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3-Day Disney World Itinerary

Our 3-day Walt Disney World itinerary offers an efficient plan for experiencing the highlights of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. This includes strategy for popular rides, beating the lines, where to eat, plus what to see and what to skip if you’re tight on time. ( Updated February 18, 2024 .)

Conventional wisdom says that you should spend a full day in each of the four theme parks, which would mean that you should spend no fewer than 4 days at Walt Disney World. This is our standard minimum recommendation–we usually advise doing at least 5 days at Walt Disney World, or even more if possible.

However, the practical reality is that not everyone can swing that long of a trip. There’s a lot to see and do in Florida, vacation time is limited, and Walt Disney World is expensive. We understand all of that. Rather than just saying, “ that sucks, you’re on your own! ” we are here to help with a plan of attack that’ll allow you to accomplish the “best of” Walt Disney World over the course of only a long weekend…

Even as diehard Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, this is a type of trip we’ve done ourselves many times over the years. Back when we first started visiting Walt Disney World together, Sarah and I were still students and it was “frowned upon” for us to skip class. That didn’t deter us, as it was also fairly easy to miss Mondays, so we’d fly out on Friday nights and return Monday evenings.

As we’ve bounced around, it’s been a similar story. Redeyes out from LAX at midnight on Thursday, hitting the ground running Friday morning at Walt Disney World, before departing on the last flight of the day on Sunday night. (This one is the ultimate money-saving hack, as it reduces the resort stay by a day!)

With that in mind, let’s start by discussing some recommendations to set you up for success with the 3-day Walt Disney World plan. First, we highly recommend Park Hopper tickets. This ticket type is more expensive, but Park Hoppers also allow you to accomplish a lot more. Especially on a shorter trip, this is a splurge that is “worth it” in our view. There will be other places to trim the fat from your vacation budget, and we’ll point to some of those in this plan.

If my math skills serve me correctly, Park Hopper tickets are also the only way to do 3 parks in 4 days. Doing a single park in a single full day is not the primary focus of this itinerary because we already have single day options for each of the parks. If you want the “easy” answer to this itinerary, it’s doing full days at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, plus a morning at Animal Kingdom and afternoon/evening at EPCOT. That’s not our ideal approach, but it’s the most straightforward one. See the following to put together your own plans:

• Magic Kingdom 1-Day Itinerary – An aggressive itinerary for Walt Disney World’s flagship park that starts with an early morning in Fantasyland and Frontierland. It’s normally tough to do Magic Kingdom in a single day, but this comes very close.
• EPCOT 1-Day Itinerary – This one manages to hit all of the EPCOT E-Tickets with minimal waits, while also prioritizing a leisurely and low-crowds experience in World Showcase.
• Hollywood Studios 1-Day Itinerary – Home to the most new headliner attractions, this covers Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Toy Story Land, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, roller coasters, and the park’s many shows.
• Animal Kingdom 1-Day Itinerary – This itinerary gets you in and out of Pandora – World of Avatar efficiently, bypassing the frequent two-hour waits for Flight of Passage. It also allows ample time for exploration, animal watching, and eating.

If you don’t have Park Hopper tickets and are thus forced to skip a park, make it Animal Kingdom unless  you or your kids are big fans of nature and wildlife, or the marvelous mind of James Cameron, Avatar auteur. As much as we enjoy Animal Kingdom, it is the least-compelling way to spend a full day at Walt Disney World, especially after the overhauls at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. It’s also currently the only park without a nighttime spectacular, and it closes the earliest of the four.

If you only have 3 days for 3 parks, skipping Animal Kingdom is the obvious option for 80% of visitors. For the remaining 20%, it’s probably 50-50 as to whether you should skip EPCOT or Hollywood Studios. Almost no one, even those without small children, should skip Magic Kingdom. It is  the  flagship park at Walt Disney World for good reason, and the quintessential experience for guests of all ages.

Second, we strongly recommend staying on-site. At this point you might be skeptical that this plan is actually appropriate for those trying to do “Walt Disney World on a Dime.” Hear us out, because we are not suggesting that those on a tight budget stay at the Grand Floridian or most luxurious on-site hotels.

To the contrary, we recently debated the value proposition of Walt Disney World’s cheapest Value Resorts . That explains why these are not only “good enough” for most guests, but also, can offer better bang for buck as compared to staying off-site. In a nutshell, not having to rent a car or use an Uber or Lyft offsets most of the savings offered by off-site accommodations for many families. As with anything, there are some exceptions to that.

Even if you’re doing a longer Florida vacation and Disney is only a small part of that, we recommend staying on-site at Walt Disney World for a portion of the trip. In fact, our advice is precisely the same for those visiting Universal Orlando. We are huge proponents of split stays, and think dealing with the mid-trip transfer is better than the hassle of commuting everywhere from a centralized home base. On top of that, there are the on-site perks that each theme park operator offers its hotel guests.

This brings us to the third point, which is that taking advantage of Early Entry at Walt Disney World is almost essential. Also help is Extended Evening Hours , but that only occurs two days per week and requires a higher-tier hotel stay.

Although Early Entry is only (officially) a 30-minute headstart on the off-site crowds, it can be hugely advantageous–especially at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. That’s also true to a lesser extent at Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom, but can be big at the latter on days when official park opening is 8 am instead of 9 am. Anyway, the key here is not to dismiss Early Entry because it’s “only” 30 minutes.

Finally, effective use of Early Entry can eliminate the need to purchase Genie+ or Lightning Lanes. Otherwise known as paid FastPass, this is Walt Disney World’s line-skipping system. While we don’t love the idea of paying for something that was once free, it can be a necessary evil to accomplishing everything in a shorter amount of time.

However, if you’re up early and stay out late, that may not be the case. We’ll point out where Genie+ might be helpful and where it isn’t, and give you the option. It’s always an option for “bonus” rides, but is not strictly necessary if you’re staying on-site and leveraging Early Entry to its fullest. (See! We told you there’d be options to cut the fat from your budget!)

With all of those caveats out of the way, let’s dig into the big picture of this three-day Walt Disney World vacation plan. Actually, we have  two  different plans. The first one we’ll call the “aggressive” plan-of-attack:

• Early Entry at Magic Kingdom ( see our strategy for Early Entry at MK )
• Regular park opening and full day at Magic Kingdom
• Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios ( see our strategy for Early Entry at DHS )
• Regular park opening at DHS
• Park Hop to EPCOT
• Afternoon at EPCOT
• Park Hop to DHS
• Evening at DHS
• Early Entry at Disney’s Animal Kingdom ( see our strategy for Early Entry at DAK )
• Regular park opening at DAK
• Park Hop to EPCOT or Magic Kingdom
• Evening at EPCOT or Magic Kingdom

Here’s the simplified or streamlined plan of attack:

• Early Entry at Magic Kingdom
• Regular park opening and full operating day at Magic Kingdom
• Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Regular park opening and full operating day at DHS
• Early Entry at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Regular park opening and morning at DAK
• Afternoon and evening at EPCOT

As you can see, the basic difference between these two plans is that the first one has more Park Hopping. It also offers potentially more time at Magic Kingdom or EPCOT, and less at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Now that all-day Park Hopping has returned, you can be in and out of Animal Kingdom before noon!

The rationale for bouncing back and forth between EPCOT and DHS on the second day of the aggressive itinerary is that it provides the foundation for making an informed decision as to how to spend your final afternoon and evening. It might seem like an obvious decision, given only the short segment of the day previously spent at EPCOT and full day at Magic Kingdom.

However, some families actually prefer multiple Magic Kingdom days while skipping other parks entirely, so this sets the stage for a “choose your own adventure” final day based on experiences (and what you think you missed) from the first two days.

It’s more than just that, though. Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a formidable ride roster, but it’s heavy on headliners and light on secondary attractions. As a result, wait times skyrocket within about an hour of park opening. People grow fatigued of long lines, and end up leaving early as a result.

Watching stage shows or doing meet and greets is one alternative that will allow you to “wait out” the crowds, but another option is Park Hopping to EPCOT, enjoying the middle of the day there, and returning to DHS once the crowds are lower in the evening.

Bouncing back and forth also allows you to leverage the stacking strategy for Genie+ Lightning Lanes . “Stacking” Genie+ ride reservations is possible because of the 120 minute rule, which allows you to make a new reservation every two hours.

If you prioritize grabbing Lightning Lane reservations for popular rides early in the day, you’re going to be holding a “stack” of Lightning Lane reservations so long as you continue making them whenever eligible. It’s a great option for your Park Hopper destination.

This approach works because your return times will be kicked out further into the future, and you’ll be able to make new selections prior to redeeming old ones. This is an especially good approach when going from Disney’s Hollywood Studios to EPCOT, or from Animal Kingdom to anywhere.

In the former example, you could make your first Lightning Lane for Slinky Dog Dash, and then make the rest for EPCOT, potentially scoring Lightning Lanes for Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Test Track, or Soarin’ Around the World. (It’s  highly unlikely you’ll get all four, but even 2 of them will save tremendous time during the middle of the day.)

Sticking with the topic of Genie+ Lightning Lanes, we’re big fans of buying this at Magic Kingdom. We would stop short of saying it’s a must there, but it can be incredibly useful, easy, and not nearly as stressful there as the other parks. You can expect to score 6 or more Lightning Lanes at Magic Kingdom–more than any other park. See our Magic Kingdom Genie+ Priorities & Lightning Lane Rankings for the best order of selections.

In terms of step by step strategy for the flagship castle park, you can simply consult our 1-Day Itinerary for Magic Kingdom . Since this 3-day Walt Disney World plan calls for a full day in MK, that slots nicely into this.

The only additional info we’d add is that if you do return to Magic Kingdom for another half-day, you’ll definitely want to attempt the TRON Lightcycle Run Virtual Queue ‘s afternoon drop. Doing the attraction at night is a totally different experience, and one that we highly recommend if at all possible!

When it comes to the potential partial day parks, Genie+ can be very useful at both EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, especially when stacking. However, there are a couple of pitfalls and superior alternatives.

At DHS, you can knock out 3-4 headliners during Early Entry and rope drop. Check out our report on  Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that covers our experience knocking out the “triple digit trio” at DHS before the park opened to regular guests. From there, you can knock out more in the first hour of operations and then pivot to popular character meet & greets if those are important to you.

Fast-forward to the end of the evening, and you can do the remainder of the popular rides with minimal wait via standby lines. This can be a great alternative to paying for Lightning Lane access, and one that is far less stressful, too. That approach also works well with the second showtime of Fantasmic, especially on nights when that occurs at or after park closing. If you’d prefer to play it safe and also use the Genie+ service, see our Lightning Lane Rankings for Disney’s Hollywood Studios . It’s not a bad option, just not a strictly necessary one.

Early Entry is also a great option at EPCOT, but you won’t be able to take advantage of that with this 3-day Walt Disney World plan. Sadly, the only other good alternative is Extended Evening Hours, but that’s only one day per week, and only Deluxe Resort guests are eligible. So Genie+ is the obvious option, right? Well…maybe.

Another potential compromise you’ll be making with this plan is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. As of the time of this itinerary’s publication, this new EPCOT E-Ticket still uses a virtual queue. Read our FAQ & Ride Guide to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind for everything you need to know.

Buying Individual Lightning Lane access also can be an option with Cosmic Rewind. The busier the day, the less likely you are to have success with the virtual queue or buying Lightning Lane access. The thing is, there’s no magic wand that can be made to ensure a “perfect” and complete 3-day Walt Disney World experience. Compromises come with the territory, and anyone suggesting otherwise is selling you a false sense of security.

Another practical reality to understand going in is the size of EPCOT. It’s a colossal park and, naturally, all of its most popular rides are scattered as far away from one another as possible. Literally. As such, Genie+ can require a lot of backtracking, and by the time you’ve done that, the case could be made that you would’ve been better off simply walking less and waiting in standby. As someone who doesn’t mind walking, that’s not my personal philosophy…but it’s very easy to see why that would be the case for others.

With that in mind, we’d recommend using our Half-Day EPCOT Itinerary or EPCOT Lightning Lane Rankings (or both) to determine the best approach for knocking out everything at EPCOT. If you do use both, there’s a good chance the simplified plan above will be sufficient, meaning that you’ll only need one afternoon and evening at EPCOT and don’t need to do all the bouncing around.

The one thing we’d caution against is seeing how well Genie+ works at Magic Kingdom and assuming it’ll be a similar story at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It will not. (Conversely, if you opt to start at one of these two parks for whatever reason, don’t skip Genie+ at Magic Kingdom after being disappointed by it at DHS.)

Finally, there’s Animal Kingdom. This is far and away the easiest park from a strategy perspective, with the salient piece of advice being “don’t do stuff midday.” Seriously, that’s about it. Go early or stay late and you’ll be just fine. Without question, arriving for Early Entry is the best option, especially on dates when it starts at 7:30 am. That is absurdly  early, and a huge barrier for most guests. If you’re able to arrive to Animal Kingdom by 7 am, this gives you a huge advantage.

Rushing to Pandora – World of Avatar and knocking out Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey during Early Entry is huge. From there, you can pretty much run the table, doing almost every attraction in the park as a walk-on. There’s a strong possibility that you’ll be done with every ride by mid-morning, giving you the option of leaving early or eating and enjoying entertainment, atmosphere, etc.

Fortunately, Animal Kingdom has great stage shows (Finding Nemo: The Big Blue & Beyond and Festival of the Lion King), along with excellent wildlife exhibits. From the above, it should be obvious, but Genie+ is wholly unnecessary at Animal Kingdom. Don’t waste your money on it there. (Stacking Lightning Lanes for EPCOT or Magic Kingdom is a potentially different story, but probably  not necessary.)

Ultimately, that’s our advice for how you should spend 3 full days at Walt Disney World. Obviously, this isn’t a strict step-by-step schedule, but rather, is a rough rubric for illustrating potential ways to accomplish just about every headliner and highlight at all four parks. Also obvious is that some sacrifices are going to be necessary, as you cannot do everything at Walt Disney World in only a long weekend.

But for that matter, you can’t do everything at Walt Disney World in 5, 7, or 10 days. Even if your vacation is better measured in weeks rather than days, you still will not see and do it all. Heck, we’ve been visiting Walt Disney World for decades, and have spent (literally) multiple  years  at the parks & resorts complex and there are still things we haven’t done. Walt Disney World is basically a modern metropolis (albeit with a mouse as mayor) and just like any living and breathing city, it’s impossible to “complete.”

Honestly, that’s a big part of why we like efficient itineraries like this, even on longer trips. Consolidating our park plans gives us time to explore Walt Disney World beyond the parks, enjoy our resort, spend time at Disney Springs, do resort crawls, and more. Savvy strategy to avoid attraction lines saves time that is better spent “wasted” by relaxing and wandering. At least, that’s how  we  like to do Walt Disney World.

In reality, there’s no one-size-fits-all “best” way to tackle the theme parks, resorts, etc. at Walt Disney World. About the only thing you can’t do is sleep in, visit the parks from 11 am until 4 pm, and leave early. This has always  been the worst way to do Walt Disney World, and that remains true to this day. Yet, for reasons beyond me, that continues to be the “preferred” approach for so many guests. (We should be thankful for those guests, as they make it easier on the rest of us!) If you simply don’t do that, you’re automatically ahead of the pack!

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our  Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews  page. For where to eat, read our  Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews . To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our  Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets  post. Our  What to Pack for Disney Trips  post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our  Walt Disney World Ride Guides  will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our  Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide  for everything you need to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS

Thoughts on our suggested 3-day Walt Disney World theme park plan? Do you prefer rope drop, Early Entry, Extended Evening Hours, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, hard ticket events, or some combination or the above? Or, do you favor a miss of approaches when touring the parks? How do you do things differently in each park? Do you agree or disagree with the parks we chose for full and partial days? Any other feedback on arriving early or staying late at the Walt Disney World theme parks? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

Just a note, I think you’ve got your numbers mixed up in this sentence: “If my math skills serve me correctly, Park Hopper tickets are also the only way to do 3 parks in 4 days.” should be 4 parks in 3 days 🙂 Love the blog! I’ve used this site and TravelCaffeine to guide me on many a trip to the Disney parks and beyond!

We are staying at Beach Club next week and are eligible for Extended Hours at Magic on Wednesday night. Do you think it is unnecessary to purchase Genie that day if we arrive at Magic Kingdom around 4-5 p.m.. I’m debating if we should do a few hours in the morning and go back to the hotel or stick to going to Magic Kingdom in the evening because we have the Extra few hours. Thank you for your information and congratulations on your new addition to your family parenthood is amazing.

You can accomplish a lot during Extended Evening Hours. Here’s a report showing what we managed to get done: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/evening-extended-hours-magic-kingdom-photo-report/

(That post is older, but I just did it again and had more or less the same results–plus TRON Lightcycle Run.)

Great article that really resonates with our situation. We frequently pop down for 3 park days. Sometimes that’s all the time we have. Other times, it’s a longer trip and we just don’t want to spend arrival and departure day at the parks, or want to build in a rest day.

My question: how would the hard ticket events play into a short trip strategy? Seems like the MK hours and crowds are all wonky for 1/3 of the year. I understand the primary consideration is how much a guest wants to experience the Halloween and Christmas evenings at MK. But beyond that, if its just about an efficient but enjoyable 3 park days, what would you do? Go to the hard ticket event anyway and just enjoy the late night park time? Go to the event park in the morning then get out of dodge? Avoid that park on hard ticketed days altogether?

“How would the hard ticket events play into a short trip strategy?” Very well! On a party day, Early Entry at the MK goes from being useful on the margins to being very useful, both because Early Entry is earlier and because party days at the MK are lighter than normal, and much lighter than non-party days around party days.

“Avoid that park on hard ticketed days altogether?” Just the opposite. During party season, everything else being equal you can get more done on a shorter party day than you can on a longer non-party day. Go to the MK on party days, avoid the MK the day before or after party days.

How would this change if we were staying in a deluxe resort? I don’t think we could do rope drop, stay until past midnight, rope drop, bed, ANOTHER rope drop, ANOTHER past midnight. What should we prioritize? Particularly being locals to Disneyland – we don’t care about doing Galaxy’s edge. (It would be cool but it’s EXACTLY the same pretty much)

Hooray! We’ve made the 3-day trip our family’s specialty. It’s a great fit from the DC area (lots of 6am flights) and creates a virtuous cycle of ease: because we only stay for two nights, we can afford Crescent Lake resorts; because it’s a short stay, we only need to pack a single backpack; because we only packed a backpack, we can take a Lyft directly from MCO to Animal Kingdom (combining two of the more vexing transportation challenges of WDW); because we knocked out AK we have multiple afternoons to hop to Epcot and HS from the Swolphin; and on and on. Your recommendations are spot on for us. Something absolutely has to give in a quick vacation like this; for us it’s food/restaurants. The kids and I live on grocery-delivered clementines and Uncrustables for three days and sleep hard on the plane ride home. Long live the Friday-Sunday WDW trip!

It’s such an interesting article because there are so many factors that could change a potential 3 day approach. While I don’t disagree and understand the option to skip AK, it’s my personal favorite and I would rather spend half a day in MK than skipping AK but that’s unthinkable with young kids and for first timers.

That being said, for regulars or visitors who have access to Disneyland, I think that Epcot and Animal Kingdom are the two most unique parks. Disney studios frustrates me and with Genie plus, Tom has proven that you can do a nice half day there….

There’s no easy answer, that’s why WDW planning is such a dynamic and fascinating thing!

“That being said, for regulars or visitors who have access to Disneyland, I think that Epcot and Animal Kingdom are the two most unique parks.”

I agree wholeheartedly! As far as our family is concerned, MK is just a worse Disneyland. When we’re at WDW, we spend most of our time at Epcot, AK and the resorts. Honestly, I’d probably never leave Epcot if I could just loop GotG:CR!

However, Tom’s itinerary is probably a great idea for the more casual tourist.

What a timely article! I’m flying on Monday to Orlando for a family event and can only spare 3/7 days for the park since none of my relatives are into Disney for some reason. I’m sorry they are choosing to fly all of the way to Orlando and not experience Disney, but experiencing Disney with a large group can be frustrating, so I’m making the best of it.

My strategy is slightly different than the recommendation since I’ve already spent ALOT of time at EPCOT just a few months ago and there are many attractions at the rest of the parks that I’ve either never ridden, or haven’t ridden in a decade.

Normally we love to take time and smell the roses so to speak on these trips, but this will be my first time soloing, and need to hit as many roller coaster/thrill rides as possible. My normal traveling companions always want to skip the coasters so this is a chance to hit everything that shakes, rattles, or rolls.

Day 1 Wed: Magic Kingdom. Have never been on Tron or even The Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride.

Day 2 Thursday: EPCOT for Cosmic Rewind, Ratatouille and a nice lunch. At 2PM hop to Animal Kingdom for a paid lightning lane for Flight of Passage.

Day 3 Sunday: DHS all day to see how many times one can get on Rise of the Resistance and Star Tours while also fitting in Tower of Terror and the Aerosmith coaster. Will be interesting to see how of the 21 Star Tours segments I can spot.

Don’t forget to utilize that solo lane! You may never go to Disney with friends again.

I realize you’re only paying for 1 person for the ILL for Avatar Flight of Passage, but in my experience, you shouldn’t really need to do that if you just plan to try and ride between around 6PM and park close. I showed up at AK one day (a Saturday, I think) within the past month around 530PM and was able to ride Na’vi River Journey (I had booked a LL, as I was coming from another park where Genie+ is a better “value”) and rode Avatar Flight of Passage twice before park close (technically, the park closed while we were in the queue for our second ride). For you, the $10-15 charge may just be worth it to avoid the hassle. The math starts changing a bit when paying for multiple people to ride! Hope you have a great time!

This is a great itinerary and very closely matches what I imagine I’d do for a three-day visit.

My only qualm is the lack of evening time at DAK, in order to experience Pandora and Everest at night. I’d probably start Day 3 at MK, hop to DAK, and then bounce back to MK when DAK closes, if I had the stamina.

Granted, with DAK’s early closing time, this only applies for maybe October-February when it might be getting dark early enough.

Not completely on topic, but I know months ago you said that weekends were experiencing a surprising lull in crowds. Do you anticipate that trend to continue?

Regarding the 2:00 hopper restriction, I’ve come to see this as an advantage. A two hour break is absolutely key to a fun day if you’re rope-dropping and staying until close. A noon to 2:00 hotel stop works well here.

My opinion is to prioritize cosmic rewind at Epcot (virtual queue) and rise of the resistance in HWS. Both blew me away. Unfortunately both Epcot and HWS are very frustrating parks unlike MK and DAK.

Love the article because it speaks to me on so many levels.

“…we’ve been visiting Walt Disney World for decades, and have spent (literally) multiple years at the parks & resorts complex and there are still things we haven’t done.” Is this really something you should be admitting Mr Bueller?

“…explore Walt Disney World beyond the parks, enjoy our resort, spend time at Disney Springs, do resort crawls, and more. Savvy strategy to avoid attraction lines saves time that is better spent “wasted” by relaxing and wandering.” You two will make great semi-retired people.

There really is so much more to enjoy and I like to take my time savoring it.

Thanks for the reminder why we’re going there yet again.

On our last two trips, we did park hopper. The most recent one we did park hopper plus, and we started our first day at typhoon lagoon. Game changer for a family driving from PA. Our kids got to run around while waiting for the room. Then, if we were at a park and it was too crowded or they asked for another ride, no big deal. For our family of five adding the “plus” was only an extra $100 in total above the hopper, so it’s money well spent for us.

It was nice to run into you during Epcot After Hours this week, thank you for chatting in line. I’m looking forward to reading your recap of that event and seeing if you had better luck than us the rest of the night. Take care!

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The Ultimate Itinerary for 3 Days in Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is among the best and most diverse U.S. National Parks. From alpine lakes to snow-capped mountains, lush rainforests, beautiful waterfalls, and over 70 miles of coastlines with sea stacks – you need at least 3 days in Olympic National Park to see it all!

It is also the 13th biggest National Park in the country. So it can feel overwhelming when you start planning your trip. That is where my guide comes in.

My Olympic National Park itinerary is detail orientated with everything you need to know to plan your “sweet adventure.” It includes how to get there, where to stay, eat, the best things to do for 3 days in Olympic National Park, and more.

Table of Contents

Best Time to Visit Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is mostly accessible and beautiful year-round, but summertime is the best time to visit. The weather is warmer, drier, and more predictable.

With that said, it is also the busiest time of the year. So you can expect accommodation rates to be high, and limited parking with heavy crowds at the most popular places.

Therefore, I recommend visiting Olympic National Park in late May through June and September through October. These months are considered shoulder seasons, so there are fewer crowds and decent accommodation rates (most lodges in the park are open). However, the weather is unpredictable.

I find unpredictable weather welcoming in Olympic National Park. I expect and want those Twilight vibes, low clouds blanketing the tree tops, and some drizzle on my rain boots.

Hopefully, that is what you will experience for at least one of your 3 days in Olympic National Park. And as one of the wettest regions of the country, it should go without saying, pack a rain jacket!

How to Get to Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is nestled in the northwestern corner of Washington. Whether you live in the Pacific Northwest or fly into Seattle, you need a car to get around Olympic National Park.

By car, it is only two and a half hours away from Seattle, four hours from Portland, and five hours from Vancouver. From Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, there are two different ways to get to the park. You can drive south around Puget Sound or take the ferry.

If you have the time and can take the ferry boat across the Puget Sound to Olympic National Park, DO IT! It is a fun experience and a great way to start your trip. You can either catch the Seattle-Bainbridge Island ferry or the Seattle-Bremerton ferry.

Taking the ferry is straightforward. However, getting to the ferry terminal can be tricky, and overall the ferry can be more time-consuming than driving directly to the park. In addition to everyday delays from flying, obtaining your rental car, and going to the ferry, you must perfectly time your arrival for the next ferry.

Both ferries have multiple daily crossings (you can check the schedule here ), but if you barely miss the ferry, you could wait an hour or more for the next one.

Moreover, if you do not purchase your ferry tickets beforehand, especially during the summer, you might have to wait for the next ferry. But again, if you have the time, the ferry to Olympic National Park is a wonderful experience with breathtaking views.

Where to Eat in Olympic National Park

You will not go hungry at Olympic National Park, but the dining options are few and far between. Therefore when you arrive, I recommend grocery shopping in Port Angeles and buying a cooler (if you did not bring one) for a few reasons.

Time-wise, it will maximize your 3 days in Olympic National Park. You can enjoy a packed breakfast in the car or a picnic lunch after a hike. Some days, you will drive for two to four hours, and a car snack is always a good idea.

Otherwise, there are restaurants in Port Angeles, Forks, and National Park lodges such as Lake Crescent Lodge, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, and Lake Quinault Lodge.

We always enjoyed breakfast and lunch on the go. Then we went to restaurants at or near our hotel for dinner. Something to consider when you are deciding where to stay.

Where to Stay for 3 Days in Olympic National Park

I recommend two options for staying in Olympic National Park. The first is staying two nights in Port Angeles or Lake Crescent and two nights in Forks. The second is staying in different accommodations almost every night.

Four Nights – Two Accommodations

Port angeles or lake crescent.

Staying in Port Angeles is an excellent option because it’s the biggest city near Olympic National Park, which offers more amenities such as restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations. It is also no more than an hour to the first day’s worth of activities at Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, and Sol Duc.

Our favorite place to stay in Port Angeles is Olympic Lodge . Olympic Lodge is a beautiful property that feels rustic (in a homey way) but with a luxurious taste. They have an elegant lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows, an outdoor heated pool, a hot tub, and other thoughtful amenities that will make your stay delightful.

Another option for the first few nights is Lake Crescent—specifically, the historic Lake Crescent Lodge . The resort is among an old-growth forest and hugs the shoreline of the stunning alpine lake. Walk straight to your room after you watch the sun set behind mountains and wake up to the sun shining on the lake.

Staying at Lake Crescent Lodge is the best option if you want to do a lot of recreational activities on the lake. There is also an outstanding restaurant on-site. And you can’t beat the views with easy access to the lake.

We enjoyed staying at Lake Crescent Lodge because it made our fast-paced trip feel a little relaxing.

I recommend spending the last two nights in Forks because it’s a great home base for exploring the Pacific Coast and Hoh Rain Forest. It is not as big as Port Angeles, but the city has the same amenities, such as grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations.

It is also a fun place to stay if you enjoy the Twilight series. Yes, the city is full of Twilight lore – more on that later.

Our favorite place to stay in Forks is Pacific Inn Motel . Pacific Inn Motel has quality service at an affordable price. The rooms are comfortable with all your basic needs. More importantly, the staff provides an excellent guest experience.

Four Nights – Three+ Accommodations

If you want to maximize your driving time and are comfortable changing accommodations every night, this option is for you!

The reasons to stay in each location and our favorite places remain the same. The following information below outlines what multiple accommodations during your 3 days in Olympic National Park will look like.

I recommend Port Angeles for the night you arrive at the park. You can rest from your travel day and buy groceries for the next few days. It is also the closest city to Hurricane Ridge, about a 45-minute drive. So this will help save driving time.

Then I recommend staying at Lake Crescent Lodge or by the lake because much of your time, the first day, will be around that area. It also reduces driving time to Sol Duc the following day.

The last two nights can be at one or two places. You can either spend two nights in Forks or one night in Forks and one night at Kalaloch Lodge . Both locations are 50-60 minutes away from Hoh Rain Forest. So your decision comes down to the following benefits.

• Staying two nights in Forks – you do not have to pack up again.
• Staying one night at Kalaloch Lodge – you are staying near the beach for gorgeous views from your room.

3 Days in Olympic National Park Itinerary

You will want to start early every day to get the most out of your 3 days in Olympic National Park. Trust me. It will be worth it!

Olympic National Park spans almost one million acres with three distinct ecosystems – glaciated mountains, a diverse coastline, and lush temperate rainforests. Olympic National Park is unique because you will explore each ecosystem daily. In the morning, you will wander through a magical rainforest while you spend the afternoon on the beach searching for sea life in tide pools.

Each day will require a few hours of driving. I recommend downloading your directions because some areas are so remote your phone will not have a signal. Therefore, it’s best to have your directions downloaded and always ready.

Lastly, this is 3 FULL days! That means you need another day to travel to and from the park. Ideally, that day will also give you time to get settled with groceries and accommodations. The following morning is when your 3 days in Olympic National Park itinerary really begins.

Read next: The Ultimate Itinerary for 3 Days in Big Bend National Park

Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent

Day 2: Sol Duc and the Coast

Day 3: Rainforests and Beaches

Olympic National Park Itinerary Day 1: Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent

The first day of your Olympic National Park itinerary will be among the   Olympic Mountains. You will gaze upon the Olympic Mountains range from Hurricane Ridge. Then explore the Lake Crescent area in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains.

Remember, my 3 days in Olympic National Park itinerary begins the day after you arrive. That said, if you have time on your way into the park, you could visit Hurricane Ridge on the day of arrival. From Port Angeles, the drive takes almost an hour. 

Explore Hurricane Ridge

Start your day as early as possible to visit Hurricane Ridge. I recommend arriving by 8 am or earlier to stick to your Olympic National Park itinerary and to beat the crowds. Parking is limited and fills up quickly!

At an elevation of 4,242 feet, Hurricane Ridge is the highest point and most easily accessed mountain area by car within Olympic National Park.   Thus, Hurricane Ridge is one of the most popular places in Olympic National Park.

This iconic spot has breathtaking panoramic views of the snow-capped Olympic Mountain range and valley. The best part, you can enjoy these views with no effort, just a few steps from the parking lot. Or you can hike one of the trails to get better views.

The best hike at Hurricane Ridge is Hurricane Hill. It is a 3.2-mile round-trip hike with spectacular views every step of the way.

It’s a moderate-level hike on a paved trail that climbs to a vantage point with sweeping 360-degree views of the Olympic Mountains, including Mount Olympus and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. You can even see Vancouver Island, Canada, from here!

The road to Hurricane Ridge can be closed depending on the time of year. So check the NPS website for the most up-to-date information.

Hike to Madison Falls

Who doesn’t love a beautiful waterfall that takes little effort to see? As you head towards Lake Crescent, quickly stop at Madison Falls to stretch your legs and enjoy the first waterfall of your 3 days in Olympic National Park.

Madison Falls is a straightforward 0.2-mile out-and-back hike on a paved, wheelchair-accessible trail. It’s such an easy hike that some consider it a roadside waterfall – nothing wrong with that!

Make your way on the path that bends around the trees to reveal a stunning 60 ft. waterfall. Soak in the views and feel the thunderous mist on your skin before returning to your car.

Enjoy a Picnic Lunch at Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent is one of the most beautiful places in Olympic National Park. The glacier-carved lake has crystal clear turquoise water surrounded by a forested mountain range. The views will leave you breathless and it’s the perfect place to enjoy a lovely picnic lunch.

Lake Crescent Lodge is a beautiful property and close to Marymere Falls (the next hike on the itinerary). The lodge has an on-site restaurant where you can order food and enjoy it at the beach. The food might be pricey, but it is all delicious and worth it! It will feel like an elevated picnic lunch.

The Log Cabin Resort is across the lake from Lake Crescent Lodge and another wonderful property. It has a restaurant overlooking the lake which serves casual American fare. The resort also has a lakeside deli that offers fresh “grab-and-go” items.

Another option is the general store at the Fairholme Campground for sandwiches, snacks, and soft-serve ice cream. The campground has a public day-use area with picnic tables, a beautiful beach, and a pier.

Read next: Best Kid-Friendly Hikes in Olympic National Park

Hike to Marymere Falls

Marymere Falls is a popular family-friendly hike in Olympic National Park because of its easy hiking level to a lovely waterfall. The 1.8-mile roundtrip hike takes you through an old-growth forest, across bridges, and up natural stairs until you reach the 90 ft. waterfall.

When you reach Marymere Falls, there is a lower and upper viewpoint. Both offer incredible views with different perspectives.

If you plan on hiking Mount Storm King, you can begin the hike from Marymere Falls Trail. Turn around from the waterfall and head back to the trailhead, but instead of going all the way, you will turn right at a sign and go up a steep incline. Good luck!

The next three things can be added to your Olympic National Park itinerary based on how you would like to spend your first day.

Hike the Treacherous Mount Storm King

Mount Storm King is undoubtedly the most magnificent and best hikes in Olympic National Park , but it’s also the most challenging. Even avid hikers find this trail difficult. It’s a grueling 4.1-mile out-and-back-hike that takes about three hours to complete.

