Seattle is already a pretty interesting city sober.
Add some cannabis and suddenly staring at a wall of glass art for 20 minutes or watching fish fly through the air at Pike Place sounds like a perfectly reasonable way to spend your afternoon.
If you're looking for things to do in Seattle when you're stoned, you've got options.
Museums, food, music, incredible views, weird Seattle landmarks and an entire waterfront give you plenty to choose from.
But first, an important Seattle weed rule.
Before You Go: You Can't Consume Cannabis in Public
Recreational cannabis is legal for adults 21 and older in Washington, but public consumption is not legal.
That includes smoking, vaping or eating cannabis products in public places like parks, sidewalks, restaurants, concerts and other public spaces.
So this isn't a list of places to go smoke weed.
Consume legally in a private location where cannabis use is permitted before you head out, don't bring cannabis somewhere it isn't allowed, and absolutely don't drive while you're impaired.
Once you've got that figured out, here's where we'd go.
1. Get Lost in Pike Place Market
Pike Place is almost cheating.
There's food everywhere. There are hundreds of local artisans. Someone is throwing a fish. Street musicians are playing. There are flowers everywhere. There's a wall covered in gum for reasons nobody really needs explained.
And just when you think you've seen everything, you turn down another hallway and discover an entirely different section of the Market.
If you've got the munchies, even better.
Don't decide what you're eating before you arrive. Walk around until something smells too good to ignore.
2. Walk the New Seattle Waterfront
Seattle's waterfront has changed dramatically over the last few years.
You can now make your way from Pike Place Market toward the waterfront using Overlook Walk and spend some time wandering along Elliott Bay.
You've got water views, ferries, food, the Seattle Great Wheel, the aquarium and plenty of places to simply stop and look around.
It's also an easy combination with Pike Place if you want an afternoon activity that doesn't require constantly getting back into a car.
Just remember that the waterfront is public space. Enjoying the view while you're already high is one thing; consuming cannabis there is another.
3. Go to the Seattle Aquarium
Fish are already fascinating.
Being a little stoned and watching an entire wall of water full of marine life?
We understand the appeal.
The Seattle Aquarium is right on the waterfront, and its expanded campus includes the Ocean Pavilion.
It's a good option when you want something interesting to look at without needing to plan an entire day around it.
It's also indoors, which earns it bonus points during approximately nine months of Seattle weather.
4. Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass
If there were ever an art museum designed for someone who really wants to stare at colors for a while, this might be it.
Chihuly Garden and Glass combines huge glass sculptures, dramatic lighting, bright colors and outdoor installations right underneath the Space Needle.
You don't need to know anything about glassblowing to enjoy it.
Sometimes the appropriate response to art is simply:
Whoa.
5. Wander Through MoPOP
The Museum of Pop Culture is one of our favorite recommendations because you don't have to be a traditional "museum person" to enjoy it.
Music, movies, science fiction, horror, gaming and pop culture all show up here.
Even the building looks weird.
That's a compliment.
If your ideal stoned activity involves wandering around looking at things and repeatedly telling your friend, "Wait, come look at this," MoPOP is a solid choice.
6. Catch a Laser Show at the Pacific Science Center
Yes, the Laser Dome is still a thing.
And yes, this one survived from our ancient version of this article.
There's a reason.
Music plus lasers projected across a massive dome is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, and sometimes that's all you need.
Check the current Pacific Science Center schedule before heading over because shows and themes change.
7. Go Up the Space Needle
The Space Needle is touristy.
We don't care.
If you've never been up there, the view is genuinely impressive.
You get Seattle, Elliott Bay, the surrounding mountains and a completely different perspective on the city.
There is one obvious warning here:
If cannabis makes you anxious about heights, maybe skip this one.
Getting several hundred feet above Seattle is not the ideal moment to discover that THC and heights are a terrible combination for you.
Fortunately, Seattle Center has plenty of things to do at ground level.
8. Take a Ferry Ride
You don't necessarily need an elaborate destination.
Sometimes the ferry is the activity.
Walk aboard, find a spot with a view and watch Seattle disappear behind you while you cross Puget Sound.
It's one of those extremely normal Washington activities that you forget is actually pretty incredible.
And importantly: don't drive onto the ferry if you're impaired. Go as a walk-on passenger or have a sober driver.
