Seattle vacation rentals

Sandwiched between the waters of Puget Sound and Lake Washington and between the mountains of the Olympic and Cascade ranges, Seattle is a city of stunning views. Combining that allure with its gentle, outdoors-focused lifestyle, the city is an ideal spot for an urban getaway or as a base for a longer trip to explore western Washington. Green parks and tree-lined neighborhoods spread across the city, while Mount Rainier and the iconic Space Needle anchor the skyline. The latter offers a stunning view of the city’s many hills and waterways, including the houseboats along Lake Union and the ferries shuttling passengers across Elliott Bay. Though its surroundings provide a stunning backdrop, the city also lives up to its much-deserved reputation for great music, strong coffee, and ubiquitous flannel shirts.

Seattle’s reputation for rain precedes it, but most visitors will find their trip unaffected by it: The rainy season runs opposite tourist season, with the bulk of precipitation coming down from November to March. Additionally, the rain that does fall rarely comes in stormy sheets, but rather in a constant drizzle — the kind that can feel endless to residents, but which rarely calls for canceling outdoor plans. A waterproof, hooded rain jacket provides better protection from this kind of rain than an umbrella. Cool weather arrives in winter, but temperatures rarely drop below freezing during the day. The dry summer season brings delightfully pleasant weather, and is an ideal time to book one of the city’s vacation rentals, with daily high temperatures averaging in the high 70s Fahrenheit and cool evenings in the mid-50s.

Fremont

The self-proclaimed “Center of the Universe” epitomizes the quirky, friendly nature of Seattle neighborhoods, with its ample public art like the “Waiting for the Interurban” statues and a waterfront park created from a former gasification plant. Home to many of Seattle’s big tech companies, Fremont also offers an exciting slate of shops and restaurants catering to young, hip crowds.

Olympic Sculpture Park

The outdoor arm of the Seattle Art Museum, this free nine-acre, multilevel public park features temporary and permanent sculptures from internationally renowned artists. The installations dot a hillside cut through by a zig-zag path that leads down to the picturesque Elliott Bay, where it meets up with Myrtle Edwards Park and the Elliott Bay Trail.

Pike Place Market

Dating back to 1907, Seattle’s beloved and enormous market, perched over the waterfront, enjoys fame around the world for the fish from nearby waters. But the colorful displays of flowers, farm stands full of fruit, and dozens of local culinary producers deserve equally high billing. On the lesser-known lower floors and outer buildings, hundreds of craft artists, small businesses, and restaurants serve the community.