Seattle is a seaport city on the west coast of the United States in the  state of Washington & is a the gateway to Alaska along with it's Canadian neighbour Vancouver. With an estimated 704,352 residents as of 2016, it is the largest city in both  Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The city is situated between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, about 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canada–United States border and is a major gateway for trade with Asia.

The Seattle area was previously inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers. The settlement was named "Seattle" in 1852, after Chief Si'ahl of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes. Browse cruises from Seattle | Browse Alaska Cruises

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Weather

The hottest month of year in Seattle is July with an average temperature of 18°C (64°F) it is also at this time of year that the city sees the most sunshine at 10 hours, at the opposite end of the scalse the coldest month is January with average temperatures of 5°C (41°F) with the most daily sunshine hours at 10 in July, the month of December is the wettest month with an average of 150mm of rain. 

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Things to see and do in Seattle

The Seattle Center,  location of the 1962 World's Fair, has become a premier destination for arts, entertainment and leisure activities.  The 74-acre campus is home to The Experience Music Project, The Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, and The Space Needle. Downtown Seattle hosts the Seattle Art Museum, The Seattle Symphony, and Pike Place Market. Historic Pioneer Square is the destination for the Seattle Underground Tour, and is adjacent to CenturyLink Stadium and Safeco Field.

With 2 centrally located cruise terminals and easy access to the airports, Seattle is one of the premier departure ports for your cruise to Alaska. Seven different cruise lines offer more than 200 homeports from the city every year. Better yet, before or after your cruise, you can easily explore Seattle’s major attractions.

Whether you have two hours or two days in town, there’s plenty to see and do mere steps from your cruise ship. If your looking for ideas of what you can do on your final day in Seattle there are some great examples provided by the Visit Seattle tourist board, we have listed some of the top highlighted examples below

2-Hour Itinerary

You can pack a lot of adventure into a couple of hours in Seattle, and with the downtown core spanning just a compact and walkable mile and a half, you’ll never be too far from the piers or easy transit to the airport. Just a 10-minute walk from Pier 66 or a 25-minute bus ride (route 24) from Pier 91, historic Pike Place Market is a natural first stop. T

he multilevel market is a bustling mix of artisan craft and produce vendors, sweeping stands of technicolor flowers, locally owned shops, and live entertainment in the form of street buskers and wader-clad fishmongers slinging salmon. Tour the main level but be sure to explore further—the market is full of hidden gems, from a magic shop with tricks performed while you browse to a tucked-away urban garden boasting a stunning overlook of Puget Sound.

For more views, stroll the newly expanded MarketFront, which houses 47 new vendors and four new restaurants, with a huge outdoor plaza and backdrop of the Olympic Mountains across the water. Finally, no trip to Pike Place Market is complete without a picture near the red Public Market Center sign and clock at the entrance on First and Pike. Fuel up after your photo op with a latte from the original Starbucks or a bowl of signature mac and cheese from Beecher’s Handmade Cheese.

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4-Hour Itinerary

Make the most of your time in the Emerald City, either exploring on your own or with a guided tour designed for cruise passengers looking to experience Seattle highlights in just a few hours. Companies like Show Me Seattle, Tours Northwest, and Ride the Ducks all offer info-packed tours traveling to iconic landmarks, from the Space Needle to the houseboat seen in Sleepless in Seattle, all running three hours or less. In Pioneer Square, Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour is a 75-minute mix of humor and history as you stroll through the city’s subterranean streets. For foodies, Savor Seattle Food Tours offers a variety of options, from a chocolate indulgence tour to a Pike Place Market eating extravaganza.

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6-Hour Itinerary

Half a day to explore gives you time to discover scenic parks, hip neighborhoods, and historic landmarks a bit farther afield. Discovery Park in Magnolia is a short taxi or car-sharing ride from Pier 91. At 534-acres, it’s Seattle’s largest park, with a variety of scenery from beaches and bluffs (plus a picturesque lighthouse) to dense forest and wildflower meadows. To see it all, take a stroll around the three-mile

Discovery Park Loop Trail. From Discovery Park, it’s a 10-minute taxi or car-sharing ride to the Ballard neighborhood, known for its maritime and Scandinavian roots. Taste craft beer and spirits at one of the many breweries and distilleries here, or make your way through the artisan boutiques on Ballard Avenue.

While there, stop in at Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery for a sweet pick-me-up. The Ballard Locks are one of the city’s most iconic settings, where visitors can view boats passing through from Puget Sound to Lake Union and Lake Washington (and watch salmon making their way up the “fish ladder” on their own passage through the locks).