9. Find Something Ridiculous to Eat
We're not going to give you one specific restaurant because Seattle's food scene changes constantly and everyone's version of perfect stoned food is different.
Instead, pick a neighborhood and follow your stomach.
International District?
Perfect.
Capitol Hill?
Plenty of options.
Pike Place?
You could spend half the day eating.
Rainier Valley?
You're in one of the most diverse food areas in Seattle.
Pho, teriyaki, tacos, burgers, dumplings, pizza, noodles, pastries, ice cream, Seattle has you covered.
This is also your reminder that being high doesn't magically make every restaurant a cannabis-friendly space.
Don't consume cannabis there. Just consume the food.
10. See a Movie on a Giant Screen
Sometimes you don't want to explore.
You want snacks, a giant screen and two hours where nobody expects anything from you.
We respect that.
Pick something visually ridiculous, get comfortable and enjoy the fact that movie theaters provide both entertainment and popcorn in the same building.
Just make sure you can get there and back without driving impaired.
11. Go to a Comedy Show
Comedy and cannabis have been friends for a very long time.
Seattle has comedy clubs, touring comedians and smaller stand-up shows happening throughout the city.
Just choose the amount of cannabis carefully.
There's a difference between "everything is hilarious" high and "I am suddenly extremely aware that I'm sitting in the middle of a room full of strangers" high.
Know yourself.
12. Go to a Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders or Kraken Game
The original version of this article recommended the Seahawks, Mariners and Sounders.
We're keeping them.
But Seattle has the Kraken now too.
Pick your sport.
A live game gives you enough noise, food, people-watching and random entertainment to occupy your brain even if you don't know every player on the roster.
Remember that stadiums and arenas have their own rules, and public cannabis consumption isn't allowed.
And maybe don't combine getting extremely high with getting extremely drunk.
You are trying to have a fun night, not become an event for the people sitting in Section 132.
13. Explore Seattle Center
Can't decide between the Space Needle, MoPOP, Chihuly or Pacific Science Center?
Don't.
Go to Seattle Center and figure it out when you get there.
The 74-acre campus gives you museums, art, food, performances and some of Seattle's most recognizable attractions in one area.
It's particularly useful if you're with friends who can't agree on what they want to do.
Everyone gets options without needing to travel across the entire city.
14. Check Out the Museum of Flight
If you're the kind of person who gets high and suddenly wants to know everything about airplanes, Seattle has a place for you.
The Museum of Flight has aircraft, spacecraft and exhibits covering aviation and space history.
It's also one of those Seattle attractions locals can somehow live near for years without actually visiting.
Fix that.
15. Pick Something You've Never Done Before
This might actually be our favorite suggestion.
Seattle has concerts, museums, comedy, theater, markets, festivals, sporting events, live music, weird little shops and neighborhoods you've probably driven through a hundred times without exploring.
Cannabis doesn't have to turn the day into a huge adventure.
Pick one thing you've never done.
Go see some art.
Try a restaurant you've passed 50 times.
Take the ferry.
See a show.
Walk through a museum.
Sometimes the best thing to do when you're stoned is simply something you wouldn't normally bother doing.
What About Seattle Parks?
Seattle has incredible parks, but there's an important distinction here.
You can enjoy a park after legally consuming cannabis somewhere private, but you cannot smoke or otherwise consume cannabis in Seattle parks.
Seattle Parks are smoke-free, and cannabis use is prohibited.
So yes, go enjoy the view.
No, don't light a joint at Kerry Park because you saw somebody on the internet call it a great place to smoke.
Don't Drive High
We shouldn't have to make this complicated.
If you're impaired, don't drive.
Seattle gives you plenty of alternatives: walk, take public transit, use a rideshare, grab a taxi or have a sober friend drive.
Plan how you're getting home before you consume.
It's much easier than trying to solve the problem after you're already high.
Looking for Cannabis in Seattle?
If you're 21 or older and looking for a Seattle weed store before your plans, come see us at Seattle Cannabis Co. in Rainier Valley.
We've been part of Seattle's cannabis community since the early days of recreational legalization, and our budtenders can help you find something based on your experience, preferences and budget.
Tell us what you're doing, how experienced you are with cannabis and what kind of product you're looking for.
Then go enjoy Seattle.
Legally, responsibly and preferably with snacks.
