9 Free Things to do Solo in Seattle

One of my goals for this year is to write more about Seattle and my neighborhood. A very good friend went onto my blog looking for content to send her friend who was coming to visit … and I had next to nothing! Bananas!

I travel through this city like it’s my job!

As many of you know, I love to travel solo. Yes, I love to splurge on events and adventures every so often but I mostly try to stick to a budget. Which is why I thought 9 Free Things to do Solo in Seattle would be a great post.

As always, if you have other recs in Seattle, definitely leave a comment below! There’s so much to do here but some can be weather dependent. 😉

A Solo Woman's Guide To: Seattle In The Summer

Table of Contents

7 Free Things to do Solo in Seattle

The Seattle city limits are pretty extensive. There are tons of neighborhoods that are all unique and definitely have a certain person who tends to live there. Example: They say Queen Anne (which is where I live) is primarily for single women who love wine. Rude… yet, where’s the lie?

Anyway, my point is there are many places to explore and that’s one of my favorite thing to do in any new city. It’s free, it’s fun and you never know what you’re going to find when just roaming around.

Another pro-tip if you’re coming out to the PNW is to check out our Seattle Events calendar. The website looks like 2001 but it gets you what you need and has every event in the city. There are normally a few free events, especially in the summer.

Free Museum Day

On the First Thursday of every month, Seattle offers a Free Museum Day to the public. Though it tends to be a more crowded day, it’s a great way to get in some culture when on a budget in the city. When I first moved to Seattle and was on a very strict budget, I made a point to do when I could.

Recommended museums:

Seattle Art Museum (SAM)
National Nordic Museum
Burke Museum
Frye Art Museum (free every day!)
Olympic Sculpture Park (outdoors and free every day!)

_{If you’re a local: You can also book a free museum pass every 30 days through Seattle Public Library!}

Additionally, with First Thursday, Seattle offers a free art walk around Pioneer Square. We offer free parking from 5pm – 10pm (more info here). Since we’re still in crazy times, you may need to book a reservation before going. Check out the Pioneer Square Calendar for more events.

Go on an Urban Hike

This is one of my favorite things to do in the city in my downtime. We have some fantastic free parks with epic views of the Puget Sound and, if you’re lucky, you might catch some whale sightings!

My favorite trails are at Discovery Park. There are shorter trails you can get lost in but I prefer the one that takes you to the shoreline. There’s West Point Lighthouse that is picturesque and you’re allowed to roam around the property to watch sailboats, seals, whales, and paddle boarders.

Get the best view in Seattle at Kerry Park

This is without a doubt, hands down, the best view of Seattle. If you’ve seen a view of Seattle, 9 out of 10 it was taken at Kerry Park.

It’s also super easy to get to from downtown. You can take an uber but, honestly, the bus is a fantastic way to get to the top of Queen Anne hill. From downtown, take the 2 or 13 bus to Queen Anne and Highland. Cross the street at the street light and walk 3 blocks. You cannot miss it and you will not regret that view.

While you’re in Queen Anne, marvel at some of the craftsman homes and make sure to grab a coffee!

_{Pro-tip: Get there early and there will barely be anyone there. If it’s a clear day you’ll be able to see the Space Needle and Mt Rainier.}

Relax at the Park

There are a number of fantastic parks in Seattle. In fact, I have a whole blog post here on pars that are perfect for a picnic. However, if you’re looking for a special park with a view of the city and space needle, a place to picnic, to read a book and watch seaplanes fly in and out of the water, I recommend Gasworks Park.

Explore Pike Place Market

The iconic fish throw that you’ve seen countless times takes place at Pike Place Market! It’s also home to the most beautiful selection of flowers you will ever see, where Tom Hanks had lunch in Sleepless in Seattle, and our famous piroshki!

All of that with a beautiful view of the ferries driving across the Puget Sound.

Find the Fremont Troll Under the Bridge

If you have ever seen 10 Things I Hate about you (a Seattle staple & cult classic), you’re familiar with the Troll Under the Bridge. It’s an art piece that was done in 1989 and remains a Seattle hidden gem to this day. People from all over come out to find him and the VW bug.

Worth the hype and very close to Gasworks Park, The Burke Gilman Trail, and Fremont Brewing (if you’re in desperate need of a pint).

Get free exercise outdoors

Seattle is a rainy city but that doesn’t stop us. It’s a misty rain, not like a regular rain that’s heavy with big drops. It’s light and, for the most part, manageable. In short, Pacific Northwesterners aren’t scared of a little rain and we’re outside all year round.

If you’re looking for a few places with amazing shops, food, and bike trails along the way, I recommend:

If you didn’t bring your own bike we have rental bikes all over the city that is fairly inexpensive.

Explore the Woodland Seattle Rose Garden

The Woodland Rose Garden is free but parking is not when the zoo is open. I highly recommend taking the bus or uber-ing. Walking could be a trek but it’s fairly close to the Greenlake Park Loop if you’re already in the area. This is something I recommend in the spring and summertime, as the roses will be in bloom.

Visit the Downtown Seattle Library

Alright, I realize that 8 out of 9 Free Things to do Solo in Seattle are outdoors so the last one is indoors.

The Seattle library is one of the most unique buildings downtown. It’s 5 stories filled to the brim with books, chairs, and a tiny coffee shop for your enjoyment. I used to go to the library all the time on my breaks to get out of the rain and get in some quiet time before heading back to work. It’s made of glass so the higher you go, the prettier the view.

I hope you guys found some great free things to do from this post. I’ll make sure to include more posts about and around the city from now on. Let me know if there’s a neighbor you’re looking for or interested in!

Happy adventures!