I once read a viral list of “must do” things to do in Pike Place Market that left me, a local, thinking that anyone checking items off that list would miss some of the best parts of Pike Place Market!

So, few years ago, I decided to make my own list of things to do at Pike Place Market. My list includes cool experiences that are both well-known and underground (literally!) that I’ve discovered in my time living in, working in, and exploring this icon of Seattle. Annually, I update this guide based on what I’m loving at Pike Place at the time. Here’s my list for Fall/Winter 2024:

For the last 4 years, I’ve walked through Pike Place a few times a week, each time purposefully aiming to see, taste, or try something new. After hundreds of these adventures, I’ve become an expert navigator of the street art, food, and coffee culture of Pike Place. With that experience under my belt, here’s my local’s list of things to do at Pike Place Market:

[Note: If you are planning a visit in November-December, be sure to check out my Christmas at Pike Place Bucket List, and if you’re visiting on a rainy day- I’ve got you there too! There are so many special things to enjoy in Seattle on a rainy day ]

Local’s List of 15 Things to Do at Pike Place Market:

1. Take a Photo from the Crosswalk

You’ll be tempted to take a photo under the big sign, but there’s a better spot! Pike Place’s iconic signs are at the bottom of a hill, so the best spot for pictures is a little uphill, at the center of the 1st & Pine Street crosswalk.

💡 The best photos, which center the neon signs, can be taken from the middle of the crosswalk. Based on the timing of the all-way crosswalk, you’ll have 25 seconds every 3 minutes to get the perfect shot!

Want more photo tips? Check out my list of Instagrammable Spots at Pike Place.

2. Explore the Secret Rooftop Garden for a Panoramic View

Just on the other side of the crowd gathered around the fish throwers, you’ll find a dim and unremarkable hallway. Follow it, and you’ll find yourself in a public rooftop garden with breathtaking views of Elliott Bay and Bainbridge Island on the other side.

It’s grown a bit more popular in recent years, but still, few tourists find this spot. You may have the entire garden to yourself!

It’s tricky to find, but I’ve posted directions to this well-kept secret.

3. Take a photo with Rachel the Pig & Drop Some change in her belly

Not a lot of tourists know that Pike Place Market is actually a low-income neighborhood in Seattle. Donations to this “piggy bank” support a neighborhood food bank, a senior center, and a fund for market vendors to draw from if they’re ill or unable to work.

4. Get Chowder at the Market Grill

Claims to the “best chowder” abound in this neighborhood, but take the advice of this local who has tried them all and head to Market Grill right in the thick of the market. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to watch the fish delivered for your lunch – from the fish market 12 feet away!

5. Explore the Beyond the Main Walkways of Pike Place Market.

80% of tourists only see the main thoroughfare, but there is so 👏🏽 much 👏🏽 more 👏🏽 to Pike Place if you adventure downstairs and check out the halls branching off from the main markets.

6. Chew gum and be a part of the weird communal art that is the Gum Wall

Take the stairs located directly under the giant neon clock to go down to the next level. The gum wall is located in “Ghost Alley,” just under and slightly south of the booth famous for fish throwing. Travelers with limited mobility can get to the gum wall via the elevator in the Atrium.

I recommend packing gum for your Seattle trip or picking some up nearby- this weird wonder exists thanks to all of us doing our part! 😉

7. Check out the food counter at Oriental Mart.

I could recommend a dozen restaurants in Pike Place Market. But second only to chowder on a cold day, my favorite is Chef Leila’s Chicken Adobo – served with a side of sass. If you’ve never tried Filipino food, the time is now. Owner Leila’s well-known attitude just adds charm to this local favorite- which recently won a James Beard American Classic award.

8. Buy Cheap Flowers

Buying flowers at Pike Place Market is part of the experience! Flower sellers will make custom bouquets if you ask- just tell them what color you like, what flowers you prefer, and what your budget is. Their bouquet-making process is incredible, so watch closely and consider the art of bouquet-making as part of the experience.

💡 Hint: If travel plans mean you can’t take home a bouquet, you can still have the experience (and a cheap souvenir) Just ask to purchase $1 worth of filler flowers and press them in your travel journal.

