11 Things to Do in Seattle at Night 2023: A Locals Guide

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Looking for all the best things to do in Seattle at night? Well, you have come to the right spot! We have lived in the Seattle area for years so we know a thing or two about the amazing things to do at night in Seattle.

Whether you love having fun and back to back itinerary chock full of things to do, or a more relaxed seattle at night experiences. Personally, we like both and sometimes you just need an evening out in seattle for some delicious food and and vibes, or maybe you are visiting for the first time and want to knock off as much of your Seattle night bucket list.

Whatever the case, we created an excellent guide for the best things to do in Seattle during the nighttime, whether you’re a local or a tourist from abroad!

gaming Arcade in Jupiter Bar
Jupiter Bar – They have cool pinball machines and other games! Plus good drinks and food!

11 Best Things To Do in Seattle At Night Overview

We know some of you are on a time crunch and can’t waste time reading a 10-minute blog post. No worries, we totally get it, which is why we included our 11 best things to do in Seattle at night list at the very top for people like yourself who need a quick answer.

  1. Visit the Seattle Waterfront and Great Wheel
  2. Go Bar Hopping at Capitol Hill
  3. Visit International District
  4. Seattle Underground Tour at night
  5. Join a Seattle Night Tour
  6. Have a Karaoke Night in Seattle
  7. Marvel at the Space needle
  8. Visit Paramount Theater for an epic show
  9. Explore Seattle’s Nightlife
  10. Take A Stroll On Alki
  11. Catch a Glimpse of Pikes Market without the masses

Seattle at Night Dos and Don’ts

  • Do be aware of your surroundings
  • Don’t leave valuables in your car
  • Do check the weather forecast
  • Do come prepared for random rain
  • Do be kind to others, Seattle is a very inclusive city, and all are welcome
  • Do watch your things and drinks
  • Do have fun and be open to surprises
  • Don’t walk alone at night
  • Do avoid Alleys, they smell not so great
  • Don’t drink and drive, its illegal and dangerous
  • Don’t do flash photography at night. It can be alarming and rude. Instead, check first, before taking the photo to ensure no one is in it.
  • Do watch out for others, such as homeless people who sleep in certain areas, so be respectful of their space.
  • Don’t walk alone at night
  • Don’t walk in dimly lit areas
  • Do, let others know where you are
  • Do have a Designated Driver if under the influence

Seattle at Night Photography Tips

Only use Flash Photography When:

Cars and people are not around; it’s rude and dangerous to randomly blind someone with a Bright flash when it’s dark.

Head Out before Sunset in Seattle:

Sunset is the golden hour, aka the best photos! There’s still enough light to take great pictures of iconic Seattle monuments and scenes. We recommend hitting up your favorite areas for photos an hour or two before sunset and saving the best for sunset.

Bring Camera Protection for Rain in Seattle:

Its Seattle and it’s not out of the ordinary for a random rain shower to happen, which is why we recommend bringing your camera gear in a waterproof bag for safe measure.

Take Random Photos at night in Seattle:

This may seem weird, but some of the best photos you will take will be around moments you want to remember forever, such as having your first bite of popcorn chicken from Oasis or tasting that delicious boba tea from the hidden around-block spot.

seattle waterfront at night

11 Amazing Things to do in Seattle at Night!

Visit the Seattle waterfront and Great Wheel

Everyone always says to visit the space needle at night, visit smith tower at night, but not many guides will mention the beauty of Seattle’s Waterfront during the nighttime.

The waterfront during the day is beautiful, of course, but at night when the city is lit up, the cars have dwindled down, and the great wheel sparkling lights are beaming through the dark night.

“Well, it’s a view you must see in person to do it justice.”

The Sisters Who Voyage

Plus, if you arrive during the Seattle great wheels operating hours before 9:00 pm on weekdays and before 10:00 pm on weekends during the warmer seasons, you’ll be able to hitch a ride and get even better views of Seattle and Puget Sound!

After catching that view of the great wheel or if you’re lucky, a ride on the Seattle great wheel. then take a stroll through the waterfront, and you’ll see different piers like Pier 55 an pier 54, although they are undergoing construction.

Most of the shops are closed after 9 pm during the weekdays and 10:00 pm on the weekends during the warmer months so get there before that time if you want to see the pier when it’s lively.

Go Bar Hopping at Capital Hill

Capitol Hill is full of awesome things to do at night, whether you want to go on a bar pub crawl, go clubbing with your friends, or eat yummy food.

This part of Seattle is lively during the nighttime, and you’ll often fund college students taking a break from their studies and unwinding down to the festivities of cap hill.

Popular NightClubs in Capitol Hill

There are a lot of clubs in this area; these are the ones we have been to the most frequently and love the vibe, although pretty much all clubs around this area are incredible. Also, you have to be 21 or over, so don’t even try this if you are not!

  • Neighbors
  • Sugar Hill
  • Unicorn
  • Rhino Room

As always, be safe! Watch your things and drinks; if you are uncomfortable, ask for help! Seattle people are pretty friendly, and we have had strangers randomly intervene if they saw we were uncomfortable.

We also always share our locations with friends and family so they can track us when we are out and about during the night and also so they know where to come to pick us up.