The trail begins at the same trailhead as Marymere Falls, but instead of continuing on the flat trail, you will make a relentless climb up to Mount Storm King. As you trek through the dense forest, the trail will get steeper with sneak peeks of what’s to come.

Once you arrive at a series of ropes, the real fun begins (aka the most challenging part). It is HIGHLY recommended to bring gloves to climb up and down the ropes safely. After the rope series, you will endure some rock scrambling until you reach the peak of Mount Storm King.

Alas, you can enjoy the most breathtaking views of Lake Crescent. You earned it!

Hike to Devil’s Punchbowl

If you are looking for more hiking after Marymere Falls (and an alternative to Mount Storm King), I recommend Devil’s Punchbowl. It allows more time at Lake Crescent and takes you to a superb location.

Devil’s Punchbowl is a 2.4-mile out-and-back hike on a mostly paved trail. Most of the hike is along Lake Crescent’s shoreline so that you can enjoy its serene beauty almost every step of the way.

When you arrive at Devil’s Punchbowl, a picturesque wooden bridge takes you across the water. The water is so clear and vibrant blue – it is one of the prettiest parts of a lake you will ever see.

Remember your swimsuit to take a refreshing dip in the frigid water. Or relax and enjoy the scenery.

Spend Time on Lake Crescent

There are several fun activities to enjoy at Lake Crescent. You can take a refreshing swim, kayak, canoe, paddle board, or  book a scenic boat tour . During the summer, Lake Crescent Lodge and Fairholme Campground General Store offer kayak, canoe, and paddle board rentals. 

If you are staying at Lake Crescent Lodge, Log Cabin Resort, or Fairholme Campground, you are in for a treat. End your first day at Olympic National Park with a sunset at Lake Crescent.

Olympic National Park Itinerary Day 2: Sol Duc and the Coast

The second day of your 3 days in Olympic National Park will be in the Sol Duc area and the coastline. It includes incredible hikes to waterfalls, the northwesternmost point in the country, soaking in hot springs, and scenic strolls on the beach.

Much of the planning on this day will depend on the tide pool schedule. You can see the timetable in advance on this website . If you want to hike to the Hole in the Wall at Rialto Beach and go tide pooling at Second Beach, you must plan accordingly.

Moreover, you do not need to do the following activities in the order below. Plan your day to fit your needs based on the tide pool schedule.

Watch Salmon Swim Upstream

The Salmon Cascades overlook is a hidden gem of Olympic National Park. From the platform, you can watch several fish jump over a cascading waterfall in the Sol Duc River as they make their way to spawn.

The views from the overlook are beautiful year-round, but the best time to watch chinook and coho salmon swim upstream is late summer and early fall. You can also see cutthroat and steelhead trout swim upstream in the spring, fall, and winter. So your chances of watching any fish swim upstream year-round are high.

Hike to Sol Duc Falls

Sol Duc Falls is one of the most popular and arguably the best waterfalls in Olympic National Park. It is also our favorite waterfall of the three in this Olympic National Park itinerary.

A 1.6-mile hike leads you through a towering old-growth forest until you reach a rustic wooden bridge that crosses the Sol Duc River. Here, you will discover the best views of Sol Duc Falls, a 50 ft. three-segment waterfall cascading into a deep slot canyon.

The waterfall is so close and thunderous you will feel the mist of the spray and possibly get soaked. All part of the fun and adventure!

Soak in Sol Duc Hot Springs

If you are like me, and cannot resist relaxing in a hot spring, pack your swimsuit and add this to your itinerary! The Sol Duc Hot Springs has three Mineral Hot Spring soaking pools and one freshwater pool. The soaking pools vary in temperature from 99 to 104 degrees, with a wading pool for all ages and two 3 ft. deep pools.

The soaking pools are naturally formed by spring water that comes from rain and melted snow. The spring water seeps through cracks in sedimentary rocks, merging with gasses from cooling volcanic rocks. Then the spring water rises to the surface along a larger aperture or fissure to create mineral spring water that can enrich our bodies.

Anyone can soak in the pools. Day passes are available to non-hotel guests with towel rentals and lockers. The Sol Duc Hot Springs is usually open from March through October but always check the operating schedule.

Stand on the Northwesternmost Point in the U.S.

Going to Cape Flattery is one of the best things to do in 3 days in Olympic National Park. There are a lot of highlights from our trip, and this might be the highest.

Cape Flattery is the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States, but it’s more than that. It is breathtaking cliffside views of the deep blue ocean, pine trees along the bluff, rugged sea stacks, sea caves, and excellent wildlife-watching opportunities. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, puffins, sea lions, and orca whales.

To get there, you must obtain a  Makah Tribe Recreation Permit . You can purchase one from various local businesses. The  Museum of Makah Culture and Research  is one of the best places to get a permit because you can also learn about the Makah Tribe’s heritage and culture. Another great option is the Makah Mini Mart because it has early and late operating hours.

The hike is an easy 1.2-mile out-and-back trail with several wooden boardwalks. The hardest part is not to slip and fall because it can get muddy and wet. Besides that, the Cape Flattery Trail is one of the best hikes in Olympic National Park. 

The following two beaches on the Olympic National Park itinerary should be planned based on the tide pool schedule .

Hike to Hole in the Wall at Rialto Beach

Forget your flip-flips for Rialto Beach because you will need closed-toe shoes, if not hiking shoes.

To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed when I first stepped foot on Rialto Beach, but one mile into my hike and the beauty of Rialto Beach unveiled itself as one of the most dramatic beaches I’ve ever seen.

Rialto Beach is lovely, with multi-color pebbles, black sand, and bleached driftwood along the shore. Its main attraction is the 3.3-mile out-and-back trail to the Hole in the Wall.

The Hole in the Wall is one of the most photographed places in Olympic National Park, and rightfully so. The experience is an adventure with scenic views every step of the way of waves crashing onto the shore, towering sea stacks, and tide pools filled with sea life.

The hike is challenging because some parts of the beach feel like mud from the small pebbles mixed with black sand, but it is worth it. It is also only doable during low tide, so plan accordingly.

Once you arrive at the Hole in the Wall, enjoy walking under the arch, take Instagram-worthy photos with sea stacks in view, and explore tide pools.

Catch the Sunset or Go Tide Pooling at Second Beach

Of all the beaches, Second Beach surprised us the most with its adventure and beauty. Second Beach is the most popular of the three La Push beaches. It is also one of the best beaches in Olympic National Park, and getting there is an incredible experience.

You have to hike 1-mile through a lush forest before your feet touch the sand. Once you arrive, you are rewarded with sweeping views of a sandy beach and towering sea stacks.

Second Beach is a gorgeous beach that feels like a hidden gem since you hike to get there. Unfortunately, it is well known because of its tremendous tide pooling of sea life and spectacular sunsets.

If you are lucky, you can experience a picturesque low-tide sunset. Otherwise, if you have more than 3 days in Olympic National Park, I recommend returning to Second Beach so you can enjoy both experiences.

Olympic National Park Itinerary Day 3: Rainforests and Beaches

Finish your 3 days in Olympic National Park with magic! You will experience two lush rainforests that feel like you stepped into a fairytale book and witness two awe-inspiring trees—one that appears to be floating in mid-air and another as the largest in the world.

Step into an Enchanted Hoh Rain Forest

The Hoh Rain Forest is a must-see magical place in Olympic National Park. It is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the country, with over 100 types of moss, ferns, and green canopies of coniferous and deciduous species. Its diverse ecosystem also makes it a World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

As one of the most popular places in Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest can get crowded. The parking lot is also limited.

So I recommend you arrive as early as possible, i.e., before 8:00 a.m., and catch the sunlight peeking through the dense canopy without the noise of crowds. Trust me. It will make the experience more extraordinary.

Hike Hall of Mosses

The entire Hoh Rain Forest is breathtaking, but when people picture and talk about it, they specifically refer to the Hall of Mosses. Every Olympic National Park itinerary includes the Hall of Mosses because it is the most enchanting forest you will find.

The Hall of Moses is an easy one-way 0.8-mile loop that takes you on a magical journey through the rain forest blanketed with mosses, ferns, and towering tree canopies that look like its dancing in the wind. It almost feels otherworldly.

Hike Spruce Nature Trail

The Spruce Nature Trail is another great hike in Hoh Rain Forest. Often overlooked by the Hall of Mosses, the Spruce Nature Trail is a lovely part of the rainforest.

The Spruce Nature Trail is a 1.2-mile loop through an old and new-growth forest. You will walk under arched trees alongside Taft Creek and the Hoh River. If you are lucky, you can also find Roosevelt Elk meandering through the moss-covered trees.

Enjoy Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach is known as the crown jewel of Olympic National Park (no pun intended) for its epic scenery. This stretch of coastline has dramatic tree-topped sea stacks, bountiful driftwood, and ruby-like crystals along its pebbled shore.

Ruby Beach is perfect for a leisurely stroll (with closed-toed shoes), discovering little coves, and exploring tide pools. Starfish and sea anemones are known to be abundant around the bases of the sea stacks.

It is also a famous beach for stunning sunsets. So if time permits, you can end your 3 days in Olympic National Park watching the sun paint the ocean orange.

Marvel at the Awe-Inspiring Tree of Life

Kalaloch Beach is one of the few beaches on the Olympic National Park coastline with an extensive sandy shore. It is also more famously known as the home of The Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life is a Sitka Spruce tree perched between two cliffs over an eroding river bed. Its roots stretch for their life, making the tree appear suspended in mid-air!

Beneath the unique tree is a completely exposed cave. It is a fascinating phenomenon to add to your Olympic National Park itinerary because you never know when the Tree of Life will fall by its last limb.

Explore Quinault Rain Forest

I like saving Quinault Rain Forest for last because it is en route to Seattle. Some may ask if it’s worth visiting after Hoh Rain Forest, and I say absolutely! Quinault Rain Forest is blanketed with lush moss and is home to some of the most giant trees in the world. It is also adjacent to Lake Quinault, a gorgeous glacier-fed lake with mountains in the backdrop.

Since it’s been a long day, I recommend hiking the Quinault Rainforest Nature Loop trail to experience this temperate rainforest. The Quinault Rainforest Nature Loop is an easy 0.9-mile loop that connects to a more extensive trail system. The hike takes you by a river and a small waterfall while you enjoy the serenity of the lush tree canopy.

Gaze Upon the Largest Sitka Spruce Tree

Quinault Rain Forest is known as the Valley of the Rain Forest Giants because it is home to six of the eight giant trees – indeed, a “forest of giants.” The world’s largest Sitka Spruce tree is the most popular tree to see.

The Sitka Spruce tree is roughly 1,000 years old, standing 191 feet tall with a circumference of 58 feet, 11 inches, and a diameter of 18 feet, 9 inches. Needless to say, this tree is enormous and a sight to see.

To access the Sitka Spruce tree, you need to find the Big Spruce Trailhead. It is located across the street from the Rain Forest Resort Village general store, and there are signs for parking. It is an easy 0.4-mile out-and-back hike on a wide trail.

Things to Do with More Than 3 Days in Olympic National Park

Since we started traveling with kids, having an extra day is always a good idea for us in case we run out of time – or if we want to see and do it all in one trip. So although you can do a lot with 3 days in Olympic National Park, if you have more time, here is how you can utilize it.

First, you can enjoy anything you missed the previous days. Such as tide pooling, watching the sunset on the beach, soaking in the hot springs, or revisiting one of your favorite places you want to spend more time in.

Furthermore, this itinerary is here to help you plan. You do not need to follow it step by step, so you can stretch the days by doing fewer activities per day. Otherwise, here are more things to add to your Olympic National Park itinerary.

Immerse in the Twilight Vibe in Forks

I know I have yet to mention it, but calling all Twihards – spend some time exploring Forks to immerse yourself in Twilight lore. Although the movies were mostly filmed outside Forks, the city has embraced its Twilight fandom. There might not be sparkling vampires and werewolves walking the streets, but many local businesses have cardboard cutouts of Bella, Edward, and Jacob.

You can start at the Forks Chamber of Commerce and take a picture with Bella’s red truck, the book, and the movie version. Then go inside to download the Forks Chamber of Commerce Twilight map and embark on a self-guided Twilight tour. You can also visit Rainforest Arts Center to view the world’s largest Twilight Saga props and costumes collection.

The 3 Rivers Resort Restaurant is a great place to sink your teeth into something delicious with a Twilight-themed menu. They also have a vampire threat detector and a “Treaty Line” sign outside the restaurant. For die-hard fans, you can stay at the “Cullen House” (the book version) or a Twilight-themed room at the Pacific Inn Motel .

Shi Shi Beach

For an epic PNW bucket list adventure, hike to Shi Shi Beach. Better yet, you can camp at Shi Shi Beach for one of the most incredible experiences in Olympic National Park..

The 8.8-mile out-and-back hike is moderately challenging because you have to get down and dirty on a muddy trail. Every step and effort is worth it though. Shi Shi Beach is one of the best beaches in Olympic National Park. The coastline is gorgeous, with staggering rock formations, coves, tide pools, and a picturesque sunset if you stay long enough.

Shi Shi Beach is located in Olympic National Park, but the entrance and most of the trail are on Makah Indian Reservation. So like Cape Flattery, you must obtain a Makah Reservation permit. The permit is valid for the calendar year, so if you already got one for Cape Flattery, you can use it again. Moreover, you can combine Cape Flattery and Shi Shi Beach in one day.

Spend More Time at Lake Crescent

One of our favorite areas in Olympic National Park is Lake Crescent. There is much to do here, especially if you stay at the beautiful Lake Crescent Lodge. If you want to do everything on the first day of this itinerary, with more than 3 days in Olympic National Park, you can.

Hike all the best trails near Lake Crescent – Marymere, Mount Storm King, and Devil’s Punchbowl. Enjoy fun activities at the lake, such as a picnic on the beach, jumping from the dock, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, or a scenic boat tour.

That concludes my 3 days in Olympic National Park itinerary. I hope you have found it helpful, and have a great trip!

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Friday 25th of August 2023

Love your itinerary and comments. My husband and I decided to stay in Port Angeles for our 3 days in Olympic Park. We are coming Sept. 7th and can't wait. How long will it take us to get to Sol Duc area from Port Angeles? and then to the hoh Rainforest area? I like your hike suggestions as we are not into strenuous hikes or camping but we did plan this sorta at the last minute and didn't get housing within the park. Thanks in advance for your response.

Ann Megnin retired teacher

oursweetadventures

Saturday 26th of August 2023

I also just published a post for kid-friendly hikes in Olympic National Park. You might find a hike or two more there and with further details.

Hi Ann, thank you so much for your kind words and comment. I’m so happy to hear my post has been helpful to you. It’s about an hour from Port Angeles to Sol Duc. Then about 1 hr 45 mins from Sol Duc to Hoh. Definitely doable for one day. If y’all are early risers, I would suggest Hoh first to beat the crowds.

Another area to look into for accommodations would be Forks. If they have availability for at least one night, I would recommend staying there. I hope you have a great trip!

Richard Grasso

Tuesday 15th of August 2023

Really through and well written so easy to understand.

Sunday 20th of August 2023

Thank you so much!

Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

3 Days in Iceland: A Stopover Itinerary for Any Time of Year

Last updated: March 6, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 32 Comments

Iceland is a popular destination for a stopover on flights from the US to Europe, especially because IcelandAir offers a free stopover option of up to seven days. We think that if you want to stopover in Iceland, you should do so for at least 3 days, and with that in mind we’ve put together this guide to spending 3 days in Iceland on a stopover.

This Iceland stopover itinerary is good for any time of year, and we’ve provided options for both a self-drive itinerary and options if you’d prefer not to drive in Iceland. Both are very viable options for an Iceland trip!

As well as the suggested itineraries, we also go into some practicalities for your Iceland visit, discuss the pros and cons of visiting Iceland at different times of year, and give you all the information you need to plan the perfect Iceland stopover! Let’s get started.

Is 3 Days in Iceland Enough?

The first question we wanted to answer, before diving into the itinerary, is whether or not 3 days in Iceland is going to be enough.

We think that three full days, or even 2.5 days, depending on your flight schedule, will be enough to see a number of Iceland’s highlights.

Certainly it’s not enough to see everything, and for a trip like the Iceland Ring Road for example, we recommend at least a week. However, three days will give you a great sense of what Iceland is all about, whilst being more economic than a longer trip.

Of course, as with any country in the world – the longer you stay, the more you will find to do. Our last trip to Iceland was over four weeks long, and we still felt there was loads more to see, despite us filling every day as full as we could!

If you do decide to visit for longer, check out some of our longer Iceland guides and itineraries, including our Iceland Ring Road itinerary , our seven day Iceland road trip itinerary , and our guide to spending five days in Iceland .

A 3 Day Iceland Self-Drive Itinerary

Our 3 day Iceland itinerary is for three full days in Iceland. It would work for either two nights or three nights, assuming you have an early morning arrival and an evening departure. It could also be adjusted slightly to work for 2.5 days if you can’t make the flights work.

If you don’t have quite so much time, our suggestion would be to either base yourself in Reykjavik and do some day trips , or plan a two day trip that doesn’t include so many sites, either by dropping the Golden Circle, or only going as far as Vik on the south coast.

For now though, let’s look at how we suggest you spend three days in Iceland, driving yourself.

Day 1: Golden Circle

On your first day, we’ll assume you arrive in the morning at Keflavik airport, where you’ll pick up your car rental.

A quick note if you are looking for car rental providers in Iceland. We recommend you either check out Discover Cars here , or Northbound here .

Discover Cars compare a number of providers in the country so you can find the best price for you.

Northbound is based in Iceland, and they also search a range of providers with the added advantage that you can add the various insurances that are unique to the country should you so choose.

This can help avoid the hard sell that you will otherwise likely get for these insurances at the checkout counter when you pick up your car.

See more on insurance in Iceland, plus general advice for driving in the country, in our tips for driving in Iceland post .

If you want to visit the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon , this is an option now, as they are both fairly close. You need to book your reservations in advance to enjoy either hot spring.

You can book the Blue Lagoon here and the Sky Lagoon here .

However, there’s a lot on the itinerary (including a free hot spring), so don’t worry if you don’t have time on your first day.

From the airport, (or lagoon) we’re going to head straight for the Golden Circle . This is a popular circular route that takes in a number of Iceland’s big attractions. The name Golden Circle derives from the name of the major waterfall on the route, Gullfoss, which means gold waterfall in Icelandic.

The Golden Circle route contains a number of highlights that you’ll want to stop at.

The first of these is  Þingvellir National Park , pronounced Thingvellir in English. This is an important cultural and geological site, and is one of Iceland’s UNESCO world heritage sites.

The national park has a number of attractions. First, it was the location of Iceland’s first parliament, and for hundreds of years Icelanders would convene here to discuss laws and politics. It’s also geologically interesting, as the continental divide can be seen here, with two continental plates moving apart from each other. You can actually walk ( or snorkel !) in these rifts, which is a pretty cool geological experience.

Another attraction here that’s worth seeing is Öxarárfoss, which will be the first waterfall you see on this three day trip – but by no means the last! Near Öxarárfoss is a rift through the rock, which was used as a Game of Thrones filming location .

From Thingvellir your next stop will be the Geysir thermal area, home to bubbling mud pots, steaming earth, and geysers that shoot boiling hot water and steam into the air on a regular basis. The geothermal area here is also home to a Geyser called “Geysir”, which is where the word for Geyser in English actually came from.

On the way to Geysir you’ll pass the Efstidalur II farm restaurant, which has excellent food and ice-cream options. You’ll also go past the Laugarvatn spa, where you can enjoy the waters and can also pick up geothermally baked “lava” bread, which we found to be very tasty!

The last major attraction on the Golden Circle is Gullfoss, the aforementioned “Gold” waterfall.

This is definitely one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland . It’s a wide, two-tiered waterfall that plunges a total of around 105 ft. It’s quite the sight to behold, and there are a number of viewpoints that you can enjoy the falls from, as well as an on-site gift shop and cafe.

From Gullfoss, we suggest you head towards your accommodation for the night.

Where to stay

Our suggestion for your first night is to book accommodation somewhere between Fludir and Hvolsvollur, depending on how far you want to drive and accommodation availability. Here are some options to consider.

• Farmhotel Efstidalur – as the name suggests this is found on a farm. Private rooms are en-suite and there’s an on-site geothermal hot tub
• Fludir Icelandair Hotel  – We stayed here on one trip to Iceland and it was very comfortable, with an on-site restaurant.
• Garður Stay Inn by the Secret Lagoon – well reviewed and handy for Fludir’s “Secret Lagoon”, a lovely geothermal bath
• River Hotel – located by the Ranga River next to the town of Hella, this hotel offers dining, an open-air hot tub, bar and free wifi.
• Midgard basecamp – found in Hvolsvöllur, this highly rated hostel is a great budget option with a hot tub

You can see more options in this region on booking.com here .

Day 2: South Coast Highlights

For your next two days in Iceland, we’re going to focus on the south coast, primarily following Route 1, which is also known as the Ring Road.

Whilst this can be done in one day if you skip things, we think a better option is to go a bit slower and take in more of the attractions – of which there are many!

The trip out to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, which is the end point of our route, will require you to drive the same route there and back. We’re going to take advantage of this, and split the sightseeing across the two days so you don’t feel you have to see everything in one day.

Our first stop is going to be the Lava Center , in Hvolsvöllur. This is a relatively recently opened award-winning museum, which will teach you everything you need to know about the volcanos and the geology of Iceland. There is also a cafe here.

We think this is a worthwhile stop as you’re going to be seeing a lot of volcanoes as you drive out to Jökulsárlón, and the landscape around you has been shaped by massive geological activities. The Lava Center will help you understand all of this, plus the exhibits are really well put together.

If you do decide to visit, you can book your tickets online in advance here . Using our link gives you a small discount on the normal price.

From the Lava Center, you’re going to head to some of Iceland’s most iconic south coast sights, including waterfalls and black sand beaches.

The first of these is Seljalandsfoss. This is an impressive waterfall found just off Route 1. Seljalandsfoss is one of the few waterfalls in Iceland you can actually walk behind. A word of warning – you will get wet when you do this, so dress appropriately, and if you take your camera equipment with you, make sure you prepare it for the water spray with some sort of protective cover.

Note that Seljalandsfoss is one of the few attractions in Iceland with a parking fee. This fee is payable by credit card 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is enforced by attendants, so definitely make sure you pay.

As a bonus, there’s actually another waterfall near Seljalandsfoss – Gljúfrabúi. Note that this does require a short wade up a stream through a canyon to view, so don’t do this if this doesn’t sound like something you would be comfortable with, and ensure the stream is not too high before attempting it!

To get to Gljúfrabúi from Seljalandsfoss you head along the path (there’s a little sign pointing the way) to the right of Seljalandsfoss as you look at it (away from the Ring Road). A short 5 -10 minute walk will bring you to a stream coming out of a narrow canyon in the rock.

If you are feeling brave, have waterproof boots on, and the stream is not too high, you can head up this stream a few meters, where you’ll be rewarded with the gorgeous Gljúfrabúi waterfall, which tumbles into the canyon, and is quite spectacular.

Next, you’ll continue along the Ring Road to another of Iceland’s incredible waterfalls – Skogafoss. This is notable for its width and height. At 15 metres wide and with a drop of sixty meters, the amount of water thundering over these falls is an amazing sight to behold.

You can admire this from ground level, and you can get very close to the base here (although the spray will likely get you very wet!), or you can hike up the staircase to the viewpoint for a different perspective.

Near Skogafoss is the Skogar Museum which is a lovely region museum focused on the cultural heritage of the area that has three large sections: Icelandic culture, Icelandic technology and transportation, and an open-air museum complex that includes old traditional turf buildings.

Your journey now continues to one of Iceland’s famous black sand beaches. The first stop though will be at Dyrhólaey – a rocky peninsula that is home to a massive black lava arch which juts out to sea. From atop the 120 metre high Dyrhólaey  there are absolutely spectacular views, especially to the west, where a black sand beach stretches out for miles upon miles.

This is also one of the few spots on this three day tour from where you will be able to spot puffins. Every spring Iceland is home to millions of these cute little seabirds, who come here to nest and raise their pufflings. If you’re interested in seeing them, see our guide to puffins in Iceland , which has lots of information on the best places to see them.

Note that Dyrhólaey is normally closed to visitors during the early part of the puffin nesting season each year, usually from mid May to mid June.

From Dyrhólaey  it’s a short drive down to the beautiful Reynisfjara Beach. This stretch of black sand is famous for it’s black basalt columns, which appear to rise out of the beach itself. There are also caves, and sea stacks in the distance.

One word of caution here – this beach is known for its large “stealth” waves, which can sweep up the beach quickly and without warning, and knock you off your feet. In a worst case scenario they can even drag you into the freezing waters, which can be very dangerous, and tourists die here every year. So keep far from the waters edge here.

From Reynisfjara you will continue along Route 1 through the cute town of Vik (a good spot for refuelling and getting lunch) and then onwards across the Eldhraun lava field.

This is the largest lava flow in the world, covering an areas of 218 square miles, and it was formed when the Laki volcano erupted in 1783. The eruption lasted eight months, and 42 billion tons of lava was spewed forth. The eruption had far-reaching global consequences, with the ash in the air affecting the climate across Europe and causing crop failures and famine.

Today, the moss covered Eldhraun Lava Field is a unique and beautiful site, and there are a number of spots you can stop to admire its vastness. Just be sure to stay to the marked paths and not to walk on the moss, as it is very fragile and takes decades to regenerate.

Our last stop on day two of your three day Iceland road trip adventure is at the impossible to pronounce Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. This relatively short, 100 metre deep canyon has formed over the last 10 millenia or so, with glacial melt off carving its way through the landscape.

The walls are steep, and the canyon is remarkably winding in shape, making for wonderful photography opportunities. For the best views, you’ll want to walk to the lookout platform, around a ten to fifteen minute walk from the parking area.

That finishes up our second day of our 3 day Iceland itinerary. Now for some suggestions on where to stay!

Our suggestion for your second night is to stay somewhere between Hof and Jökulsárlón, which will set you up nicely for your third day of activities. Some suggested accommodation options are as follows.

• Hotel Skaftafell – found by Route 1, this hotel is 40 minutes drive west of Jokulsarlon Glacier lagoon, and offers lovely views, WiFi, on-site restaurant, and bar
• Reynivellir – a little east of the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, this budget hotel offers rooms with shared bathrooms, a restaurant, and an on-site kitchen
• Fosshotel Nupar – around an 80 minute drive west of the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, this property is part of the well-rated Fosshotel range. These sit in the mid to upper range of hotel options in Iceland, and rooms offer lovely views. There’s also an on-site restaurant.
• Hunkubakkar Guesthouse  – a family run guesthouse found five miles from Kirkjubæjarklaustur. WiFi, on-site restaurant and cute colourful cottages.

You can see more options for this region on booking.com here .

Day 3: South Coast Highlights & Reykjavik

For your third day, you’re going to start at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. This is a huge lagoon formed by run-off from the melting Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. It’s currently around 7 square miles in size, and is the deepest lake in Iceland.

The lake is filled with eerily blue icebergs, which break off the glacier and float around in the lake. After a long period of doing this, they become small enough to float out to sea, where many of them end up on the so-called Diamond Beach – named because all the washed up icebergs look like diamonds strewn across the sand.

At Jökulsárlón you have a couple of options for activities that we recommend, depending on the time of year you visit. In summer, you can take a boat tour on the lagoon , which will let you get up close to the glaciers edge, have a chance to see seals, and learn all about the geology of the lagoon and glacier. This tour only operates from May to October as the lagoon has too much ice on it in winter.

In winter, you can do an ice cave tour instead , with departures from Jokulsarlon. These tours, which last around three hours, take you up onto Vatnajokull Glacier where an experienced guide will take you inside a beautiful ice cave. An ice cave tour is a popular activity, so definitely book this one in advance. Also be aware that it will take some time, so you might need to adjust the remainder of your days activities to accommodate it.

From Jokulsarlon, you’re going to start heading back to Reykjavik. However, there’s still lots to see on the way back.

The first stop is Svartifoss, or the black falls. These waterfalls are found in the Skaftafell areas of the Vatnajökull National Park. Note that the parking area here has a parking fee, payable at the national park station after you park.

The hike up to the falls is fairly steep, and will take 50 – 90 minutes round trip, depending on your fitness levels. We think it’s worth it though, the water cascades of beautiful black basalt columns, and it’s certainly a unique look amongst the other waterfalls you’ll be seeing on this three day road trip!

Continuing along the south coast, our next stop is the DC-3 plane wreck . This is a popular stop off the Ring Road, with a hike leading you to the wreck of a DC-3 that crashed here some decades ago.

The walk out to the plane and back takes about 2 hours, and this is a very popular stop. It’s not for everyone, but if you do decide to head out here, make sure you are properly dressed and prepared for it.

See our full guide to finding the Iceland plane crash , so you know what to expect.

Again, this walk takes a bit of time, so make sure you consider this as part of your whole day and what else you want to see before committing to it.

Now as you head back, we have three options for what to do for the final part of your last day in Iceland: bathe in the Seljavallalaug swimming pool, visit the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon, or explore Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city.

The first option is Seljavallalaug swimming pool. Having done a bit of walking on your trip, we thought that maybe it was time for a dip in a free hot spring! Iceland has a wide range of geothermally heated pools around the country, which range from fairly pricey experiences like the Blue Lagoon, through to entirely free options.

The Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool falls into the latter category. This 25 metre long 10 metre wide pool is about a fifteen minute walk from the parking lot (which you’ll find here on Google Maps ), and there are changing rooms here so you can get in and out of your bathing clothes. We think visiting a geothermal pool whilst in Iceland is a must-do activity, and this is an excellent free option!

Of course, if you prefer, you can head straight back towards Reykjavik or Keflavik, depending on what you want to do. If you choose to stop off at the famous Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon (mentioned on Day 1) instead, you’ll want to head to Keflavik.

The Blue Lagoon is open until at least 8pm (hours vary by time of year, and run as late at 11pm in summer) so you can go for an evening soak. If you do this option, we’d recommend staying near Keflavik. You will also need to book in advance as you can’t just turn up here. See our guide to visiting the Blue Lagoon for more information.

The Sky Lagoon is closer to the city and is a newer option. It’s not quite as famous, but has been getting great reviews. It’s also open late. You can book tickets in advance here .

A third option is to skip both pools, and head back to explore a bit of Reykjavik. We’d suggest checking out the beautiful Hallgrimskirkja, the Sun Voyager statue, and the pretty town center. This would also be a good opportunity to have a nice meal if your budget will stretch to it.

If you have a bit longer in town, and want to do some more sightseeing, consider a Reykjavik city card . A 24 hour card is good value and gets you free access to many of the cities top attractions, as well as free public transport on the city bus services.

And that finishes off the last day of our 3 day Iceland road trip itinerary. Now let’s go over where to stay, followed by some more information to help you plan your trip.

You’ll be overnighting in Reykjavik tonight, or, if you have an evening flight, you can head straight to the airport. There are also some accommodation options closer to the airport if you have an early morning flight.

We’ve stayed at a number of hotels near the Reykjavik city centre which we are happy to recommend:

• Grand Hotel,  around 1.2 miles from the city center, offering four star accommodation, free wifi, spa & fitness center and free parking. We’ve stayed here.
• Reyjkavik Natura Icelandair Hotel , near the city airport, this hotel offers free parking, a free city bus pass to all guests, on-site restaurant and spa facilities. We’ve stayed here.
• Guesthouse Galtafell  – A good value option around ten minutes walk from the city center and quick walk from the BSI bus station. Offers both guest rooms in the main house as well as apartments that come with a small kitchenette. We’ve stayed here.
• Galaxy Pod Hostel – this well located hostel offers dormitory accommodation with a twist – each bed is in a self-contained pod, offering more privacy than a normal hostel. Pods vary in standard, but most come with TV’s, power and WiFi.

If you’d prefer to stay near the airport, we’ve also stayed at the  Northern Light Inn . This is conveniently located right next to the Blue Lagoon and is about a 17 minute drive from airport. Travellers on more of a budget will like The Base by Keflavik airport , which offers both hotel and hostel style accommodation, as well as an airport shuttle.

3 Day Iceland Itinerary Road Trip Map

To help you visualise this 3 day Iceland itinerary, we’ve put it into a map form, with the route and highlights marked. You can also see this on Google Maps here .

3 Days in Iceland: Overview Itinerary

Here’s a summary of our 3 day Iceland itinerary for quick reference.

• Day 1: Golden Circle. Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss
• Day 2: South Coast Highlights. Lava Center, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Eldhraun lava field, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
• Day 3: South Coast Highlights & Reykjavik.  Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Diamond Beach, Svartifoss, DC-3 plane wreck, Blue Lagoon

3 Days in Iceland Basing Yourself in Reykjavik

We appreciate that not everyone wants to drive in Iceland as car rental is relatively expensive and the various insurance options are fairly complicated to deal with (not to mention expensive!). Also those who are used to driving on the left side, may not feel comfortable driving on the right.

The good news is that it’s very possible to see the majority of the highlights from our 3 day self-drive itinerary by basing yourself in Reykjavik, and taking tours from the city. This also has the advantage that you can find somewhere to stay for three days, and not have to be packing or unpacking. You’ll also have time to explore the city, either on one of your days, or in the evenings.

We have a detailed guide to the best day trips from Reykjavik , which we definitely recommend you take a look at. However, in summary, here’s are suggestion of which tours we think would be the best options for your 3 days.

A day trip to the Golden Circle.

The Golden Circle is relatively close to Reykjavik, and thus makes for a popular day trip. There are a wide range of operators offering Golden Circle day trips from Reykjavik, including:

• A  private full day tour of the Golden Circle  which includes all the highlights as well as Kerid Crater, Faxi waterfall, and time for ice cream at Efstidalur II.
• A  year round 9 hour tour which covers all the Golden Circle highlights and also includes time at the Laugarvatn Fontana (admission is included).
• A  Golden Circle tour that includes Kerid Crater , 8 hours with additional Kerid crater stop
• A  Golden Circle Express tour which is a little quicker with the option of a trip to the Blue Lagoon

A day trip along Iceland’s South Coast

In our itinerary we suggest you take two days to visit Iceland’s south coast, however, it is also possible to do this as a long day trip from Reykjavik.

Whilst these don’t see absolutely everything, they do cover the major highlights, including the black sand beaches and the most popular waterfalls.

Some day tours also go as far as the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, although as this is a fairly long round trip from Reykjavik, those versions usually only run in the months of the year with longer daylight hours.

Here are some options to consider.

