Start on the waterfront by the Seattle Aquarium, climb up to Pike Place Market, follow 1st Avenue past the Seattle Art Museum, cut over to the Central Library, then head south into Pioneer Square before finishing at Smith Tower.

Waterfront Park & Seattle Aquarium
1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101
Start along the revitalized Seattle waterfront, with views of Puget Sound, the ferry terminal, and Elliott Bay. The Seattle Aquarium sits right here if you want to duck inside before heading up into the city.

Pike Place Market
85 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101
Head up the hill into Seattle's iconic farmers market. Watch the fish-throwing at Pike Place Fish Market, wander the lower level's odd little shops, and grab a bite — Piroshky Piroshky and the original Starbucks are both right here.

Seattle Art Museum & Hammering Man
1300 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
A few blocks south, SAM anchors 1st Avenue with a strong collection spanning Native American, African, and contemporary art. Out front, don't miss the 48-foot kinetic sculpture Hammering Man, silently swinging its arm four times a minute.

Seattle Central Library
1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
Cut inland to Rem Koolhaas's glass-and-steel Central Library — one of the most photographed buildings in the city. The spiraling "Books Spiral" floor and the crisscrossing glass exterior are worth a walk-through even if you're not there to check out a book.

Pioneer Square (Pergola & Totem Pole)
1st Ave & Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98104
Head south into Seattle's oldest neighborhood, rebuilt in Romanesque brick after the Great Fire of 1889. The cast-iron Pioneer Square Pergola (a National Historic Landmark) and the totem pole mark the heart of the historic district — a good spot to browse galleries or peek into an Underground Tour storefront.

Smith Tower
506 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
Finish at Seattle's first skyscraper, built in 1914 and the tallest building on the West Coast for nearly 50 years. Ride the historic Otis elevators up to the 35th-floor Observatory for a 360-degree view and a cocktail in the speakeasy-style bar.