9. Skip Starbucks (it’s not the original)

Snap a picture if you need to scratch the itch, then outsmart the long line in front of the Pike Place Starbucks by heading to local favorite Storyville Coffee or Ghost Alley Coffee (which offers excellent espresso drinks in a tiny venue that is poorly lit, sometimes damp, and definitely haunted).

Learn about my other favorite coffee shops and see my flow chart for picking a Seattle coffee shop here.

10. Catch a mini-show by Stopping at the Pastry Pet booth.

Each plush cat-donut (yes, cat-donut) sold gets a dramatic and theatrical send-off that’s worth waiting around for or purchasing just for the show. Update: this booth is now a store! Find the MarninSaylor store downstairs in the market interior via google Maps

Coolest Store at Pike Place Runner Up:

The arrival of a newer shop, Orange Dracula has me rethinking the shop on my list of the best 15 things to do at Pike Place Market. Orange Dracula is the new go-to for weird, wonderful, Pike Place flavor with a slightly macabre twist. Don’t miss the World Famous Free Range Psychic Chicken.

11. Try to see how many food counters you can hit with a budget of $30.

Locals know: the best way to visit the market is eating your way through!

I recommend working your way through the market one small bite (or split entrees) at a time. Don’t forget the humble fruit stands- which offer often unusual produce at peak freshness.

12. Sample what’s in season.

Offerings vary by season, but if you make it during Ranier Cherry season (usually the month of June, give or take a week) you will be ruined for life in the best possible way.

Even winter has amazing seasonal offerings in the form of hot apple cider, fresh citrus fruits, and piping hot spiced tea in the spice store.

13. Try an almond croissant from Pike Place’s famous french bakery

These flakey, buttery croissants are the real deal. Le Panier, Pike’s french bakery, bakes in-house every morning and if you’re lucky, you might have the life-changing experience of an Almandine still warm from the oven.

This bakery makes more-than-respectable espresso drinks, so pair with coffee for a light breakfast.

14. Find the Secret Door in Pike Place

Open the unmarked pink door in Post Ally to reveal a beloved local restaurant, the Pink Door.

Pink Door features cabaret & trapeze artists on weekend evenings (though tables for these events usually take a reservation). Their recently expanded dining room means you can dine with a view of the market, in a relaxed restaurant far removed from the crowds.

Your waiter will recommend the lasagne (it’s okay), but I’d get into a fistfight to win their meatball-stuffed baguette or herbed french fries.

15. Ride an iconic Washinton State Ferry

If you have daylight left, head a few blocks to the ferry dock. You can’t beat the $9 roundtrip ticket for a sunset cruise across the Puget Sound. Here’s everything you need to know about riding a WSF Ferry.

Important Tips for Visiting Pike Place

#1 Tip: Start early if you want to visit the biggest tourist spots. Starbucks & Piroshky Piroshky won’t have long lines till 10 am or so.

#2 Tip: Whatever you do, DON’T drive and park. Parking near Pike Place Market can cost more than $20 per hour! 2023 Update: Thanks to a new parking garage, parking is currently pretty affordable at Pike Place Market.

What to Pack for a Day at Pike Place Market in Seattle

In many ways, packing for a day at Pike Place is just like packing for a day at most tourist spots, with a few pretty important exceptions that I will explain below.

As I’ve become an unofficial tour guide of Pike for friends visiting from out of town, I’ve learned a lot about how to pack and prepare for a day at Pike Place and avoid many of the common mistakes. Here’s my list.

DON’T: BRING AN UMBRELLA

Just don’t do it.

Despite the rainy weather, Seattlites have a fierce animosity towards umbrellas. On a more practical note, umbrellas just don’t work in Pike Place. Because the market is so close to the waterfront, winds coming off the Puget Sound make umbrellas almost useless. Even when rain is falling vertically, the crowded sidewalks mean there’s simply no room for umbrellas.

DO: BRING A RAINCOAT

90% of the rain in Seattle falls lightly- like mist. A good raincoat will keep you dry and free to navigate the market.

DON’T: BRING A PURSE

Seattle has a fairly low crime rate, but purse snatching does happen. Days at the market can be long, and with a purse on one arm and a shopping bag in the other, it’s hard to have hands free to have the full experience.

