The Seattle Tacoma Airport or SeaTac Airport is one of those airports you wouldn’t mind being be stuck in. Habitually occupying one of the top 10 spots in the category of best airports in the world (50 to 60 million passengers), Seattle Airport is as up-to-date and tech-savvy as the city itself. There are loads of things to do at Seattle Airport as well as nearby. King County Metro and Sound Transit offer bus service to quite a few destinations, while the Sound Transit Link Light Rail offers free transit to and from the airport. Here’s our list of 10 things to do in and near Seattle Airport, to make your Seattle Airport layover a whole lot of fun.
1. Tuck into tasty food
Seattle Airport’s food and dining options are a lifesaver for all of those who are dreading bland and tasteless in-flight food. Fuel up at the Seattle airport, and you can give airline food a miss. For sustenance of the fishy sort, try Lucky Louie Fish Shack and Koi Shi Sushi Bento in the Central Terminal. Foodies swear by the Alaska pollock fish and chips, and Old School Shrimp Melt at Lucky Louie, as well as their little waffle fish treats that are filled with cheesecakey goodness and served with a choice of dipping sauces. At the Koi Shi Sushi Bento, you get to make your own poke bowl. For something a little healthier, you can try Neighborhood for sandwiches and salads. The Africa Lounge, in Concourse A, serves delicious African food (Congolese to be exact) that includes Sambusa, Jollof rice, and fried plantains. Grab n go croissants and quiches are available at Floret. The Rel’Lish Burger Lounge offers a slightly more upscale ambiance as well as burgers and breakfast sandwiches. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, as its name suggests, serves up loads of cheesy goodness in their mac ‘n’ cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches.
2. Find a watering hole
There’s plenty of places you can get a pint and more to quench your thirst during a long layover at the Seattle Airport. Africa Lounge has a pretty impressive selection of local beers on tap. Bigfoot Food and Spirits have both beer and wine options. Lady Yum offers sparkling and local wines. Salty’s serves craft beer and has excellent views of a new stage for musicians. Le Grand Comptoir has a pretty comprehensive wine selection which they pair with cheese and charcuterie plates, salads, and tartines. Floret has a full bar, as do Mi Casa Cantina, Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max, Skillet, and Dungeness Bay Seafood House.
3. Shop till you drop
As far as airport shopping goes, Seattle Airport has some first-class offerings. Make use of your layover at Seattle Airport to do some shopping. You’ll find a varied mix of international brands and locally-owned shops here. Brand aficionados can check out Coach, MAC, Tumi, and Swarovski. Chalo Seattle, Fireworks, Seattle Made, Show Pony, and Seattle Chocolate offer a uniquely Seattle shopping experience. The usual airport suspects like Hudson, InMotion, and Dufry are also available for a spot of casual shopping.
4. Enjoy great live music
Seattle has a pretty amazing music history, having been home to alt-rock bands like Alice in Chains, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. The Seattle Airport pays homage to the city’s rich musical legacy with fabulous live music performances by independent and upcoming local artists. Take off those EarPods, people, ‘cos it’s headbangin’ time!
5. Get a dose of culture
There’s plenty of art to be appreciated at Seattle airport. The Seattle Museum displays over a hundred art installations in glass, sculpture, photography, painting, and even sound. Renowned artists like Louise Nevelson, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, Dick Weiss, Robert Maki, and several others have some of their most famous works on display at the airport.
6. Surf the Web
WiFi is free and unlimited at SeaTac, making your Seattle Airport layover the perfect opportunity to catch up on your work emails or your social media streams. Free WiFi is available all throughout the Seattle airport.
7. Enjoy a movie
This is a pretty unique Seattle Airport experience. Digiboo has installed 14 bright orange interactive touchscreen kiosks throughout the airport. Travelers can go into these and download more than 700 other titles to a USB drive in less than a minute. Now you’re set to spend hours of Seattle layover time watching movies. You can also save them to watch once you’re on board your flight.
8. Relax and unwind
There’s nothing quite like a massage to help relax those tired travel muscles. Head over to the Massage Bar in the North Satellite terminal for a relaxing heat massage to get rid of all those kinks. There’s also a Butter London Nail Spa if you want to spruce yourself up with you’d prefer a manicure or pedicure.
9. Settle down for a snooze
Getting a little shut-eye during your layover at Seattle Airport is a great idea, more so if you’re someone who finds it difficult to sleep in an airplane. There’s plenty of comfy spots across the airport where you settle down for a nap. We recommend the long, padded benches and armrest-free seats near Gates A14, B8, C10, and the South Terminal. If you’d prefer a little less noise, we suggest you try one of the SeaTac Airport lounges.
10. Get some quiet time
If you want a break from all the hustle and bustle, Seattle Airport has just the thing for you. There’s a Meditation/Quiet Room located before security on the Mezzanine Level of the airport above Checkpoint 3. The Seattle Airport meditation room is nondenominational and is welcomes both passengers and employees 24/7.
Things to do near Seattle Airport
If you have a long layover at Seattle Airport, make use of it by exploring the Emerald City. As we mentioned earlier, there are enough public transport options that can take you from Seattle Airport to the city in no time. The Link Light Rail is what we recommend. The Angle Back Park is easily reached via the Light Link rail and offers a welcome outdoor respite for travel-weary folk.
The CenturyLink Field (home of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders) is also easily accessible via the Link Light Rail. If it’s a bit of excitement you crave, try your luck at SeaTac’s Silver Dollar Casino. You cannot visit Seattle without stopping at the famous Pike Place Market and trying your hand at catching some local fish! If you have enough time on your hands, a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel is not to be missed.
Note: Before you venture out during your layover at Seattle Airport, make sure you are permitted to do so.
SeaTac Airport Travel Tip:
- If you want spend time enjoying all that SeaTac Airport has to offer, be sure to reach the airport early. Make sure you book your SeaTac parking spot ahead of your travel so that there’s no last-minute hurrying.
- Avoid public transportation and services like rideshares or taxis as far as possible – opt instead to drive yourself to the Seattle airport if you need to catch a flight. You can further minimize your risk by booking your contactless SeaTac airport parking spot online.
