Seattle Trip in 4 Days on a Budget

Visiting Washington, especially Seattle has been on my list since seeing the beautiful nature it offers. After I graduated from college, many of my friends moved to the area which made me want to have a Seattle trip. The mountains, friends, and this famous west coast town made it the perfect fall break vacation.

Since I had friends who lived in the city, I had a place to stay all four nights I was there. This helped reduce my costs greatly. I always take them to a nice dinner to thank them because I would likely pay triple the dinner price to get a hotel/Airbnb. I tried to see as much as Seattle as I could these four days, but there is so much more to still do when I go back!

Day 1: Hiking

Mount Rainier National Park

On your Seattle trip, I recommend hitting one of the three national parks close by. My friend took the day off work so we decided to venture to Mount Rainier National Park. We left early around 6:30 in the morning to get a head start. Even though on the map the park looks very close to Seattle, due to the mountains it is about a two-hour drive from downtown. We decided to do the Tipsoo Lake to Dewey Lake Trail. It is technically a loop trail but we decided to make it an out and back. It was around a 6-mile trail for us and took us about 4 hours to complete. Stunning views of Mount Rainier and the mountainside covered in snow made for the perfect October hike. I recommend bringing hiking poles and adding spikes to your boots since snow is usually on the ground.

Dinner and Drinks Downtown

When we arrived back in the city, my friend ended up having a volleyball match. I decided to meet up with another one of my friends who used to teach at my school! It was so great to catch up with him on my Seattle trip and he took me to some really unique places in the city. First, we had drinks at this super quirky bar called Montana. It had a very chill vibe and I got one of the delicious cocktails that they had on tap for the day.

Then we went to dinner together at this interesting speakeasy-type restaurant down the road. Knee-High Stocking Co usually requires a reservation to get a table. Since it was early for dinner, we were able to walk in and grab a table. We both had delicious cocktails with egg whites in them. For dinner, we ordered Lumpia to share and then got a rice bowl as my entree pork adobo. It was delicious Filipino food in the heart of the city!

Day 2: Tourist Day Downtown

I knew I wanted to spend a full day visiting downtown Seattle on my trip. Since my friend I was staying with had to work today, the timing worked out really well. I took the bus from Bellevue to downtown around 8 am so I could eat breakfast and get started with my busy day.

Breakfast at CJ’s Eatery:

I found this breakfast spot to be centrally located to all the activities I wanted to complete today. I ordered a warm and delicious hot chocolate and the Belltown omelet. Their serving sizes are huge so it will fill you up for most of the day.

Chihuly Garden and Glass:

My first stop of the day was a museum many people had told me was a must-visit while in Seattle. I chose to get my ticket right at 10 am when they open. It was a beautiful museum but I went through the whole thing in 15 minutes. I’m not sure if I would pay to see it again unless there was more art to see and occupy my time. It looks like right now the museum is only open from 12 – 5 pm and is at 25% capacity. Cost: $32

Museum of Pop Culture:

I didn’t initially plan to visit this museum on my Seattle trip but it was part of the Seattle City Pass. I had some extra time since the last stop was very short. The museum was a lot larger than I initially thought. There were many exhibits from movie and music genres, video games, and famous artists. I learned a lot and only spent about 30 minutes walking through it. Right now unfortunately due to COVID, it is closed. Cost: $22 if you buy your ticket online and $25 if you buy your ticket in person.

Space Needle:

I couldn’t come to Seattle and not visit the iconic Space Needle. I originally booked my ticket to enter at 12:15. Since my first few stops finished rather quickly I risked my chance and was able to get in early. A quick elevator ride up to some marvelous city views. The way they laid out the history of the space needle and its impact on Seattle was really well done. I spent around 30 minutes taking in the views and walking around. Cost: $35

Pike Place Market:

I decided to take a scenic walk from the Space Needle to Pike’s Place. It was around a 40-minute walk that was adjacent to the bay. Pike’s Place was exactly how I imagined it on my trip to Seattle. Lots of hustle and bustle with people coming in and out of shops with delicious smells all around me. My favorite parts were the bookstore they had inside and the outdoor flower markets.

Lunch at Beecher’s:

Pike’s Place offers many different restaurants to eat at for any time of day. I stopped at Beecher’s because I heard their grilled cheese and tomato soup was to die for. The line was out the door and it took me around 20 minutes to get my food after I ordered it. There is very limited seating inside but since I was just one person I was able to snag one. I stuck with the traditional sandwich and soup and it did not disappoint.

