3-Day Seattle and Portland Itinerary

Arrive and ride Link light rail

Take Link light rail from Sea-Tac Airport to downtown in about 40 minutes, then check in and drop your bags.

Pike Place Market

Watch the fish toss, browse flower and farm stalls and graze on piroshky, chowder and smoked salmon.

Waterfront and Pioneer Square

Walk down the Pike Street Hillclimb to the waterfront, then south to historic Pioneer Square and its underground tour.

Seafood dinner

Order local oysters, Dungeness crab or salmon at a waterfront or Belltown seafood restaurant.

Coffee in Capitol Hill

Start with a pour-over or espresso in Capitol Hill, one of the hubs of Seattle's coffee culture.

Space Needle

Ride the monorail to Seattle Center and head up the Space Needle for views of the Sound, the city and Mount Rainier on clear days.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

See Dale Chihuly's dazzling glass sculptures indoors and in the garden beside the Space Needle.

Ferry to Bainbridge Island

Ride a Washington State ferry from the downtown terminal for golden-hour skyline views, then return or dine on the island.

Early drive to Mount Rainier

Leave Seattle by 7 AM for the 2- to 2.5-hour drive to the Nisqually entrance, checking nps.gov for any timed-entry rules.

Paradise and Myrtle Falls

Park at Paradise and walk to Myrtle Falls for the famous view of the mountain above the falls.

Skyline Trail or Nisqually Vista

Hike part of the Skyline Trail for meadow and glacier views, or take the easier Nisqually Vista loop.

Back to Seattle for dinner

Stop at Narada Falls on the way out, then drive back to Seattle for a relaxed dinner.