• The year round  South Shore adventure tour. This tour takes around 10 hours, and covers all the highlights all the way out to Vik, including the main waterfalls and the black sand beach. This is a similar tour.
• A summer-only south shore tour that goes all the way to the Glacier Lagoon, and includes a boat ride on the lagoon. This is a long 14 hour long tour.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Whilst we haven’t included the Snaefellsnes Peninsula on our 3 day self drive itinerary, we did want to include it here as an option.

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is around a two hour drive from Reykjavik, making it very accessible as a day trip. It has a number of attractions, including a massive glacier, the beautiful Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, basalt columns, seal watching opportunities, the Shark Museum, and more!

It makes for a great alternative to the Golden Circle or South Coast, and is a day trip we can highly recommend.

Take a look at this  Snaefellsnes Peninsula small group tour  as well as  this tour to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula which includes a home cooked meal.

Northern Lights Viewing from Reykjavik

If you’re visiting Iceland in winter, you absolutely must try and see the northern lights. This magical display in the sky is an unforgettable sight, and one that is high on visitors wishlists when coming to Iceland. See our guide to how to photograph the northern lights for some tips on getting great shots.

Being based in Reykjavik will mean that the city lights will get in the way of good viewing opportunities, but the good news is that there are multiple tours available, at a wide range of price points. Many also offer a guarantee that if you don’t see the lights, you can take another tour, so we suggest booking one of these tours for one of your first nights in Iceland.

There are a lot of tours to consider. Some we suggest you include in your shortlist are this  small group tour , this  well reviewed and good value coach option or this private super jeep tour .

For more ideas don’t forget to check out our guide to the best day trips from Reykjavik !

3 Days in Iceland as a Group Tour

If you don’t want to drive, but also don’t want to base yourself in the city, we’ve got another option – take a group tour!

We’ve put together a detailed guide to a number of  guided tours of Iceland , which range from a couple of days to a couple of weeks and more, but we wanted to share a few of our favourite shorter options here for you to consider.

• This 2 night / 3 day tour includes the Golden Circle, five waterfalls, amphibian boat ride on the glacier lagoon and a glacier hike. It also includes free WiFi on the bus.
• This 2 night / 3 day tour includes the Golden circle, an ice cave, glacier lagoon and black sand beach. Free WiFi is also included.
• A 1 night / 2 day tour that focuses on the south coast . This tour includes the famous black sand beach at Reynisfjara and goes all the way to the incredible Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. It also includes ice caving and northern lights watching. This shorter tour would be a great option to combine with a night in Reykjavik, where you could take in some of the city’s sights, or head out to the Blue Lagoon, or even take a day trip to the Golden Circle.

See more tour options on GetYourGuide here , TourRadar here , Viator here , Northbound here , and Guide to Iceland here .

Northbound in particular are worth noting as they can help you customise a tour to meet your exact needs, a process you can start here . Feel free to send them this blog post and ask them to help you plan a similar trip!

When to Visit Iceland

Iceland has very distinct seasons, and visiting at different times of year will give you very different experiences. We’ve visited in both summer and winter, and loved them both, but you should definitely be aware of the differences as they will affect your planning and what you can see.

In Winter, or at least, the period from October through to March, temperatures will be colder and the days shorter. In December and January in particular the days will be very short, which will impact your sight-seeing. If you are visiting in these two months, you will want to adjust your daily itinerary as you won’t be able to see as much given the fewer hours of daylight.

Winter is however the best time of year for a number of popular activities. If you want to see the Northern Lights for example, you’ll have to visit in winter, as this is when they are active. The best months are usually September / October and February / March.

In winter you can also go ice caving, skiing, and take part in many more winter activities such as these . However, the weather will definitely be colder, and snow is likely. You’ll want to read up on our guide to what to pack for Iceland in winter , and if you choose to drive, our guide to driving in Iceland in winter .

The months between March and October are the more “summery” time of year. Whilst it won’t ever be a tropical destination, and you’re still going to want to bring warm clothes, there is a much greater chance of sunshine and temperatures around 20C are not uncommon. This time of year, and especially from June to August, there is a great deal of daylight available, so you can sightsee for much longer on each day.

The summer is a much busier time of year in Iceland, so there will be more people. Prices will also be higher, and accommodation might be harder to come by. We recommend booking everything in advance and checking out our Iceland budget tips .

To be honest, we don’t think there’s a bad time of year to visit Iceland, as long as you are prepared and know what to expect you will have a great experience!

Where to Stay in Iceland

Iceland has a variety of accommodations options, from self catered apartments through to hostels and hotels. Prices vary, but Iceland is far from a budget destination, so expect prices to be relatively high even for hostels.

For the self-drive trip we’ve included links to some recommended hotels on each day. If you choose to base yourself in Reykjavik, check out our recommended options under day 3 of the trip, plus you can check out more options in Reykjavik on  booking.com here .

We usually recommend Booking.com as they have pretty much everything from hostels to hotels to apartments, and they offer very competitive pricing and usually a great cancellation policy.

Practicalities for Visiting Iceland

To help you plan your Iceland trip, we’ve put together some information that we think you will find helpful. We also suggest you read our detailed guide to planning a trip to Iceland , which has loads more practical information.

One of the concerns we often hear from readers is around driving in Iceland. Driving in Iceland isn’t too difficult – the roads are well maintained and not too busy. Winter conditions can be more challenging though, as snow and ice are common.

For the 3 day road trip we suggest, 99% of the driving is going to be on paved roads. There will be some shorter sections of unpaved roads, such as those leading to the parking lot at Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool, however these are very short sections (no more than a mile or two), and would be fine in a two wheel drive car, provided you drive sensibly.

We have lots more information about driving in Iceland – see our guide to things to know before you drive in Iceland , as well as our guide to driving in Iceland in winter for lots of helpful advice, tips on renting a car, the right insurance for you, and more resources.

Electricity / Power

Like Europe and much of the world, Iceland uses a 220v system. It uses two pin plugs as you would find in much of Europe. If you are coming from the UK, the USA, or anywhere else that has a different shaped plug system, you will need a  travel adaptor like this .

See more on travel adapters and how to choose one for your trip in our guide to the best travel adapters .

If you have a few devices, we also suggest you pick up a travel power strip so you can charge everything.

If you are coming from the USA or Canada (and several other countries with 120 V systems), you also need to be aware that the voltage in Iceland is different, so you’ll need to check your devices are compatible. Devices will have their voltage compatibility written on the power adaptor in most cases.

In our experiences, low power electronics like laptops, battery chargers and smartphones support a range of voltages, whilst higher power equipment like hair dryers, curling irons, and hair straighteners will not, unless they are travel specific dual voltage models. If you need one – check out dual voltage appliances such as this travel hairdryer .

Cost of Travel in Iceland

Iceland is definitely one of the more expensive countries to travel in. Everything from accommodation to car rental to food is relatively expensive, and there is definitely the potential for price shock if you visit unprepared for this fact.

Our suggestion if you want to visit Iceland on a budget is to plan ahead as to how to achieve this. Travelling as a group, booking low cost accommodation, going grocery shopping, and avoiding expensive restaurants are some tips – for more, check out our detailed guide to visiting Iceland on a budget .

Internet Access

Internet access in Iceland is fairly widely available, with free WiFi offered at most hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops.

If you want data on your phone, you can either pick up a SIM card on arrival in the country (if you have an unlocked phone), or you can investigate the options your home network provider has for roaming. For example, in the UK we use the Three network, which includes free data roaming in Iceland, meaning we don’t have to pay any extra and can just use our UK data allowance in Iceland.

We have lots more tips for getting online when you travel in this guide , which goes through all the options you have and the various price points for those.

Our final point is safety. Iceland is rated as one of the safest countries in the world to travel in, but this doesn’t mean you should be complacent. In particular, petty crime has started to rise, so you will always want to be vigilant with your belongings, and don’t leave anything on view in your car when you park it. Otherwise, practice basic safety precautions and be sensible, and you should be fine.

The greatest dangers are usually presented by the landscape and changeable weather rather than other people, so if you just use common sense and don’t put yourself in any unsafe situations, you should be fine!

Further Reading

And that’s the end of our guide to spending 3 days in Iceland on a stopover! However, we have more content to help you plan your trip, based on our travels in Iceland.

• If you are looking for more road trip ideas of different lengths, we have a detailed  1 week Iceland Ring Road itinerary , a  7 day winter Iceland itinerary  and a  5 day Iceland itinerary .
• We have an introductory guide to help you  plan a trip to Iceland
• We have a detailed  guide to driving in Iceland in winter , as well as a general guide to driving in Iceland .
• We’ve created a list of some of our  favourite photography locations in Iceland  to help you get awesome photos
• We have a guide to  finding the Iceland Plane crash , which is a fun photography location
• We have a complete guide to visiting the Golden Circle , which has a map, suggested itinerary, and more.
• If you’re visiting Iceland in Winter, check out our guide to the  best winter activities in Iceland  and my  tips for cold weather photography
• On a budget? Here’s a guide to visiting  Iceland on a budget  to help you make the most of your trip
• We have a detailed packing guide to help you decide  what to pack for Iceland
• We have a guide to visiting the Blue Lagoon
• We’ve also got a guide to the  best day trips from Reykjavik  should you wish to base yourself in the capital rather than self-drive around, as well as a guide to the best guided tours in Iceland
• For car rental in Iceland,  this website  lets you choose between a range of car rental providers in Iceland
• The weather in Iceland can be fickle – the best website for real-time cloud cover is  this one from the Icelandic Met Office .
• Whilst Iceland is a safe country to travel in when it comes to things like crime, the country itself is home to extreme conditions and all sorts of seismic activity. So to stay safe as you go, check out the  Safetravel Iceland page
• We have a guide to how to photograph the northern lights if you are lucky enough to see this wonderful phenomenon.
• Finally, if you’re not sure what camera gear to take with, take a look at both our guide to  picking a travel camera ,  picking a travel lens , travel tripods , and our personal  travel photography gear

And that’s it! If you’ve got any questions or feedback on the above, just let us know in the comments below, and have an awesome trip in Iceland!

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Judith Greco says

14th March 2023 at 6:52 pm

Hello,Our family is planning a trip to Iceland. We will land in KEF and begin our trip around the Circle. However ,one member needs to return back to the US after 3 days.By that time we should be driving and on our way to the Diamond beach. Is there any form of transportation that our family member could return back to KEF ( ie uber, plane or other form of transportation) to return back to airport >

Laurence Norah says

19th March 2023 at 3:17 pm

So there aren’t going to be Ubers (these don’t exist in Iceland) and I’m not aware of any flight options. There are public buses that run along the south coast from places like Vik, but they’d need to change in Reykjavik. The other option would be to arrange a private transfer from somewhere on your route, which might be your best option. I’d probably advise talking to your accommodation provider for the location they will be departing from, they should be able to offer some options.

Have a great time in Iceland!

Cheryl says

27th February 2023 at 10:44 pm

Hi Enjoyed your blog! Planning a three and a half day girls trip next month. Looking at an airbnb Austurbyggð 3, Laugarás, 801 Selfoss, Is that a good location. Planning to rent a car. Would love to squeeze in as much as possible. The Blue Lagoon, Glacier, Waterfalls, Ice cave, Volcano bread, tomato farm and of course hoping to see the northern lights. Any thoughts on where we should start – or really any advice at all – Thanks so much! Cheryl

28th February 2023 at 4:13 pm

Hey Cheryl!

Glad to be of help 🙂 So that location will definitely be great for the Golden Circle, and you would be able to get to the majority of the other attractions on your list if you don’t mind driving a bit.

I would recommend visiting the Blue Lagoon either when you arrive into Iceland or when you depart as it is so close to the airport. After that most of the types of attractions you want to see are accessible from the Golden Circle.

I would say for an ice cave the nearest best option will be to go to Katla, there are a few operators which run ice cave tours with departure from Vik such as this one or this one .

There are some good waterfalls you will pass as you go to Vik, plus the Black Sand beach at Vik is definitely worth the visit.

Let me know if I can offer any more help, and have a great time in Iceland!

Stella says

11th January 2023 at 7:44 pm

Hi there! We’re flying into Iceland at 1pm on Friday the 3rd February and we plan to rent a car for 3 days. We dont fly in till 1:20pm. Would you have any advice on where to go when we arrive? We were thinking of staying around Hella on the first night. Would we have time to do  some highlights of the golden circle on day one or would we be better off leaving that till monday on the way back when we have more time. Is there any other route that might suit us better? Thanks so much!

14th January 2023 at 10:40 am

So it would depend on which order you plan to sightsee. If you are planning on doing the south coast first and the golden circle on the way back, then it would not make too much sense to deviate to the Golden Circle on the way. If you planned on visiting a hot spring in Iceland, your first day might be an option. You could for example visit the Blue Lagoon on arrival as it’s by the airport. If you did the Golden Circle first you might have time to squeeze in Thingvellir on day 1 and then complete the rest of the circuit on your second day, but that would depend of course on how quickly you got through passport control and collect your hire car. It’s normally fairly quick, but you might not want to feel rushed. I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions!

2nd January 2023 at 9:46 pm

Hi, I’m interested to follow your 3-days trip. My flight will arrive early morning, I have 3 full days, depart early morning. I’d like to spent a half day in Rejkavik city. With so many interesting places, I am afraid can not make it to spend the time to explore Rejkavik. The South Coast (Diamond Beach) takes 4-5 hours drive to Rejkavik, plus stopping more places. Any idea which should I skip. You did not mention Kerid crater. Is it worth to see?

4th January 2023 at 7:57 pm

Great to hear from you. So it’s always tricky to advise what to skip because a lot of this comes down to personal preference. Some people really want to see waterfalls, whereas otherwise might prefer a hike or visiting hot springs. Kerid Crater is certainly interesting and worth visiting, but then, so are many other attractions. My recommendation would be to visit a hot spring, do the Golden Circle, and visit the major waterfalls on the south coast. If I was you, I would list the things I really want to see and then decide what else you can fit in as well.

I hope this helps. Have a great trip to Iceland!

Barbara says

27th December 2022 at 7:29 pm

My son, his wife, and I are going to Iceland at the end of September (start of a European trip) or the middle of October (end of said trip). I love your 3 day itinerary but would love to add a mountain biking experience for my son, an avid and experienced mountain biker. When and where could that be worked into our visit? Really looking forward to our trip. Your Iceland guide is amazing!

30th December 2022 at 4:18 pm

Hi Barbara,

Thanks very much. It sounds like you have a great trip planned! So I don’t have personal experience of mountain biking in Iceland, but there are a number of companies offering a mountain biking experience in the country. You can see a good selection here to choose from. A number of these are on the south coast or around the Reykjavik area, so you should be able to find something that lines up with our itinerary 🙂

Have a great trip!

Stephanie says

1st December 2022 at 8:59 pm

Hello! Thank you for this itniery. My fiancé and I are planning on using this as part of our honeymoon planning. I am wondering, for day 3, the drive from Svartifoss to the Blue Lagoon is 5 hours long. Are there any good sights along the way?

2nd December 2022 at 9:04 am

Hi Stephanie,

It’s my pleasure. So you are going to be largely retracing your steps on this part of the route, back along the south coast. So there are sights for sure, but you will likely already have stopped to see them. The main difference is after Selfoss, where you will drop down to Eyrardakki and then along the Reykjanes peninsula. So that will be new. Strandarkirkja has a nice historic church, and there are some other sights you can take in like the Seltun Geothermal area. However, as most folks want to experience the blue lagoon for a while, we wouldn’t advise planning too many stops as it’s quite a long drive already.

Veronica says

27th October 2022 at 5:06 am

Hello, thank you for the very informational guide for Iceland. I was just wondering if it is possible to do the journey in reverse, meaning visit the golden circle area on the last day. Our flight out of Reykjavik is in the morning the next day, so I suppose we will have ample time to drive to the airport. Is there any reason why all the guides start with Thingvellir and the Golden Circle first?

27th October 2022 at 10:44 am

Hi Veronica,

You can absolutely do this journey in either direction. I chose to layout the itinerary this way so you have more driving towards the end, as you finish up the trip, but you can start off with the longer drive along the south coast of course. Oftentimes after a flight folks don’t necessarily want to do a long drive and instead want to get straight into the sight seeing, which is likely why the Golden Circle is the normal first point of call, but you should always adjust any itinerary to suit you 🙂

Have a great time in Iceland, let me know if you have any more questions!

Rebecca says

20th September 2022 at 7:54 pm

Just booked our flights & hotel stay in Reykjavik and came across your blog! Wow amazing! I’m abit clueless on what to book when and would love a little help! We’re planning on just booking the tours from Reykjavik and ticking off most the tourist tours, golden circle, northern lights, blue lagoon etc. any help on when to book what? We land at 9am Iceland time on Thursday and return 9am Sunday morning. So 3 full ish days! What and when to make to most of it all? Thankyou so much

20th September 2022 at 8:21 pm

Hey Rebecca!

That sounds awesome! So if you have your hotel and flights booked you are most of the way there 🙂

So my recommendation would probably be as follows:

Thursday – go to the Blue Lagoon on the way from the airport (it’s right by the airport), then head into town. You can book a shuttle bus transfer from the airport here , and also on to Reykjavik afterwards. You can book your Blue Lagoon entry on the official site here .

I’d then probably advise spending your afternoon exploring Reykjavik, and perhaps doing a northern lights tour like this that evening. The advantage of booking a northern lights tour earlier in your trip is that if it’s cancelled due to bad weather most operators will allow you to go on another night.

On your second day, so the Friday, I’d suggest doing the Golden Circle. That will be most of a day and there are a few tour options, such as this one .

Finally, on the Saturday, you can do this full day south coast tour all the way out to the Glacial Lagoon. That is going to be a long day and a lot of driving, but it covers the main highlights. I checked the availability and it only runs on the Saturday. There’s also a shorter tour here which runs every day, but doesn’t get all the way out to the glacier lagoon.

Now, of course, you could do all the above by renting a car and driving yourself. If you did that then I’d follow my itinerary and stop somewhere around Vik. However, as you have a hotel already, I’d definitely do it as a tour to save yourself the drive.

Let me know if you have any questions, happy to help. Have an amazing time in Iceland!

Maya Rao says

25th March 2022 at 3:24 pm

What a wonderful site with such detailed information, thank you so much for doing this! It makes planning so simple and enjoyable. We are planning a 3 day stopover in Iceland in September and look forward to following your 3-day itinerary as much as we can. I realized after booking our tickets that northern lights will be visible at the time (would have planned a longer stay had I known earlier!) and would love to include that in our trip. As per your suggestion, I booked hotels in Fludir, Skogar and Reykjavik for each of the three nights we are there (in addition to 2 nights near the a/p), Which of these places would you recommend for viewing the northern lights? Also, can we just drive around and look for the lights ourselves or do you recommend joining a tour? If we select a tour, I prefer to do it earlier in the trip so we have a fallback in case of cloudy skies.

25th March 2022 at 5:38 pm

Thanks very much! So the northern lights are definitely fickle. You need a combination of solar flare activity and clear skies where you are to see them. For the best experience you also would want to be away from the city lights, although if there is a very strong display you will still be able to see them even with some light sources.

That said, your best chances are going to be in Fludir and Skogar where there is much less ambient light. In Reyjkavik you would want to travel a little outside the city to get more optimal conditions.

You can absolutely just head out in your own vehicle to see them. A tour is popular with folks in Reyjkavik as it gets you out of the city which is handy as not everyone has transport when in the city. The guides usually know good locations away from the city lights. But they aren’t too hard to find yourself. The main tip I suggest is to find an app for your phone that gives you alerts for the northern lights in your area. There are quite a few options including many free options that will do this, and it can save you missing a display.

Let me know if you have any additional questions, I’m happy to help!

margie cole says

3rd January 2022 at 1:03 am

I am so excited to try this! we are going the end of January. Couple fo questions if you dont mind. 1. what is the best website for mapping things out with many stops and addresses? 2. If we wanted to go snowmobiling and glacier hiking where in the trip does it fit in and can you recommend a tour operator? LOVE your blog!!!

3rd January 2022 at 11:08 am

Great to hear from you and thanks very much.

So for mapping things out I always just use Google Maps. There are two options. The easiest, and what I normally do on trips is to just use the list feature. If you click on any attraction / hotel on Google Maps you should have the option to save it to a list, and then a set of lists will pop up. I normally just use a combination of the stars, favourites and places to go, which put yellow stars, hearts and green flags on the map. For example, I might use green flags for attractions and hearts for accommodation.

The only thing you can’t do is save routes that way. If you want a map with routes, like I have in this guide, you need to use Google My Maps . It’s definitely best used from a computer in my experience.

For the snowmobiling, I assume you are planning to drive yourself? There are a few tours from Reykjavik, but they usually include the Golden Circle as well. If you have your own car, it makes more sense to add it in somewhere on the journey. For example, you can do it from Gulfoss on the Golden Circle day.

For the glacier hike, the easiest option is during the south coast part, from somewhere like Jokulsarlon on a tour like this . However there are quite a few options to choose from, you can see a selection here . We don’t have a preferred operator, we’d usually recommend picking a tour with good recent reviews at a price point that works for you 🙂

Let me know if you have any more questions, and have a great time in Iceland!

31st October 2021 at 7:13 am

Thank you so much for this wonderful itinerary, it definitely inspired us to go to Iceland to see it for ourselves! We are planning on making this trip in January as that’s when we found the best flight deals; however, I noticed in your article you mentioned that due to the limited daylight hours, some activities will have to be cut. I was wondering if you had any advice or had another article for a 3-day itinerary in January to maximize the daylight hours while still having activities when it is dark? Thank you so much!

31st October 2021 at 10:41 am

Thanks! So it will depend on when you visit in January as the day length varies dramatically. On the 1st January for example you’re looking at 4 hours and 24 minutes of daylight, but by the 31st it’s a more reasonable 7 hours. In addition, there are quite lengthy dawn and dusk periods, so it’s not totally dark.

In terms of the itinerary, I’d look at trying to rearrange some of the attractions for which daylight isn’t so necessary. For example, the Blue Lagoon is open until 9pm, so you can definitely do that later at night. To save time, you might also want to skip some of the internal sights like the museums, and focus on the outdoor attractions.

I hope this helps. I don’t have another itinerary, but this should give you some idea of what is possible. Have a great trip!

Danny B says

7th March 2019 at 9:08 pm

I cannot thank you enough for this guide and itinerary! My wife and I spent 3.5 days in Iceland and followed this almost exactly, we even printed your page out and read your synopsis of each site on the way! We had a blast and really felt we got to see everything important in that short time. The only time crunch we felt was on the third day, it’s a long drive from the glacier lagoon all the way to Reykjavik so we did end up cutting out the plane walk and free bath, but we had an awesome morning doing an ice cave tour near the lagoon, walking the diamond beach, and seeing Svartifoss! We did a northern lights tour that night in the city which was awesome as well. If you have an extra day I would definitely recommend getting to spend more time just exploring the city, there is just so much to see. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon was closed when we went (in March), luckily we were driving past there to go to the hotel anyway but be sure to check online before making the trip if it’s out of the way. Some of the recommended hotels were full when we were booking but we ended up finding great accommodations at the Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast for the first night and Hof 1 Hotel the second (closer drive for the third morning). We did get into the Galaxy Pod Hotel the third night and loved the atmosphere. Once again, thank you for this itinerary, we loved every minute of it!

8th March 2019 at 1:33 pm

Hi Danny – thank you so much for dropping by to leave a comment – it means a lot to hear from people who have actually followed our itineraries that they work for them (plus it helps other people too know what’s do-able!). we’re thrilled you had a great time in Iceland, and thanks for the feedback too 🙂 If you have any photos from your trip, we’d love to see them in our facebook group if you feel like sharing! You can see that here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelloversandphotography/

7th February 2019 at 9:16 pm

Hi! Great blog/site!!! I’m trying to plan a trip there in early June as a surprise graduation present for my 19 yr. oldd son; we would have 4 full days, maybe 5, but I like the idea of the 3-day itinerary so that we can have some “free” time to take our time and maybe find a place to kayak and/or hike. Plus, I want to just enjoy the “local” life there. I’d welcome any other thoughts; guessing we’d fly into/out of Reykjavik …

8th February 2019 at 7:51 pm

There are lots of great hikes within an hours drive of Reykjavik! I’d suggest the Glymur waterfall hike, the hikes on Mt. Esja, and then the hike up to Reykjadalur hot springs as a good starting point. I think your idea of spending five days with this three day itinerary will certainly work 🙂 The only international airport is at Keflavik, which is about 40 minutes drive south of Reykjavik.

We have lots more Iceland content on both our sites with loads of tips and advice for planning a trip. But I’m happy to provide more specific answers too of course!

8th February 2019 at 8:01 pm

Thank you for the quick response. I will be making more definite plans in the in next few weeks and will be in touch. And of the Glacier Excursions you offer, which would you suggest for an 18 year old and a first time visit to Iceland (well, first time international trip!)?

8th February 2019 at 8:03 pm

My pleasure. For clarity, we don’t offer any of the tours, we just recommend tours from companies we believe are reputable and have used ourselves. For the glacier tour, I would say that they would all be suitable as none of them require specific or previous knowledge. We’ve had positive experiences with tours on Iceland Travel and GetYourGuide, and have no hesitation recommending those. Of course, we recommend reading reviews of the tours and company as well to be sure 🙂

Michael says

1st January 2019 at 9:33 pm

I have been enlightened by your detailed guide and recommendations. We are planning to go middle of March so have a lot to look forward to. Thanks Michael

2nd January 2019 at 10:15 am

My pleasure Michael – have a great trip and do feel free to ask any questions you might have 🙂

17th December 2018 at 6:14 pm

This is an amazing and detailed guide for layover in Iceland. I was there for almost two weeks and it was wonderful! Highly recommended destination.

17th December 2018 at 6:44 pm

Thanks Anita!

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Discover the best that Southern USA has to offer! Hidden gems, vibrant cities and more!

Weekend In Charleston: An Epic 3 Days In Charleston Itinerary

January 3, 2023 //  by  Southern Trippers

If you are looking for an amazing weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, itinerary, then look no further!

There are so many unique things to do in Charleston, SC. You can easily see all the best of Charleston in three days, and we’re going to show you how!

Planning your trip to Charleston last minute?

Make sure to book your hotels and tours in Charleston in advance to ensure availability! The longer you wait, the more difficult it gets. Here are our top picks for your trip :

Top Tours And Experiences In Charleston:

• Charleston: Fort Sumter Entry Ticket and Ferry Ride (Our pick!!)
• Historical Walking Tour (Great way to see the city)
• Historic Harbor Cruise (Can choose sunset or daytime!)
• City Highlights Guided Bus Tour (Relaxing tour)

Top picks for places to stay in Charleston:

• Francis Marion Hotel (Amazing historic district location)
• Hyatt Place Charleston Historic District (Affordable)
• Hotel Emeline (Upscale and chic)
• Market Pavilion Hotel (4 star Downtown location)

We’ve come up with a packed three-day weekend full of Charleston activities. Charleston is one of the most beautiful cities in the South .

On this itinerary for Charleston, we did our best to hit all of the city’s most popular attractions. But if you don’t see something on here you’d like to do, you can simply add it to your trip!

Each day focuses on a different aspect of what makes Charleston so great.

You’ll explore colorful homes and beautiful parks as you stroll through the city streets. For history buffs, we’ve selected some of the best museums in Charleston.

We’ve also made sure to spend some time exploring classic Charleston activities. We think you’ll find yourself glad you took a fun weekend trip to Charleston after following our itinerary.

We have the perfect weekend guide to Charleston whether you are planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or even a bachelorette weekend in Charleston.

So, let’s take a look at the ultimate itinerary for 3 days in Charleston, SC!

Weekend In Charleston: An Epic 3 Days In Charleston Itinerary

Getting to charleston.

Getting to Charleston for your weekend getaway in the South is actually very easy. If you are flying, you can fly directly into Charleston International Airport. If you live closer or want to make a road trip out of it, you can also drive.

Charleston is a very car-friendly city and you’ll find plenty of places to park. You can also take the Greyhound bus or they even have a large Amtrak station if you’d like to travel by train.

This is truly one of the Best Weekend Getaways In South Carolina!

Getting Around During Your Charleston Weekend Trip

There are several ways to get around the city as well so do not worry if it is your first time in Charleston.

If you’ve driven into the city, you can of course use your car. Most areas have plenty of parking, either on the street, in lots, or in parking garages. You can also rent a car at the airport if you fly in.

Rideshare programs like Lyft and Uber are another popular way to get around the city.

When you are traveling just around the downtown area, take advantage of the CARTA trolley system. With several stops at popular downtown tourist destinations, it’s a fun and free way to get around.

Keep reading to learn how to plan a trip to Charleston, SC!

Day 1: Explore The Heart Of The City

Stop 1: explore the battery.

Spend your first day in the city exploring some of the most popular activities in the heart of the city. You’ll be doing a lot of walking today, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Begin the day by exploring the Battery. The Battery is easily the most popular thing to see when you visit Charleston in 3 days.

For those who may not know, the Battery is a one-mile strip with colorful houses on one side and the Charleston Harbor on the other.

Depending on how much time you have in the morning, you can easily walk the entire mile in one go.

But, if you don’t have the time, we suggest starting at White Point Garden. The White Point Garden is a popular area of the Battery and near some of the more notable homes.

Book Here: Charleston: Historical Guided Walking Tour

Stop 2: Walk Rainbow Row

Your next stop is Rainbow Row. Like the Battery, Rainbow Row is an incredibly popular tourist destination.

On the famous Rainbow Row, you’ll find several pastel-colored homes. The homes were originally built in the 1740s but fell into disrepair after the Civil War.

In the early 1900s, the homes began to be renovated. From the 1930s to 1940s the houses started being painted in their many colorful hues.

Now, the pastel row of homes is a landmark of the city. If you search through social media, you’ll find that Rainbow Row is also an incredibly popular place for photos.

While you’re exploring the architecture, definitely make sure you snap a few photos or two. Taking selfies here is one of the best things to do in Charleston in a weekend.

Stop 3: Find Philadelphia Alley

Philadelphia Alley is a fairly unassuming alley in Charleston’s historic district. But it has anything but an unassuming past.

Philadelphia Alley was also known as ‘Dueler’s Alley’ in the 1700s. It is a narrow cobblestone alley that was perfect for duels at the time.

Legend has it, during one such duel, a doctor met his untimely demise. If you go on a ghost tour through the city, they will definitely stop and tell you the story of the Philadelphia Alley.

But if you aren’t interested in ghost stories, it is still a very charming alleyway that often gets overlooked. When visiting Charleston in a weekend, make time to stop by.

Stop 4: See Shamrock Garden

If you love finding pretty, secret areas while wandering new cities, you will adore the Shamrock Garden.

This boxwood garden found on Legare Street is one of the best hidden gems in Charleston . Surrounded by historic homes, this private garden can be viewed through an iron fence. You will love the geometric shape of the shrubs.

Legare Street is one of the best places to visit in Charleston for a stroll among ivy-covered buildings and overhanging trees.

This is a great area for a photoshoot away from the tourist crowds.

Stop 5: Take A Carriage Ride

Take a break from all the walking of the morning, and enjoy one of the historic carriage rides through the city.

The guides on your horse-drawn carriage will make sure you learn plenty about the city during your weekend in Charleston, SC. No matter what tour company you choose, all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable.

The tours typically last about an hour and cover most of the prominent historic buildings. Some of the carriages are large enough to host entire groups, or you can tour the city in a private carriage.

The city randomly changes the routes every day, to help with traffic, so you can’t guarantee a certain route. However, each route hits most of the more iconic buildings and homes.

When your carriage ride is over, head to dinner before hitting the next stop for the day.

Book Here: Charleston: 1-Hour Carriage Tour of the Historic District

Stop 6: Stroll Through Waterfront Park

We suggest a stroll through Waterfront Park to end your day, especially after dinner. It’s a great way to walk off the delicious meal you’ve surely eaten.

The Waterfront Park is also beautiful in the evening. At the park, you’ll find the famous Palmetto Tree Fountain. There are dozens of benches and pavilions you can stop and rest at.

The benches face the harbor and are a great place to watch the sunset. There will also be boats passing by in the harbor, and depending on what time of year you visit, flowers in bloom.

You can also relax on any of the green spaces scattered throughout the park. Waterfront Park is a beautiful way to end the first day of your weekend in Charleston, SC.

Book Here: Charleston: Daytime or Sunset Historic Harbor Cruise

Stop 7: Grab a Drink at Camellias

If you want to keep the night going after sunset, head to Camellias, a premier champagne lounge at Hotel Bennett.

Food Network named Camellias the Most Instagrammable Restaurant in South Carolina and you will quickly see why!

The bar is decorated with pink furniture and a delicate, crystal chandelier dangles from the pink ceiling. The marble was reclaimed from the historic library that once stood where the hotel is today.

The menu features delicious caviar, charcuterie, and local seafood. The is also an extensive champagne and wine selection.

Some of the tasty cocktails include Honey I’m Comb, To Peach Their Own, and Keep Your Gin Up.

Day 2: Learn Charleston’s History

Stop 1: fort sumter.

Day two of your weekend getaway in Charleston is all about the history of the city. We have an entire post that gets into the nitty gritty details of visiting Fort Sumter if you want to check it out before you go!

Fort Sumter is one of the most interesting historical sites in the South and is the perfect stop for history buffs.

To get to the fort, you’ll need to take a relaxing ferry ride to the island across Charleston Harbor. Along your ferry ride, you’ll get some great views of Charleston, the USS Yorktown, and Ravenel Bridge.

When you get to the fort, you can tour where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. The national park is open to visitors daily and inside you’ll find knowledgeable park rangers who will tell you about the fort’s history.

Inside there is also a museum with artifacts from South Carolina’s involvement in the Civil War. It’s a great way to start your exploration of Charleston’s deep history.

Book Here: Charleston: Fort Sumter Entry Ticket and Ferry Ride

Stop 2: The Old Exchange And Provost Dungeon

Next, head to the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. The building was originally built in 1771 and has served several purposes over the centuries.

Its past includes a military prison run by the British during the Revolution, the site of slave auctions, and a place to entertain city leaders. In its most recent history, it is a museum run by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The museum has a self-guided tour included with the price of admission. On the tour, you’ll learn about the building’s top two floors as well as the Provost Dungeon.

Scattered throughout the museum there are docents who are available to answer any questions you have. You can be assured you’ll have a thorough understanding of the building’s colorful history by the time you leave.

