Pike Place Market
85 Pike St, Seattle, WA
Seattle, WA
A rambling, century-old public market stacked above Elliott Bay, where fishmongers toss salmon over the counter, flower stalls overflow, and the red Public Market sign glows over the crowd.
Since 1907, Pike Place Market has been the beating heart of Seattle, one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers markets in the country and still very much a working one. Beneath its famous red Public Market Center sign, a warren of stalls and shops tumbles down the bluff above Elliott Bay, packed with fish on ice, buckets of flowers, mountains of fruit, and tables of handmade crafts, all of it loud, colorful, and alive with the crowd.
It is the kind of place that rewards wandering. Follow the smell of fresh doughnuts or piroshki, watch the fishmongers at the counter launch a whole salmon through the air to a coworker's waiting arms, browse the craft tables, and drift down the market's many levels toward the water. Half a tourist landmark and half a genuine neighborhood market, Pike Place is Seattle distilled: briny, rainy, friendly, and full of good things to eat.
What Guests Love
- The fishmongers tossing whole salmon over the counter
- Stalls piled with flowers, produce, and handmade crafts
- The famous glowing Public Market Center sign and clock
- Sweeping views over Elliott Bay and the waterfront
Worth Knowing
- It is busiest late morning through afternoon; go early for a calmer visit and first pick of the stalls
- The market rambles over several levels connected by stairs and ramps, so give yourself time to wander and get lost
- Many stalls are cash-friendly and vendors rotate daily, so half the fun is simply seeing what is there
- It is walkable to the waterfront below, where the big Ferris wheel and piers stretch along Elliott Bay
Details
Seattle, WA
Learn about Pike Place Market
A market more than a century old
Pike Place opened in 1907 so that Seattle shoppers could buy directly from the farmers who grew their food, cutting out the middlemen, and that founding idea still runs the place. Farmers, fishers, bakers, and craftspeople sell their own goods from the market's tables, and a rule that vendors sell what they make or grow keeps it authentic rather than a mall of souvenirs.
Over the decades the market grew into a rambling complex of arcades, shops, and eateries stacked on several levels down the hillside, saved from demolition by Seattle citizens in the 1970s and now a beloved historic district. It remains a real market where locals shop, wrapped in the buzz and clatter that only a busy public market has.
Fish, flowers, and the famous sign
The market's most famous spectacle is the fish. At the counter of the original fish stall, workers call out orders and hurl whole salmon and other catch through the air, a piece of showmanship that draws a permanent ring of onlookers with their phones raised. Nearby, stalls overflow with cut flowers, fresh produce, cheeses, spices, and baked goods, a feast for the senses at every turn.
Overhead glows the market's signature landmark, the red neon Public Market Center sign and clock, one of the most photographed pieces of Seattle. Around and below it spread the crafts tables, tiny shops, and eateries that make the market a place to graze and browse for hours, from the first espresso to a late-day bowl of chowder.
Above the waterfront
Pike Place sits right at the edge of the bluff above Elliott Bay, and its lower levels and terraces open to big views of the water, the ferries, and the waterfront piers. Step out and the salt air, the gulls, and the sound of the harbor make clear you are on Puget Sound, with the Olympic Mountains sometimes floating on the horizon across the water.
That setting makes the market a natural starting point for exploring downtown Seattle. From here it is a short walk down to the waterfront, with its big Ferris wheel and piers along the bay, and up into the city's shops and neighborhoods. However far you roam, the market pulls you back, if only for one more doughnut and one more look at that glowing sign.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Seattle
Seattle Waterfront and the Great Wheel
Just below the market
The Elliott Bay waterfront with its piers, shops, and a towering Ferris wheel offering views across Puget Sound.
Seattle Art Museum
About 3 blocks
A major downtown art museum, marked by its giant animated Hammering Man sculpture, a short walk from the market.
Olympic Sculpture Park
About 1 mile
A free outdoor sculpture park along the waterfront with big artworks and views of the sound and the Olympic Mountains.