Argosy Cruise:

A quick walk from Pike’s Place is where these harbors cruises depart. With the Seattle City Pass, you have to walk up and get your ticket so I recommend going early. I went early to grab a time for a ticket and then went to Pike’s Place for lunch and then headed back. I also learned after the fact that you can actually call one hour prior to reserve your time slot, you don’t have to go in person. This tour was the best experience I had on my Seattle trip. The weather was beautiful and I learned so many interesting facts about Seattle. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and the tour allowed us to see many beautiful spots. Cost: $33

Dinner at Pearl Bar & Dining:

After my busy day downtown, I hopped on the bus back to Bellevue to have dinner with my friend. We went to this modern restaurant right in the heart of Bellevue. We chose this place because they have a great weekday happy hour special, including $1 oysters. They also have delicious happy hour cocktails and appetizers to share as well. A great affordable spot for dinner!

Meydenbauer Beach Park:

After our delicious dinner, my friends drove me over to this beautiful park. It was right at sunset and the views were lovely. This park has a little beach area with large driftwood and a huge pier. Parking is free but is very limited.

Fog Rose Ice Cream:

Our last stop of the night was for some ice cream. A perfect little boutique spot and a great way to end the night.

Day 3: Fall Activities during a Seattle Trip

Today was a really chill day in Seattle. We decided to sleep in and then enjoy some Georgia Tech football before we headed out for the day. Since it was mid-October it was the perfect occasion to do some fall-themed activities.

Stocker Farm:

We drove about 30 minutes north of the city to Stocker Farm. It costs $14 to enter. Many of the activities/games are for toddlers but we made the best of it! We paid an extra $5 to shoot paintballs at farm zombies. I loved the hayride they had to the sunflower field – one of my favorite parts. They also had an apple gun you could pay $1 per apple your shot. After exploring all the activities we ate some delicious festival food. I got a corn dog, fries, corn chowder, and a delicious pumpkin spiced donut. Overall a great way to enjoy fall in Seattle at an affordable cost.

The Tasting Room:

After a great fall day with my friend I was staying with, I realized another one of my friends was on a Seattle trip at the exact time. We decided to meet up and get drinks! We first went to The Tasting Room right near Pike’s Place Market. They had a huge selection of wine you can order by glass or bottle. They have indoor and outdoor seating and pre-covid times they had great live music as well. After a glass of wine, we decided it was time to grab some dinner. Right next door was The Pink Door. It is a really gorgeous place with affordable entrees. Unfortunately, they were all booked up at the time but I recommend grabbing reservations here because the ambiance was great when we went to it!

Kells Irish Restaurant & Bar:

Still, on the hunt for dinner, we hopped over to this delicious Irish restaurant. I felt like I was back in an Irish pub with a delicious order of cider and some fish and chips to hold me over. A perfect low-key spot to end out a night!

Day 4: Bainbridge Island

Today was a really special day because I got to visit with an old family friend who moved to Seattle over 10 years ago. I used to babysit her kids and help set up her classroom back in the day. I took the bus downtown to take the Bainbridge Ferry. The ferry leaves every 40 minutes and costs $9 to ride as a passenger and $17 if you take a car. I love the passenger/car ferries! It offered stunning views of the city/island on the ride there. It also had bathrooms, a small cafe, and tons of places to sit inside of it.

There are a lot of great things you can do on the island for a day trip! Since I was visiting a friend she picked me up and we did our own little adventure for the day. They live right off the island in a town called Poulsbo.

Tizley’s EuroPub:

Our first stop was this amazing European place. Since I got there mid-morning I ordered the classic, Germany – Holstein Schnitzel. It was a lot of food and absolutely delicious. Paired with a hot chocolate it is the perfect meal!

Sluys Poulsbo Bakery:

There was a scrumptious Norwegian bakery right below the restaurant we had to visit before I left. I bought a few pastries including their famous Viking cups.

Seabeck Bay:

After our meal, we were very full and decided to go for a drive around the area to catch up! We drove to this beautiful bay area that was filled with sailboats and views for days.

Dinner at Cactus Restaurant:

After a relaxing time with friends, I headed back to Bellevue on the ferry then the bus. I packed up my belongings and we headed off to dinner at Cactus Restaurant. A powerful margarita and a full meal of fajitas were the perfect fill-up before my red-eye flight home.

Visit Seattle Budget:

My budget will be very different than most because my lodging was free and my friends drove me everywhere. Those two costs factored in could easily add around $500 to this trip when you visit Seattle. Also, I decided to purchase the Seattle City Pass for $100 that includes many of the activities I did in Seattle. Because I didn’t visit the last stop, I actually ended up losing $8. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I didn’t think some of them were worth the cost of visiting so something to factor in as well when making your decision to visit.