Welcome to the ultimate Seattle summer bucket list!
Summer is coming! And there’s nothing quite like summer in Seattle. If you’re looking for ways to take advantage of the perfect Seattle summer weather with its long, sunny days and mild temperatures, we have quite the list of ideas for you.
Whether you want to get outside and enjoy the warmth or you prefer to escape from the sun’s rays inside museums and restaurants, Seattle has endless options for summer fun. The best part is that many of these Seattle summer activities are cheap or even free!
Read on for the ultimate Seattle summer bucket list!
1. Dance to live music at the Northwest Folklife Festival
Every Memorial Day weekend, Seattle kicks off summer with music, art, food, and more at the annual Northwest Folklife Festival at Seattle Center. This festival has been a Seattle tradition since the ’70s. The entry fee is donation-based so you can bring the whole family and pay what your budget allows.
2. Have a romantic evening at a Candlelight Concert
The Candlelight Concert series will make for a romantic date night in Seattle this summer. The concerts take place at stunning venues throughout the city and you can choose from a variety of genres, from classical to pop. See all the upcoming Candlelight Concerts in Seattle.
3. See an outdoor concert at the Seattle zoo
Every summer, Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo hosts ZooTunes: an outdoor summer concert series that always has a fantastic lineup. This year’s lineup includes Waxahatchee, Regina Spektor, and Wilco. The concerts kick off on June 12 and run through early September. See the full lineup and all the details about this year’s ZooTunes here.
4. Go to Concerts Under the Stars
The Concerts Under the Stars series makes for the perfect romantic night out in Seattle. You’ll get to listen to talented performers’ renditions of classics from the likes of Sinatra while sipping on a cocktail and enjoying the ambiance at a stunning Seattle venue. Get your concert tickets now for one of the upcoming dates this summer.
5. Celebrate Pride in June
June is Pride month and you’ll find there’s no shortage of Pride events in Seattle all month long. See our guide to Pride in Seattle.
6. Dance it out at the Capitol Hill Block Party
Don’t miss out on this three-day music festival in Capitol Hill! It’s a highlight of the summer in Seattle. See our guide to this year’s Capitol Hill Block Party.
7. Camp out at a music festival
Want more music fest fun after the Capitol Hill Block Party? There’s nothing like spending a weekend at summer music festival with friends. Check out our guide to all of this summer’s music festivals in and around Seattle.
8. Join friends for brunch on a patio
We all love a good brunch year-round, but a summer brunch outdoors is unbeatable. Here’s our guide to the best outdoor brunch spots in Seattle.
9. Sip cocktails on Seattle’s best rooftop bars
Why not take in a stunning view of Seattle while sipping a cocktail at happy hour? We rounded up some of the best rooftop bars in Seattle.
10. Paddle out onto Lake Union
A day on Lake Union should be at the top of your Seattle summer bucket list. You can rent a kayak or paddle board (or even a hot tub boat!) and take in a soaring view of the city from the water while getting up-close to charming house boats.
11. Bike Seattle’s city trails
Do you love biking? There are plenty of ways to take yourself on a bike tour through Seattle this summer. Check out our list of scenic Seattle bike trails.
12. Take a hike in or near Seattle
Check out our guide to waterfall hikes near Seattle. Although, you don’t even have to leave Seattle to access some amazing hiking trails that are right here in the city.
13. Have a picnic in a scenic Seattle park
Seattle has endless options if you’d like to have a picnic in a park: there’s Volunteer Park, Discovery Park, Gas Works Park, Green Lake, and many pocket parks in each neighborhood. If you’d like to picnic in a park with a stunning view, try Ella Bailey Park (pictured above) or see our list of Seattle parks with views.
14. Cool off at a Seattle beach or pool
Golden Gardens (pictured above) is a go-to beach spot for Seattleites. There’s also Alki Beach in West Seattle, Madison Beach, and Madrona Beach, among others. You can also see the Seattle beaches and public pools hours here.
