Weekend Trip to Seattle from LAX: What to Know Before You Book

Seattle is about two and a half hours from LAX, and the nonstop options are plentiful. Alaska, Delta, Southwest, and United all compete on this route, which keeps prices reasonable and gives you plenty of Friday evening departure choices.

The flight

Round trips typically run $100 to $230. Alaska Airlines tends to have the most nonstop options throughout the day. Friday evening departures between 5 and 8 PM land you in Seattle between 7:30 and 10:30 PM. For the return, Sunday flights between 2 and 5 PM give you most of the day before heading home.

Where to stay

Downtown or Capitol Hill. Downtown puts you near Pike Place Market and the waterfront. Capitol Hill puts you in the best restaurant and bar neighborhood in the city. Both are connected by a short light rail ride or a 15-minute walk.

The Graduate Seattle in the University District is a solid budget-friendly option. Thompson Seattle downtown has great views. For something with character, the Hotel Sorrento on First Hill has been around since 1909 and has a genuinely cozy library bar.

48 hours in Seattle

Saturday morning

Pike Place Market early, before the crowds. Get there by 9 AM and you'll actually be able to move around. Watch the fish throwers, grab pastries from Piroshky Piroshky, and walk through the craft stalls. The original Starbucks is here but the line is never worth it. Go to any of the dozen better coffee shops within walking distance instead.

Saturday afternoon

Walk the waterfront from Pike Place down to the Seattle Aquarium and the Great Wheel. Or take the ferry to Bainbridge Island. The ride is 35 minutes each way, and the island has a cute downtown with wine tasting rooms and restaurants right off the ferry dock. You don't need a car. It's one of the best half-day trips from any city in the US.

Saturday evening

Capitol Hill for dinner. The neighborhood has the highest concentration of good restaurants in Seattle. Stateside for Vietnamese-influenced cocktails and food, Canon for one of the best whiskey collections in America, or Altura for Italian tasting menus. Walk Broadway afterward for the bar scene.

Sunday morning

Brunch at Biscuit Bitch (the name is unfortunate but the food is excellent) or Toulouse Petit for something more upscale with a New Orleans twist. After eating, the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is worth an hour or two if you're into music or sci-fi. Or just walk through the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit next to the Space Needle.

Sea-Tac Airport is about 30 minutes from downtown by light rail. Give yourself an hour and a half to get there and through security.

What it costs

A Seattle weekend from LAX runs $400 to $650 per person: $100-230 for flights and $150-200 per night for a hotel in a good location. Seattle food and drinks are comparable to LA prices. Check current LAX to Seattle packages.