle and take in one of Seattle's finest landmarks for free.

Next, visit the rest of Seattle Center. Situated between downtown and Queen Anne, Seattle Center is home to the Pacific Science Center, Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Museum. If you would like to enter the above locales at a discounted rate, check their online calendars and schedule your visit according to the cost-savings dates available. One thing you cannot afford to miss at the Pacific Science Center is the butterfly house, which is free with museum admission. Where else can you walk among the butterflies and catch them on your fingertips?

Ready for lunch? Whip out your picnic fixings and plant yourself next to Seattle's International Fountain outside of the entrance to Key Arena in Seattle Center. Here you can enjoy your sandwich and chips with the musically-timed fountain. The perfect fun activity on a budget, it costs nothing to visit and will leave you with fantastic memories of children and adults alike running in and out of the fountain on a hot summer day. You may want to jump in and get your feet wet yourself!

If you're tuckered out after all this fun and would like to get settled into a great hotel room at a low price, check out the Red Lion Downtown. Located in the heart of Seattle's downtown shopping district on Fifth Avenue, the Red Lion is a reasonably priced hotel with access to the airport and everything downtown has to offer.

Seattle is a very open-minded, people-friendly city and loves its visitors. If at any time during your stay you need to ask a question to a local, just do it. We'd love to help! Enjoy your visit; We know we'll see you again!