15. Explore the islands near Seattle
There are several islands scattered around Seattle, giving us plenty of options for summer weekend trips. Check out our guide to visiting Vashon Island. You may also want to explore Whidbey Island, Bainbridge Island, and the San Juan Islands (pictured above).
16. Go on an easy day trip from Seattle
Sometimes you just want to get out of the city. We created a guide to some of the coolest locations near Seattle that lend themselves well to a quick day trip, plus a roundup of the most charming small towns near Seattle.
17. Road trip through a national park
There are three national parks in Washington state: Olympic National Park (pictured above), North Cascades National Park, and Rainier National Park. These three parks could keep you busy all summer with all that they have to offer. Read our road trip guide for Olympic National Park here.
18. Try Seattle’s best ice cream
The hardest part about getting ice cream in the summer in Seattle is choosing where to go! We love Molly Moon’s Ice Cream and Frankie & Jo’s vegan ice cream. See our full list of the best ice cream in Seattle for more suggestions, or options for Seattle’s best soft serve if that’s more your style.
You can also catch this soft serve pop-up a few days a week this summer or get soft serve in a croissant cone!
19. See a concert at this winery near Seattle
If you’d love to spend a summer day at a winery, we recommend embarking on the short drive to Washington state’s oldest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, WA. They have a hugely popular summer concert series that’s been around since 1984!
20. Enjoy free live music downtown
Downtown Summer Sounds provides live music for free all summer. You’ll find local performers in Westlake Park, Occidental Square, and Bell Street Park.
21. Visit a fragrant lavender farm
Lavender Hill Farm on Vashon Island is only a short ferry ride from Seattle! You can buy bunches of fragrant lavender and other lavender products to bring home with you.
22. Enjoy free activities at Summer at SAM
Swing by the Olympic Sculpture Park on Thursdays and Saturdays to partake in free activities, yoga, live music, food trucks, and more! Read all about Summer at SAM here. And while you’re there, be sure to get lobster rolls and slushies from MARKET at the Park.
23. Spend a day alongside the Seattle waterfront
From the aquarium and Great Wheel to Olympic Sculpture Park and tide pools, there’s always plenty of fun summer activities at the Seattle waterfront. Make sure to get a bite to eat at a waterfront restaurant while you’re there.
24. Take a free yoga class at Gas Works Park
Join other Seattleites and local yoga instructors every Thursday evening at Gas Works Park for free yoga this summer! We compiled all the important details here.
25. Spend a day at Green Lake
Head up to north Seattle for a day of fun at Green Lake. You can go swimming, paddling in your kayak or on your paddle board, stroll along the lakeside path, or have a picnic. There’s also plenty of yummy restaurants in the area—our favorite is Frelard Tamales!
26. Go on a camping trip
June is national camping month, and there are tons of stunning camping locations in and around Seattle. See our guide to the best campsites here.
27. Get fresh flowers and produce at Pike Place Market
Brave the summer crowds for fresh flowers, local produce and seafood, and all kinds of handmade creations at Pike Place Market. You can also get a delicious meal at one of the many restaurants and eateries at the market.
28. Eat your fill at Ballard SeafoodFest
Ballard SeafoodFest is a free, family-friendly event that happens every July. Of course there is tons of delicious local seafood, but you will also find other cuisines, craft beers, activities, live music, and more. Read all about Ballard SeafoodFest.
29. Eat and shop at Seattle weekend markets
There’s the South Lake Union Saturday Market, the Fremont Sunday Market, and also the occasional summer night market! There’s always plenty of delicious food, eclectic shopping, and free fun. See our list of Seattle weekend markets that gets updated every week!
30. Spend a night out in Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill is well-known as one of the younger, livelier Seattle neighborhoods. It’s the best place to go bar-hopping, dancing, or just searching for a late night meal. See our guide that’s full of things to do in Capitol Hill.
31. Shop at the Seattle farmers markets
Summer is the perfect time to do your shopping at a local farmers market. Here is our complete guide to shopping at Seattle farmers markets.
