
Highest-rated free things to do in Washington by visitors
Highest-rated free things to do in Washington by visitors
Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.
Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.
That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Washington.
From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Washington using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

#30. Green Lake Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,124 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Gas Works Park
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1,003 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Marymere Falls
- Rating: 4.6/5 (744 reviews)
- City: Port Angeles Clallam County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Long Beach
- Rating: 4.4/5 (620 reviews)
- City: Long Beach
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#26. Whatcom Falls Park
- Rating: 4.7/5 (962 reviews)
- City: Bellingham
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Amazon Spheres
- Rating: 4.3/5 (242 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. Riverfront Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,103 reviews)
- City: Spokane
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. Bellevue Botanical Garden
- Rating: 4.6/5 (721 reviews)
- City: Bellevue
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Pike Place Fish Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (777 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Kubota Garden
- Rating: 4.5/5 (526 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Fremont Troll
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,534 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Seattle Waterfront
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1,741 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. University of Washington
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,239 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Bruce Lee Grave Site
- Rating: 4.5/5 (528 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Diablo Lake Vista Point
- Rating: 4.8/5 (148 reviews)
- City: North Cascades National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
- Rating: 4.3/5 (951 reviews)
- City: Woodinville
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Seattle Public Library
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,237 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Washington Park Arboretum
- Rating: 4.5/5 (730 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Discovery Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (884 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Point Defiance Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,267 reviews)
- City: Tacoma
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Lake Crescent
- Rating: 4.7/5 (827 reviews)
- City: Olympic National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Rialto Beach
- Rating: 4.7/5 (744 reviews)
- City: Olympic National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,118 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Manito Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,500 reviews)
- City: Spokane
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
- Rating: 4.6/5 (3,269 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Alki Beach
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,100 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Kerry Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (3,529 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Ruby Beach
- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,312 reviews)
- City: Olympic National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Snoqualmie Falls
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,132 reviews)
- City: Snoqualmie
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Pike Place Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22,102 reviews)
- City: Seattle
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.