Want to explore Seattle but only have a limited amount of time? Here’s my picks for must-see places to explore and eat in this 48 Hours in Seattle Travel Guide.

Every time I visit Seattle, it happens to be for only a short amount of time. I just recently had a job in Seattle, and only about two days to explore the city. So I decided to put together this 48 Hours in Seattle Travel Guide. Below are my picks for spending 48 hours in Seattle, which includes a nice balance of great food, art, and local flair.

48 Hours in Seattle

DAY ONE:

Be a Tourist: Downtown, Pike Place, Chihuly, Space Needle

1PM: Head downtown. Grab a cup of coffee at the 15,000 square-foot Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room {pictured below}. It’s like the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory for caffeine lovers, and it’s glorious. Watch coffee being roasted and pull up a seat at the bar, where you can order flights or tastings of some of Starbuck’s rarest, small-batch coffees. There’s also signature drinks you won’t find at any other Starbucks, including Nitro Cold-Brew Ice Cream Floats. Starbucks plans on opening a few more of these roasteries (Tokyo, Chicago, Italy, China, and NY are in the works), but right now this is the only one.

2PM: Walk 9 blocks down to Pike Place Market, the ultimate Seattle experience. Wander around, watch fish getting thrown, and explore the shops. There’s fresh produce, flowers, specialty coffee and tea, candy and chocolate shops, artisan goods galore, bookstores, and antiques and collectibles. And, of course, there’s tons of food. Grab a fruity ginger beer from Rachel’s Ginger Beer {pictured below}, which tastes like pure heaven on a hot day. Try the infamous mac and cheese from Beecher’s, or take home some cheese curds. The chowder from Pike Place Chowder is a must, especially when paired with a Piroshky Piroshky. Don’t leave without seeing the Gum Wall and taking in some views from the waterfront.

4PM: After spending a few hours wandering around Pike Place, head to the Space Needle. If you want to burn off all of the food you most likely consumed at the market, it’s only about a 20 minute walk to the Needle. Buy the combination package tickets for both the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass; both are right next to each other and buying the package grants you a nice discount. After you take in Seattle from incredible views, the Chihuly museum {pictured below} is well worth the visit. The glass garden is a gorgeous respite from the liveliness of the city.

8PM: After all of that art and culture, it’s dinner time. Head back to the Pike Place area to The Pink Door. Make sure you have reservations. The Italian restaurant also hosts nightly entertainment, including cabaret, burlesque, live music, and aerial trapeze performances. The Antipasto of the House, Lasagna Pink Door, and house-made desserts are not to be missed.

DAY TWO:

A Little Bit of Everything: Fremont Troll, Farmer’s Markets, Dumplings, Movie & Drinks

9AM: Grab breakfast in Belltown. I have two suggestions for you, depending on your mood. The 5-Point Cafe embodies true Seattle flavor, a no-frills joint open 24 hours that serves up a mean breakfast. It’s loud, it’s a bit crass in a good way, and it displays the slogan “Alcoholics serving alcoholics since 1929.” The biscuits and gravy are delicious and they’re known for their infamous 11-oz Chicken Fried Steak, “Seattle’s biggest,” if you’re really hungry. If you want something a bit more refined, check out Tilikum Place Cafe right next door for some incredible Dutch Baby pancakes.

11AM: Go see the Fremont Troll {pictured below}, a Seattle institution. From the troll, take a short 10 minute stroll to the waterfront and Fremont Canal Park {pictured above}, where you can meander the pedestrian walkway and watch the boats and activity on the water. Depending on your mood, grab a coffee from Milstead & Co. or a cider flight from Schilling Cider House.

1PM: Head to lunch! FOB Poke Bar {pictured below} is a relatively new poke restaurant, and it’s amazing. The concept is a Build-Your-Own Poke Bowl (think Chipotle, with poke). It’s affordable, completely customizable, and utterly delicious. Make sure your bowl includes the house rice, which is infused with matcha and coconut. Yum.

2PM: Check out a local farmer’s market, festival, or fair. There’s most likely one happening during your stay. Check out this list of farmer’s markets by neighborhood.

4PM: Take a break and see a movie. But not at just any theater. Head to Cinerama {pictured below}, “Seattle’s most epic movie theater.” The Belltown landmark has comfortable plush seating, a huge screen, and even rotating lobby displays with original movie costumes. Grab a local beer and their famous Half Chocolate Half Butter Popcorn for the movie.

7PM: Dinner and drinks! In the mood for dumplings? Check out Din Tai Fung {pictured below}, which has several locations throughout Seattle you can choose from. This popular restaurant usually has a wait, so come prepared. Watch dumplings being hand-formed through the windows and order a sampling to share and try a couple different kinds. After, grab a nightcap at a local bar (or two). My favorite Seattle bar is Unicorn {pictured below}, a whacky carnival-themed watering hole that serves corndogs and delicious fruity drinks. Other great options include the speakeasies Knee High Stocking Co. and Bathtub Gin & Co.—besides both ending in Co., they both serve up fantastic drinks, Prohibition style.

DAY THREE:

Pie and Goodbyes: Queen Anne, Louisiana Breakfast, Salami & Sculpture Park

9AM: Good morning. Rise and shine and head to Toulouse Petit in Queen Anne for breakfast. The popular (and busy, come early) restaurant takes inspiration from New Orleans, serving up beignets covered in powdered sugar, tasso ham cakes, fried oysters, and crawfish scrambles.

11AM: Walk off all of those beignets at the Olympic Sculpture Park, where you can take in waterfront views and admire larger-than-life sculptures.

12PM: Goodbyes are always so sad, aren’t they? I like to say farewell and wrap up my 48 hours in Seattle with salami and with pie. Salumi Artisan Cured Meats is a Seattle favorite owned by Mario Batali’s dad. Split a delicious, meaty sandwich and then try Dahlia Bakery’s {pictured below} famous Triple Coconut Cream Pie. There’s also plenty of treats to take home at Tom Douglas’ gourmet bakery, from chocolates to artisan bread to sandwich cookies.