In the current economy, vacation budgets have dwindled dramatically and travelers are on a constant hunt for cheaper ways to enjoy their chosen destinations. Luckily, nearly anywhere you go, there are always great ways to have fun without having to pull out your wallet. In the Emerald City of Seattle, Washington, you can easily find hundreds of ways to have a good time without breaking your budget.
For nature lovers, exploring the plethora of green spaces in Seattle area is an endless pastime for both locals and visitors alike. Seattle hosts dozens of beautiful parks scattered throughout the city and surrounding areas. Not only are these great destinations in themselves for exploration, but free events and activities abound for park visitors.
Green Lake Park, a short bus trip north of downtown, offers a gorgeous strolling path around the circumference of the lake. Bird-watching is a favorite activity along Green Lake, as is swimming during the summer months. During the fall, Green Lake is a gorgeous place to view Seattle’s fabulous fall colors. Discovery Park has some of the most fantastic views in the city of the nearby Cascade and Olympic Mountains. Or you can head up to Ballard to watch the boats (and during certain times of the year, the salmon) navigate through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.
If you want to go for the “beach” experience in Seattle, you’ll want to head over to Alki Beach Park on Elliot Bay for swimming, sunbathing or even some sandy beach volleyball. Closer to town, you can visit Gas Works Park in lower Wallingford for kite-flying and a spectacular view of Lake Union and downtown Seattle. While you are down that way, don’t forget to stop by Fremont and check out the Fremont Troll – an amazing art piece snuggled under the Aurora Bridge. And although the Woodland Park Zoo is pricey to visit, the zoo’s beautiful rose garden is always open to the public for free at the South Entrance. An absolute must for the nature-loving visitor is the Washington Park Arboretum, featuring 230 acres of amazing woody plant collections.
Museums are also a city favorite – and you don’t have to shell out to get in. Many museums in Seattle host at least one free day per month. The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is open to the public for free on the first Thursday of every month. Seniors can visit free on the first Friday of every month and the second Friday of the month is free for teens age 13-19 with ID. The Seattle Asian Art Museum, located in beautiful Volunteer Park, is free for everyone on the first Thursday of each month. The first Saturday of every month is free for families and seniors can visit free on the first Friday of each month. Lakeview Cemetery, which is right next to the Asian Art Museum, hosts the graves of such luminaries as Brandon and Bruce Lee.
For an easy afternoon of art viewing, the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park on the downtown waterfront is open to the public free year round. Other museums such as the Frye Art Museum, Experience Music Project, Science Fiction Museum and Museum of Flight also offer free admission days. The Klondike Gold Rush, both a museum and a national historic park located in Pioneer Square, are also free to the public. Check their web sites for more information.
Besides the parks and the museums, there are plenty of other opportunities for enjoyment in Seattle without stretching your vacation budget. If you are a fan of boating, but can’t afford to go out on the water during your visit to Seattle, you can always check out The Center for Wooden Boats on South Lake Union. Not only can you view a gorgeous collection of wooden ships, but the center also offers free boat rides on Lake Union every Sunday afternoon.
Swing by Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on the downtown waterfront to view strange and bizarre objects from around the world – including Sylvester the Mummy bobblehead. Also downtown, the historic Pike Place Market is certainly a temptation to shoppers, but just walking through is great entertainment in its own right. Make sure to stop by the bronze pig at the entrance and watch the fish-throwers in action! Seattle Center is also a popular destination – and hosts many free events – though it does cost to ride up the Space Needle. The view from the ground is quite something too, however, and doesn’t cost a dime.
For music lovers, head on over to Benaroya Hall, home of Seattle’s symphony orchestra, for a free public tour of their spectacular facilities. If you are lucky enough to be visiting at the right time, you can also catch a free recital of Benaroya’s 4,490 pipe Watjen concert organ on Mondays at 12:30 pm on a bimonthly basis. Seattle City Hall offers up free lunchtime concerts every first and third Thursday. Free public concerts can often be found by trolling through the pages of the local papers, the Seattle Weekly and The Stranger. Other great free activities, such as author readings, theater performances and more can also be found by checking out the local paper listings. Free festivals of music and the arts are also a near-constant in Seattle, especially during the summer months, so it pays to read up.
Don’t despair if you are visiting Seattle on a tight budget. There are always a ton of great, free activities in the Emerald City to keep you occupied and having a great time while you’re here!