Stop 3: The Old Slave Mart Museum

From there, head to the Old Slave Mart Museum. As the name suggests, the museum is housed in what was once the Slave Mart for the city of Charleston.

Charleston was a major hub of the slave trade, and as a result, most historic buildings in the city, unfortunately, have ties to slavery.

The museum is the first Black enslaved peoples museum. It prides itself on having staff who can often trace their lineage back to enslaved peoples who were sold at that very mart.

This connection often gives visitors a stronger understanding of the horrible practice of the slave mart. Inside the museum, you’ll find a ton of information on the slave trade and the history of the enslaved people who came to Charleston.

There is even an interview with a former enslaved person that you can watch. It is a poignant but important stop on any Charleston itinerary.

Book Here: Charleston: African-American History Guided Walking Tour

Stop 4: Historic Charleston Market

After the heaviness of the Old Slave Mart Museum, take a breath and stroll through the Historic Charleston Market.

The Historic Charleston Market is the most visited site in the city and is a great place to decompress after a morning of learning about the city’s dark history.

Inside the market, you’ll find only local vendors. It is full of fresh produce, baked goods, and artisan crafts.

If you are looking for a souvenir of your trip, it’s a great place to find a one-of-a-kind item to bring home. You’ll also be able to sample food from Charleston’s most popular restaurants or find kits for making their famous dishes.

Book Here: Charleston: Small Group Food Tour – Savor the Flavors

Stop 5: The Charleston Museum

Finish your second day in Charleston at the Charleston Museum.

The Charleston Museum is a great way to learn about South Carolina’s Low Country. There are several permanent exhibits, but the museum also has newer exhibits every year.

At the museum, you’ll learn about Native Americans that once called the area home, the area’s life and involvement in the Civil War, and much more.

There is also a natural history exhibit where you’ll learn about local flora, fauna, and geography.

The Charleston Museum is a great way to end your second day in the city.

Day 3: Iconic Charleston

Stop 1: drive to the angel tree.

On your final day in Charleston, take the time to see some of the city’s most iconic activities and sites.

The first is the Angel Tree. Now, to get to the Angel Tree you will need a vehicle. The tree is also not technically in Charleston. But it is worth the short drive out to Johns Island to view.

The Angel Tree is one of the most well-known natural landmarks in Charleston and a visit here is one of the best things to do in South Carolina .

It is a massive live oak tree that stands 65 feet tall and is around 28 feet wide. It is a sight to behold!

It’s unknown for certain, but biologists believe the tree is anywhere from 400-500 years old. It has stood the test of time and is a beautiful way to start the last day of your weekend in Charleston, South Carolina.

Book Here: Wadmalaw Island Adventure Tour: Wine, Tea and a Tree

Stop 2: Take a Day Trip to Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens is another of the best day trips from Charleston. This 175-acre swamp garden is about 40 minutes outside of the city, perfect for spending time in nature.

This is also a romantic place to visit in the South . The scenery is so beautiful is was chosen as a filming location for The Notebook .

Rent a rowboat and paddle among the pretty cypress trees through the calm water. Keep an eye out for birds, turtles, and alligators.

There are also over three miles of walking trails to explore as well as a Butterfly House and a Swamparium to visit where you can learn about native wildlife.

Stop 3: Tour a ‘House Museum’

One of the activities that are more unique to Charleston is the House Museums. Because the city has so many historical homes, many of them have been turned into museums.

There is a house museum for pretty much every interest. For those who are interested in the history of the politics and power that led to the rise of Charleston, there is the Aiken Rhett House. If you are interested in the opulence of early Charleston, tour the Nathan Russell House.

There are several homes and mansions you can tour in Charleston. If you have the time, one of our Charleston tips is to tour a few.

They are all so different yet interesting in how they, and their occupants, helped form the history of Charleston.

Stop 4: Shop on King Street

When you think King Street, think Rodeo Drive, but perhaps without the large price tags. King Street is the most iconic shopping district in Charleston.

The historic street is more than 300 years old and was once the main street through the city. Just like the rest of the city, it was badly damaged during the Civil War, but in the early 1900s, it began to be revitalized.

Now, it is one of the top shopping streets in the U.S. There you will find trendy and unique boutiques, antique shops, and designer stores.

King Street is also home to some of Charleston’s best restaurants and bars, making it a great place to stop for dinner.

Book Here: Charleston: King Street Shopping Tour with Drinks

Stop 5: Stop By The Dock Street Theater

The Dock Street Theater is the first theater in the United States that was open exclusively for theater performances, and it’s in Charleston!

It is also where the first opera performance in the United States was held. For those who love the arts, it’s an iconic piece of Charleston and the United States art history.

Currently, the theater is owned by the city of Charleston. The city does a good job of making sure the theater still gets plenty of use.

Depending on when you visit Charleston, you may be able to catch a performance at the theater. But even if you don’t have the time to see a performance, the exterior of the theater is stunning and worth even just a quick photo trip.

Stop 6: A Ghost Tour

To end your night, and your last day in Charleston, go on a ghost tour.

Charleston is said to be one of the most haunted cities in America. After two days of learning about its history, that won’t come as surprising.

There are several different companies that offer ghost tours. Most of the city’s ghost tours are walking tours, but there are also haunted carriage rides if you need a break from walking.

There are also a few different topics for the ghost tours, depending on which company you book a tour with.

Most, if not all of them will definitely hit the most prominent haunted spots in the city. It’s a super fun way to end your weekend getaway in Charleston.

Book Here: Charleston: 90-Minute Ghost and Dungeon Walking Tour

Book Here: Charleston: Haunted Carriage Evening Tour

Where To Stay In Charleston

There are plenty of amazing places to stay in Charleston. Some of the most popular accommodation options are bed and breakfasts in Charleston , but there are plenty of hotels too.

Barksdale House Inn

The Barksdale House Inn is a beautiful bed and breakfast near the Old City Market.

It was originally built in 1778 and the rooms are decorated in an authentic European style. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into early Charleston when you sleep in your four-poster bed after a long day exploring the city.

This is truly one of the best places to stay in Charleston . This area is not to be missed.

Check Rates on Booking.com

20 South Battery

If you’ve always wanted to stay at the Battery, then consider staying at 20 South Battery . You’ll be in the heart of the famous Battery, steps away from Waterfront Park, and more.

It is one of the best boutique hotels in Charleston ! The bed and breakfast is beautifully decorated, with ornate fixtures and furniture.

It is a luxurious place to stay while enjoying three days in Charleston.

Hotel Emeline

If you are looking for a classy and chic hotel in Charleston, then book a room at Hotel Emeline .

This hotel has many great amenities including free bikes, private parking, room service, and a fitness center. You will love the beautiful outdoor lounge with comfy couches and a fireplace.

The rooms are beautifully decorated with plush beds and cozy robes. There is also a bar and an Italian restaurant on site.

This hotel is also in a great location only a short walk from Waterfront Park.

The Jasmine House

If you are looking to have your three days in Charleston be a bit more romantic, you may want to stay at this adults-only bed and breakfast.

The Jasmine House is a Greek Revival mansion in Historic Charleston. The rooms are beautifully decorated and each one is unique.

It is centrally located near the Charleston City Market, Waterfront Park, and the Old Slave Mart Museum.

Where To Eat During Your Three Days In Charleston

Charleston is a city full of delicious and amazing restaurants of all kinds. It is one of the best cities in the South for foodies to visit. A stop at any one of these restaurants will help you quickly understand why.

Rodney Scott’s BBQ

You can’t visit Charleston without sampling some South Carolina BBQ. Rodney Scott’s BBQ is the perfect place to try the state’s most notable dish.

Rodney Scott’s is a Black-owned restaurant that specializes in whole hog South Carolina-style BBQ. Take a bite into a BBQ sandwich, eat dozens of hush puppies, or enjoy beef brisket.

Halls Chophouse

For fine dining, head to Halls Chophouse . Halls Chophouse is one of the most popular restaurants in Charleston.

The steakhouse offers up classics like filet mignon, lobster Thermidor, and New York strip. It is a great restaurant in Charleston if you are looking for a romantic restaurant to end your weekend getaway in Charleston.

Jackrabbit Filly

Jackrabbit Filly is an amazing Chinese American restaurant. Chefs Shuai and Corrie Wang combine classic Asian and Chinese dishes in particular, with classic American dishes.

If you are looking for something a little more unique, then this is the restaurant for you. With menu items like the Biang Biang noodles, corn fritters, and Singapore fried rice, you will leave full and satisfied.

Charleston is a beautiful city that can easily be explored in three days.

We think our Charleston weekend trip highlights all the absolute must-see spots in the city, and you’ll leave knowing you’ve gotten the full Charleston experience.

If you have been to Charleston, have you seen or done any of these activities? If you haven’t gotten the chance to go yet, what are you most interested in seeing? Let us know in the comments!

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Learn how to easily plan your dream trip to Iceland with helpful guides and tips!

3 Days In Iceland Itinerary: The Perfect First Trip To Iceland

December 19, 2023 //  by  Iceland Trippers //   2 Comments

Searching for the perfect 3 days in Iceland itinerary?

I will walk you through how to pack as much as possible into your three days in Iceland! You will see everything from waterfalls to canyons to black sand beaches!

This itinerary goes at a moderate to fast pace and can be customized to your interests. It is perfect for a quick trip to Iceland at any time of year.

When visiting Iceland for 3 days, I recommend renting a car as this will be a mini road trip!

If you don’t want to rent a car, you can still see many of these sites by booking a group tour or multiple-day tours. I will include more details about booking tours in Iceland later in this post.

I have been to Iceland multiple times and absolutely love it! I know all the best Iceland planning tips and how to make the most of a short stay in this amazing country!

Is 3 days enough to see Iceland? Of course, you cannot experience everything in such a short amount of time. However, 3 days is the ideal timeline to see many of the most popular things to do in Iceland !

Now, let’s look at what to see in Iceland in 3 days!

Get a FREE printable “Hidden Gems In Iceland” E-book by joining our private  Iceland Facebook Group  where you can share your photos and ask for tips and tricks.

3 Day Iceland Itinerary Map

If you are more of a visual person and are wondering where this 3 day Iceland road trip itinerary takes you, check out this map!

Iceland is a very GPS-friendly country and the majority of locations mentioned can be plugged into your GPS or Google Maps! This is our Iceland itinerary in map format!

Day 1: Reykjavik and the Golden Circle

Fly into Keflavik Airport to begin your three days in Iceland. Feel free to modify day one of this Iceland itinerary depending on what time your flight arrives.

This first day will be jam-packed with fantastic sites and things to do!

Stop 1: The Blue Lagoon

Some people think the Blue Lagoon is a big tourist attraction and don’t want to go. But, they are missing out!

While it can be expensive, it is one of the most amazing experiences you will have in your life! I visited the Blue Lagoon during winter, and it was so magical with the snowfall!

Visiting the Blue Lagoon is the perfect way to kick off your 3 days in Iceland itinerary, especially if you arrive on an early flight. They even have Blue Lagoon/Keflavik Airport transfer buses!

To visit the Blue Lagoon you MUST make a reservation! I recommend choosing the cheapest package as I recognize it is an expensive thing to do. However, I think it is 100% worth it as it is one of the best things to do near Reykjavik!

The hot spring pool is huge and even if there are a lot of people visiting, there are places that are more secluded! It is a fun way to begin your trip to Iceland!

Unwinding here is one of the best Iceland stopover ideas!

Book Here: From Reykjavik: Blue Lagoon Admission with Transfers

Stop 2: A Grocery Store In Reykjavik

If this sounds like an odd thing to do in Iceland. Think again! Grocery stores in Iceland will save you buckets of money during your Iceland weekend trip!

Before you begin your Golden Circle drive, stock up on food and snacks! Purchasing food out, even at gas stations, can add up quickly in Iceland!

Since food is so expensive in Iceland, I recommend making a grocery store your first stop after visiting the Blue Lagoon. If you are staying at an Airbnb in Iceland , make sure to buy enough food to eat all meals for 3 days in Iceland.

If you can’t think of what you want, at least get bread, sandwich meat, peanut butter and jelly, fruit, snacks, and bottled drinks.

If you want to snack, eat something you purchased at the grocery store instead of breaking the bank by going out to eat!

Check out my guide to the prices in Iceland so you know how to budget!

Driving The Golden Circle

During the first day of your Iceland itinerary, you will drive a loop road called the Golden Circle . It begins and ends near Reykjavik.

The drive is an easy 190-mile round-trip journey. Since it is a circle, you can choose to complete it in either direction, but for this 3 days in Iceland itinerary, you will be going clockwise.

The drive can be done in under 3 hours, but I recommend spending at least 4 to 5 hours exploring. If you want to opt out of driving this part, there are many  affordable Golden Circle Tours  you can book.

Stop 3: Thingvellir National Park

The first stop you’ll make on the Golden Circle is Thingvellir National Park.

It is one of the coolest places to see in Iceland because it is where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates touch! Go snorkeling here to see this amazing geological feature!

It is also where the first parliament happened way back in the Viking days! Isn’t that so cool?

There are walks you can do, waterfalls to see, and pullouts to enjoy the views.

Book Here: Silfra: Fissure Snorkeling Tour with Underwater Photos

Stop 4: Geysir Hot Spring Area

One great thing about the Golden Circle is the diversity of things you will see on this drive! Boiling mud pots? Check! Geysers that erupt almost on schedule? Check!

If you are based in the capital for this first day, you can easily make this a day trip from Reykjavik!

Geysir Hot Spring Area allows you to walk among geysers and boiling mud pots so you must be very careful to stay on the approved path.

The Strokkur geyser erupts almost on a schedule so you will see it during your stop! Have your camera ready as the best part of the eruption is the giant blue bubble that forms just moments before the geyser erupts hundreds of feet into the air!

Book Here: Reykjavik: The Golden Circle Day Tour

Stop 5: Brúarfoss Waterfall

Brúarfoss Waterfall is a much lesser-known Golden Circle location but it should not be missed!

This location isn’t a stop on the typical “Golden Circle Drive” but I know the secrets and think you should add it to your 3-day Iceland tour!

The water is stunning and really does look this blue in real life! It is a beautiful hike with multiple waterfalls along the way.

The waterfall can be found by typing “Brúarfoss Waterfall” into your GPS! Make sure to add the “waterfall” part to your GPS for accurate directions.

Stop 6: Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss Waterfall is one of the biggest waterfalls you will see during your 3 days in Iceland.

Gullfoss is open whether you plan your Iceland layover tour in winter or summer, and it looks completely different during each season!

You can view Gullfoss from above, or you can walk down the stairs to get up close and personal with this powerful waterfall!

There is also a gift shop and restaurant that overlooks the waterfall. If you do choose to eat, this is a great place to grab lunch on the first afternoon in Iceland.

Book Here: From Reykjavik: Golden Circle Full Day Tour

Stop 7: Downtown Reykjavik

End your first day in Iceland by exploring Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city.

You are probably super tired from your flight and day exploring the Golden Circle, so I don’t blame you if you just want to unwind in your lodging and sleep!

If you want to get out, visit the Sun Voyager sculpture and walk along the riverfront.

I also recommend seeing Hallgrímskirkja Church. It is one of the tallest buildings in the city and is located in the heart of downtown.

Book Here: Reykjavik: Sightseeing Walking Tour with a Viking

Book Here: Reykjavik: Icelandic Food Tour

Optional Activity For Winter: Take A Northern Lights Tour

If you visit Iceland in winter , you probably are dying to see the northern lights! They are super exciting to see and top many people’s bucket lists!

Since you only have 3 days in Iceland, taking a northern lights tour is a good way to maximize your chances of seeing the lights. The guides know the best tips and places for seeing the northern lights in Iceland .

Be prepared to stay up late. The lights are not always visible and you need the perfect conditions.

This is a top experience for a 3-day winter itinerary for Iceland!

Book Here: Iceland: Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik

Book Here: From Reykjavik: Northern Lights Sightseeing Cruise

Where to Stay on Your First Night in Iceland

The first day of your 3 days in Iceland was jam-packed with fun things to do! Don’t worry, the next two days will be a bit slower-paced!

For the first night, you can choose to book accommodation in the heart of Reykjavik or more on the outskirts. There are plenty of great places to stay in Reykjavik !

Since you are leaving town tomorrow and heading to Iceland’s south coast, I recommend booking accommodation on the outskirts of Reykjavik.

If you want to skip exploring downtown Reykjavik altogether, you can even spend the night in Selfoss which is right at the end of the Golden Circle drive. Check out where to stay on the Golden Circle !

Where To Stay In Reykjavik: 

Mid-Range: Reykjavik Natura – Berjaya Iceland Hotels . Check Rates: Booking.com

Mid-Range: Alda Hotel Reykjavik . Check Rates: Booking.com

Luxury: Reykjavik Residence Apartment Hotel . Check Rates: Booking.com

Day 2: Best Of Iceland’s South Coast

On the second day of your 3 days in Iceland itinerary, you will leave the Reykjavik area and head towards the town of Vik on the south coast .

This is my all-time favorite part of Iceland and an unforgettable part of your Iceland itinerary. The driving is easy and the views are stunning. Many sights are close together so there is not a ton of driving.

Stop 1: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Start the second day of your 3 days in Iceland by visiting the stunning  Seljalandsfoss Waterfall !

This waterfall is located just under 2 hours from Reykjavik. Simply put “Seljalandsfoss Waterfall” in your GPS and head out.

Seljalandsfoss is a cool stop on your Iceland itinerary because you can walk behind it! Bring a poncho or risk getting wet!

If you visit Iceland in winter, Seljalandsfoss will be covered in snow and ice so you will not be able to walk behind it but you can still enjoy it from the front.

You can see Seljalandsfoss from the Ring Road so it is hard to miss!

This is one of the best stops along the Ring Road in Iceland !

Stop 2: Gljúfrabúi Waterfall

Located a short walk from Seljalandsfoss, the hidden Gljúfrabúi Waterfall is one of the most unique waterfalls in Iceland ! To find the waterfall, face Seljalandsfoss and walk about a quarter-mile to your left.

Reach the waterfall by walking through a gorge on stepping stones. Wear waterproof shoes and don’t forget that poncho!

Here you will see Gljúfrabúi Waterfall in all of its glory cascading into the mossy gorge! This is one of the most fun stops on any Iceland itinerary and there is a big payoff at the end!

Stop 3: Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool

After driving in the car and exploring two waterfalls, it is time for a short hike and a relaxing soak in the Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool .

This hot spring is located in the mountains near the waterfalls you just visited. To get there, simply type “Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool” in your GPS.

From the parking lot, walk a short 20 minutes to this hidden swimming pool in the mountains heated by geothermal water! The walk is winding and has a bit of uphill and downhill, but it is moderate.

This is a great free choice for hot springs in Iceland !

Stop 4: Skogafoss Waterfall

Your next stop will be the impressive Skogafoss Waterfall ! This 197-foot-tall and 82-foot-wide waterfall can be seen from the road so you won’t waste time trying to find it!

Skogafoss is easily accessible in both the winter and the summer! It is a short walk from the parking lot.

When visiting Skogafoss on your Iceland itinerary, make sure to walk the stairs on the right side of the waterfall to the top! Here you will get a unique perspective of the landscape!

This is my favorite waterfall in the world! If you have 3 days in Iceland, you really need to stop here!

Stop 5: Kvernufoss Waterfall

Kvernufoss Waterfall is another special hidden gem that isn’t included on most 3-day Iceland itineraries!

This waterfall is located off the same Ring Road stop as Skogafoss Waterfall, but there are no GPS directions to Kvernufoss Waterfall!

The short hike to this waterfall begins behind the Skogar Museum so navigate yourself there and begin! You have to hop over a fence but it is set up so you can easily jump over!

Not far from the fence, you will enter a rugged and mossy gorge. The hike goes along the river until you reach Kvernufoss!

This is another waterfall you can walk behind and it is quite a cool experience!

Stop 6: Sólheimasandur Airplane Wreck

Looking for a unique thing to do during your 3 days in Iceland? Visiting the Sólheimasandur Airplane Wreck on a black sand beach will be one of the most memorable activities!

Luckily, no one died in this plane crash so you can explore without being disrespectful. The wreck is located very near Skogafoss so keep your eye out for a small, makeshift parking area.

The walk from the parking lot is long at about 2.5 miles (4 km) round trip. It is easy though, on flat to a slightly rocky beach. Depending on how fast you walk, it can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes each way.

You will not see the plane until you come over a hill and are right upon it. Make sure to budget plenty of time for this walk so you don’t get caught out in the dark and have enough time to enjoy your stay!

Please note that climbing or walking on the plane is not allowed.

Here are the exact coordinates to get to the plane crash – 63.459523,-19.364618

Book Here: South Coast: ATV Quad Bike Safari

Spend The Night in Vik on Day Two

For the second night, spend the night in the cute town of Vik!

Although it is a small town, there are a variety of accommodation options ranging from nice hotels, hostels, and a campground. There is a grocery store and a gas station.

I have an entire article about where to stay in Vik so if you are searching, this is the place to check out even more detailed suggestions!

Where to Stay In Vik :

Affordable: Puffin Hostel Vik . Check Rates: Booking.com  

Mid-Range: Guest House Galleri Vik . Check Rates: Booking.com

Luxury: Hotel Kria . Check Rates: Booking.com

Day 3: South Coast Highlights

As the last of your 3 days in Iceland, you want to make the most of it!

Since you spent the night in Vik, you are in luck as there are a lot of great things to do in Vik and nearby!

This is also a great time to see anything you may have missed or skipped for the sake of time on the other two days!

Stop 1: Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is located less than 5 minutes from Vik back the way you entered the town!

You can easily reach the amazing black sand and basalt columns by a side road off Highway 1 near Vik.

If the tide is out, and I mean way out, you can climb on the basalt columns on Reynisfjara Beach. Otherwise, walk along the beach and marvel at the stunning views and black sand!

This is one of the most dangerous beaches in Iceland and “sneaker waves” have claimed the lives of tourists in the past. Always keep an eye on the waves.

Stop 2: Dyrhólaey

Dyrhólaey is located down the hill on the Ring Road after you get back on the main road from the beach. Make sure to keep an eye out for the small sign!

There are two parts to Dyrhólaey, a lower part where you can walk around rocks and down onto the beach, and a higher part where you can drive up to Dyrhólaey Lighthouse!

To see the Dyrhólaey Lighthouse, the drive is short but steep and winding and there are no guardrails! It is doable during the winter in a 2×2 car but it is sketchy!

Once you park, walk straight toward the edge of the cliff. You will be rewarded with a view of a black sand beach stretching as far as the eye can see!

While you are up there, make sure to walk around Dyrhólaey Lighthouse and explore the different views. There is a sea arch that is pretty cool to take pictures of as well!

If you are a photographer, this is a particularly epic stop on your Iceland weekend itinerary! Look for puffins from May through August. They are some of the cutest animals in Iceland !

Stop 3: Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

After you explore the black sand beaches near Vik, drive east on the Ring Road for about 50 minutes until you come across the sign for Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.

This is the furthest you will go on the Ring Road since you have just 3 days in Iceland but this is well worth the stop!

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon is a lesser-known stop and is rarely included on many Iceland itineraries but it is stunning and easy to get to.

To get to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, simply plug it into your GPS or Google Maps and you will be taken right to the mouth of the canyon. It is located right off the Ring Road and there is a bathroom and parking lot at the bottom.

You can walk down in the canyon or up along the edges. This makes for some fantastic photo opportunities!

Just be careful when walking near the edge of the cliff as the edge of the dirt may be loose and it could be dangerous!

This is one of the coolest Iceland canyons and should not be missed during your layover in Iceland!

Optional Stop 6: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

This stop is optional on your 3-day Iceland itinerary because the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is a bit far from Reykjavik for your drive back.

You haven’t seen anything until you have seen a glacier lagoon in Iceland! This is such a beautiful and unique landscape!

Chunks of crystal-clear, blue ice sit on a perfectly black beach. Look for the seals that often come out to play among the floating icebergs.

Once you are done at the glacier lagoon, drive across the street and see the famous Diamond Beach.

This is where the ice chunks from the glacier lagoon flow into the ocean. Then the smooth ice chunks wash up on the black sand beach which looks like a diamond.

Book Here: From Reykjavik: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

Stop 5: Reykjavik

If you were too tired to explore Reykjavik on your first day, I don’t blame you! Now is a great time to end your 3 days in Iceland itinerary in the capital city. Do a little shopping or take a walking tour!

The drive to Reykjavik from Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon will take about 3 hours. You will pass all the sites you saw on day 2 if you want to stop and see anything a second time.

This is also a good time for an evening at the Blue Lagoon if you missed it at the beginning of your Iceland stopover itinerary!

Spend Your Last Night In Iceland In Reykjavik Or Vik

Depending on what time your flight leaves, you may choose to spend your third night in Vik as opposed to Reykjavik. This will give you time to explore the south coast of Iceland more.

If you choose to stay in Reykjavik, I recommend picking a place that is on the outskirts of town if you have an early flight to catch.

Keflavik Airport is pretty chill when it comes to security and getting through the airport because it is small, but you don’t want to be late!

Where to Stay In Vik:

Spending 3 Days In Iceland Without Driving (Tours)

If you want to spend 3 days in Iceland and don’t want to drive, that is okay!

I will recommend the best tours in Iceland below that mimic what I recommended above. You won’t be able to see some of the lesser-known spots I suggested, but you will see the highlights!

If you choose to do your 3-night trip to Iceland through tours, I recommend making Reykjavik your home base. This way, you will be near where the tours start and some even pick you up from your lodging.

Spending 3 days in Reykjavik means you don’t have to bother booking multiple accommodations.

If you just have a layover in Reykjavik these tours are ideal!

Day 1: Golden Circle Full-Day Tour (8.5 Hours)

This trip is one of the bestselling guided tours in Iceland! This tour mimics day 1 of my self-drive 3 days in Iceland itinerary.

This 8.5-hour  Golden Circle Full-Day Guided Trip will bring you to Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gullfoss, and the Kerid Crater.

The Kerid volcano crater is amazing with iron-colored dirt and deep, green water at the bottom.

It is one of the best Iceland tours because, for an extremely affordable rate, you pack in everything there is to see on the Golden Circle. All without having to drive!

If you want to end the day relaxing at the Blue Lagoon, consider booking the 11-hour Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon Small-Group Tour .

After exploring the Golden Circle, you will love unwinding in the mineral-rich water.

Book Here: From Reykjavik: Golden Circle Full-Day Guided Trip

Book Here: From Reykjavik: Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon Small-Group Tour

Day 2: South Iceland Full Day Tour From Reykjavik (10 hours)

This may be your favorite day in Iceland especially if you love waterfalls and beaches!

This 10-hour South of Iceland Full-Day Trip features all of the top sights in the region.

Watch the dramatic Iceland landscape pass by as you are driven to Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, Sólheimajökull glacier, and Reynisfjara Beach. You’ll have lunch in Vik.

If you want to tack on Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, book this 14-hour day tour instead!

Book Here: From Reykjavik: South of Iceland Full-Day Trip

Day 3: Explore Reykjavik With A City Tour

On the last day of your weekend in Iceland itinerary, spend the day exploring Reykjavik.

What better way to see the city than with an affordable hop-on hop-off bus tour ? I particularly love the Reykjavik waterfront so make sure you hop off here and walk around.

You can also enjoy some of the best food and drinks in town on a food tour . Spend 3 hours eating delicious local cuisine!

Animal lovers will want to book a whale-watching tour in Iceland . Near Reykjavik in Faxaflói Bay, you will spot many cool marine animals! The best time to see whales is in the summer.

Add a whale-watching tour to your 3-day summer itinerary for Iceland!

Book Here: Reykjavik Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: 24 or 48-Hour Ticket

Book Here: Reykjavik: 3-Hour Foodie Adventure Walking Tour

Book Here: Reykjavík: Whale Watching and Marine Life Cruise

Optional Day 3: Snæfellsnes Peninsula Full-Day Tour (11 hours)

If you want to skip Reykjavik and find something more unique, consider taking a tour to visit the Snaefellsnes Peninsula !

This West Iceland region is a much lesser-known part of the country even though it is home to Kirkjufell, a mountain seen in almost every article about Iceland!

This 11-hour  Snaefellsnes Peninsula Full-Day Tour  will bring you to rocky coastlines, lava fields, waterfalls, mountains, and more!

If you want to book a great Iceland 3-day itinerary without a car, this is it!

Book Here: From Reykjavik: Snæfellsnes Peninsula Full-Day Tour

Multi-Day Group Tours

Another option is to book a multi-day tour in Iceland . This is a great alternative to booking many different day tours.

These are more expensive, but all the planning, transportation, and accommodations are taken care of. You will have a fun and stress-free trip with experienced guides leading the way.

Book Here : Reykjavík: 2-Day Tour with Icebergs, Glaciers & Waterfalls

Book Here: Iceland: 3-Day Golden Circle, South Coast, & Glacier Tour

First Time In Iceland Travel Tips

How to get to iceland.

Start your 3 days in Iceland by flying into Keflavik Airport. This is the main international airport in Iceland.

I recommend  checking out Skyscanner to find the best and most affordable flights into Iceland. I use this tool to discover the best flights because you can easily compare rates. 

Keflavik Airport is located about 45 minutes away from the city of Reykjavik.

If you are not renting a car in Iceland or taking tours, you will want to take a bus into the city. This is also an option if you are going to be picking up your rental car from Reykjavik instead of the airport.

Book Here: Keflavik Airport & Reykjavik Hotels: Economy Bus Transfer

How To Drive In Iceland

If you only have 3 days in Iceland, a great way to maximize your time is to rent a car! Renting a car and driving in Iceland is quite easy, even during the winter!

You do NOT have to rent a 4×4 vehicle to complete this Iceland itinerary. I have never rented a 4×4 for any trips to Iceland.

The roads in Iceland are in incredible shape and drivers are not crazy. Driving for the first time is easy! There are speed cameras, so if you don’t want a speeding ticket, make sure to follow the laws of the road.

When driving in Iceland, you will also have to factor in gas because it can get pricey! Luckily, since you are spending just 3 days in Iceland, you will save on gas as you won’t be driving quite as far as others due to the length of your stay.

Is Driving Necessary In Iceland?

My 3-day Iceland itinerary offers both the option of a self-drive road trip OR completing the entire itinerary via tours. If you are tentative about driving in Iceland, do not worry as it is really easy!

I have driven in Iceland in all four seasons including rain, snow, sleet, hail, wind, and more. If you take proper precautions, you should be 100% fine! 

Remember to look out for local road closures and safety information. You can visit this website to keep up with the conditions during your trip! It has all the up-to-date information.

That being said, if you do NOT want to drive in Iceland, there are still some options to see this entire 3-day Iceland itinerary without driving. Simply book guided tours!

It is easy to do an Iceland itinerary without a car!

While in the Reykjavik area, you can also utilize public buses. Hitchhiking is also common and considered safe in Iceland.

Accommodations In Iceland

It is no secret that Iceland is expensive. I recommend booking a vacation rental because you will gain valuable access to a kitchen. You can save money by buying groceries and cooking your own meals.

I have tried both hotels and Airbnbs while in Iceland and both are great. I have a complete hotel guide on where to stay in Iceland !

For something unique, camping in Iceland is also super popular and affordable. There are a ton of campgrounds dotted throughout the country.

Many campsites in Iceland are modern with restrooms, showers, shared kitchens, wifi, and other amenities.

Iceland is remote and vast so no matter where you stay, you will be close to nature and amazing views.

I hope you enjoy your amazing 3 nights in Iceland!

Want to stay in Iceland a little longer? Check out my 5 days in Iceland itinerary !

Reader Interactions

July 15, 2023 at 10:08 pm

Hello! First, thank you for all of the wonderful information. Second, I recall you having the 3 day Iceland road trip itinerary available to download/import directly into Google Maps. However, I no longer see that as an option. Can you help? Thanks in advance!

July 17, 2023 at 4:52 am

is there a way to print the itinerary?

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3 Day North America Tours & Trips

Filter for departure dates and price to find the right 3 day North America tour with TourRadar. Choose from 107 trips with 3,062 customer reviews, that range from one day up to 3 days.

107 North America 3 day tour packages with 3,062 reviews

• Hiking & Trekking

3 Day Southwest USA National Parks Tour from Las Vegas

Mike Brown was the BEST guide I have ever had!! His knowledge of the history, culture, flora and fauna of the southwest was phenomenal. He was articulate and had a pleasing way of talking. He was also accommodating and helpful. wow! We were lucky to get him for our tour!

• 5% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

I enjoyed this trip a lot. Guide was so nice and friendly and Itinerary is focused on what I wanted. I do not enjoyed the second night accomodation but except of that everything was great.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

USA - The Western Deserts

We have chosen the tour specifically because it was in German and also in other languages shown. Also on our voucher was again confirmed the tour with professional, German-speaking tour guide. Unfortunately, the tour guides did not speak German. We were able to help ourselves a bit with the translation app but we also missed a lot of information. We are very disappointed about this and expect compensation. The tour guides have tried and were very nice also the tour was very nice.

Algonquin Log Cabin 3-Day Canoe and Hike Adventure

I had many firsts in this trip, first time canoeing, staying in cabin with strangers, first time in Algonquin, seeing the night sky. We had the A-team for sure, Nicolene, Baris and Reese (I hope I did not mess the spellings, my apology)it would not have been a great experience without you. Forever grateful.

USA - Sedona, Monument Valley & Antelope Canyon

• Coach / Bus
• Sightseeing

Special Washington end NY

Sedona, Monument Valley & Antelope Canyon – 3 days

We really enjoyed the tour! Our tour guide, Lorenzo, was informative and entertaining. Only real difficulty was finding the bus departure point in the Luxor. If your looking for it - head into the Luxor from the lobby and stay to the right... Follow signs for the business center... Look for stairs that lead down to the sub-level. The doors at the bottom of the stairs are the North entrance. All the sites we saw on this trip were amazing. You'll see a great variety of landscapes and environments as you cross Arizona Utah and Nevada deserts. You cover a lot of miles but it's well worth it. We would travel with this company again. Eric

Algonquin Park 3-Day Canoe Trip

National Parks Tour 3 Days Small Group Tour from Las Vegas

We took this tour in October 2023 and had a blast. Our guide, John, was very friendly and knowledgeable. We were lucky to take this trip during the annular eclipse and our guide made a stop so we could watch it. We chose the camping option, but the it was too cold in Bryce to camp so we stayed in a hotel the first night. The next night we stayed at a camping site in Monument Valley and it was incredible. We also did all did Antelope Canyon and the helicopter ride. The highlight for me was seeing Monument Valley and the helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. I will definitely take another trip with Bindlestiff. Pro tip: bring a bandana or something to cover your face during the jeep tours. The jeeps kick up a lot of dust driving through the desert.

