Washington in March 2026: Cherry Blossoms, Rainforests, and Real Costs

What to Pack

A waterproof shell jacket is non-negotiable — but leave the umbrella at home. Locals consider it a dead giveaway that you're visiting, and honestly, the drizzle is too light for one anyway. A good rain jacket with a hood handles everything March throws at you.

Layer a fleece or merino wool mid-layer underneath for warmth. Temperatures swing 10-15 degrees between morning and afternoon, so peeling layers matters more than packing heavy coats.

Waterproof walking shoes (not just water-resistant) will save your trip. You'll be on wet sidewalks, muddy trails, and rain-slicked market floors. Bring sunglasses too — the glare off Puget Sound on clear days is surprisingly intense.

Getting Around

Downtown Seattle is walkable, and the light rail covers most neighborhoods you'll want to visit. A day pass costs $8 and connects the airport, downtown, Capitol Hill, the University District, and Northgate.

Only rent a car if you're planning day trips outside the city. Olympic National Park, Whidbey Island, and the North Cascades all require driving. Skip the rental for a city-only trip — parking downtown runs $30-50/day and the one-way streets will test your patience.

For a single day trip, consider Turo or Zipcar instead of a full rental. You'll save on the days you don't need a vehicle.

Downtown & Pike Place ($150-250/night)

The obvious choice for first-time visitors. You're walking distance to Pike Place Market, the waterfront, Pioneer Square, and the ferry terminal. Several boutique hotels along 1st Avenue have glass-walled rooms facing Elliott Bay — watching container ships slide past at sunset is worth the premium.

The trade-off is noise and tourist density. Even in March, Pike Place draws crowds by mid-morning. If you want to roll out of bed and be first at the market stalls, this is your spot.

Capitol Hill & First Hill ($120-180/night)

Capitol Hill is Seattle's most interesting neighborhood for food, bars, and street life. Broadway and Pike/Pine corridors are packed with independent restaurants, cocktail bars, and coffee shops that locals actually frequent. First Hill sits just south with slightly lower rates and easy downhill walks to downtown.

Light rail connects Capitol Hill to downtown in 5 minutes. You get a more local experience without sacrificing convenience. This is where Seattle's food scene is evolving fastest in 2026.

Budget Options ($80-120/night)

The University District near UW campus has affordable hotels and hostels, plus you're steps from the cherry blossoms at the Quad. The neighborhood has solid cheap eats — pho, teriyaki, and dim sum within walking distance.

HI Seattle hostel near Pike Place is another strong budget option at $45-60/bed in a dorm, or $120 for a private room. Location is unbeatable for the price.

Cherry Blossoms at UW Campus

The University of Washington Quad has over 30 Yoshino cherry trees that erupt in pale pink blooms, typically late March through early April. It's one of the best cherry blossom displays in the country and far less chaotic than the Tidal Basin in D.C.

Timing is everything — peak bloom lasts only 7-10 days and shifts year to year based on winter temperatures. Check the UW Cherry Blossom Tracker as your trip approaches. Arrive before 9am on weekdays for photos without crowds. By noon on sunny weekends, the Quad is shoulder-to-shoulder.

The display is completely free. While you're on campus, walk down to the Montlake Cut to watch boats pass between Lake Washington and Lake Union.

Pike Place Market

Pike Place runs year-round, but March means you can actually move through the aisles without being swept along by the summer mob. The fish-throwing at Pike Place Fish Co. happens regardless of season. The Original Starbucks on Pike Place is worth a quick look, but the line is still 20-30 minutes even in March.

The real finds are in the lower levels, known as the "Down Under" shops. Three floors of quirky stores, vintage posters, and small galleries sit below the main market floor. Most tourists never go past the first level. Budget 2-3 hours to explore properly.

Best strategy: arrive on a weekday before 10am. Start at the main arcade, work your way down, then loop back up for a late breakfast at Lowell's or Biscuit Bitch.

Olympic National Park Day Trip

Olympic National Park is 2.5 hours west of Seattle and packs three distinct ecosystems into one park: temperate rainforest, rugged Pacific coastline, and alpine glaciers. March is ideal for the lower elevations — the Hoh Rainforest is impossibly green after winter rains, and Ruby Beach has dramatic sea stacks without summer crowds.

The Hoh Rainforest Hall of Mosses Trail is a 0.8-mile loop through old-growth Sitka spruce draped in moss. It's flat, easy, and otherworldly. Ruby Beach is another 45 minutes west and puts you on the Pacific with driftwood logs the size of school buses.

Hurricane Ridge at 5,200 feet may have limited road access in March depending on snowfall. Check road status before driving up. Park entry is $30 per vehicle, valid for 7 days.

Taste Washington Wine Event

Taste Washington is the state's premier wine and culinary event, held annually in March at various Seattle venues. Washington is the second-largest wine-producing state in the U.S. and this event showcases hundreds of wineries alongside top Pacific Northwest chefs.