Visit International District: Boba and Yummy Snacks

International District is foodie heaven! We think the best time to visit for foodie adventures id during the day, but during the night time there are some boba shops open because people like to hangout and play games, eat popcorn chicken and drink some delicious milk tea.

Our Favorite Boba Shops and Tea Shops That are Open Late in Seattle:

  • Oasis is open till 12:00 am or 1:00 am
  • Bambu is open till 9:00 pm
  • Seattle Best Tea is open from 8:00 pm or 9:00 pm
  • Tp Tea open until 8:00 pm
  • Jazen Tea open until 9:30 pm
  • Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea open until 9:30 pm
  • Sharetea open until est 9:00 pm

*hours can change randomly, so we suggest checking before heading over*

Wondering what other cities are worth visiting in Washington? Read our guide, so you know what places locals love visiting and tourist have no clue about!

Then you are going to need to know what time is the best time to travel to Washington.

Learn about the history of Seattle via an underground tour

Believe it or not, current-day Seattle was built on the old ruins of the original Seattle. Underneath those giant concrete buildings exist a historic Seattle that barely anyone knows about!

This is why exploring old Seattle via an underground walking tour is a totally cool thing to do if you want to learn some cool history of Seattle and see the depths underneath pioneer square and underground passageways dating back to the late 1900s!

Take Seattle Ghost Tour at Night!

Interested in all things spooky, same! We love haunted stories and Halloween everything! We have visited Disneyland during Halloween four times already, exploring haunted lighthouses in Washington and watching scary movies. So, of course, we are going to recommend you take a Spooky Ghost Tour in Seattle!

Although if you don’t all things spooky, please skip this

Karaoke Night!

Sometimes you just need to sing your heart out to some Beyonce and SZA, The thing we love about Karaoke nights, is you don’t have to be a fantastic singer; in fact, the worst the better .

One time we went out to Capitol Hill for some much-needed screaming, I mean singing and someone in our group sounded phenomenal, and the rest of us were like ummm, only horrible singing is allowed?! Joking lol I guess amazing singers can go too.

Anywho, there is a ton of karaoke spots in downtown Seattle.

Seattle at Night Karaoke Spots

  • Rock Box
  • Crescent Lounge
  • Seattle’s Best Karaoke
  • Hula Hula

Marvel at the Space Needle

The Space Needle is a must-do if you are looking for stunning Seattle skyline views at night . Or you could just walk around the area and take pictures of the lit-up Space Needle at night, we are fans of both options, but we do gotta stress those views.

Watch a show at Paramount Theater

The Paramount Theater is a treasure of Seattle, so treat this iconic place with love. We first went here to see The Lion King, which was amazing! This outstanding theater also offers Broadway shows such as Hairspray, Moulin Rouge the musical, To Kill a Mockingbird and many other musicals and art shows.

Explore Seattle’s Nightlife

Seattle is a big city, so its nightlife will be a popular tourist attraction! We love exploring downtown Seattle’s streets, vibrant neighborhoods like Ballard, Belltown, Freemont, Capital Hill, and Pioneer Square.

You’ll find different things to do at night in these areas, whether its fine dining, happy hour chasing, playing miniature golf, investing 4 hours into beating that dive bars pinball machines, going clubbing, visiting local breweries, or simply just strolling around the city.

*As always be safe and pay attention to your surrounding, and don’t leave valuables in your car in plain site, in fact just leave them at the hotel or home*

Walk Along Alki Beach: Stunning Seattle Views and yummy food and drinks

We love visiting Alki Beach once or twice a month during the warmer months in Seattle, whether you are exploring this famous Washington beach for water activities and sea breezes during the day or looking for a relaxing stroll across the paved path from the admiral park to Alki Beach, Alki has something for everyone.

We especially love going during sunset and later because of the beauty of the sun on the Puget Sound and seeing how the beach’s nightlife comes to life with the small bars, restaurants and mom and pop shops packed with tourists and locals.

Pike Place Market at night in seattle

Catch a Glimpse of Pike Market when its calm

Everyone visits Pike Market; it’s the touristy thing to do, so it’s almost impossible to snag a great photo of the market and its stores without a million tourists and cars in the photos. We love exploring Pike Market at night because it’s serene and offers a different look into the buzzing farmers market.

Seattle During The Night FAQ

Does Seattle have a nightlife?

Seattle does have nightlife; it’s full of popular clubs for clubbing, local breweries and dive bars, old-school gaming arcades,s miniature golf, and foodie spots.

Where is the best place to walk in Seattle at night?

The Seattle waterfront is one of the best places to walk at night in Seattle; it offers views of the Puget sound and downtown Seattle.

Can you walk around Seattle at night?

Yes, you can walk around Seattle at night; however, like any other city, practice good safety precautions: pay attention to your surroundings, avoid alleyways, don’t walk solo, avoid dim lit areas, avoid unsafe areas, and let others know where you are

Where is Sleepless in Seattle?

Sleepless in Seattle features iconic spots in Seattle such as Alki Beach, 1st Avenue, Pike Place Market, and others.

Can you drink on the street in Seattle?

No, you cannot drink alcohol on the streets in Seattle; Washington State does not allow public consumption of alcohol, so be aware of that.

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