California Express - 3 Days

Could have been better

Niagara Falls Toronto & 1000 Islands – 3 Days

Great Tour, compared with last year tour, which way excellent The tour this year was good

National Parks Winter Tour

Did the 3-day tour and it was a great experience. This definitely was not an in-depth tour and shouldn't be perceived so prior to the tour. It was intense and schedule was tight throughout the whole 3-day tour. Wish we had more time at each place. However, the tour was perfect to give people a taste of the beauty and wonder of these landmarks. Certainly will come back for more in the future. Our tour guide Paul was very helpful and engaging. He did a great job managing the whole group as well as the busy schedule. Honestly speaking, it would be hard to find a better tour guide than Paul. Overall, a tour worth time and every penny

Yosemite and Giant Sequoia Excursion

• Cultural Photography

Western Deserts – 3 days

The Western Desert 3 day tour was fantastic! I really enjoyed the incredible places we visited especially Antelope Canyon and Bryce Canyon and the main highlight throughout the tour was the incredible tour guide Lorenzo who was very knowledgeable and made everyone feel great with his remarkable people skills which connected with the group and myself, he was the x factor that made a huge difference to the experience. Thank you for this tour and experience.

Tofino & Ucluelet Pacific Rim Tour

Our tour was really fun and well organized, Andrew was our guide, very patient and professional, he is the best. Hotel choice was great too, kayak tour so much fun, well, after all our Tofino trip was unforgettable - thanks !

What people love about 3 Day North America Tours

Keira our tour guide/driver was awesome.....

3 Days in Los Angeles: Detailed Itinerary for First Trip (+Map & Tips)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: September 8, 2023

Visiting Los Angeles for three days and wondering what to see and how to plan your time? In this guide, we share a detailed LA 3-day itinerary based on our recent trip. This itinerary is ideal for first-time visitors since it covers all the must-sees in LA.

You probably already know that Los Angeles (California, USA) is a very big city. Extending for 44 miles in one direction and almost 30 miles in the other, LA covers an area of over 500 square miles (1,300 km²). As you can imagine, planning a trip to such a vast city isn’t as straightforward.

So let’s start with a few tips that you may find helpful when planning your LA itinerary.

First, you will need a car for exploring LA. There is a pretty substantial metro network in the city and it’s expanding too, but it’s not easy to explore all the best places in LA without a car. Alternatively , you can take organized tours for some areas, use hop-on-hop-off buses for the most popular sights, and taxi/uber is also a good option for getting around without a car.

Second, everything takes longer than expected . This is because most top sights and places you’ll want to see on your first visit to LA are located far away from each other. Traffic can be quite bad too. In addition, you will need patience at the attractions too. In some places, you’ll have to park your car quite far away, in others, you will need to reserve tickets in advance, etc.

So while 3 days in LA might look like a lot of time, you will have to be quite selective about which places you decide to visit. Don’t fill your days to the last minute or it will leave you exhausted and frustrated. Instead, choose just a couple of main sites that you want to see each day and build your itinerary around them.

This article should help you do just that – see the best of LA in three days in an efficient, but relaxed way . To help you plan your trip, we also include a map indicating all the places mentioned in our article and the most convenient parking locations. In our guide, you will also find useful tips, such as tour recommendations, which tickets to prebook, suggestions for lunch/dinner, etc.

Good to know: When suggesting which places to see each day, we sometimes include additional recommendations indicated as ‘optional’. These activities will make your visit to LA much more memorable, but you can’t do each and every one of them. So pick the ones that interest you the most and perhaps skip something else to make it work.

How to use this map:  Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.

Here is our recommended Los Angeles itinerary for 3 days:

On your first day in LA, we recommend focusing on what made the city famous – the movie industry. Start with Hollywood and Beverly Hills, visit film studios, see the Hollywood Sign, and enjoy the (sunset) views from Griffith Observatory.

Here’s what your first day in LA could look like:

Hollywood & Walk of Fame

No trip to Los Angeles would be complete without visiting Hollywood. The must-see places here are the Walk of Fame, Dolby Theater, and Chinese Theater.

Walk of Fame is the famous pavement on Hollywood Boulevard featuring pink stars with the names of various artists, actors, and movie directors on them. It stretches for miles and – according to Wikipedia – there are over 2700 stars here.

Unless you want to spend an entire day here counting the stars, just visit the central part of Hollywood Boulevard where the two most famous theaters are located – Dolby Theatre and Chinese Theatre.

Opened in 1927, the Chinese Theatre is one of the most iconic cinemas in Hollywood. It’s a popular venue for red-carpet movie premieres, always attracting big crowds trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite actors and other celebrities. It played home to the Oscars for a few years as well (1944-46).

In front of the Chinese Theatre, you can also see another famous Hollywood attraction – the handprints and footprints of some of the most famous Hollywood artists immortalized in cement.

Right next door, you can’t miss the Dolby Theatre . Built specifically for the Oscar ceremony and opened in 2001, it’s been home to the Oscars ever since.

Optional: If you have time, you could watch a movie at one of these theaters in the evening. Alternatively, if you want to visit inside, they both also run guided tours during the day. These tours last about 30 minutes and you can find more info on the official websites.

TIP: If you are looking for a specific star on the Walk of Fame, be sure to research its location in advance. Otherwise, the chances of you finding it are really low.

Beverly Hills

One of the most popular things to do in LA is to go on a celebrity tour that brings you past the most iconic places in Hollywood and Beverly Hills and passes several houses of famous Hollywood actors. There are tons of tour options , they usually take about 2 hours.

Optional: If you start your day early, plan well, and book a time slot that suits you, you could easily take such a tour on the morning of your first day in LA. This highly-rated tour is one of the best options and it fits this itinerary quite well since it starts/ends in the above-mentioned Walk of Fame area. There are hourly departures, so it’s really easy to add this to your itinerary if you want to.

These tours can be really nice if you want to see more of Hollywood and Beverly Hills without worrying about the traffic or trying to figure out where exactly to go.

If you are not taking a tour, you can also visit Beverly Hills by car. But remember that it’s a large area and so you may want to do some research in advance so that you know where to go and what to see.

TIP: One of the places to check out in Beverly Hills is the famous Rodeo Drive . This is the most expensive shopping street in LA and you will find all the big names in the fashion industry represented here. You may recognize it as the place where Julia Roberts went shopping in ‘Pretty Woman’. It’s also included in the itinerary of most Beverly Hills tours.

Depending on what you choose to do in the morning, you could have lunch in Hollywood (after the celebrity tour), somewhere in Beverly Hills, or head to your next attraction and have lunch there (as we did).

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

When visiting LA for the first time, we highly recommend taking a tour of the film studios. One of the best places for that is the Warner Bros Studio Tour . It’s just 4.5 miles (10-15 minutes drive) from the Walk of Fame in Hollywood and can easily be included in pretty much any LA itinerary.

Good to know: We highly recommend booking this tour in advance . That way, you can just arrive there for the specific time slot and be sure that you don’t waste any time waiting for the next available spot (if it’s not sold out for the day to start with). The tour is made up of three parts and generally takes about 2.5-3 hours.

After a short introductory film, you will step on a little bus which will take you to the film studios and stages. You visit the studios with a guide and this part takes about 1 hour. On the way, you will stop to explore a few of the places where movies are made, see the inside of a real filming studio, and maybe even get a chance to take some pictures on the famous ‘Friends’ couch in front of the NYC fountain (except that – obviously – it’s not in New York at all and has never been).

The second part of the tour is where you can explore on your own, and you can make it as long or as short as you like. Here, you can see the reconstructions of the actual film sets from ‘Friends’, ‘Big Bang Theory’, and several others.

You can have pictures taken everywhere (or take your own), and you can also opt for a video recording of yourself driving the Batmobile or flying on a Harry Potter broomstick, etc.

Here, you will also find a ‘Friends’-themed gift shop and a café/restaurant where you could have a quick lunch. We opted for the ‘Joey Special’ (pizza) and it was surprisingly good.

Finally, you step on a shuttle again, and it brings you to the last part of the tour where you will also find a gift shop and the exit. But don’t rush through it – there are some cool costumes that you can see here, plus a few famous vehicles and other artifacts that you will recognize from some iconic films, etc. There is also an entire section for Harry Potter fans. You can sit under the famous Sorting Hat, make a potion drink, etc.

We personally really enjoyed this tour and I can highly recommend it. We did this with kids/teens and they had a great time as well.

TIP: Harry Potter-themed souvenirs are much cheaper at Warner Bros. than at Universal Studios. At least, that was the case when we visited. Some items were even 30-40% cheaper here.

READ ALSO: Warner Bros vs. Universal Studios Hollywood

Hollywood Sign

Taking a picture with the iconic Hollywood sign is one of the musts in LA. You will see the sign from various locations in the city, but if you want to take a picture from somewhat closer, you may want to drive to the Hollywood Sign Viewpoint (indicated on our map).

It’s less than 4 miles/10-15 minutes drive from Warner Bros Studios. However, the road is really steep and narrow here and usually very busy with tourists. Plus, the roadside parking at the ‘viewpoint’ is very limited and if you pass by, there is no place to park or turn around anymore.

So you may want to just skip this and go straight to Griffith Observatory where you also have a pretty decent view of the Hollywood sign. In both cases, you don’t get really close to the sign, but close enough for a decent picture.

Good to know: If you want to get as close to the Hollywood sign as possible, you will have to hike. For that, head to Innsdale Trailhead (free street parking, but very limited). For the front of the sign, choose the ‘Hollywood Sign’ trailhead. If you want to get really close and see the back side of the letters from the hill, you’ll need to choose the ‘Mt Lee Summit’ trail. Going all the way to the top is strenuous and you need good shoes and lots of water. Count at least 2 hours for this hike.

TIP: You can also do this hike with a guide . This is a very highly-rated tour with a great guide who also knows all the best spots for photos. If you book well in advance, there are usually many possible starting times that you can choose from. So you could easily fit this hike into this itinerary.

As you can imagine, your overall itinerary for this day will depend on the choices that you make (take the Beverly Hills tour or not, visit the Hollywood sign viewpoint or hike to the sign, etc.). If you just drive to the viewpoint and take some pictures, it takes maybe 30-45 minutes out of your day. If you also do the hike, then you will need about 3 hours for a visit here.

Griffith Observatory

Next on your itinerary is one of the must-sees in LA – Griffith Observatory . People come here mostly for the views, but you should also visit the planetarium/museum.

Set on the hill in Griffith Park, the views from the observatory are quite nice indeed – with the entire city of Los Angeles stretching far into the horizon. As already mentioned, you also have a decent (but far) view of the Hollywood Sign from here.

Griffith Observatory is also a very popular place to come to for sunset.

If you have some time, be sure to also explore the museum inside. Comprising two levels and several halls, it’s free to visit. You can learn more about our planet system, the sun, the moon, etc. There are also regular shows at the planetarium, and you can just get the tickets on the spot.

When we visited, it was very busy here and the museum was packed. But the planetarium show (the only part where you have to pay) was available and we could just get the tickets for the next show.

The show took about 30 minutes and was ok, but definitely not a must. We had seen more interesting planetarium shows before. But they have several options, so I can’t comment on all of them. Anyway, our kids found it quite worth it, and we all agreed that it was nice to relax in a comfortable chair after all the walking and sightseeing the whole day.

Good to know: Griffith Observatory is open daily except on Mondays, until late in the evening (usually 10 pm). It sometimes closes for events. You can find all the practical info here .

Parking: This can be a nightmare. There is a parking area at the observatory itself, but it fills up quickly and they close Observatory Road not even allowing you to get closer. When we visited, we had to park at the bottom of the hill (I indicated the parking on the map), about 15 minutes walk from the observatory itself. This is a large and free parking. There’s also roadside parking on Western Canyon Road (also about 10-15 minutes walk from the Observatory), but the signs indicated that you have to pay $10 (and it was full when we visited).

After visiting Griffith Observatory, you may want to call it a day and find a restaurant for dinner. There is a café here too, but I would recommend looking for a nice restaurant closer to your accommodation.

We stayed in Hollywood and, after returning to our hotel, went for dinner at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (also indicated on our map).

It’s a very nice Italian restaurant and their pizza is truly as good as the one we had at the restaurant with the same name in Naples, Italy . The prices in Hollywood are not comparable to 5-6 euro pizzas in Naples though, but all the meals we had were absolutely excellent.

On your second day in LA, you could visit one or two museums, followed by lunch/shopping at a local market, and end your day with a visit to LA’s most famous beaches. You can easily adjust this itinerary and visit The Getty Center and/or Getty Villa if you prefer.

This is what your second day in LA could look like:

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, LACMA & Urban Light

There are quite a few nice museums in the city, but with just three days in LA, you’ll have to be selective. We recommend planning the first half of the day for this. Depending on your interests and the places you choose, you could visit one or two museums.

If you are like us and want your LA trip to be focused on something typically ‘Los Angelesy’ that you wouldn’t find anywhere else, then head to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures .

This museum is dedicated to the history of the movies and film industry. You can watch fragments from some iconic movies, get to know more about some of the most notable film directors, see costumes from various blockbusters, etc. It’s also a good place to visit with kids and teens.

Right next door, you’ll also find the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) , which is considered one of the best museums in the city after The Getty Center. It could be a very nice addition to your LA itinerary, especially if you have a few extra hours to spare.

TIP: In addition, check out the Public Art sculpture ‘Urban Light’ which is located just outside the LACMA. This is one of LA’s most popular Instagram spots and you’ll probably also recognize it from various Hollywood movies, video clips, and various commercials. This light installation is located outside, is always open, and there is no fee to visit.

Good to know: These two museums are located just next to each other. So if you start early and don’t linger too long, you could see them both in half a day. LACMA is closed on Wednesdays.

Lunch at the Farmers Market & The Grove

Just a few blocks from the above-mentioned museums, check out The Original Farmers Market , which is a great spot for lunch in this part of LA.

This is indeed a food market where you will find stands selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, etc. Some places serve food and have seating available too. Whether you are looking for a quick bite or want to sit down for a quieter lunch, there are some really nice options here.

In addition, check out the adjacent outdoor shopping mall The Grove . Even if you are not planning to do any shopping, it’s nice to just walk through.

You will find several restaurants here as well. Since it was raining (yes, we Belgians tend to bring rain everywhere we go), all the seating at the farmers market was wet. So we had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.

Santa Monica

In the afternoon, head to Santa Monica at the coast and visit the most popular beaches of Los Angeles.

This is a very different side of LA compared to any other area you will have seen up to now. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and you can find all the typical beach resort activities here.

Start with a visit to the Santa Monica Pier (there is a big car parking just next to it too). One of the landmarks here is the ‘End of Route 66’ sign. Indeed, this historic road starts in Chicago and ends here at the Pacific Ocean.

If you have seen the movie ‘ Forrest Gump ’, you will have to smile at the name of the restaurant ‘Bubba Grump Shrimp & Co’. At the entrance, they also have a Forrest Gump bench and a pair of oversized sneakers like the ones he used to run across America.

There are a few other restaurants at the Santa Monica Pier too. Plus, a small Ferris wheel and a few other rides for kids. You’ll see fishermen, souvenir vendors, and street artists here too. It’s a nice place to hang around for a while, watching surfers in the sea and all the people around you.

If you feel like it, you can also take a nice long walk on or along the beach. Or you can rent a bike and bike or walk to Venice Beach .

Santa Monica is a great place to spend at least a couple of hours. If you are here in the evening, be sure to stay for sunset. You can also find some nice (seafood) restaurants for dinner here as well. We had a very nice meal at The Albright on the pier itself. Despite its very touristy location, the food was excellent and very good value. Plus, we really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.

On the third day in LA, we recommend that you visit Universal Studios. The ticket is valid for an entire day, and indeed, you can easily spend the whole day here. Alternatively, you can just do their iconic studio tour in the morning and then visit one of LA’s most famous museums in the afternoon. If you are not interested in Universal Studios at all, you can devote the entire day to the museums – see our recommendations below.

Here are some of the places you could visit on the third day in LA:

Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood is a working film studio, but also a theme park. The theme park has expanded so much over the years that you would almost forget this is the place where some of the most famous movies are being filmed.

As fun as the rides are, the main reason we highly recommend visiting Universal Studios Hollywood is for their iconic and world-famous studio tour . We have done it in the past, but while the concept of the tour remains the same, it’s been enhanced and improved so much in recent years.

The studio tour takes about 1 hour and takes you behind the scenes of a real movie studio. You can see some film sets and experience quite a few really cool features that make you feel like you are in a movie yourself. It’s really well done, with intense 3D experiences, exhilarating high-speed chases, and so much more. In addition, check out the WaterWorld , which has been their most popular show for decades (prepare to get very wet!).

If you decide to spend an entire day here, you won’t get bored. There are so many fun things to do at Universal Studios Hollywood and you may want to make the most out of your (not-so-cheap) ticket!

On the other hand, most attractions and rides are similar to what you find at other theme parks too. So if you want to make the most of your three days in LA, in the afternoon, you may want to visit a few other landmarks instead.

TIP: Reserve your tickets for Universal Studios in advance – it will save you a lot of time at the entrance. With an advance booking, you get a ticket with a QR code and can head straight to the entrance. You only have to pass the security line.

We booked our tickets via GetYourGuide and it was so much simpler than the official site which overloads you with so much unnecessary information and choices. Not even to mention that it’s easy to cancel or reschedule.

LEARN MORE: Tips for Visiting Universal Studios Hollywood

Alternative Suggestions for Day 3 in LA

If you decide to visit Universal Studios for just a few hours, or if you are not interested in the film studios tour at all, you could see one (or both) of the Getty sites on your third day in LA. Alternatively, you can opt to explore the LA downtown area and visit the contemporary art museum The Broad.

If you only have the afternoon free, it’s best to choose just one place because on most days these museums close at 5-6 pm. If you have the whole day, you can definitely visit two places. If you would happen to visit on one of the late-opening days, you could even see all three.

Here are some additional suggestions for day 3:

The Getty Center is probably the most famous art museum in Los Angeles. Set over six buildings, it features a very impressive art collection from the Middle Ages to the late 19th century.

The permanent collection features works by Leonardo Da Vinci, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Bernini, and Rembrandt to mention just a few. In addition, there are temporary exhibitions as well.

Many people visit The Getty not just for the art, but also for the impressive architecture of the Getty Center, its gardens, and stunning panoramic views of the city.

Good to know: The museum is open daily except on Mondays and the entrance is free of charge. However, you have to reserve a timed-entry spot in advance. Plus, you have to pay for the parking. See their website for more info. We indicated the location of the parking on our map (it’s the only way to get to the museum if you are coming by car). The parking is located much lower than the museum and there is a ‘train’ that brings you up the hill.

All in all, you should count at least 3-4 hours for a visit here.

TIP: If you are interested to learn more about the center and the art, you can also book a private guided tour of the museum .

The Getty Villa

The Getty Villa Museum is located close to the coast, about 20-30 minutes drive from the Getty Center. Its architecture was inspired by old Roman villas and the art here is focused on ancient Greek and Roman times.

In addition to the museum, you can also explore the beautiful gardens. A visit here will take you from the hustle and the bustle of LA and transform you into ancient Europe.

If you have never been to Pompeii or Herculaneum in the Naples area in southern Italy, a visit here will give you somewhat of an idea of how a luxury Roman villa would have looked like two thousand years ago.

Good to know: The Getty Villa is open daily except on Tuesdays. Also here, the entrance is free of charge, but you have to reserve timed entry tickets in advance and pay for the parking see here ). Also here, you can opt for a guided tour if you’d like to get a better understanding of what this place is about.

The Broad is a modern art museum in Los Angeles downtown. It has rotating exhibitions and when we visited, you could also see one of Yayoi Kusama’s famous Infinity Mirror Rooms. We had seen one of these in the Swarovski World in Austria in the past and now also in LA and it remains a really special experience.

But also the other exhibitions at the Broad are really interesting, especially if you like modern art.

Good to know: The regular exhibition at The Broad is free of charge and you don’t need to reserve. They have a big underground parking garage and you get a small discount if you validate the ticket inside the museum. The Infinity Mirror Room requires a timed-entry reservation. You can find more info on the website of the museum .

You only need about 1 hour to visit this museum, so – time permitting and depending on your itinerary – you could also explore a bit more of the downtown area. If you have more time in this area, you may want to check out Elysian Park where you’ll also find a nice viewpoint overlooking the city.

Lunch & Dinner

Depending on what you choose to do, you can have lunch at Universal Studios or at one of the Getty museums. For dinner, it really depends on where you end your day.

We had dinner at Miceli’s Italian restaurant in Hollywood. They had live music and the food was quite good, just double-check what you order if you eat here. For some strange reason, some of their pizzas have garlic on them… This is something we never experienced in any Italian restaurant before (and most definitely not in Italy)…

Where to Stay for 3 Days in LA

If you are wondering where to stay for sightseeing in LA, there are countless options. I recommend that you choose a place which is somewhat central to everything you want to see.

We chose to stay in the Hollywood area because it was quite central for most of the places that we visited, easy to reach from the highway, and close to the metro (which we used once – to go to Universal Studios). There are also lots of restaurants in this area. It’s not the nicest area of LA, but it’s very convenient for sightseeing and offers good price/quality.

Here are some of the best-rated hotels in this area for various budgets:

$$$$$ The Hollywood Roosevelt $$$$ Loews Hollywood Hotel $$$ Holiday Inn Hollywood Walk of Fame $$ Hollywood Celebrity Hotel $ Orange Drive Hostel

We also considered hotels close to Universal Studios – that area is also very central to most of the sights mentioned in this itinerary.

If you are looking for something a bit more exclusive, you’ll find some really nice hotels in Beverly Hills .

So, this is a suggested 3-day Los Angeles itinerary based on our personal experience.

Of course, you can switch the days around, combine several different attractions in a day, and just choose to visit the places that interest you the most. I hope that this gives you an idea of some of the main places to see in LA and how you could cover all these sights in just three days.

Have a great trip!

READ ALSO: San Diego Itinerary (1-3 Days)

If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin these images!

More travel inspiration for the Southwestern USA:

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• Best Things to Do in Death Valley
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• Where to Stay in Zion

More itineraries for city trips in the USA:

• 1 Day in New York .
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• 1 Day in Philadelphia .
• 2 Days in Chicago .

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Thursday 9th of March 2023

Hi Jurga, thank you for such a comprehensive guide. We are going to LA in May so this is very helpful. I also read your article comparing film studios. Very good info. Thanks again

Friday 10th of March 2023

Glad to help, Dan. Have a great time in LA!

Tuesday 14th of February 2023

sounds great. I'll have to try it. thanks

Thursday 16th of February 2023

Glad to hear that, Anthony. Happy travels!

Sunday 12th of February 2023

I'm a Los Angeles native and have been taking my family and friends touring for years. Yes, you checked all of the iconic blocks, but you missed on some of the best of the best.

We have beautiful mountains and pristine beaches, not just Santa Monica and Venice which are touristy and the latter is now just beginning to recover from years of homeless encampments. There are hikes, from easy to challenging. Tidepools, wonderful for folks who don't live in a coastal region. So many ethnic cuisines... two nights, both at Italian restaurants, when we have so much more to offer!

My 10 and 13 year old guests who are amusement park junkies to their core, spent a week with us, and were happy with one Hollywood theme park! Instead, we went to the Aquarium, Port of Los Angeles (biggest in the world and they were gobsmacked by it's massiveness!), a Dodger game, beaches, and so much more!

Next time you're in town, head to less touristy spots, where you might actually see real stars instead of statues!

Wednesday 15th of February 2023

Hi Nanette, I understand exactly what you mean. But our guides - like this one - are meant for first-time visitors who want to see all the ‘musts’ in just a few days. Any destination in the world has countless amazing things to offer to those who have more time to explore. But if you go to Paris or London for the first time and you only have limited time, you’ll want to see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, or the Big Ben, Westminster, and Buckingham Palace. And Iceland locals will also tell you that Golden Circle is not the best place to go to and that the famous tomato restaurant is for tourists, but if you’re visiting for the first time, that’s exactly where you will want to go. So when you read our website as a local vs tourist, try to remember that we always write with tourists in mind. We know our audience and the biggest majority of our readers who will travel to LA for just a few days will want to visit all those ‘must-see’ places that made the city famous. That also includes film studios. And no, these are not the only things we did in LA, but that’s what I would recommend to our readers who only have 3 days in the city. As for the food, everyone can choose what they like and I think I made it more than clear that there are tons of options. Italian was our kids choice. After two weeks of eating Mexican and American food, they wanted something they are familiar with :). I am sure that our readers with children can relate to that too. Happy travels!

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Your perfect Netherlands itinerary by a Dutch resident

June 19, 2019 by Karen Turner 36 Comments

After over three years of living in the Netherlands, I’ve been asked a lot about how much time to spend in the Netherlands.  A lot of people speed through the Netherlands only stopping for one day in Amsterdam , but I’d recommend enjoying at least 7 days in the Netherlands if you have the chance.  I’ll be covering the highlights of the Netherlands and tips for getting around the Netherlands in this Dutch itinerary.

I’ve focused this itinerary more on Holland as most of the attractions that people want to see are in this region, however I’ve included a couple off the beaten path Dutch cities that you might want to add onto your itinerary if you have more time and/or you’ve already covered most of the major cities in Holland.  This is based on my parents’ trip that I planned for them that they loved!

Many people don’t realize how small the Netherlands is.  It’s very easy to take day trips from Amsterdam to Rotterdam , the Hague , and many cities in the Netherlands.  To many people here, an hour is a long time to be on the train, so if you’re used to bigger countries, you don’t need to plan much because you can purchase a train ticket on the day of and they don’t sell out.

The tickets bought at the train station machines are not specific to any time, just the date, although I recommend avoiding rush hour. The maximum that you’ll pay is 25 euros each way on the train although in some cases, the regional buses might be cheaper!    You can read tips for finding cheap train tickets in the Netherlands here.

• 1 Three days in Amsterdam
• 2 Day trip to Zaanse Schans and Hoorn
• 3 Day trip to Haarlem and the tulip fields (April/May only*)
• 4 One day in Utrecht
• 5 Optional day trip: Cheese market in Woerden (summer only*) and Gouda
• 6 One day in the Hague
• 7 Optional: One day in Delft
• 8 One day in Rotterdam
• 9 Optional: One day in Dordrecht
• 10 One day in Den Bosch
• 11 Optional: One day in Efteling from Den Bosch
• 12 One day in Maastricht
• 13 What did you think of this Netherlands itinerary?

Three days in Amsterdam

I generally recommend having three days in Amsterdam. During this time, be sure to get a taste of Dutch food, wander around Amsterdam’s picturesque canals, glimpse into the sinful side of Amsterdam (if you dare!), explore the cool De Pijp district, and take in some of the incredible art at Amsterdam’s many museums.  As someone who lived in Amsterdam for a few years, I can promise that three days is the perfect taste of Amsterdam.

Many Dutchies will say that Amsterdam is not the same as the Netherlands and many joke that it’s the Disneyworld of the Netherlands.  Luckily, you are in the right place as I’ve designed an itinerary to show you much more of the Netherlands beyond Amsterdam. My parents followed a very close itinerary and although they loved Amsterdam, they were blown away by the other cities.   Click for my itinerary for three days in Amsterdam.

In Amsterdam, I recommend staying at Max Brown , a boutique hotel in Amsterdam.  This stunning hotel is made of various canal houses sewn together along one of Amsterdam’s most scenic canals.  As soon as you walk by, you’ll understand why this is one of my top picks (as well as one that my friends have loved).  For something more budget, the Student Hotel is a great choice for an affordable hotel and StayOkay Vondelpark is a cozy hostel that another friend of mine loved staying in.

It is a lot cheaper to stay outside of Amsterdam, so it might be better to spend three days and two nights in Amsterdam prior to moving with your suitcase to the other cities mentioned here.  You’ll save a lot of money and have more time to enjoy these stunning cities without having to worry about heading back early! I include hotel picks for a few of the cities (with more recommendations within the dedicated city guides).

Day trip to Zaanse Schans and Hoorn

A lot of people have heard of Zaanse Schans. You don’t need to go with a tour as there’s a direct bus from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaanse Schans, which is included with an iAmsterdam card .

It’s free to see these iconic Dutch windmills although you will need to pay admission to visit the museum.   You won’t need more than two hours here and get here to avoid the crowds!  Afterward, head back to the train station near Zaanse Schans to catch the train to Hoorn .

Hoorn is often overlooked by people who simply don’t know about it.  Hoorn is a stunning city along the Zuiderzee that served as a major seaside port for many years.  The riches of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) resulted in ridiculously charming architecture.

When the Zuiderzee was cut off from the North Sea, the town lost its significance with trade. Luckily, dairy has become a major industry for the region.  It’s perfect for a relaxing day away from the crowds in Amsterdam.  If you can go on a market day, I highly recommend it!

Read a self-guided walking tour of Hoorn

Day trip to Haarlem and the tulip fields (April/May only*)

If you’re visiting the Netherlands in time for tulip season, you’re in luck!  The best time to visit the Netherlands to see the tulips is mid-April to the end of April. (You might get lucky with seeing the tulip fields in May).  Most people head to Keukenhof  to see the tulips, however, you can also find the fields in Lisse that are free to admire. 

You can follow this self-guided walking route that I’ve taken several years in a row to see the Dutch tulips for free!   Haarlem is very close by and it’s such a lovely city.

Haarlem is a beautiful Dutch city that is quintessentially Dutch.  There’s nothing like sipping on a fresh mint tea as you sit out on Grote Markt admiring the  St. Bavokerk .  It’s a really charming city to explore on foot. For science geeks, I recommend the Teylers Museum to understand the history of science. You can also take a relaxing ride along Haarlem’s canals prior to stopping off at Jopen, a brewery within a former church.    Click for my guide to Haarlem.

One day in Utrecht

Utrecht is one of those cities that leaves an impression on you.  This stunning university city has two-story canals that you can stroll upon as well as a stunning church tower (all that’s left of the grand cathedral that once stood there).  Utrecht is famous in the Netherlands for its foodie culture and you will not be disappointed after you spend a day exploring this historic Dutch city. Click for my guide to Utrecht and things to do in Utrecht off the beaten path. 

Optional day trip: Cheese market in Woerden (summer only*) and Gouda

If you’re looking for a Dutch cheese market, I highly recommend the one in Woerden.  It’s considerably less touristy than the one in Gouda as well as Alkmaar. Woerden itself has some unique attractions that you can see beyond the cheese market.

What I love about this market is that real trades occur, so you can watch the handclap method go on as the buyers and sellers bargain for the price.  They also provide free cheese samples.  It’s absolutely free, so if you’re visiting in summer, head to the Woerden Cheese Market .   On the way back, the train will pass through Gouda, which I recommend combining with Woerden.

Although the Gouda cheese market occurs on a different day than the Woerden cheese market, Gouda is a very charming and beautiful city.  It is where stroopwafels are said to be invented, so you must try a fresh one while in Gouda.

For history geeks, the city hall is considered one of the most beautiful ones in the Netherlands.  You’ll find lots of charming little streets and alleyways all throughout the city.  Click for my tips for visiting Gouda!

One day in the Hague

The Hague is now my home.  Although it has this reputation for being boring, a lot of people are blown away by the unique architecture (a blend of styles with a lot of Art Deco), the stunning canals, and the diversity of the city.  Here, you’ll find the Mauritshuis, where you can view the Girl with the Pearl Earring and other Dutch masterpieces, as well as Escher in Het Paleis . 

Be sure to explore Denneweg, one of the most stunning canals in the city, and consider heading to the beach in Scheveningen on a nice day.  (Yes, there’s a beach nearby!)

You can read my guide for a day trip to the Hague here!   I also have guides on where to eat  in the Hague, where to drink  in the Hague, and secret places in the Hague to visit.

Hotel prices in the Hague are incredibly reasonable and I’d recommend making it your base in Holland.  At the Student Hotel , you can pay as little as 50 euros for a clean, modern room with quite a few amenities.   La Paulowna Boutique Hotel  is my recommendation for those looking for a boutique hotel with a special touch.   You’ll also have views of the Peace Palace (shown above!).

Optional: One day in Delft

Delft is where the famous delftware is actually made, however, there’s much more to this charming university city than pottery.  As Delft is quite compact, you can spend even a few hours walking along its scenic canals, stopping for a coffee at its many modern cafes, and touring its two churches.  The city is far from stuck in time and you’ll most likely be as taken with Delft as I have been.  Click for my self-guided walking tour to Delft. 

One day in Rotterdam

Rotterdam is completely different than the rest of the Netherlands.  The city was almost entirely destroyed in World War II, so the city was rebuilt.  Rather than rebuilding in the previous style, Rotterdam modernized with innovative skyscrapers and experimental architecture.  If you’re looking for something different than the historic cities, you’ll find Rotterdam to be the epitome of cool with many districts full of great food and shops (including one actually called the Cool District).  Click to read my guide to Rotterdam.

Optional: One day in Dordrecht

If you’re looking for something quite different, Dordrecht is a really beautiful Dutch city that isn’t known to many foreign tourists.  It has a stunning historic center and it’s called the Venice of Holland.  I have to agree with this assessment as it’s easy to imagine the posts picking up people at the various docks throughout the city center.   Click to read about Dordrecht.

Note: If you only have a week in the Netherlands, you might want to limit your time to Holland.  However, if you’re continuing down to Belgium or Germany, I’d encourage you to see Brabant and Limburg.  These two provinces are often overlooked by first-time visitors to the Netherlands and they really offer a great opportunity to learn about Dutch culture!

One day in Den Bosch

Many people haven’t heard of Den Bosch.  This stunning city with a well-preserved medieval center was the home to the famous Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch.  Throughout the city, you’ll find stunning canals where traders used to transport their goods on.  Taking a tour of the Binnendieze is one of the most unique tours that I’ve ever taken and going underneath the buildings was so cool.

Beyond the beautiful architecture, delicious desserts, and its stunning cathedral, Den Bosch is a very alive city with many adorable independent shops and great food.  Hotels are quite affordable in Den Bosch , which makes it a great stop-off prior to heading down to Limburg.  I was here for one day and it left me wanting a lot more.  Click to read your perfect day trip guide to Den Bosch.