32. Bring your dog to a Mariners game
What’s more summery than baseball? Make sure you eat a Seattle dog, cream cheese and all. You can even bring your dog, thanks to Bark at the Park!
33. See the Sounders play
Seattle Sounders fans are unmatched! You’ll have a great time being a part of the enthusiastic crowd. See the upcoming schedule for Seattle sports events this summer.
34. Get weird at the Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade
Seattle’s quirkiest neighborhood puts on a show every summer solstice with the Fremont Fair and Solstice Parade in June. Don’t miss the longstanding tradition that is the Fremont naked bike ride.
35. Pull up a chair for an outdoor movie
Marymoor Park offers a fun lineup of outdoor movies all summer. They’ve recently switched from drive-in to walk-in. Read all about this year’s Movies at Marymoor Park.
You can also catch outdoor movies under the Space Needle starting the last weekend of July! Movies at the Mural are free and take place on Fridays at dusk. Read more about these outdoors movies under the Space Needle.
36. Visit the Woodland Park Zoo
Summer is a great time to visit Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll get to see one of the zoo’s newest baby animals.
37. Tour the Seattle rose garden for free
The Woodland Park Rose Garden is right next to the zoo and it’s free to visit! The best time to see the roses in full bloom is June through July.
38. Visit a Seattle museum for free
If you try to visit every Seattle museum this summer, you’ll never get bored. We have an ongoing list of the best temporary exhibitions in Seattle if you’re not sure where to go. Best of all, you can take advantage of free museum admission days every month!
39. Explore Washington’s state parks
There are over 100 state parks in Washington and you can access them all for free on free state parks days throughout the summer. To help you narrow it down, we have a handy guide to some of the best Washington state parks!
40. Cool off in Lake Washington
The largest lake in King County, Lake Washington offers plenty of options for summer fun, whether you like swimming or boating or kayaking.
41. Spend a day on Alki Beach
Located in West Seattle, the sandy beach from Sleepless in Seattle is a hot spot in the summer. You’ll be treated to an amazing view while you’re there. Afterwards, head to one of the many delicious West Seattle restaurants.
42. Watch Seattle’s Fourth of July fireworks
Don’t miss the stunning fireworks display over Lake Union this summer! Read all about this year’s 4th of July fireworks in Seattle.
43. Enjoy free summer concerts at the Ballard Locks
Throughout the summer, you can visit the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard to enjoy a free concert series. See more info about the Ballard Locks free summer concerts.
44. Have fun at Seafair
A Seattle summer tradition since the 1950s, Seafair is a multi-week festival with events running from June to September. The most well-known events are Seafair Summer Fourth—featuring fireworks for the Fourth of July—as well as the Seafair Torchlight Run and the Seafair Weekend Festival in August. Most of the events are free!
45. Compete in Seattle library’s summer book bingo
Challenge yourself to complete this summer’s book bingo, presented by the Seattle Public Library. In addition to the satisfaction of completing every square, you’ll also be entered to win prizes. Read more about it on the library’s website.
46. Explore Seattle tide pools at low tide
Did you know you can explore tide pools at several beaches around Seattle? See our Seattle tide pool guide here.
47. See a Shakespeare play in the park
GreenStage is bringing Shakespeare to Seattle parks. There will be multiple performances at various parks to choose from between now and August, and the best part is they’re all free! You can see the full schedule of upcoming Shakespeare plays with times and locations at the GreenStage website.
48. Go on a whale watching tour
Summer is one of the best times to spot a whale in the Seattle area! We have a comprehensive guide to whale-watching in Seattle.
49. Eat a meal on the Seattle waterfront
Soak up that sunlight every chance you get this summer! Seattle has some incredible waterfront dining options. See our guide to the best Seattle waterfront restaurants.
50. Savor some fresh, local oysters
It’s hard to find better oysters than the ones in Seattle. See our guide to the best seafood restaurants in Seattle.
Have fun completing your Seattle summer bucket list!