A rainy day in Seattle is a normal day in Seattle, so the city is built for it. The best plan mixes a few great indoor stops, like the Central Library, Pike Place Market and the museums at Seattle Center, with a little time outside, because most Seattle rain is light. Here are our favourite rainy day ideas, sorted by morning, afternoon and evening the way Ray™ plans a grey day.
How often does it rain in Seattle?
Often, but gently. Seattle gets about 39 inches of rain a year, less than many East Coast cities, spread across about 156 days. From November to January it rains on more than half of all days, while July and August see fewer than five each. See the month by month numbers on our Seattle Grey Index page, or find out where Seattle ranks among the cloudiest cities in the US.
That light, steady rain is good news for visitors. A waterproof jacket and shoes with grip will take you most places, and a lot of the city's best stops are covered.
What can you do on a rainy morning in Seattle?
Walk the covered arcades at Pike Place Market
The market has been running since 1907, and its main arcade is under cover. Go early, before the crowds, for coffee, fresh pastries and the flower stalls. It is a good place to start a grey day, since you can stay dry and still feel like you are out in the city.
Read in the Central Library
The Seattle Central Library downtown is free and open to everyone. The glass and steel building, designed by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, opened in 2004 and is worth seeing even if you never open a book. The high reading room near the top fills with soft light on a cloudy morning, and you can watch the rain run down the glass.
Catch the late morning light outside
In a Seattle winter the light is at its best around midday, roughly 11:30 am to 12:45 pm. If the rain eases, that is the window for a short walk along the waterfront or up to the Seattle Center grounds. Our grey-day morning routine has more ideas for dark mornings at home.
What can you do on a rainy afternoon in Seattle?
Spend it at Seattle Center
Three big indoor stops sit side by side near the Space Needle. The Museum of Pop Culture, in its Frank Gehry building, covers music, film and games. Chihuly Garden and Glass shows Dale Chihuly's glasswork in indoor galleries and a tall glasshouse. Pacific Science Center is a good pick with kids.
See art downtown or on First Hill
The Seattle Art Museum is on First Avenue, a short walk from the market. Up on First Hill, the Frye Art Museum is free to visit.
Go somewhere green and dry
The Volunteer Park Conservatory in Capitol Hill is a Victorian style glasshouse full of palms, orchids and cactus. On a cold, wet afternoon it is warm, bright and green inside. Check its website for opening times and tickets before you go.
Learn some Seattle history
The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) at Lake Union Park tells the story of the city. The Museum of Flight, south of downtown, has more than enough aircraft to fill a wet afternoon. In Pioneer Square, an underground tour takes you through the old storefronts left below street level after the city was rebuilt.
Get on the water anyway
The Washington State Ferries run from the downtown terminal at Colman Dock to Bainbridge Island in about 35 minutes. You can sit inside by the window, watch the rain over Elliott Bay and look back at the skyline. It is one of the best views of the city, rain or shine.
If you hit the 2 pm slump, our guide to the afternoon slump on grey days has a simple routine to get you through it.
What can you do on a rainy evening in Seattle?
It gets dark early in winter. On 21 December the sun sets at 4:20 pm, so most rainy evenings start in the late afternoon. That makes it a good time for an unhurried dinner, a browse at Elliott Bay Book Company in Capitol Hill, a film or a show.
Or stay in. Lamps on, something warm to drink and a slow wind down is a very Seattle way to spend a wet night. Our guide to winding down when it's dark at 4:30 has a simple evening routine.
A simple rainy day plan for Seattle
- Morning: coffee at Pike Place Market, then the Central Library.
- Midday: a short walk outside while the light is best.
- Afternoon: Seattle Center, the Frye or the conservatory, or the ferry to Bainbridge.
- Evening: an early dinner and a bookshop, or lamps on at home.
What should you wear on a rainy day in Seattle?
A light waterproof jacket with a hood, layers underneath and shoes that grip on wet pavement. Many locals skip the umbrella because the rain is light and the wind can turn it inside out. Ray™ keeps his anyway.
FAQ
What is there to do in Seattle when it rains?
Head indoors to the Central Library, Pike Place Market, the Museum of Pop Culture, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Seattle Art Museum or the free Frye Art Museum. Or put on a waterproof jacket and ride the ferry to Bainbridge Island. Seattle rain is usually light, so plenty still works outside.
Is Seattle rain heavy?
Usually not. Seattle gets about 39 inches of rain a year, less than many East Coast cities, but it falls lightly on about 156 days, based on NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Sea-Tac Airport.
When is the rainiest time of year in Seattle?
November to January. It rains on about 18 to 19 days a month then, against fewer than five in July and August.
What are free things to do in Seattle on a rainy day?
The Central Library and the Frye Art Museum are both free to visit, and wandering the covered arcades at Pike Place Market costs nothing.
Ray™'s take: Seattle doesn't wait for the rain to stop, and neither do I. Plan your grey day with our Morning, Afternoon and Evening lineups, and see how other cities compare in The Grey Index.
Sources
Rainfall and days with rain: NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Sea-Tac Airport, as shown on our Seattle Grey Index page. Sunset time for 21 December 2026: timeanddate.com. Free admission at the Frye: Frye Art Museum. Opening times and prices change, so check each place before you go.