Optional: One day in Efteling from Den Bosch

Many people outside of the Netherlands have not heard of the Efteling.   This Dutch amusement park has its own distinct universe as well as style of animation is older than Disney.   I consider Efteling on par with Disney although the tickets are a fraction of the cost. (I’d recommend staying in Den Bosch as it’s quite closeby!)

Coming here will make you feel like a kid again, so if you’re looking for a fun day out after exploring numerous Dutch cities, consider taking a little break exploring Efteling.  You can read tips for visiting Efteling here.

One day in Maastricht

Maastricht is one the gems of the Netherlands, however most people don’t know about it and end up skipping Maastricht.  However, my parents considered Maastricht to be their favorite city in the Netherlands, even after several trips to the Netherlands.   You can click to read my guide to Maastricht.

You might be wondering what is so special about Maastricht? The historic city center has a mix of architecture styles, several medieval churches that have been converted into bookstores and hotels, and a rich food culture.  It’s also the perfect jumping-off point to head towards Germany as Aachen, Germany is only one hour by bus—and Liege, Belgium i s another hour away by train.

What did you think of this Netherlands itinerary?

Click for tips for finding cheap train tickets in the Netherlands , secret things to do in Amsterdam , traveling in the Netherlands on a budget , and the best day trips from Amsterdam.

About Karen Turner

New Yorker–born and raised. Currently living in the Hague, the Netherlands after stints in Paris and Amsterdam. Lover of travel, adventure, nature, city, dresses, and cats.

Reader Interactions

October 20, 2018 at 7:52 am

It would be interesting to see what you could come up with for Friesland and Groningen

April 16, 2019 at 10:13 am

Try Bergen op Zoom in West Brabant

July 12, 2019 at 4:37 pm

Hello can you provide me November 7 to 14 I want visit Netherlands trip so I need day by day itinerary top place visit send me my email thanks .

July 30, 2019 at 3:32 pm

Hi, thanks very much for sharing your experience & summing up all in this wonderful itinerary. I am looking to travel to Netherlands and it will help me a lot. I have a query regarding ‘I amsterdam card’. I wonder if you know this. If I buy that card, would I be able to use the card for public transport outside Amsterdam. Like could I use the card to travel to Rotterdam from Hague & further on. Thank you

July 30, 2019 at 4:19 pm

Hi Dania, Unfortunately the iAmsterdam card is limited to the Amsterdam region (buses). For the Hague/Rotterdam area, there is a similar card (Tourist Day Ticket) for Zuid Holland sold by RET valid on public transit (not trains) that would go from Rotterdam to the Hague. That said, I’d recommend just paying out of pocket for the train tickets as it’s faster and usually cheaper than this card as the buses/trams are slower than the trains.

August 6, 2019 at 12:25 am

Hi Karen, I really want to get in touch with you. Do you have a facebook page, I can use to connect to you please? Thank you

August 6, 2019 at 1:08 pm

Hi, if you click contact, you’ll find my email. Thanks, Karen

October 22, 2019 at 2:34 pm

Hi Karen, My wife and I are going to the Netherlands in April 2020. This will be our 3rd time visiting but, we only stayed in Amsterdam. I really enjoyed this article and you have given me many new ideas. We are probably a lot like your parents, very interested in the history and architecture. We also are not big fans of crowds and tours, I prefer to go about on our own and kinda do our own thing. Getting lost is frustrating but fun. Could you possibly send me an itinerary that we could enjoy as your parents did. Thank You Jerry

October 22, 2019 at 5:00 pm

Hi Jerry, You’re welcome to steal this itinerary, which is very close to their own. They never got to Den Bosch, but mostly because they didn’t realize that it was so charming. It’s high on their list for the next trip. Any of these cities mentioned here besides Amsterdam should give you that experience. Most Dutch cities don’t really require so much effort to see, so it’s quite easy to pop off the train with seeing much of the city within one day. The links within the article will bring you to city guides that I wrote for each city that include my recommendations on historical attractions, food, and architecture. I hope this helps you plan your third trip. Feel free to send me an email if anything is unclear. 🙂

November 4, 2019 at 1:54 am

I enjoyed your itinerary. I am planning to visit the Netherlands and your itinerary is very helpful. Thank you.

December 1, 2019 at 7:45 pm

Hi Karen We are planning 10 day trip to Holland in April 2020 Can you please just tell which city to make reservations for hotels My understanding that to many cities we can just take one day trip from Amsterdam

December 9, 2019 at 3:24 pm

Please check my day trips from Amsterdam post for more info (near the end!). You can save a lot by not staying in Amsterdam and spending just 2 days in Amsterdam if that’s all you intend to do. Haarlem, Leiden, the Hague, or Rotterdam can be a good base if you want to get away from Amsterdam to save on hotels.

December 6, 2019 at 9:14 pm

Hi, I just came upon your blog post through Pinterest. Thank you for highlighting a few cities in The Netherlands that are usually overlooked and absolutely worth a visit. I believe you’ve given a lot of tourists an inspirational read and I hope those who plan to see Amsterdam within a day will rethink their itinerary. As a Dutch reader (living in the USA), I do have some feedback though: 1) Dutch people never refer to the provinces of Noord-Holland en Zuid-Holland as ‘Holland’ the way you refer to it. You almost make it sound like it’s a separate country. Perhaps clarify you mean the provinces? As Dutch people we don’t talk about provinces the way Americans talk about States. States in the USA are a lot more independent from federal government and different from each other than the provinces in the Netherlands. We would just talk about the towns themselves and that would be all. 2) ‘Efteling’ would be ‘The Efteling’. 3) Dordrecht is called ‘Venice of the North’, not ‘Venice of Holland’. 4) ‘Zaans Schans’ is spelled Zaanse Schans, we pronounce the ‘e’ and it cannot be left out.

Have you been the the northern provinces yet? Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe are absolutely beautiful as well. I hope you enjoy your time in The Netherlands.

December 9, 2019 at 3:19 pm

Glad to hear from you Marta! I wrote this with the hope of showing people more of the Netherlands in a realistic way as although there are so many beautiful places, most people have limited time.

I wrote about Holland in this way because of the other way that many visitors think of Holland. I live in Zuid Holland myself and agree a lot about the towns being more important than the province. I try to not to lump Holland together as an entity in my general writing and try to be more specific about the provinces, but this post is a bit of an exception.

Repoints: Ahh, fixing that spelling error. 😉 I realize that people call it “the Efteling”, which corresponds to the Dutch name, but the added the seems redundant in English.

I’ve been to every province of the Netherlands and fully intend on becoming a citizen in the near future. I must write more about the Northern Provinces as I went at a time that I was less active with my blog. A trip back is due soon to Friesland. I really loved it and I would plan to write about it once I have better photos to inspire people to visit. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!

December 26, 2019 at 11:43 pm

Hi, lovely cities and will certainly get a good feel of the Netherlands. As a vivid traveller myself, I love diversity and would long for some green between all the beautiful architecture. If time, and physical health, lets you, I would recommend a bike ride or hike /stroll through ‘De Hoge Veluwe’ and eat apple pie, along the coast and a beverage in a beach house, perhaps even ‘Wadlopen. Have a haring or kibbeling while you’re at the sea. De Bieschbosh may be more central if you are staying in de Randstad (the bigger cities in de west) and can be combined with a visit Rotterdam (then take the boat from Rotterdam as extra!) for instance. Oh, if you do go to Rotterdam, stop for a beer tasting at the Pheonix factory. And in Utrecht; you can combine this on same day and go canooing at Rhijnouwen in summer. Also, if you have a car; Volendam or Marken, Kasteel Muiderslot are great stops for couple of hours.

Some of my personal favorites. Believe these options all make your already great itinerary more divers and will give you a more complete overview of the Netherlands.

December 26, 2019 at 11:45 pm

Hoge Veluwe should be combined with Kroller Muller; the second biggest van Gogh collection, but the building and environment add to the experience!

December 12, 2020 at 7:31 am

Hi Karen We are planning 7 days trip to Netherlands in June 2021 Can you please just tell which city to make reservations for hotels June 9 to 15 I want visit Netherlands trip so I need day by day itinerary top place visit send me my email thanks .

March 19, 2021 at 3:02 pm

It depends on you and how much you want to travel by train. I already have my recommendations in the article! 🙂

August 16, 2021 at 7:23 pm

Karen, It looks like I will have 8 days available. I will spend 3 nights in Amsterdam. I’d love to visit all the other locations outlined here, but don’t want to constantly move around. Do you recommend one of the other smaller cities as a home base to travel to the others? Thanks Maurita

January 30, 2022 at 6:44 pm

Hi, I’ll be booking Amsterdam soon for 6 nights. I plan on doing nothing too much the first day, because of a long flight. I plan to have 3 1/2 days touring Amsterdam and doing 2 days hoping on a train to explore. I had in mind Delft, Haarlem, Utrecht, Maastricht. But, I only have time for two places. I spent hours watching YouTube of these cities and reading reviews in travel forums. I’m having a hard time narrowing down 2. I’m not really into visiting anything like museums, I’m more into shops, coffee, lunch, scenery, taking walking, Maybe walk in a church. I really need help! Appreciate if you could help choose two.

March 17, 2022 at 10:13 pm

I am a bit slow in responding, but all are lovely. Maastricht is too far. I would say that Utrecht and Haarlem are the easiest to do!

March 15, 2022 at 9:14 pm

Hi Karen, my husband and I are visiting Holland for 9 days in June/July with our bikes. We land in Ijmuigen and are looking for advice on where to stay and visit. Can you help?

March 17, 2022 at 9:20 pm

I would recommend Haarlem, but there are lots of cute cities nearby if you prefer a smaller town vibe. 🙂 Alkmaar is nice too!

April 13, 2022 at 9:37 pm

Hi there. I’m coming to Amsterdam next week and I have one day alone before my group joins me. With the group we are doing the tulip gardens and parades and canal tour and Anne Frank house and some museums. I am trying to decide what would be a good way for me to spend the day alone. I’ll be staying by the airport but have thought of travelling into Utrecht, or over to Noord-Harlem or Harleem. I don’t know what I can pack into a day and I fear getting lost as well. Do you think I could do those three cities in a day? Or do you have a recommendation? Or should I just get a bike in Amsterdam and get lost? I appreciate any help. And thank you!

April 21, 2022 at 2:42 pm

Hi Annette, I hope that I am not too late, but the train is really simple (download the NS app or just go to the train station to buy a round-trip ticket). It is very hard to get lost in a Dutch city as the signage is really good. I would recommend Haarlem or Leiden if you are by the airport and it should be enough for a relaxing afternoon. You’ll probably see a lot with the group, so better to pick one place that you won’t visit with them. 🙂

April 27, 2022 at 4:48 pm

Hi Karen. So happy to find your info about the Netherlands. I am planning a 2 week trip for 4 in june and have reservations for all but the last 3 days. We’re in Breda for a couple of nights visiting my daughter’s partner’s family after going north from Amsterdam and around through Harlingen and Otterlo. We will be driving and visiting museums and parks along the way. We have to catch a flight early on the 4th day from schiphol so we can’t go too far. I am spending time in Utrecht before I meet with the others. So would staying in Breda and making day trips be the best use of our last 3 days? We are outdoor types and enjoy hiking, biking and sailing. Thanks so much. We are really excited about seeing the Dutch homelands.

May 5, 2022 at 2:11 pm

Hi Dana! Breda is a nice hub for some cities, but maybe a little far for where you want to go (although possible). Sounds like a lovely trip and maybe worth getting a hotel / car along the way to maximize your time rather than driving more!

April 29, 2022 at 4:30 am

Karen, we get off riverboat cruise on Nov 17 in Amsterdam(have visited this city before). Would you recommend Harlem or Ulreght as a hub to stay at, and then we day trip by rail to other towns? Time is flexible at this stage but we thought 5-7 days? From new Zealand we are not used to hard winter weather, so your guidance would be welcomed

May 5, 2022 at 2:12 pm

Hi Tom, November is definitely chilly and wet (although often not snowy). Yeah, traveling by train is a great idea! Utrecht is a better hub! Hope you have a great trip!

November 26, 2022 at 7:39 am

Your itinerary gives great insights. If we want to take unlicensed transport and minimise moving from hotel to hotel, which 2 cities are the best to stay so that we get to travel to all the places in this itinerary?

November 26, 2022 at 7:40 am

Sorry I meant public transport

December 1, 2022 at 8:28 pm

Utrecht or The Hague!

January 17, 2023 at 12:24 am

Thanks for this great guide! I will be going to Amsterdam for the 2nd time in May for one week. In your itinerary, you mention day trips to Zaanse and Harlem for tulips, I was wondering if those day trips were included in staying 3 days in Amsterdam? So I would be spending 2/3 days in Zaanse and Harlem. I see a lot of tours to Zaanse and I was wondering if you think it’s worth it to pay for a tour of the windmills/cheese and fishing market?

February 1, 2023 at 2:11 pm

I think three days in Amsterdam is ideal before doing a few day trips, but it is up to you as it is your trip. You can do a tour if you are tight on time, but it is easy enough to do a tour on your own of Zaanse Schaans and Haarlem using public transit. Zaanse Schans involves a bit more walking without a car, but it is very doable.

February 5, 2023 at 4:45 pm

Karen – thank you so much for sharing this great itinerary. I’ll be visiting in July and would love to see everything you mentioned. Unfortunately, I’ll only have a week. Can you recommend pairing any towns that could be seen and enjoyed in one day? Thanks!

April 3, 2023 at 3:20 pm

Lots of towns. The Hague, Utrecht, or Haarlem are great! 🙂

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Home > Blog > 3 Day Camino Itineraries – Short Camino Breaks

3 Day Camino Itineraries – Short Camino Breaks

There are plenty of reasons that someone might be looking for a shorter itinerary on the Camino. Maybe you only have a long weekend to spare, maybe you have health or mobility difficulties, or maybe you just want to try out the Camino. Whatever your reason – there is a short Camino itinerary for you! Here are our favourite 3-day Camino itineraries to show you what you can pack into just a few days.

Estacion de Lalin to Santiago on the Via de la Plata

Every Camino is beautiful in its own way but the last 3 days of the Via de la Plata into Santiago are truly spectacular. You can easily take the train out to Estacion de Lalin and walk the 3 days back into Santiago . This is a relatively easy walk and you will have less than 20km to walk each day.

You will walk through beautiful farmland, woodland and villages. There are plenty of services available, like shops and cafes, and there is fantastic Spanish food to try. Make sure to stop in Bandeira on your second day, a town well-known for its delicious empanadas !

San Sebastian to Markina on the Camino del Norte

San Sebastian is a great place to start (or end!) your pilgrimage on the Camino del Norte . From the rolling green hillsides that surround the city to the golden beaches that frame the coastline, you can experience city life, beach life and country life all within a short distance of each other.

Deba is a quaint seaside town. Make sure to visit the 16th-century Basque Gothic-style National Monument of the Church of Santa Maria. The walk to Markina is lush and green. Explore the Hermitage of El Calvario and the beautiful hamlets of the area. A bus and a train, or two buses will get you back to San Sebastian in about 3 hours.

Castro Urdiales to Santander on the Camino del Norte

Alternatively, you can begin your 3-day journey on the Camino del Norte with a 2-hour bus ride from Santander to the medieval seaside town of Castro Urdiales. A must-see when you are here is the Gothic Church of Santa María de la Asunción. It is absolutely striking, with a French Gothic feel and flying buttresses and pinnacles.

A spectacular cliff walk overlooking the Cantabrian Sea will take you to the popular beach town of Laredo. This lovely town grew around the Monastery of San Martin and is known for its long beach, its medieval quarter (Puebla Vieja) and lively atmosphere. Take a break in Bareyo and admire the beautiful Romanesque Church of Santa Maria. From the village of Somo, you can catch a “pedrenera”, a traditional boat used to cross the bay.

Finish this short Camino escape in Santander. Santander city is surrounded by beautiful nature and is best known for its beautiful beaches. The 13th-century Cathedral de Santander is not to be missed. If you have extra time to spare, a visit to the Museum of Prehistory and Archeology is absolutely recommended!

Santiago to Finisterre on the Camino Finisterre

Usually, this Camino takes 4 walking days , but you can easily do it in 3 days. Just take a 20-minute bus ride to Negreira and start from there. The first day from Negreira to Olveiroa is a long one but the mountainous landscape is wonderful. The wild Serra de Castelo and the Xallas valley are particularly breathtaking!

Next, you will follow the river and pass the Hermitage of Nosa Senora. You will catch your first glimpse of the ocean as you descend through the pine groves of Alto do Cruxeiro da Armada. Take a dip at the beach and enjoy the quiet village.

Stop for lunch in the lovely town of Fisterra for absolutely excellent seafood! The catches of the day are often prepared and cooked within minutes of being brought ashore. Try the famous barbeque grilled sardines and chimirones – grilled whole squid. After lunch, make your way to Cape Finisterre – known since Roman times as the ‘End of the World’. Here you will find the famous lighthouse that plays a vital role in safely guided ships along the coastline, and the end of the Camino Finisterre.

Learn more: Download your FREE Camino e-book!

Discover the routes and sections of the famous camino de santiago pilgrimage..

There are plenty more routes that you can choose for your 3 day Camino itinerary. These are just some of our favourites! If you have a particular city in mind that you would like to start or end in, let us know. We can design a customised itinerary on the Way of Saint James just for you.

Whether you are looking for a forested walk with plenty of tree cover, a historic pilgrimage, or a foodie adventure, we can create the ideal trip for you.

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#TimeBudgetTravel

A Jam-Packed 3-Day Washington DC Itinerary for First-Timers

Last Updated: July 27, 2021 //  by  Ashley Smith 22 Comments

While nearly everyone I’ve ever asked has experienced their own Washington DC itinerary as some point in their lives, I still had no idea what was going on in that town. (Does anyone though? Really?)

I just so happen to be one of the few brought up in the American school system that didn’t visit Washington DC on a school-sponsored field trip. I went to public school after all—we barely had classrooms. Or teachers. We did have a pretty epic food fight in the cafeteria once though. 

I mean, I’ve always been a fan of TV shows set in Washington DC— Scandal , Bones , Designated Survivor , for instance—so I have been at least passively interested in finding out if DC is just full of sexy power walkers and clandestine meetings on park benches. (The verdict is still out.)

It wasn’t until I read Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol that I actually began to consider visiting. Mr. Brown, you mean to tell me that Washington DC is secretly awesome? All this cool history hidden behind a façade of wrinkly, suit-clad politicians? Who knew!

After The Lost Symbol came National Treasure . Then National Treasure: Book of Secrets . Then me frantically Googling whether or not there was a National Treasure 3 in the works. We could call it National Treasure: Do You Even Know How Awesome DC Is? The world needs more American history through the eyes of Nicolas Cage, I tell ya!

Washington DC itinerary

When I would finally visit DC in 2018, I started casually putting together a Washington DC itinerary. That’s when I realized there’s so much to do in Washington DC!

My main goal was just to steal the Declaration of Independence (obvs) but there was actually so. much. more. Washington DC is full of all the nerdy things! Museums and historical sites and important buildings and like a thousand more museums.

It’s like the mother ship was calling me home. Basically, I was about to put the Smith in Smithsonian. 

I knew early on that I was going to need at least a week to see and do all I had on my Washington DC itinerary, but, only having three full days to dedicate over Thanksgiving, I was just going to have to pack in as much as possible for this first visit.

I will be returning for a second in the near future. After all, those pantsuits aren’t going to power walk themselves. Here’s what I got up to during my first ever 3 days in Washington DC itinerary.

Also check out ─ And when you’re ready for MORE awesome things to do in Washington DC, be sure to bookmark my followup post: Another Long Weekend in Washington DC : 20 more awesome things to see and do!

Washington DC itinerary: Day 1

For Day One of my Washington DC itinerary, I chose to focus on stuff that was outside the city center. I had just driven seven hours from Boston to DC and wanted the first day to be the easiest of the three. Also, I just couldn’t wait to get my ass to the Udvar-Hazy center. #nerdalert

It was also Thanksgiving day and these just so happened to be the only two things on my Washington DC itinerary that were actually open. Don’t worry, I gave thanks for that.

Ted’s Bulletin

I’m an avid traveler and, as a matter of fact, I do have a favorite destination: America in the 1950s and ‘60s. Time traveling is my favorite so I was really excited to find Ted’s Bulletin —a great restaurant to grab breakfast, right in the heart of the 20 th century …and Washington DC.

I arrived at 7:03 am–right after it opened–like the good little time-budget traveler that I am. 

I fell instantly in love with its art deco atmosphere and retro details: the rabbit-eared televisions showing I Love Lucy , the day’s newspaper folded up at each counter seat, the dapper-dressed staff. The whole place just warmed my soul, and then muh belly.

Why include Ted’s Bulletin in your Washington DC itinerary?

The food, service, atmosphere, everything at Ted’s Bulletin was fantastic and I whole-heartedly recommend starting your day there. However, what got me there in the first place was the recommendation of an Instagram follower who told me about their homemade Pop Tarts. Being the perpetual 12-year-old and lover of Pop Tarts that I am, I couldn’t pass this up.

Arlington National Cemetery

Next up was a visit to Arlington National Cemetery —technically located in Arlington, Virginia, but it’s really just a 5-minute drive beyond the National Mall. And maybe you’re not a weirdo who likes to visit cemeteries on vacation, but apparently I am.

The United States Army operates Arlington National Cemetery–one of the most… exclusive? Is that the right word?… of all the U.S. national cemeteries.

Buried here are those who served in the U.S. military, dating back as far as the Civil War, along with numerous astronauts, explorers, prominent medical and science figures, presidents, etc. Besides graves, there are a number of important monuments and memorials, ceremonies, and a welcome center that’s also part museum.

Why include Arlington National Cemetery in your Washington DC itinerary?

Come for the famous names; stay for the peacefulness, the awesome learning opportunities, and the chance to honor those who sacrificed their lives so that we may eat homemade Pop Tarts and complain about the traffic in Delaware.

Given its exclusivity, Arlington National Cemetery serves as the final resting place for many you probably know or at least have heard of.

Among the 400,000+ graves at Arlington, you’ll find:

• President John F. Kennedy / Jackie Kennedy Onassis / Robert Kennedy
• President William Howard Taft
• Robert Todd Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln’s son)
• Matthew Henson & Robert Peary (discoverers of the North Pole)
• The remains of the seven astronauts killed in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger
• Astronaut John Glenn – the first American to orbit the Earth
• Abner Doubleday – supposed inventor of baseball, but also an officer in the U.S. Army and 2-star Union general in the Civil War
• Joe Louis – heavyweight boxing champion, but also a sergeant in the U.S. Army during WWII
• Civil rights leader Medgar Evers
• Audie Murphy — most decorated American WWII soldier 
• And over 399,982 more, and counting 

Tips for visiting Arlington National Cemetery

Whatever you do, don’t miss the Changing of the Guard ceremony outside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This was *the* most fascinating thing I saw during my entire 3 days in Washington DC.

The Changing of the Guard takes place every hour, on the hour, from October 1 st to March 31 st , and every half hour from April 1 st to September 30 th . Tomb Guards watch over the site 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in all weather, no matter what.

To serve as a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is said to be one of the highest of all military honors. The application and training process are stringent, and the Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge is the second-least awarded badge in the U.S. Military.

If you thought getting together all your girlfriends who have kids for a night out was difficult, wait until you see how on point this ritual is. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.

Also, make sure you go inside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for a roomful of information and historical military artifacts.

In a hurry? ─ Download the Arlington National Cemetery app (ANC Explorer) to help you quickly navigate your way through the cemetery. It’s available on Google Play and in the App Store .

Smithsonian Air & Space Museum: Udvar-Hazy Center

After Arlington we headed even farther outside the city center to the second branch of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, the Udvar-Hazy Center, just outside the Dulles airport.

The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum is split into two parts: the Udvar-Hazy Center geared towards people who actually give all the craps about aviation and space exploration, and the main one over on the National Mall for people who just want an admission-free place to let their germy children loose.

I’ve always been somewhat of an #avgeek so when I learned this place existed, I wanted to visit more than I wanted find the world’s treasures hidden beneath a church in downtown Manhattan. So, a lot.

Why include the Udvar-Hazy Center in your Washington DC itinerary?

The Udvar-Hazy Center is ground zero for anyone interested in airplanes, space travel, history, and seeing how far your voice can travel in an airplane hangar. (Spoiler alert: wicked far)

Besides just being, quite literally, the mother ship for aviation and space nerds, the Udvar-Hazy center has a long list of notable airplanes, miscellaneous vessels, and other artifacts on display. 

What to see at the Udvar-Hazy Center:

• The Enola Gay – the Boeing B-29 Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan to end World War II. As a WWII enthusiast , I was in complete awe. Speechless. Well, speechless in the metaphorical sense—if you know me, you know I couldn’t shut up about it.

WWII in Washington DC ─ If seeing the Enola Gay excites you, be sure to check out my post on WWII Sites in Washington DC (and Arlington, VA) You Shouldn’t Miss over on my WWII travel blog.

• The Concorde – the one-time airliner that could fly passengers across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound. It could make the flight from Paris to New York in less than 3.5 hours.
• The Space Shuttle Discovery – flew 39 Earth-orbiting missions and traveled almost 150 millions miles. It’s. So. Freaking. Massive.
• The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird – the fastest jet ever in the history of the world. Flown by the U.S. Air Force, it set a record after flying from Los Angeles to Washington DC in just 1 hour and 4 minutes. It averaged a speed of 2,124 MF-ing MPH. And that was after 24 years of service. The fastest thing I could do at 24 was tell you from what other show that actor was on that one time.
• The first ever FedEx plane – Okay, maybe this is only awesome to people from Memphis, Tennessee (like myself), but Federal Express literally invented the concept of overnight delivery, something each and every one of us uses all the damn time. And this plane carried its first packages. It’s revolutionary, okay!

Additionally, the museum features other aircrafts from WWII (even German ones), the Vietnam and Korean Wars, commercial aviation, historical aviation, space travel, hot air ballooning, and the list is endless. I’ve already written more about airplanes than the average person can stomach. I probably lost you at “avgeek”.

Important Note ─ Since the Udvar-Hazy Center is a branch of the Smithsonian, admission is always free. (yay!) However, parking at the Udvar-Hazy Center is $15. And it’s in the middle of nowhere so you have no choice in the matter. It’s worth it. I promise! 

Tip for visiting the Udvar-Hazy Center

The Udvar-Hazy Center’s location outside the Dulles airport makes it the perfect location for, yes, avgeeks. After leaving the parking lot, you’ll drive down a long, empty road in between what looks like nothing but open fields before reaching the highway. Once on this road, pull over and park beside the road and… wait for it.

You’re now parked between the airport’s landing strips, underneath the exact path of landing airplanes.

Stand up on your car’s console and up through the sunroof (totally justifying your enthusiastic “Yes!” when asked by your husband at the Jeep dealership, “Do you really need a sunroof?”) and watch as the planes land directly over your head, so close you could touch them… if you were Kareem Abdul-Jabar. It’s loud as all get-out and more thrilling than a complimentary extended warranty.This is from the parking lot ⇣⇣⇣

Happy Hour at Old Ebbitt Grill

After a nap at the hotel, we sexy power walked to Old Ebbitt Grill for happy hour on the recommendation of my friend Julianne and her booze blog It’s Five O’Clock Here .

Old Ebbitt Grill was founded in 1856 and is Washington DC’s oldest saloon—that’s old timey prospector-speak for bar . Being that it’s right next to the White House, I was obviously gonna see a man about a horse on the sidewalk betwixt the light of two street lamps on the way.

Why include the Old Ebbitt Grill in your Washington DC itinerary?

Because it’s the oldest of something. If you know me as a traveler at all, you know I’m all about those superlatives. The city’s oldest this , the world’s tallest that , the country’s most famous whatever . Why eat at some random restaurant when you can dine at a landmark?

Given its location, the bar at Old Ebbitt Grill is said to have been frequented by the likes of Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Johnson, Warren Harding, Grover Cleveland, and Theodore Roosevelt. Its roots date back to before Abraham Lincoln lived just across the street. And I ate there! Ashley Smith—the girl who will never, ever be president.

Old Ebbitt Grill pro tip: Seven days a week, from 3-6 pm and 11 pm – close is oyster happy hour (half off all oysters)—another Ashley Smith favorite. (The website says “not available on holidays” but… we were there on Thanksgiving… and still got half off so…)

Dinner at Farmers & Distillers

After our surprise holiday happy hour, we headed back towards our hotel for Thanksgiving dinner at Farmers & Distillers—another restaurant recommended to me by a DC regular.

Farmers & Distillers (along with their sister restaurants Founding Farmers, seen in the followup post, and Farmers Fishers Bakers) is part of a restaurant group completely owned by farmers—over 47,000 of them. So many overalls.

Why include Farmers & Distillers in your Washington DC itinerary?

All of Farmers & Distillers’ ingredients are sustainably grown, farm fresh, and are sourced from small family farms—not corporate ones.

They make the food fresh, in-house, and from scratch and the result is some of the best food you’ll ever be served in the United States.

My husband and I visited for Thanksgiving dinner so we were limited to a fixed price menu but whoa that food was good. Like, so good we couldn’t believe how good it was. That night, I had the best pecan pie I’ve ever had in my life. And I’m a Southerner.

The service was phenomenal and we were even visited by the manager who brought us a couple of gift cards as a thank you for spending our holiday with them. Which we used on Day Three of this Washington DC itinerary. Twice in three days, it was that good.

Farmers & Distillers pro tip: Get the crab & artichoke dip. I swear it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten.

Washington DC itinerary: Day 2

Day Two of my Washington DC itinerary was jam-packed. A little bit of everything—museums, historical sites, political stuff, memorials, and having to literally be dragged out of my hotel room to get to dinner because my leg muscles no longer functioned. ‘Twas a good day!

U.S. Capitol Tour

First stop on our Day Two agenda was a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building. Now, I know roughly as much about American politics as you do about what I had for breakfast today. However, I do know an important piece of architecture when I see one from twelve miles away.

The United States Capitol (with an ‘o’) is located in the United States’ capital (with an ‘a’)—just wanted to get that out of the way.

It’s the home of the U.S. Congress, where the Senate and the House of Representatives do their thang. Construction on this building began in 1793 and G-Wash himself laid the first cornerstone. (His celeb nickname leaves a lot to be desired, huh?)

You can visit the U.S. Capitol but only on a guided tour —you can’t just go in and hang out all willy-nilly. This is the U.S. House of Representatives, not the International House of Pancakes—though the high concentration of grumpy ol’ senior citizens could confuse anyone.

Unfortunately, the bills you’ll find here don’t support kids eating for free and the term ‘impeachment’ has nothing to do with Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity® short stacks.

The guided tours of the U.S. Capitol are about 45-minutes long and include visits to:

• The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center and an introductory film
• The Capitol rotunda / the dome
• The National Statuary Hall
• And all the connecting corridors

Reserving your guided tour in advance is recommended, but not mandatory. They do have same-day passes available but obviously those are limited and you may be required to wait a while to get in (and unlimited coffee refills aren’t part of the deal).

Reserving your guided tour in advance guarantees you a dedicated entrance time on whichever date you choose—the obvious choice for those of us trying to jam eight days worth of activities into three.

To book your U.S. Capitol tour:

• Go to: visitthecapitol.gov
• Click the link next to “Individuals, families and small groups”
• You’ll need to create an account
• Choose a date and time from the table
• Choose how many passes you need
• Hit “Reserve Now”
• Top it off with a hefty serving of maple syrup

You can make U.S. Capitol tour reservations up to 90 days in advance and all tours are free!

Why include a U.S. Capitol tour in your Washington DC itinerary?

Because this is where the United States comes from. What happens inside this building affects every single one of us ( us being all humans who inhabit Earth). It’s probably the most important building in our entire country. Plus, Dan Brown makes it sounds really awesome.

The art and architecture here are stunning, you’ll get to see the geographic center of Washington DC (in the above picture behind the ropes), and learn so many amazing historical tidbits. They also have a gift shop with prints of the Declaration of Independence that you should definitely not steal.

Tips for taking a U.S. Capitol tour:

• Up the stairs from the area where you check in, next to the gift shop, is a complimentary coat and bag check – utilize this.
• When you’re in the National Statuary Hall and your tour guide starts talking about the “whispering room” make sure you’re as close to the marker for John Quincy Adams’ desk as possible. The effect is unreal.

Library of Congress

Admittedly, the Library of congress wasn’t on my original Washington DC itinerary—I was saving it for my second visit, but, lo and behold! There it was right next door to the U.S. Capitol. They’ve borrowed a cup of sugar from each other a time or two, no doubt.

The Library of Congress is the official research library of the U.S. Congress but also the largest library in the world . In other words, stacks on stacks on stacks. And you already know how I feel about things that end in ‘-est’!

It’s also one of the most beautiful and fascinating buildings I’ve seen in this country. Those tiles! Those columns! Those statues! Those floors! You’re making the Sistine Chapel feel pretty bad about itself—I hope you’re happy.

Access to the Library of Congress is free and open to the public. You can stop in on your own or join one of their many tours . Given my time restraints and the fact that the LoC was a beautiful last-minute addition, I opted out of the tour and wandered around got horribly lost on my own.

Why include the Library of Congress in your Washington DC itinerary?

Besides just being your regular, ho hum library with more than 168 million items, the Library of Congress also houses many historical artifacts and showcases special exhibits. Among its insane rare book collection is:

• The largest collection of rare books in North America (700,000+)
• The largest collection of 15 th -century books in the Western Hemisphere
• The first book printed in North America
• One of the smallest books – which is about the size of this period. (y tho?)
• One of the largest books – a 5’ x 7’ picture book of Bhutan
• The LoC’s oldest written material – a cuneiform tablet dating back to 2040 BC
• And the Gutenberg Bible, which I got to see.

Helpful tip for visiting the Library of Congress

The reason I ended up in the Library of Congress in the first place is also my pro tip to you. From the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center you can take an underground passageway to the Library of Congress. This was especially appealing since it was below freezing outside – but it’s a great shortcut regardless.

Since you’ve already gone through security to get into the Capitol, you won’t have to wait in line and do it again as you would if you entered from the outside. You can keep your coats and bags checked in the Capitol and pop on over to the LoC and back. The passageway is marked and it’s up near the coat check.

Smithsonian Air & Space Museum

Next up was a walk down the National Mall to another Smithsonian, the main branch of the Air & Space Museum . While the Udvar-Hazy Center is definitely where you should spend your time if you’re a fellow avgeek, this one had a couple of things (literally two) that I wanted to lay my eyes on.