DO: BRING A BACKPACK (With an empty cloth shopping bag inside)

I always recommend a backpack for a day at Pike Place Market. You can browse hands-free and store your purchases in a safe spot. Vendors and shops around Pike Place aren’t generous with bags (Seattle has strict laws limiting plastic bags) so having your own stowed in your backpack can be really helpful if you plan to do much shopping.

DON’T: RENT A CAR

Finding parking at Pike Place Market is sometimes a challenge and can cost upwards of $20 per hour during peak tourism periods.

In fact, with a state of the art light rail train connecting the airport to downtown/Pike Place, and healthy competition between Lyft and Uber, Seattle is one place to skip bringing a car entirely. With so much within walking distance, and no free parking near the city center, having a rental car can be a much bigger headache than convenience. Read more about being carless in Seattle and rental car alternatives.

DO: BRING A PHONE PRELOADED WITH RIDESHARE APPS

Ride-share apps can get you anywhere you need to go in Seattle, without the headache of parking.

If you aren’t from an area where rideshare is common, download Lyft & Uber apps on your phone and sign up before you leave home. If you are traveling with a group, maximize first-time-user discounts by each installing the apps.

💡 Hint: Go ahead and sign up for a ride share app and enter your payment information before your trip. It won’t charge you anything unless you use it, and it’s much easier to sign up while you are home. That way, when you are traveling and frazzled, you can just click the pickup button!

DON’T: FORGET TO PLAN FOR HEALTH

Millions of people come to Pike Place Market every year, touch common surfaces, and then take food by hand from vendors offering samples. I’m not gonna lie- even before Covid this totally grossed me out.

DO: BRING HAND WIPES

Pike Place Market is a grungy place. Seattle does well at keeping it tidy and current health protocols mean it’s cleaner than ever. Still, thousands of people touching common surfaces can leave even a healthy immune system quaking. Be sure and pack sanitizing hand wipes + sanitizing gel – so you can enjoy food and snacks with a little less worry (travel packs of textured hand sanitizing wipes, like these at Amazon, are shown to help remove- not just kill- bacteria and viruses¹ ).

DON’T: RELY ON CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS

Pike Place Market is composed of local vendors and small businesses – it’s one of the few historic shopping districts that have kept chain stores out. Even in 2024, some stores have a cash-only policy or a minimum for paying by Credit Card.

DO: BRING CASH

The few nearby ATMs have high transaction fees so plan a withdrawal before you reach the Pike Place Market neighborhood.

OTHER THINGS TO BRING:

Chewing Gum – The “Gum Wall” is iconic, and participating in cocreated the gum wall, instead of just viewing it, is a great memory and photo op.

Sunglasses – Even if it’s rainy. Trust me on this one. Seattle weather can change in an instant.

Water bottle – Many of the food options are street vendors. Plan ahead so you don’t find yourself blowing your travel budget on a 6-dollar bottle of water.

That’s my list of what to bring and what not to bring- what about you? I’d love to hear suggestions and feedback in the comments!

FAQ’s

I call the neighborhood around Pike Place market home. Despite being in the top 30 tourist spots in the world, Pike Place is actually a popular destination for downtown residents, not just tourists. For in-season produce and niche-grocery items, the market can’t be beaten. And where else could we find enormous bouquets for less than the price of a Starbucks Venti latte?

More Articles on Pike Place Market:

How to Get from Pike Place Market to the Space Needle without a Car

Where Locals Eat at Pike Place Market: Best Restaurants

Rainy Day Things to do at Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market: Ultimate Insider’s Guide

Pike Place Market’s Secret Garden

How to Get from Seattle Airport to Pike Place Market without a Car

Coffee in Pike Place Market: A Coffee-Obsessed Local’s Flow Chart

6 Seattle Foods you Must Try in Pike Place Market

1. Wilkinson, M. A. C., Kiernan, M. A., Wilson, J. A., Loveday, H. P., & Bradley, C. R. (2018). Assessment of the efficacy of a patient hand wipe: development of a test method. Journal of Hospital Infection, 98(4), 339-344. [↩]