A Baker's Dozen Free Things to Do in Seattle

by Lisa Oberg and Alison Aldrich

Part of growing both yourself and your career means taking time to recharge your batteries and experience new things! The challenge these days is finding ways to have fun without spending a lot of money. Well, here is a list of thirteen things to do in Seattle that won’t cost you a thing, except perhaps bus fare!



1. Hiram M. Chittenden"Ballard" Locks - Seattle’s answer to the Panama Canal brings boats from Puget Sound into the interior lakes. Located at 3015 NW 54th St., the locks have beautiful tranquil grounds, fish ladders and the occasional clueless boater. Starboard? Which side is that again?

2. Olympic Sculpture Garden – Seattle's newest outdoor wonder, located at 2901 Western Avenue, offers a leisurely stroll through outdoor sculptures combined with views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

3. Theo's Chocolate – Located north of downtown at 3400 Phinney Avenue, Theo’s organic free-trade chocolate is gaining in both prestige and popularity. Tour the factory and pick up a free sample to maybe two!



4. Volunteer Park Conservatory – Bromeliads, palms and ferns, oh my! Located on Capitol Hill, the conservatory has all that and more! The park’s water tower features an exhibit about the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm which designed many college campuses, parks and other public spaces throughout the U.S.

5. Washington Park Arboretum – The arboretum is a spectacular urban green space on the shores of Lake Washington just east of downtown Seattle and south of the University of Washington at 2300 Arboretum Drive E.

6. Frye Art Museum – Located just up the hill from conference center at 704 Terry Avenue, the Frye features an eclectic, ever-changing collection of art and a fabulous café!

7. Green Lake Park - If you're a runner, jogger, walker or an avid people-watcher, hop on the bus and head up to Green Lake park. It's a natural oasis in the middle of the city. There's a 2.8-mile paved path around the lake.

8. Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington is featuring an exhibit of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition until October 30th in room 102. Photographs, ephemera and other objects take you back to yesteryear when Seattle was just emerging as an important Pacific city and women's suffrage was gaining momentum.

9. Seattle Public Library – Like it or lump it, Seattle's flagship Central Library is an architectural wonder and something to be seen. It is located just blocks from the conference site at 1000 Fourth Avenue. Check out the views from top floors, the art work and the Friends shop.

10. Uwajimaya, Seattle's premier Asian market in the International district at 600 Fifth Avenue South, is full of interesting sights, sounds, tastes and smells.



11. Kerry Park at the top of Queen Anne Hill boasts incredible views of the Seattle skyline. Bring your camera!

12. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - Located at northwest corner of Jackson Street and Second Avenue, the park preserves the story of the 1897-98 stampede to the Yukon gold fields and Seattle’s role in this event.

13. Of course, no trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to the Pike Place Market - Have your picture taken with Rachel, the bronze pig, the Market's unofficial mascot. Just in case you haven't seen enough of them, located just across the street from Rachel is the original Starbucks. Pike Place Market is located just off First Avenue and Pike Street at 1501 Pike Place. Remember it's Pike Place, not Pike's Place, the sure clue to Seattle-ites you're a tourist!