This one, you’ll find, is immensely different from the Udvar-Hazy Center. It’s much smaller and more compact and simply bursting at the seams with caffeinated / crying / wet / seemingly parent-less children. Going here to see and learn about a couple of historical aircrafts is like going to Chuck E. Cheese’s to get a slice of pizza. I was not among my people.

However, admission to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum is FREE and I got to see what I came for so, ‘twas a success.

Why include the Air & Space Museum in your Washington DC itinerary?

Most of what I wanted to see was at the Udvar-Hazy Center but here you can see:

• The 1903 Wright Flyer – the world’s first airplane, built by the Wright Brothers and flown at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17 th , 1903. It’s the first airplane, y’all!
• The Spirit of St. Louis – the plane flown by Charles Lindbergh in 1927 from New York to Paris — the first solo, nonstop, trans-Atlantic flight.
• Friendship 7 – the capsule flown by John Glenn when he became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962.
• Oh and Sputnik was there – the first satellite

Check out the map of the museum in advance and figure out where you want to go ahead of time.

Here are some tips: The Wright Brothers plane is in section 209, the Spirit of St. Louis and Sputnik are hanging from the ceiling in the main lobby just past the entrance on the right-hand side, Friendship 7 is also in the main lobby, on the right-hand side with all the other unrecognizable space stuff.

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

A little walk farther down the National Mall and we’re at my next stop, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History . Like the Udvar-Hazy, this is another you could spend an entire day in. 

This museum houses more than 1.8 million objects. According to their website, that’s “more than three shelf-miles of archival collections,” and I’m totes going to start categorizing things by shelf-miles. “My closet contains just 0.02 shelf-miles of clothing.”

The artifacts here make up everything we know American life to be. It’s got everything you grew up with (Mr. Rogers’ sweaters!) and the stuff behind so many things we have today. It’s got original this , and first that . This museum boasts “the greatest single collection of American history in the world.” *wipes away tear*

Why include the American History Museum in your Washington DC itinerary?

To see some of the most important artifacts in American history / pop culture with your very own eyes. Of the more than 1.8 million things here, I had a small list of things I had to see. Such as:

• The Star Spangled Banner – THE very flag that inspired our National Anthem
• George Washington’s uniform
• Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz – only my favorite movie ever growing up (but also Glinda’s wand and the Scarecrow’s hat )
• The top hat Abraham Lincoln was wearing on the night of his assassination (I kid you not)
• The Greensboro lunch counter (Growing up in Memphis, TN and frequenting the National Civil Rights Museum where there is a replica of this, I’m very familiar with the Greensboro lunch counter so I was excited to see the real thing.)

They also have Lewis and Clark’s compass, Thomas Edison’s Light Bulb, the Batmobile, Superman’s uniform, and Julia Child’s freaking kitchen.

American History Museum pro tip: Make a list of the things you want to see and stick to it. It’s so easy to get lost, distracted, and/or pulled into a sing-along here but you’re on a mission! And you’ve got a lot more on your Washington DC itinerary. Here’s a PDF map of the museum.

Old Post Office Tower

After lunch and a beer to rest our weary feet (I was wearing snow boots this whole trip), we made our way over to the Old Post Office , currently the home of the Trump International Hotel. However, the Old Post Office’s clock tower is instead operated by the National Park Service.

The Old Post Office served as Washington DC’s main post office until 1914, with the clock tower dating back to 1899. It was nearly torn down on a number of occasions but was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, then redeveloped and opened as a fancy-schmancy hotel in 2016.

Today, it’s where you go to get the best sky-high views of Washington DC. (The Washington Monument was closed for renovations for two years but just reopened in the fall of 2019–so at the time, this was the only place for sky-high views of DC.)

To access the tower, don’t enter the hotel through its main entrance (though the place is gorgeous and the staff is incredibly friendly)—instead, enter the hotel through the door next to the Starbucks on the National Mall side.

Why include the Old Post Office Tower in your Washington DC itinerary?

I’m a big proponent of finding the best aerial views in every city I visit—so obviously I sought out the same in DC. And the Old Post Office Tower did not disappoint!

The views here are incredible. You can see the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Pentagon , the White House, and all the jogging FBI agents in between. Visiting the Old Post Office Tower is FREE and you’re welcome to spend as much time as you like.

The clock tower at the Old Post Office is operated by the National Park Service, so that means there’s a National Park ranger up there at all times. These people are a wealth of information so feel free to unleash all the questions you have about the tower, what you’re looking at, and just how the heck Kerry Washington walks like that.

Important Note ─ I went up the Post Office Tower because the Washington Monument was closed at the time. However, the Washington Monument is *now open* and I’ve since gone to the top. Read more about visiting the Washington Monument and how to get tickets in the sequel to this post: Another Long Weekend in Washington DC .

The White House: a Washington DC itinerary must

You already know what the White House is so I’m going to skip over a formal introduction the same way you would if Lady Gaga was up next at karaoke.

Is it possible to go inside and take a tour of the White House? Actually, yes! Which is totally shocking to me. However, getting the chance to go inside is not a simple nor a quick process. I mean, do you know any Congressmen? (An activity earmarked for my next Washington DC itinerary)

Regardless, you are still able to walk around the big white house that’s just right there in the center of the city, sitting all cozy in between other important-looking buildings. You’re allowed to walk around the entire perimeter of the White House—maintaining a safe, monitor-able distance of course.

Why include the White House in your Washington DC itinerary?

Because this is where your leader lives and works. Despite your opinions of our current president, the White House is still where all of our presidents (with the exception of George Washington who oversaw the construction but never lived there) have lived.

It’s the single-most important house in our entire country. It’s also the #1 most visited private residence in the United States (#2 is Elvis Presley’s Graceland ).

White House pro tip: As intimidating as they may look, the armed guards outside the White House gates are actually super friendly, knowledgeable, and open to answering your questions. This shocked no one more than myself—the girl who typically avoids asking tourist questions to people with automatic weapons.

(I’ve since been back–on a warmer weekend–and got to tour the inside of the White House! Find out how you can too in this post’s sequel.)

National Mall monuments and memorials

The National Mall stretches 1.9 miles from the U.S. Capitol all the way to the Lincoln Memorial—easily walked in long-heeled red-bottoms, apparently. In between there are 12 Smithsonian museums, 7 memorials, and one really tall monument named after one of the city’s most famous residents—Kerry Washington.

Since we’ve already had our fill of Smithsonians for the day, it’s time to concentrate on the memorials. Here on and around the National Mall you’ll find:

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
• Korean War Veterans Memorial
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• World War II Memorial
• and the Lincoln Memorial

Why include the monuments and memorials in your Washington DC itinerary?

Each monument and memorial offers different reasons to visit. Some of those are for the views (eventually, from the Washington Monument), for the learning opportunities, for paying your respects, for standing in some of the most important spots in American history (i.e. the very spot from where MLK delivered his “I have a dream” speech), but, mostly, to reenact your favorite scenes from Forrest Gump . And that’s all I have to say about that.

Take a night tour of Washington DC with BigBus

A Pro Tip that was recommended to me by many, that I can now personally agree with–take a nighttime bus tour of the monuments and memorials.

Personally, I wanted the chance to get up close, personal, and *ahem* inside the monuments and memorials, but so many people recommend the nighttime bus tour that I just had to see what it was all about.

The monuments and memorials are lit up at night and the whole scene is beautiful. Plus, the guided commentary is awesome–you learn so many interesting facts (and not just about the memorials and monuments)–and the bus driver parks you in great spots so you can get perfect nighttime photos. 

If you’re interested in this, check out the BigBus Night Tour here – it’s a 2-hour, guided night tour of all the major DC landmarks. And here’s another pro tip: grab a spot on the open upper deck for the most amazing views. Even if it’s cold, it’s still totally worth it!

After alllll of this (yes, that was all completed on Day Two), we headed back to the hotel where–would you believe this–the Wizard of Oz was on TV. I passed out when they met up with the Tin Man, and woke up when the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow were attempting to storm the witch’s castle.

This was when the aforementioned dragging-out-of-the-hotel-room occurred. We tossed aside all the plans we had for that night (for which walking and standing upright were mandatory) and had dinner nearby at City Tap — a chain, I know, but one of my favorites. 

Washington DC itinerary: Day 3

Day Three of my Washington DC itinerary was another jam-packed day, but with plenty of booze throw into the middle to ease the pain of another 25,000+ steps.

We hit up one of the most significant spots in the city and in American history, saw some of the most important pieces of paper in the history of the world, turned the tables and got really sad for a bit, and then ate some of the best food of my life. ‘Twas a good day!

Ford’s Theater

Before even coming up with a Washington DC itinerary, I read Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly (and you should too). (I’m a big fan of the Killing series, and this one was just next up on my list.)

This book details all the events leading up to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the assassination itself, and the shitshow that ensued. Before reading this, I knew very little about his assassination—littlest of all was that he was actually assassinated in Washington DC and that it happened at a place you can still visit today.

Better yet, Ford’s Theater is a National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service.

A visit the Ford’s Theater Historic Site includes access to:

• The museum that covers topics of the Civil War, Lincoln’s presidency, and his assassination
• The actual theater where you can see the location of Lincoln’s assassination
• A National Park ranger-led talk detailing the events of the assassination
• The Petersen House (more on that below)
• And more exhibits on the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination (i.e. the shitshow)

All of this is free but you do need to reserve a ticket in advance as this is a popular site and waiting in line is for chumps and third-graders at water fountains.

To reserve your Ford’s Theater ticket(s):

• Head to fords.org
• Choose a date on the calendar
• Choose a time you want to visit
• Take note that certain parts of the visit (listed above) aren’t available during all the tour times
• Obviously I’m going to recommend choosing a time that includes them ALL
• Choose how many people will be visiting
• Check yo self out

Important Note ─ Admission to the Ford’s Theater Historic Site is “free” but they charge a $3 booking fee for the advance tickets you have to get – sure, that makes sense. Regardless, it’s worth it. They do have a very limited number of actually free same-day tickets… but why put yourself through the nonsense of waiting and probably not getting one anyway for the sake of $3? That is not worth it.

I also see that some of the tickets (seemingly random dates and times) are showing up as $8 – I emailed them to ask why and they’ve told me it’s because certain tickets include a short, one-act play about the assassination called “One Destiny”. 

Why include Ford’s Theater in your Washington DC itinerary?

Visiting Ford’s Theater gives you the chance to be in the same room as one of the most significant events in American (and world) history.

You get to see explore the theater on your own and up close, and in the museum you get to see all the insane artifacts like the gun used in the assassination and, for the really twisted out there, the bullet they pulled out of his head. This makes me cringe a little bit.

Reading books and watching movies on the topics are great, but seeing these places with your own eyes and actually being there is a mind-blowing experience.

Tips for visiting Ford’s Theater

Included in your *free* admission ticket to the Ford’s Theater Historical Site is the Petersen House, across the street (that I think many people skipped).

After Lincoln was shot, he was taken across the street to the home of William Petersen to die a more respectful death than that of one in the hallway of a theater. Here at the Petersen House you can visit the room where Lincoln died and some of the other rooms in the house. There are also additional museum exhibits in here too.

To the left of the Petersen House is the [Ford’s Theater] gift shop. In here you’ll find a three-story tower of books representing the more than 15,000 books that have been written about Abraham Lincoln. The tower was built to symbolize that “the last word about this great man will never be written.”

Brunch at 801

After a couple of hours at Ford’s Theater, we hopped an Uber to 801 Restaurant and Bar for brunch with some friends. Because after hearing the details of a brutal murder for the past couple of hours you’re going to need those bottomless mimosas.

Why include brunch at 801 in your Washington DC itinerary?

On Saturdays and Sunday 801 does an amazing brunch with $15 bottomless mimosas and a never-ending selection of various juices. A little liquid courage before I head over to the National Archives, Nic Cage-style, power drill in hand.

The food at 801 was ah-mazing and I would recommend this place for brunch, no question. You’re going to need a reservation (and hopefully an Uber driver who doesn’t fill you with his political ramblings during the 10-minute ride).

Now, head up the stairs… keep going… a little more… until you reach the roof deck. I imagine during other times of the year this place is awesome. It was late November and pouring down rain on my visit but I’m sure that’s where you really wanna be.

I have almost zero photos from my time at 801 (I try not to mix intoxicants and Instagram) but, if I remember correctly, my brunch probably looked something like this ⇣⇣⇣

National Archives

Two hours and another Uber ride later and my husband and I were at the National Archives for our 1:30 entrance time. During peak season (i.e. not when I was there), advance reservations for entrance into the National Archives are recommended and admission is always free .

I made advance reservations (naturally) but since we were two of only a few people there that day, we were let right in without having to show our paperwork. And after being checked for weapons, power drills, and other things you would need to jack the Declaration of Independence.

The National Archives is the agency in charge of preserving historical records and the most important government documents in existence. The National Archives Museum is open to the public, always free, and open every day of the year.

Why include the National Archives in your Washington DC itinerary?

The National Archives is one of the COOLEST places I’ve ever been. In here, you can view the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The original documents + your very peepers. It’s unreal. It’s a museum dedicated to paper, but it’s unbelievable.

Besides those three documents, at the National Archives you can also see:

• The Articles of Confederation (wow)
• The Louisiana Purchase (what!)
• The Emancipation Proclamation (holy cow!)
• The patent for Thomas Edison’s light bulb (watt!)
• FDR’s “Day of Infamy” speech (whoa)
• The letter Elvis Presley wrote President Nixon asking for a DEA police badge (lolz)
• And whatever else is currently on display out of their, literally , 10 billion (with a ‘B’) pages of records.

Basically, every corner we turned we were blown away by what we were seeing.

Watch before you go ─ The movies National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets are a great way to be introduced to Washington DC, the National Archives, and MUCH of American history. And all in a super entertaining (Nic Cage, need I remind you?) way!

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Though our next stop was just an easy walk across the National Mall, it was still pouring out so we grabbed another Uber and headed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

This museum is our country’s official memorial to the Holocaust and the website for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the world’s leading online authority on the Holocaust.

It has permanent exhibitions on the rise of the Nazi party (just how the hell that happened), the “Final Solution” – aka – how the Nazis evolved from persecution of the Jews to full-on genocide, and all the way to the liberation of the Nazi camps.

There are also a number of traveling, temporary exhibits and a beautiful memorial room. The website also has a page ( here ) on where you should concentrate your time based on how long you have for your visit. We had just under two hours for our visit before the museum closed and one of the volunteers helped us know where we should be in the museum at what times.

The Holocaust Museum is not one of the Smithsonian’s, but admission is still free. Advance tickets are not required, but between March 1 st and August 31 st they could be handy as crowds are bigger then. In late November, just a couple of hours before closing, we walked right in with no issue. Except wet everything .

Why include the Holocaust Museum in your Washington DC itinerary?

Obviously visiting such somber sites on a trip is not really fun, but I do feel its necessary. (My article on visiting D-Day sites in Normandy talks more about this.)

Besides the learning experiences, you get to see historical artifacts in person and up close. In the case of the Holocaust Museum, you get to walk on the very cobblestones that once paved the streets of the Warsaw ghetto. You get to look inside one of the train cars that shuttled Jews to concentration camps. And the list goes on.

Visiting sites like this helps to open your mind and put you in your place. It’s a way to learn about humility, respect, appreciation, gratitude, and what fear really is. It’s an emotional roller coaster but definitely one more people should ride.

Pro tip for visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC

Before you get on the elevators to go into the guts of the museum, on your left with be a stand full of small paper booklets. Choose one. These booklets mimic an identification card and they contain the pictures, names, and real stories of real people who lived through the Holocaust. Sometimes they have a happy ending (relatively-speaking), most of the time I assume they do not.

When choosing mine, I reached down deep into the stack and chose one at random. Her name was Raszka (Roza) Galek and I pulled her identification card on her exact birthday. I’m still trying to make sense of that coincidence but it does warm my heart when I think of it.

Where to stay in Washington DC

During my three days in Washington DC, my husband and I stayed at the Renaissance Washington DC and it was perfect. The location was great and we walked almost everywhere (Look, it was super cold alright? Like, taxi cold.). It was surrounded by great food options even my tired-ass legs could walk to. 

The room and bathroom were huge and really nice. It had all the things you’d want in a hotel room that you never find in Europe: a mini-fridge, coffee maker and supplies, a giant TV you can watch the Wizard of Oz on, and all kinds of tech. 

I would definitely stay here again in a heartbeat. 

Renaissance Washington DC // Read reviews on Tripadvisor then book your room here !

Optional Washington DC day tours

If you’re the kind of traveler who likes to take tours (as so many of you are), I’ve found a few you might like. I already mentioned the  BigBus Night Tour , but you’ve also got:

BigBus Washington DC Sightseeing Tours

This is your standard double-decker sightseeing tour bus, day or night, hop on/hop off. Look, as “touristy” as these things seem, I will straight-up back these up.

From the top of an open-air double decker bus is the BEST way to see these sites! I recommend these bus tours in any city. 

Washington DC Guided Night Tour

Maybe it’s cold and an open-air bus doesn’t sound all that appealing? This tour uses a 30-seat luxury coach and lasts three hours. It includes a guided tour of Washington DC’s top monuments and sites and has nothing but 5-star reviews!

Day Trip to Mount Vernon from Washington DC

A day trip I fully intend on taking on my next visit to DC is to Mount Vernon–the former home and current burial place of George Washington.

This is a 4.5-hour guided tour that has great reviews and a reasonable price.

Arlington National Cemetery Guided Walking Tour

If you’re really into what’s going on at Arlington National Cemetery and have a little more time to dedicate, this tour will take you to some of the most important graves sites and memorials, take you to the Changing of the Guard, and teach you some of the cemetery’s history.

Heading to Washington DC? Read hotel reviews on TripAdvisor  or  book your room now ! Don’t forget to pick up a DC guidebook:  Check out this one ! Want more #TimeBudgetTravel itineraries?  Check out  these posts . All photos here were taken with:  Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark II  w/  12-40mm  +  40-150mm  lenses &  Google Pixel XL Like this post? Have questions? Hit me up on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

What part of this Washington DC itinerary are you most looking forward to? Let me know below!

But first, pin me ⇣⇣⇣

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About Ashley Smith

Ashley is a historian and Oktoberfest expert & tour guide. She has traveled to 33 countries and specializes in quick trips throughout Europe and the Americas that prioritize hiking adventures, museums of all kinds, cultural experiences, and jam-packed itineraries. She hails from Memphis, TN and currently lives in Boston with her husband and two feline sidekicks.

Reader Interactions

February 17, 2021 at 4:10 PM

This gave me some great inspiration in planning our summer road trip (with kids, yes, but I will remember what you said about the ones in the museum and coach accordingly). I laughed out loud a few times, made a ton of notes, and have some good ideas for pre-reading and viewing to get us inspired!

February 18, 2021 at 8:34 AM

Great, Emily! I’m glad to hear it – Washington D.C. is such a perfect destination for families! Did you see the follow-up post to this one? It has a bunch more to add to your list 🙂 https://www.mywanderlustylife.com/another-long-weekend-in-washington-dc/

January 31, 2020 at 9:29 AM

Thanks for this amazing post! We are going in May and I have already booked my flight. SOOOO EXCITED! Anyhoo…Do you have this in a printable format? Say an e-book? That would be so handy! Again, thank you so much and love your humor.

January 31, 2020 at 8:14 PM

Thank you – I’m so happy to hear that Karin! And no I don’t… but I definitely need to! I’ll hit you up when I finish one!

December 31, 2019 at 4:11 PM

I’ve been reading DC articles for two days and this is the best one yet! Thanks so much for the informative but humorous post.

January 1, 2020 at 4:43 PM

Thank you so much Misty! I actually JUST posted a sequel to this post that has a ton more awesome things to do in DC if you’re interested! It’s ONLY for my subscribers though but if you scroll up to the bottom of the post you’ll see the subscription box. Fill it in and you’ll get the password! 🙂 Have fun in DC!

November 23, 2019 at 9:41 AM

Thanks for this article. It was very informative and funny. We are going there next week.

November 23, 2019 at 11:18 AM

Thanks Leandro! Glad I could help! You’re going to have such a good time. Enjoy!

October 14, 2019 at 12:12 PM

Just had to comment! Thanks for all your insider tips (popped up here due to your awesomely thorough and funny post on the Statue of Liberty). Love your humor!

October 15, 2019 at 6:35 AM

Thanks Jenn!! Have fun in DC! (and NYC) 🙂

July 14, 2019 at 12:58 PM

This is so helpful! Thank you very much for putting together! : )

July 17, 2019 at 4:31 AM

Thanks so much Patricia! Have fun in DC!

January 3, 2020 at 10:10 PM

Hey! I found your blog after an internet search for DC travel itineraries. I am also from Memphis (and still live here) and my husband was born in Harvard, MA. Small world. I enjoyed your tips but I’m disappointed you didn’t go to the African American Museum. African American is American History because without the African American experience there would be no White House or other moments built by slaves.

January 5, 2020 at 11:25 PM

Hey Jackie! Those ARE a lot of coincidences! Cool! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to fit EVERYTHING into my trips to DC but I still have a long list – and the NMAAHC is still on there. It’s also still fairly new and the long lines that wrap around the block are still very present on the weekends (the only times I’m able to visit). I should be able to make it in 2020 though! Have a great time in DC if you’ve got a trip coming up!

June 26, 2019 at 4:22 PM

Arlington visit for Audie Murphy. Most decorated soldier of WW2- he won every single combat medal of the U.S. Army. Medal of Honor at 19. Actor.

June 26, 2019 at 4:50 PM

Thanks for the info Joe! I must’ve missed Audie Murphy when I was there. What an incredible man!

June 26, 2019 at 2:55 PM

I’m planning a trip with my family and this was really helpful and entertaining to read. Thanks!

June 26, 2019 at 4:36 PM

Great, thank you! I’m happy to hear that. 🙂 Have a great time in DC!

June 26, 2019 at 1:48 PM

Thanks for this most informative piece. I’ll hopefully be there July 2020. (From Australia)

June 26, 2019 at 2:30 PM

You’re welcome! And awesome – the weather will be much nicer in July 🙂 Have fun!

March 7, 2019 at 8:03 AM

I love DC! Thanks for this.

March 7, 2019 at 8:40 AM

Hi Nikki! I’m a huge fan of the city now too. I can’t wait to go back for all the other things on my list!

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3 perfect days in Seattle

Seattle is more than a rainy city. Yes, it’s wet—but rain is what keeps Seattle’s lush greenery at peak levels year-round. Look in any direction and you’re greeted with giant Douglas Fir or Bigleaf Maple trees. Flowers thrive. And the hiking trails are always Instagram-worthy. No wonder they call this place “The Emerald City.”

Three days is not nearly enough time to explore a city that prides itself in its rich nautical history, major league sports, diverse cultures, and buzzing food scene—but with this guide, you can pull it off. Tripadvisor reviews and ratings are also included, so leave all the other guidebooks and lists at home. (Leave the umbrella at home, too—just like the locals do.)

MORNING: Industrial beauty with a side of carbs

Grab a chocolate croissant or jalapeno cheddar biscuit from Sea Wolf Bakers in Fremont , a neighborhood just north of downtown Seattle. The family-owned bakery has been feeding Seattleites carbs of all shapes, sizes, and flavors all while using Pacific Northwest grain since 2014. Carbs just taste better here.

With your goodies secured, walk over to Gas Works Park , a nearly 21-acre green space built around a former city gasification plant (think something old, something new, and do take a selfie in front of the cluster of giant industrial pipes). Make your way up to Kite Hill for an unobstructed view of downtown Seattle overlooking Lake Union. On a clear day, the majestic Mount Rainier will announce itself in all of your photos.

If you have time, explore the many shops and sculptures in Fremont: Find a treasure at the Fremont Vintage Mall ; pick up a new cookbook at Book Larder ; pass by the Fremont Troll under the bridge; take in the towering Lenin Statue . Nothing about Fremont makes sense, and that’s what makes it such a magical place.

AFTERNOON: Hoppy hour oysters in Ballard

Take public transit or grab a quick cab ride to Ballard , once known as “the shingle capital of the world” at a time when a roaring timber and fishing industry attracted immigrants mainly from Scandinavia. The Nordic history and culture is still very much part of Ballard’s identity, along with award-winning restaurants, bars, shops, and a bustling farmer’s market (Sundays only).

Ballard is also home to a stellar lineup of breweries, including Lucky Envelope , whose brews are inspired by Asian flavors (black tea, pandan), and Reuben’s Brews , which always has great non-alcoholic options on its tap list. Both breweries are family- and pet-friendly and have food trucks on site so you don’t have to relocate for lunch.

If you need a more substantial snack in the late afternoon, head to The Walrus and the Carpenter , one of the finest seafood establishments in town. Run, don’t walk, especially if it’s closer to 4 p.m. for happy hour. Seating is first come, first served, and if you can, sit at the bar, order a dozen oysters, the steak tartare, and the bread (from Sea Wolf in Fremont), which comes with a generous serving of light, whipped butter.

Travelers say: “Quaint restaurant you wouldn’t know was there unless you were looking for it… I love how nearly all menu items are served as if you were ordering an appetizer (American tapas). Food was excellent. Seating might seem a bit cramped as you cozy up next to other diners. If you’re a foodie, go, you will love this place. Be warned, seafood forward. After all this is Seattle.”—@ 440jonk

EVENING: A boat show at sunset

Walk west along NW Market Street for a leisurely 13 minutes to arrive at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (a.k.a. the Ballard Locks). Constructed in the early 1900s, the Locks help maintain water levels of saltwater in the Puget Sound and freshwater in Lake Washington, and also move boat traffic between the two bodies of water. You might see luxury yachts go through the canal, hungry seals, a great blue heron colony (and their poop), and the occasional train crossing the Salmon Bay Bridge.

If you’re visiting in mid-to-late summer, spend some time at the Fish Ladder Viewing Room, which comes to life when swarms of Sockeye, Chinook, and Coho salmon pass through the Locks to travel up to 50 miles upriver to spawn (and eventually die). Even during the off-season, the Viewing Room is a great place to chill out and learn about one of mother nature’s most extraordinary performances.

For dinner, tuck into the Lockspot Cafe , located just outside of the Locks’ official entrance, and order one of its signature burgers or fish and chips. If it’s picnic season, get dinner to-go and eat on the grass of the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden along the water. I love watching the boats and people go by as the sun sets.

BALLARD LOCKS TOUR OPTIONS

• Ballard Kayak & Paddleboard offers its popular three-hour Ballard Locks Tour every April through October. You’ll depart from nearby Shilshole Bay Marina in a tandem kayak, then paddle through the Locks alongside fellow boaters and ships. You’ll also see some of Seattle’s famous Deadliest Catch fishing boats in Lake Union.
• For a more hands-off experience, Argosy Cruises offers a one-way cruise of the Locks. Food and drinks are available to purchase on this two-hour narrated tour. Note: This tour departs from Pier 54 in Downtown Seattle or the AGC Marina on Lake Union, depending on your preferred direction.

Worthy detours along the way

MORNING: Ferry with a view

A ferry trip without a car isn’t always doable, but when your destination is Bainbridge Island , going by foot is highly encouraged. The 35-minute ride, which departs from the edge of downtown Seattle, feels like a dream—even on a foggy day. On a clear day, you’ll see Mount Rainier pop up behind the giant cranes and catch killer views of the Seattle skyline, West Seattle, and Discovery Park.

Once on Bainbridge, pretty much everything you need to see, eat or drink is within a 10-minute walk from the terminal. Peruse the stacks at Eagle Harbor Books or grab a fresh scone and coffee from Blackbird Bakery . The downtown area is also home to a number of arts and crafts stores, gift boutiques, and home shops filled with treasures and small town vibes.

If you have little ones in your party, the Kids Discovery Museum opens at 9 a.m. For everyone else, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art is free and a great place to see contemporary Puget Sound-themed pieces made by local artists.

AFTERNOON: History lessons in Pioneer Square and the International District

Your return ferry will drop you right back at the border of downtown Seattle and Pioneer Square , which is commonly known as Seattle’s “first neighborhood” and rich with Renaissance Revival architecture, art galleries, and cobblestone streets. Don’t miss the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park , about a 12-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Here, you’ll get a quick history lesson on how the Yukon gold fields forever changed the landscape, culture, and way of life in Seattle in the late-1800s.

DOWNTOWN SEATTLE AND PIONEER SQUARE TOUR OPTIONS

• If claustrophobia isn’t one of your fears, sign up for a one-hour walking tour of Seattle’s underground through Beneath the Streets . You’ll go through dark subterranean pathways and pretend it’s the 1890s during Gold Rush times.
• Perhaps a ghost tour from US Ghost Adventures is more your cup of tea. This one-hour walking tour explores Downtown’s most haunted sights, including theaters, mortuaries, and the city’s first cemetery.
• The legendary Smith Tower offers a “tour” of sorts of Seattle from 35 floors above at its Observatory, accessible with an all-day pass. Order a Prohibition-inspired cocktail while enjoying the view. You deserve this.

Break for lunch at Harbor City , a no-frills Chinese restaurant in the nearby International District . Feast on traditional Cantonese dim sum (shrimp dumplings, barbecue pork buns, turnip cakes, steamed rice noodles) and roast meats like duck and pork while washing it all down with piping hot tea. The food comes out fast, even during peak hours, so you’ll barely have time to get hangry.

Your next history lesson is at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience , which highlights the histories of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and how they shaped modern Seattle and the rest of the country. The museum—the only pan-Asian Pacific American community-based museum in the country—spans some 60,000 square feet over three floors. Expect to spend at least one to two hours here, especially if you sign up for a tour.

Travelers say: “Usually I skip the formal tours but I highly recommend you take the tour (included in the price of admission) as it takes you through the old hotel sections you can’t see on your own and gives insight into the local community back at that time until today. They also have preserved a general store with all the contents so it feels like a window into that world.”—@ SunnyandBuster

EVENING: Paying respects in Capitol Hill

Rest your feet with a 15-minute cab ride to Lake View Cemetery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. The cemetery, located inside the Olmsted Brothers-designed Volunteer Park , was the final resting place for martial arts legend Bruce Lee , who went to school and trained for a time in Seattle. His son, Brandon, is buried next to him. Other notable names at the cemetery: Princess Angeline (daughter of Chief Seattle—who the city is named after), John W. Nordstrom (founder of the retail giant), and John Saxon (Bruce Lee’s co-star in Enter the Dragon ).

Today, Capitol Hill is a lively, welcoming neighborhood filled with rainbow crosswalks (11 crossings at six intersections, to be exact), college students from Seattle University, tudor-style mansions, and pop culture history. Which is why your next stop is the Jimi Hendrix statue , located near Cal Anderson Park . (The famed guitarist, who was born in Seattle, is buried in a cemetery south of the city, next to his mother.)

If you’re traveling with a Nirvana fan, the natural next stop is Linda’s Tavern , an unassuming neighborhood bar that’s been around since 1994. This is also where Kurt Cobain was reportedly last spotted before his death that same year.

For dinner, make your way to Monsoon , a Chinese-influenced Vietnamese fine dining restaurant best known for its catfish claypot, Saigon Dungeness crab, and crispy imperial rolls. For more than 20 years, the restaurant has helped build and shape the Vietnamese food scene in Seattle, adding a second location in Bellevue and opening up several outposts of Ba Bar , Monsoon’s low-key cousin that serves up street food straight out of Saigon.

MORNING: Forest bathing 101

For a three-day trip, there’s simply not enough time for a hike outside of the city (next time, be sure to check out Cascades and Olympic National Park ). Thankfully, on this trip there’s plenty of time to see Discovery Park and all its 534 acres of natural beauty. Set at the edge of Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood, Discovery Park has trails for all ages and levels of experience, views of the Puget Sound, and the occasional sea lion spotting. The beauty will stop you multiple times for photos of the water and surrounding giant trees along the Loop Trail (2.8 miles roundtrip). The shorter South Beach trail includes stairs and a trip to Discovery Park Beach, where the famous West Point Lighthouse is located. (The Loop Trail also connects to the beach via the South Beach trail.)

If you’re not feeling up to a hike but still want to head to the beach, and if you’re traveling with children or the elderly, the park’s Visitor’s Center offers a limited number of parking passes so you can skip the trails. It’s like going in the HOV lane on the highway, except you end up at the beach and you might see Mount Rainier (again!) on the horizon.

Whatever kind of adventure you’re doing in Discovery Park, pack a snack, water, sunscreen, and feel your soul heal instantly.

Travelers say: “The coastal views on these hikes were stunning… you see the beach from both above and on the water. Fantastic photography opportunities along the way and so relaxing to be near the water, seeing the sailboats and listening to the waves. Such an urban oasis, and yet only a 10-minute drive from the hotels in downtown Seattle!”—@ brmusicman

AFTERNOON: Ignite your taste buds at Pike Place Market

No trip to Seattle is complete without a trek to the iconic Pike Place Market , a wonderland of food merchants, artisan crafts, and flying fish . There are also restaurants that have been around for more than 100 years, including Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar , made famous by Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle .

Access the market from Pike or Pine Street to grab that classic photo in front of the three-story neon “Public Market” sign. Over some nine acres of space spread among several floors, Pike Place Market is perhaps most enjoyable (read: a tad more spacious) if you visit on a weekday.

For lunch, indulge in Filipino comfort food at Oriental Mart , where steaming hot chicken adobo and crispy lumpias will greet you like a hug on a cold day. From the moment you take your first bite of pancit, you’ll forget you’re basically in Seattle’s equivalent of Times Square.

PIKE PLACE MARKET FOOD TOUR OPTIONS

• One way to get the full Pike Place experience is with a 2-hour walking tasting tour offered by Show Me Seattle Food Tours . Your foodie guide will introduce you to top winemakers, farmers, and craft superstars while sampling enough food for a light lunch.
• If you have a sweet tooth, join Underground Donut Tour for a lesson on the best donut joints in the area, with the 2-hour tour concluding at Pike Place Market’s famed Daily Dozen Doughnuts. Remember: There’s no such thing as too many mini powdered donuts.
• If a walking tour isn’t your thing, the folks at Indi Chocolate , located inside Pike Place Market, offer several classes, including chocolate tasting 101 and truffle making. Speaking of caffeine, they also offer a class on at-home coffee brewing should you need to improve your barista skills.

EVENING: Live your best sports or blown glass life

Ask any Seattleite and you’ll quickly learn that Seattle is Seahawks (NFL), Mariners (MLB), Storm (WNBA), and Huskies (University of Washington) nation. In the last decade and a half, the city has also opened up its arms to professional soccer, with both men’s and women’s teams filling up stadiums season after season (thank you, Megan Rapinoe). In 2021, professional hockey officially entered the chat with the Seattle Kraken’s inaugural season.