The Grand Tasting is the main event — a massive walk-around tasting with 200+ wineries and 60+ restaurants. Tickets run $85-150 depending on the tier. Smaller seminars and winemaker dinners happen throughout the week for deeper dives.

If you're a wine drinker, this alone justifies timing your trip for March. The event typically falls in the last week of the month.

Penn Cove Musselfest

Held in early March in Coupeville on Whidbey Island, Penn Cove Musselfest is a celebration of the area's famous mussels. The festival includes mussel farm boat tours, a chowder competition judged by local chefs, live music, and mussel eating contests.

Getting there is half the fun. Take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton (20 minutes, $15 round trip for walk-ons) and drive 30 minutes north to Coupeville. The island itself is worth exploring — Ebey's Landing has coastal bluff trails with Cascade views.

Seafood Season

March is prime time for Dungeness crab and Pacific oysters. Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar on Capitol Hill serves oysters shucked to order from their own farms — $3-4 each, or $18 for a half dozen. It's the most direct farm-to-table seafood experience in the city.

Pike Place Chowder has won multiple awards for a reason. The New England clam chowder is rich without being heavy, and the smoked salmon chowder is a Seattle original. Lines move fast even when they look long.

For a sit-down splurge, The Walrus and the Carpenter in Ballard does inventive raw bar plates in a tiny, always-packed room. Walk-in only, so arrive right at 4pm opening.

2026 Food Scene

Viet-Cajun crawfish boils are Seattle's hottest food trend heading into spring 2026. Mama's Crawfish in the Rainier Valley and Crawfish Chef in the International District both do garlic butter crawfish bags with Vietnamese dipping sauces that rival Houston's best.

Death & Co, the legendary New York cocktail bar, opened its Seattle outpost in Pioneer Square. Expect $18-22 cocktails and a dark, moody space that feels nothing like the rest of Seattle's casual bar scene.

Capitol Hill's food scene keeps diversifying — a new East Indian and Bangladeshi spot has locals excited, adding to the neighborhood's already strong roster of Thai, Ethiopian, and Mexican restaurants.

Budget Eats

Pike Place Market stalls are your best friend on a budget. Piroshky Piroshky does stuffed Russian pastries for $5-8. Beecher's Handmade Cheese serves their famous mac and cheese for $7. You can eat well at the market for $12-15.

Uwajimaya in the International District has an outstanding food court — Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Filipino stalls all under $12. It's where locals eat, not a tourist trap.

Teriyaki is Seattle's unsung fast food. Nearly every neighborhood has a family-run teriyaki shop doing chicken plates with rice and salad for $10-13. It's the city's true working-class lunch.

Day 1: Arrive in Seattle

Take the Link Light Rail from SEA to your hotel. Drop your bags and head straight to Pike Place Market — the afternoon energy is more relaxed than morning. Watch the fish toss, grab chowder, and explore the Down Under shops.

Walk the waterfront south toward Pioneer Square for dinner. The Puget Sound at dusk, with the Olympic Mountains silhouetted across the water, is one of the best views in the Pacific Northwest. End with a drink at a waterfront bar.

Day 2: Downtown Seattle

Start at Chihuly Garden and Glass — the blown glass installations are stunning in any weather, and the outdoor garden is even better in soft rain. It's adjacent to the Space Needle if you want to go up ($35-40), but the view from Kerry Park in Queen Anne is free and arguably better.

Afternoon at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) next door. The Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix exhibits are worth the $35 admission alone. Walk through Pioneer Square's galleries in the late afternoon, then head to Capitol Hill for dinner and bars.

Day 3: University District + Eastside

Morning at the UW Quad for cherry blossoms (if they're blooming — check the tracker). The campus itself is beautiful, with Gothic architecture and views of Mount Rainier from the steps of Drumheller Fountain.

Afternoon, cross Lake Washington to Bellevue or Kirkland. Kirkland's waterfront park has public art, beach access, and a slower pace than Seattle. Bellevue's downtown has upscale shopping and the new East Link light rail connection makes it easy to reach without a car.

Day 4: Olympic National Park

Leave Seattle by 7am for the 2.5-hour drive to the Hoh Rainforest. Hike the Hall of Mosses Trail and the Spruce Nature Trail (3 miles total, easy). Drive 45 minutes to Ruby Beach for a coastal walk among sea stacks and driftwood.

If the road is open, swing through Hurricane Ridge for alpine views on the way back. Stop in Port Angeles for a late lunch. You'll return to Seattle by 8-9pm — it's a full day, but Olympic is the kind of place that stays with you.

Day 5: Whidbey Island or North Cascades

Option A: Take the Mukilteo ferry to Whidbey Island. Explore Coupeville's historic waterfront, eat Penn Cove mussels at Toby's Tavern, and hike the bluffs at Ebey's Landing. Return via the Deception Pass Bridge for one of the most dramatic viewpoints in the state.

Option B: Drive 2 hours east to the North Cascades. Diablo Lake's turquoise water is visible from Highway 20 overlooks (check road status — the upper highway may still be closed in early March). Either way, plan to be back by late afternoon for an evening flight home.