If a hockey game coincides with your trip (secure tickets in advance), make your way to Climate Pledge Arena , home of the Kraken and the go-to concert venue for some of music’s biggest names. The arena has a vast selection of dinner options, including pizza, tacos, poké, and soup dumplings. If you have extra time before the game, explore the surrounding Seattle Center area, home of the Space Needle , the Museum of Pop Culture , the Monorail , and several other arts and culture venues.

If it isn’t game day, a fantastic backup option is the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum, which celebrates local artist Dale Chihuly’s famous blown-glass creations in eight indoor galleries and landscaped gardens. For dinner, skip the museum’s in-house bar and head to nearby Taylor Shellfish to properly toast your last night in Seattle. Treat yourself to more fresh oysters, order geoduck sashimi (a Taylor Shellfish specialty), and sip on some bubbly. You’ve done very well.

Know Before You Go

Seattle shines best in the warmer months in late spring and summer. But don’t purposely avoid the city during the rainy season, which is typically from October to June. Seattle in the rain is the quintessential PNW experience, and perhaps the best time to visit if you want to avoid crowds and save on airfare and hotel.

Ideally, there isn’t a big football or baseball game during your visit. But if there is, plan your trip around game days to avoid the added traffic of cars and fans on foot, especially in the areas around the stadiums: downtown Seattle, Pioneer Square, and the International District. With museums, some institutions close on Mondays while others close on Tuesdays. Many museums also offer free admission the first Thursday of the month.

Opening and closing times for museums vary, but they typically run on a 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. schedule, with modified hours on the weekends. Some museums, such as Chihuly Garden and Glass , have extended opening times during the holiday season.

On weeknights, restaurants tend to close on the earlier side, around 8 or 9 p.m., so plan ahead if you’re counting on a later dinner. Most bars wrap up at 2 a.m. or earlier.

Ballard/Fremont: If you want to be close to everything but avoid the downtown crowd, Hotel Ballard is an excellent choice just north of the action. The area is very much alive with restaurants and bars, but you’ll still get a good night’s rest at this boutique hotel.

Pike Place/Belltown: It makes sense to stay in the heart of Seattle if you prefer to be within walking distance of most of your itinerary’s pit stops. Inn at the Market puts you right near Pike Place Market, complete with an ivy-covered courtyard, while Edgewater Hotel is right on the waterfront, next to Pier 66.

Downtown Seattle: If Pike Place isn’t your scene but you still want to be centrally located, the downtown area is home to some of the city’s best hotels, including Lotte Hotel Seattle (don’t miss the spectacular view from the 16th floor) and the vintage-style Arctic Club Hotel (which has a post-Klondike gold rush vibe).

By public transportation: Buses, the light rail, and streetcars make up King County Metro’s ultra reliable public transportation network. This is an inexpensive way to navigate most neighborhoods. Plus, it’s fun—especially if you take the streetcar (two lines serving South Lake Union and First Hill neighborhoods).

By rideshare: Uber, Lyft, and local taxis are reliable options if you’re pressed for time.

By bike share or scooter share: Electric bike shares (Bird, Lime, LINK) and electric scooter shares (Bird, Lime, Veo) are great ways to navigate Seattle’s many hills. Your body is a temple, after all.

Airport: The link light rail connects fliers from SeaTac airport to downtown Seattle in just 38 minutes, stopping in other major neighborhoods along the way. This is a great way to head into the city (or get to the airport) during rush hour.

Protect Your Trip »

The 7 best 3-day cruise itineraries for 2024.

Plan a long weekend getaway aboard a cruise for fun, scenery and entertainment.

The Best 3-Day Cruise Itineraries

Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

Hop aboard the Carnival Radiance for a short but fun-filled cruise weekend.

Whether you're short on vacation days or you only have a long weekend to spare, three-night cruises offer a fun and affordable way to get a change of scenery. These shorter sailings from the U.S. often amount to a weekend cruise and only depart from Florida and California for now. However, short cruises still let you dine and dance on board, enjoy world-class entertainment, and visit nearby destinations like Nassau in the Bahamas; Key West, Florida; or Ensenada, Mexico.

If you're looking for short cruises that pack a lot of good times into a weekend vacation, you should know that many cruise lines offer these trips, including Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. Read on to find out which short cruises we recommend, where they depart from, and everything you can see and do over the span of three incredible nights.

3-Day Cruises From Florida

Norwegian sky from miami.

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Dates: Aug. 2 to 5, 2024

Departure port: Miami

Stops: Key West, Florida; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

Starting price: $399 per person

This three-night cruise on Norwegian Sky departs from Miami in August 2024 with stops at two iconic tropical destinations. The vessel's first stop is Key West , where cruise passengers will have the day to visit the southernmost tip of the United States, book a snorkeling or kayaking tour, or bar hop along the world-famous Duval Street. From there, the cruise stops at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, which is a private island paradise that's only for cruise passengers. Here, visitors can enjoy some beach time, plan a WaveRunner adventure or snorkel the clear waters to watch out for wildlife.

When not at port, passengers on Norwegian Sky can enjoy the ship's 10 dining options, onboard spa, casino at sea, and variety of pools and hot tubs. The Norwegian Cruise Line vessel even has a sushi bar and a Starbucks onboard, and it was completely renovated from top to bottom in 2019.

Book a Norwegian cruise on GoToSea , a service of U.S. News.

MSC Seashore from Port Canaveral

Conrad Schutt | Courtesy of MSC Cruises

Dates: Multiple dates in November and December 2024

Departure port: Port Canaveral, Florida (Orlando)

Stops: Nassau and Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, Bahamas

Starting price: $169 per person

This three-night cruise on MSC Seashore departs from Port Canaveral near Orlando and takes passengers to two tropical destinations in the nearby Bahamas . The first is the island of Nassau, which is known for its luxury resorts (including the exclusive Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas), huge casinos and powder white sands. After that, guests can spend a second day at port at MSC Cruises ' private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. This island offers a perfect beach retreat for people who just want to relax, including several expansive white sand beaches with ample seating, an interior ocean lagoon for swimming, and beach bars and eateries dotted throughout.

MSC Seashore features huge pools, an onboard water park for kids, the expansive MSC Aurea Spa and 11 distinct dining venues for passengers to choose from. The ship also boasts the exclusive "ship within a ship" Yacht Club area, which offers the best of everything for discerning guests.

Find an MSC Cruises deal on GoToSea.

Celebrity Reflection from Fort Lauderdale

Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Dates: Ongoing in 2024

Departure port: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Stops: Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas

Starting price: $273 per person

This three-night cruise on Celebrity Cruises ' Celebrity Reflection departs from Fort Lauderdale and leaves for two days in the sunny Bahamas. The first stop gives guests a full day to enjoy at Perfect Day at CocoCay, a cruise line private island that's typically reserved for Royal Caribbean guests. This island paradise features an exclusive beach club, idyllic white sand beaches for swimming and floating, a water park, a zip line, and plenty of places to eat and drink all day. The next stop is Nassau: Visitors can dine and shop their way through the port area or book a fun day pass to the Baha Bay water park, which is located at resort Baha Mar and features waterslides, an expansive lazy river and incredible cuisine options right at the park.

Celebrity Reflection was recently refurbished in 2022. It features an incredible array of included dining options, eight specialty and exclusive dining establishments, and bars and lounges throughout the ship. The Retreat, a VIP ship-within-a-ship concept, is also offered on board for those who want an elevated cruising experience.

Explore Celebrity Cruises on GoToSea.

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Disney Dream from Fort Lauderdale

Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line

Dates: Nov. 6 to 9, 2024

Stops: Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Disney Castaway Cay, Bahamas

Starting price: $1,973 per stateroom

This three-night Bahamian cruise on Disney Dream stops at two exclusive destinations in the Bahamas – Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, then Disney Castaway Cay. The first stop offers incredible beaches with play areas and crystal-clear water for swimming, as well as the Bahamian Arts and Culture Pavilion for families who want to learn something about the local culture on vacation. At Disney Castaway Cay, families can relax the day away on white sand beaches, go biking or kayaking, ride two waterslides, and more. Both destinations even have adults-only beach areas for cruisers who are traveling kid-free.

Disney Dream holds a maximum of 4,000 passengers and has everything you would expect on an exclusive Disney Cruise Line vessel, including kids and family areas, adults-only dining options and pools, and two large theaters. The ship also has several supervised kids clubs as well as dedicated clubs for teenagers and tweens .

Read: The Top Cruises for Babies and Toddlers

Liberty of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Stops: Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

Starting price: $263 per person

Royal Caribbean International also boasts a Bahamas cruise from Fort Lauderdale that stops in Nassau and at the line's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. In Nassau, cruisers get the chance to explore one of the most popular cruise ports throughout the Caribbean, where you can book an excursion to a local beach, plan a snorkeling adventure or play in one of the two biggest casinos throughout the region at Atlantis or Baha Mar. At Perfect Day at CocoCay, families can stay active with waterslides, book a kayaking tour or ride a hot air balloon up to 450 feet in the air.

Liberty of the Seas is also an ideal ship for families thanks to fun features like a huge onboard water park with slides, an ice skating rink with shows and the Broadway at Sea theater. The Royal Caribbean vessel also has nearly a dozen different dining venues, including Cupcake Cupboard, Johnny Rockets, a pizza kitchen and an old-world Italian eatery called Giovanni's Table.

Compare Royal Caribbean International cruises on GoToSea.

3-Day Cruises From California

Navigator of the seas from los angeles.

Dates: Throughout 2024

Departure port: Los Angeles

Stops: Ensenada, Mexico

Starting price: $282 per person

Royal Caribbean offers a three-night West Coast adventure on Navigator of the Seas that includes a fun day at sea and a full-day stop in Ensenada, Mexico. This Mexican destination is known for the many activities that can be enjoyed along its rugged shores, which can include leisurely days at nearby Estero and Mona Lisa beaches, hiking experiences, exploration of Baja California's wine region, whale watching and more.

Dates for this sailing are offered throughout 2024, and the ship itself has plenty to keep passengers enthralled while at sea. For example, Navigator of the Seas features the longest waterslide at sea, enlarged pool deck areas for relaxation, ice skating shows and shopping – not to mention Broadway-style shows with dancers, acrobats and singers. There are also 12 unique dining options onboard, including Starbucks, Jamie's Italian by Jamie Oliver and Johnny Rockets.

Carnival Radiance from Los Angeles

Dates: Jan. 26 to 29 and Sept. 24 to 27, 2024

Departure port: Long Beach (Los Angeles)

Starting price: $244 per person

Carnival Radiance also embarks on three-night journeys to Mexico from Los Angeles throughout the year, including in January and September 2024. This Carnival Cruise Line itinerary includes a fun day at sea and a stop in Ensenada, Mexico, where passengers can plan a sightseeing trip, nosh on the unique Baja cuisine the area is known for, shop for silver jewelry and other keepsakes, or spend the day relaxing on the beach.

Carnival Radiance itself serves as the perfect floating vessel for this fun weekend vacation, with onboard amenities that span the Cloud 9 Spa and WaterWorks water park with slides to a comedy club and special clubs for kids and teens. The ship also boasts an adults-only solarium and 10 different bars to choose from.

Book a Carnival cruise on GoToSea.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is a professional travel writer and cruise expert who has covered family travel and cruises for more than a decade. She has cruised more than 40 times across most of the major cruise lines in destinations throughout the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. Johnson used her personal experience and research expertise to curate the itineraries for this article.

You might also be interested in:

• Cruise Packing List
• Beach Packing List
• Cruise Drink Packages: Your Options by Cruise Line
• First-Time Cruise Tips
• The Best Cruise Insurance Plans

Tags: Travel , Cruises

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• Bài viết Cuộc thi Tin tức

Hãy nhập câu hỏi của bạn vào đây, nếu là tài khoản VIP, bạn sẽ được ưu tiên trả lời.

• Câu hỏi hay
• Chưa trả lời
• Câu hỏi vip

1. Our trip last three days .

-> It is a

2. That dress is like this one

-> That dress is the

3. He was too lazy to pass the exam

-> He was lazy, so

4. She is not tall enough to phay volley ball

-> She is not tall, so

5. She spent a few hours collecting her old clothes

-> It took

6. The phay is interesting to the children

-> The children are

7. She doesn't really want to go out late at night

-> She'd rather

8. When did you first know this bamboo forest?

-> How long

9. "What is your hobby?"

-> She asked Nam

10. We like to lie on the beach all day

-> We are

-> It is a three-day trip

-> That dress is the same as this one

-> He was lazy, so he couldn't pass the exam

-> She is not tall, so she can't play volleyball

-> It took her a few hours to collect her old clothes

6. The phay is interesting to the children(vt sai chính tả)

-> The children are interested in the phay

7. She doesn't really want to go out late at night

-> She'd rather not go out late at night

-> How long have you known this bamboo forest?

9. "What is your hobby?"

-> She asked Nam what his hobby was

-> We are interested in lying on the beach all day

Enough with adjective: (adj + enough + (for s.o) + to + V(inf)

1. He is too young to go out alone.

2. She is intelligent. She can take part in the contest.

3. My grandmother is too weak to lift the bag.

4. She was too lazy. She didn't pass the final exam.

5. The birds are too young to fly into the sky.

6. There are old they xan go to school themselves.

7. His sister is not intelligent. She can't answer the question.

8. The boy is clever. Hen can draw beautiful pictures.

9. That boy is so fat that he can't sit onto the armchair.

10. It's sunny. We can have a picnic outdoors.

He isn't old enough to go out alone.

She is intelligent enough to take part in the contest.

My grandmother isn't strong enough to lift the bag.

4. She was too lazy. She didn't pass the final exam.

She wasn't hard-working enough to pass the final exam.

The birds aren't old enough to fly into the sky.

6. They are old they can go to school themselves.

They are old enough to go to school themselves.

7. His sister is not intelligent. She can't answer the question.

His sister is not intelligent enough to answer the question.

The boy is clever enough to draw beautiful pictures.

9. That boy is so fat that he can't sit onto the armchair.

That boy isn't slim enough to sit onto the armchair.

10. It's sunny. We can have a picnic outdoors.

It's sunny enough to have a picnic outdoors.

=>He isn't old enough to go out alone.

=>She is intelligent enough to take part in the contest.

=>My grandmother isn't strong enough to lift the bag.

=>She wasn't hard-working enough to pass the final exam.

=>The birds aren't old enough to fly into the sky.

=>They are old enough to go to school themselves.

=>His sister is not intelligent enough to answer the question.

=>The boy is clever enough to draw beautiful pictures.

=>That boy isn't slim enough to sit onto the armchair.

=>It's sunny enough to have a picnic outdoors.

Rewrite these sentences using the cuses provided with SO/SUCH/TOO/ENOUGH

1. We went to bed earlly because we were very tired

We were so.....

2. The lesson is very difficult. We can't understand it

It is such.......

3. The car is so old that he doesn't want to drive it

It is such.....

4. The weather was very cold. We couldn't go out

The weather was too.......

5. The film was so interesting that we couldn't miss it

It was such......

6. David has too many girlfriends. He can't remember all of their names

David has so......

7. Tom drives too fast, so he often causes accidents

Tom drives so.....

8. This is good tea. I think I'll have another cup

This is such.....

9. John was very angry. He couldn't say anything

John was too....

10. These exercises are so long that I can't finish them in an hour

They are....

11. She is old. She can't work by herself (enough)

She is.....

12. The boy is intelligent. He can understand you (enough)

The boy is....

13. Mai is good. She can pass the examination (enough)

14. The children were very late. They couldn't see the display of fireworks (too)

The children were...

15. Your brother is very young. He can't go swimming (too)

Your brother is...

16. The sound is very low. We can't hear it (too)

The sound was...

We were so...tired that We went to bed earlly ..

2. The lesson is very difficult. We can't understand it

It is such..a difficult lesson that We can't understand it..

3. The car is so old that he doesn't want to drive it

It is such.an old car that he doesn't want to drive it

4. The weather was very cold. We couldn't go out

The weather was too...cold for us to go out.

5. The film was so interesting that we couldn't miss it

It was such..an interesting film that we couldn't miss it

6. David has too many girlfriends. He can't remember all of their names

David has so...many girlfriends that he can't remember all of their names...

Tom drives so.. fast that he often causes accidents...

8. This is good tea. I think I'll have another cup

This is such..good tea that I think I'll have another cup

9. John was very angry. He couldn't say anything

John was too..angry to say anything..

10. These exercises are so long that I can't finish them in an hour

They are..such long exercises that I can't finish them in an hou..

11. She is old. She can't work by herself (enough)

She is..not young enough to work by herself...

The boy is..intelligent enough to understand you..

Mai is..good enough to pass the examination ..

14. The children were very late. They couldn't see the display of fireworks (too)

The children were.too late to see the display of fireworks ..

15. Your brother is very young. He can't go swimming (too)

Your brother is. Too young to go swimming..

16. The sound is very low. We can't hear it (too)

The sound was..too low for us to hear.

We were so.....tired that We went to bed earlly

It is such....difficult lesson that We can't understand it ...

It is such.....old car that he doesn't want to drive it

The weather was too.......cold for us to go our

It was such......interesting film that we couldn't miss it

David has so......many girlfriends that He can't remember all of their names

Tom drives so.....fast that he often causes accidents

This is such.....good tea that I think I'll have another cup

John was too....angry for him to say anything

They are....such long exercises that I can't finish them in an hour

Rewrite the following sentences

1. It was such a high wall that we couldn't climb over the wall. (too... to)

2. The room is so tidy that it took us one hour to clean it. (such... that)

3. It is such a long film that they canh broad cast it on one night. (so... that)

4. The weather was so warm that they had a walk in the garden. (enoug... to)

5. It was such a funny story that he couldn't stop laughing. (to... to)

6. The match was so exciting that all the fans shouted loudly. (such... that)

7. There is so much rain that we canh go out. (such... that)

8. The milk is excellent enough for the children to want some more. (so... that)

9. My sister is too young to go to the zoo alone. (so... that)

10. There were so many people in the hall that we couldn't see him. (such... that)

11. They drunk such a lot of coffee that they couldn't sleep all night. (so... that)

12. The road is too narrow for two cars to pass each other. (enough... to)

13. The game is too difficult for the children to play. (enough... to)

14. Alice had so many exercises to do that she couldn't go out. (such... that)

15. He runs so slowly that he canh win a prize. (too... to)

16. The downtown area is too crowded for you to get a taxi. (so... that)

17. The weather was lovely enough for us to spend the whole day in the garden. (such...that)

18. He drank such a lot of coffee that he couldn't get to sleep. (so... that)

19. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the armchair. (enough... to)

20. The exam was so difficult that most of the students couldn't do it. (such... that)

21. My father is such a busy man that he doesn't have any free time. (too... to)

22. It is such an illegible handwriting that I can't figure out what this sentence says. (so... that)

23. His son's feet are so big that he has difficulty finding slippers to fit him. (too...to)

24. The composition was so bad that I couldn't read it (too...to)

25. The book is so interesting that we have read it many times. (such...that)

26. He drives too fast for me to call. (so...that)

27. The food is too hot for the old woman to eat. (enough)

28. This folk song is simple. Everybody can sing it.

29. The little girl looks miserable. We all feel sorry for her.

The little girl ............

30. That tower was very high. We couldn't climb it up.

That is ............

31. The tale story is very exciting. We want to hear it again.

It is ............

32. I don't think Mary is old enough to get married.

I think Mary ............

1. It was such a high wall that we couldn't climb over the wall. (too... to)

=>IT WAS TOO HIGH FOR US TO CLIMB OVER THE WALL.

=>IT IS SUCH A TIDY ROOM THAT IT TOOK US ONE HOUR TO CLEAN IT.

=>THE FILM IS SO LONG THAT THEY CANH BROAD CAST IT ON ONE NIGHT.

=>THE WEATHER WAS WARM ENOUGH FOR THEM TO HAV WALK IN THE GARDEN.

5. It was such a funny story that he couldn't stop laughing. (to... to)

=>THE STORY WAS TOO FUN FOR HIM TO STOP LAUGHING.

=>IT WAS SUCH A EXCITING MATCH THAT ALL THE FANS SHOUTED LOUDLY.

=>IT IS SUCH A HEAVY RAIN THAT WE CAN'T GO OUT.

=>THE MILK IS SO EXCILLENT THAT THE CHILDREN WANT SOME MORE.

=>MY SISTER IS SO YOUNG THAT SHE CAN'T GO TO THE ZOO ALONE.

10. There were so many people in the hall that we couldn't see him. (such... that)

=>IT WAS SUCH MANY PEOPLE THAT WE COULDN'T SEE HIM.

11. They drunk such a lot of coffee that they couldn't sleep all night. (so0... that)

=>THEY DRUNK SO MUCH COFFEE THAT THEY COULDN'T SLEEP ALL NIGHT,

=>THE ROAD IS NOT WIDE ENGOUGH FOR TWO CARS TO PASS EACH OTHER.

=>THE GAME IS NOT EASY ENOUGH FOR CHILDREN TO PLAY.

14. Alice had so many exercises to do that she couldn't go out. (such... that)

=>IT WAS SUCH A LOT OF MANY EXERCISES FOR ALICE THAT SHE COULDN'T GO OUT.

=>HE RUNS TOO SLOW TO WIN A PRIZE.

=>THE DOWNTOWN IS SO CROWDED THAT YOU CAN'T GET A TAXI.

=>IT WAS SUCH A LOVELY WEATHER FOR US TO SPEND THE WHOLE DAY IN THE GARDEN.

18. He drank such a lot of coffee that he couldn't get to sleep. (so... that)

=>HE DRANK SO MUCH COFFEE THAT HE COULDN'T GET TO SLEEP.

=>I WAS TIRED ENOUGH TO FALL ALSEEP IN THE ARMCHAIR

20. The exam was so difficult that most of the students couldn't do it. (such... that)

=>IT WAS SUCH A DIFFICULT EXAM THAT MOST OF STUDENTS COULDN'T DO IT.

21. My father is such a busy man that he doesn't have any free time. (too... to)

=>MY FATHER IS TOO BUSY TO HAVE SOME FREE TIME.

22. It is such an illegible handwriting that I can't figure out what this sentence says. (so... that)

=>IT IS SO ILLEGIBE HANDWRITING FOR ME THAT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS SENTENCE SAYS.

23. His son's feet are so big that he has difficulty finding slippers to fit him.

=>HIS SON'S FEET ARE TOO BIG TOFIND SLIPPERS TO FIT HIM.

24. The composition was so bad that I couldn't read it (too...to)

=>THE COMPOSITION WAS TOO BAD TO READ IT.

=>IT IS SUCH A INTERESTING BOOK THAT WE HAVE READ IT MANY TIMES.

=>HE DRIVES SO FAST THAT I CAN'T CALL.

=>THE FOOD IS NOT COLD ENOUGH FOR THE WOMAN TO GET

=>THIS FOLK SONG IS TOO SIMPLE FOR EVERYBODY TO SING IT.

=>IT IS SUCH A MISERABLE LITTLE GIRL THAT WE ALL FEEL SORRY HER.

The little girl IS TOO MISERABLE FOR US TO FEEL SORRY HER

30. That tower was very high. We couldn't climb it up.

=>THAT IS SUCH A HIGH TOWER THAT WE COULDN'T CLIMB IT UP

It is SUCH A EXICITING TALE STORY THAT WE WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN

32. I don't think Mary is old enough to get married.

I think Mary IS TOO YOUNG TO GET MARRIED

1.I like playing soccer and that's why I spend a lot of time on that game

=>I like playing soccer

2.This book so interesting enough for me to read many times

3.He is too young to go to school alone

=>He is not

=>He is so

=>He is such

4.The test was so long that I couldn't finish it in an hour

=>It was

5.I'm afraid you're not fast enough to be in the running team

=>I'm afraid you're too

6.I didn't use that string,because it was too short

=>That string was

=>It was such

7.It was such a good play that the audience cheered

=>The play

8.The piano was too heavy for anybody to move

9.He never writes to me and our relatives

=>If only

10.She got so much money that she could buy anything she wanted

=>She got such

11.Nam has such much money that he can establish a library

=>Nam has so

12.The bookshelf is too bog for me to take

=>The bookshelf is not

=>The bookshelf

13.They made the children workd hard in the workshop

=>The children

14.The coffee is too hot for me to drink

=>The coffee is not

=>It is such

=>The coffee is

I. Complete each sentence with one suitable preposition or connective : ( by; from; in; on; and; if; but; to; from; or; for; since; of; into; because; althought; therefore; however; up; so ; and; at; with ) 1. The class will be divided................four groups. 2. They passed all their exams.............. they worked hard 3. She didn't attend the lesson,...............she could not do her homework 4. My mother buys many things to prepare............. the Tet holidays. 5. Lan is sick.................,she has to finish the report today. 6. My mother went home...........she was tired. 7. It's very kind................you to help me know about English literature 8. She always listens....................the music program on the radio 9. The dress is expensive..............., I like it. 10. I'm very worried ..................Hoa. She has been very depressed recently. 11. Would you like iced tea ........... iced coffee ? 12. They lived in an old house which was built.............1950 13. I like my job...................it's very interesting. 14. Let me congratulate you................... your new job 15. I didn't pass the exam. ................, I had to do it again. 16. We stopped playing............it started to rairn. 17. He is already in bed........................ he can get up early tomorrow. 18. Children are interested..............cartoons on TV. 19. In my free time, I like reading books.............watching TV 20. I'm so proud................. my mother and love her so much. 21. I'd love to you............... I've got a lot of homework to do tonight. 22. My mother went home...................she was tired. 23. It's very kind...............you to help me know about English literature. 24. He is Japanese,.................he speaks Japanese perfectly 25. Our house is small................. it's very comfortable. 26. She always listens...............the music program on the radio. 27. Mrs. Quyen bought corn, potatoes................cabbages at the mark. 28.................. you cut down the trees in the forests, there will be big flood every year. 29. Hanh can't go to the movies. She will have to look............. her little sister. 30. If we go ...............wasting water, there will be a shortage of fresh 31. I think I've lost my new pen. I've looked.......... it. 32. He didn't take a raincoat along with him,........... he got wet. 33. Quang failed the exam............he was very lazy. 34. Which color do you want - red, green, yellow.............. blue? 35. Would you like iced tea............... iced coffee? 36. I like my job........................it's very interesting 37. I didn't pass the exam. ............., I had to do it again. 38. I opened the door...................looked out. 39. I arrived 20 minutes early,..............I had time for a cup of tea. 40. We looked everywhere. ....................,we could not find the keys. 41. I read the book.,............. did not understand it. 42. We had to wait..................we arrived early 43. I would like to go swimming. ................ have too much work to do. 44. Yesterday, Lan went to the stationer's to buy some notebooks, a pen.............. a compass. 45. John is sometimes rude. ..........., I am very fond of him. 46. Hoa's eyes are weak. ............. , she has to wear glasses. 47. It's kind..........................you to give me some cakes 48 Let me congratulate you..............your first prize in the contest. 49. Ba ate too much...................... he was not hurry. 50. Tuan has take part.............. diffrent charity activities. I. Complete each sentence with one suitable preposition or connective : 1. Easter happens.................. around the same times as Passover. 2. Mr. Hung is loved not only by his family................ also by all his students. 3. Before Tet, I often clean the house ..............decorate it with colorful lights. 4. Last night we came to the show late ......the traffic was terrible. 5.....................Women's Day, women usually receive gifts. 6. They are going to get married................ August. 7. Dad................. I have special gifts for my mom every year on the 8th of March. 8. My dad is very helpful. I am very proud................. him. 9. It rained a lot,............. he went go to school in times. 10. I will visit my grandparents....................... Christmas. 11. My mother is not only beautiful...............also generous. 12.................... she was tired, she helped me with my homework 13. .................the first and second nights of Passover, Jewish families eat the Seder. 14. Rita wants to send a greeting card..............her teacher on Teacher's Day. 15. ..............her health isn't good, she always studies hard. 16. Christmas is a time.............. family members to get together 17. Peter is English,...........he loves Vietnamese cultures very much. 18. Ha Noi will have temperature................23 C and 27 C 19. Tuan has taken part............... different charity activities in his town. 20. We watched TV............. two hours last night. 21. ................ my grandma doesn't trust weather forecast, she likes watching them. 22. They decided to stay at home..............the weather was bad. 23. I want to watch the weather forecast program, can turn ...............the volume, Thuy ? 24. I'll bring a raincoat just.............. case. 25. Are you an engineer.............. a mechanic ? 26. I hope my friends won't laugh................ me. 27. The city in Japan which was struck............... a huge earthquake in 1995 in Kobe. 28. I went home early................. I was still feeling unwell. 29. I managed to get to sleep ................... there was a lot of noise. 30. I went to bed early............... I was tired. 31. The dog, Skippy, saved Lan................being caught in the typhoon 32. We are looking forward............ our holiday. 33. I'm learning English because I want to read newspapers...................... English. 34. My grandma doesn't trust weather forecast...........she likes watching them. 35. Are you interested................sports? 36. There aren't many good TV programs...............teenagers. 37................he worked hard, he couldn't pass the exam. 38. Hurry up.....................we'll be late for the bus. 39. The traffic was terrible last night, .................. we came to the show late. 40. Jenifer went to the dentist..............she had a toothache. 41. It's very cold................night on the moon. 42-The bus is late..................., Lan is going to be late for school. 43. A meteor is also called a shooting star............. a feeling star. 44. If you were able to take a space trip, what would you do to prepare............... the trip ? 45. She isn't English..............., she speaks English fluently. 46. Do you believe.............. UFOs ? 47. The weather was terrible,.................. they canceled the flight. 48. You can sing a song.............. you can tell a funny story. 49. I intend to go camping next Sunday but it depends............. the weather. 50. He looked so funny that they laughed............ him. 51. Thi hated going to the beach................she was afraid of high waves. 53. Mai's sister has graduated from university. She's now looking............... a job. 54. Do you know his address...............telephone numbers ? 55. There were many people at the concert,.................. we couldn't get seats. 56. The alarm unfortunately stopped working. ................., he was late for class. 57. There is no water...............air on the moon. 58. He is very intelligent. .............., he is quite lazy 59. We lost the match.............. we didn't play well. 60. I don't believe there exist UFOs ..................many newsapapers talk a lot about them.

( by; from; in; on; and; if; but; to; from; or; for; since; of; into; because; althought; therefore; however; up; so ; and; at; with ) 1. The class will be divided.......into.........four groups. 2. They passed all their exams.......since....... they worked hard 3. She didn't attend the lesson,.........so......she could not do her homework 4. My mother buys many things to prepare.....on........ the Tet holidays. 5. Lan is sick........However.........,she has to finish the report today. 6. My mother went home.......since....she was tired. 7. It's very kind.........of.......you to help me know about English literature 8. She always listens.......to.............the music program on the radio 9. The dress is expensive.......However........, I like it. 10. I'm very worried ........about..........Hoa. She has been very depressed recently.

11. My mother is not only beautiful......but.........also generous. 12..........Although.......... she was tired, she helped me with my homework 13. .......On..........the first and second nights of Passover, Jewish families eat the Seder. 14. Rita wants to send a greeting card......to........her teacher on Teacher's Day. 15. .......Although.......her health isn't good, she always studies hard. 16. Christmas is a time.....for......... family members to get together 17. Peter is English,....but.......he loves Vietnamese cultures very much. 18. Ha Noi will have temperature.......between.........23 C and 27 C 19. Tuan has taken part........in....... different charity activities in his town. 20. We watched TV.....in........ two hours last night.

1,I am moving in to our new house tomorow→she said

2,why don't we discuss this problem at the next club meeting→he sugessted that

3,we keep information on our computer→the

4,he spent three hours going to lao cai→it

5,no one in mai s'family is as tall as mai→mai is

6,the town was beautiful.we spent our holiday there last summer→the town where

7,to do exercise is interesting→it is

8,i'm certainly not going to help you→i have no

9,she can speak russian much better than i do→i can't

10,john advised me to spend more time on the next exam→johnn suggested

1,I am moving in to our new house tomorow→she said that she was moving into her new house the next day

2,why don't we discuss this problem at the next club meeting→he sugessted that we should discuss that problem at the next club meeting

3,we keep information on our computer→the information is kept on our computer

4,he spent three hours going to lao cai→it took him three hours to go to Lao Cai

5,no one in mai s'family is as tall as mai→mai is the tallest in her family

6,the town was beautiful.we spent our holiday there last summer→the town where we spent our holiday last summer was beautiful

7,to do exercise is interesting→it is interesting to do exercise

8,i'm certainly not going to help you→i have no intention of helping you

9,she can speak russian much better than i do→i can't speak Russian as well as she

10,john advised me to spend more time on the next exam→johnn suggested that I should spend more time on the next exam

1. Im sorry i can't speak english perfectly ( wish)

2. They had to cancel their picnic beacause the weather was cold ( so)

3. Peter is fifteen years old . Van is fifteen years old ( age)

4. It is pity the weather is better today ( if only)

5. Lan never visits the citadel in Hue ( wishes)

6. Walking up the mountain gave me pleasure( enjoyed)

7. He is too young to go to school alone (so)

8. I missed the bus and that is why i was late for school

9. My lessons start at 7.30 and finish at 11:30

10. I can' t go out because it is raining ( so)

11. This car is too old for me to buy (so)

12. Her house is far from her office ( wishes)

13. She won't come here tomorrow ( wish )

14. The test was so long that i couldn't finish it in an hour( because)

15. My work isn't going well ( wish)

16. This book is interesting enough for me to read many times(so)

17. She doesn't study and she can't pass the exam( because)

18. She can't concentrate on her work ( if only)

19. She likes to go on a travel to somewhere ( wishes)

24. Huong isn't tall enough to play volleyball ( so / that)

28. I can't help you because i don't have time (if)

29. I didn't get good marks because i was lazy ( if)

30. The weather was very cold ,so we couldn't go camping ( too/ so...that)

32. May be tomorrow is nice and minh will go for a picnic with us (if)

33. Peter is too young to see the film(so)

34. Lam couldn't ride his bike to school because of the heavy rain ( because )

38. What a pity i can't fly the superman ( wish)

1. Im sorry i can't speak english perfectly ( wish)

= > I wish I could speak English perfectly

= > The weather was cold so they had to cancel their picnic.

=> Peter is the same age as Van

=> If only the weather weren't better today.

=> Lan wishes she could visit the citadel in Hue.

=> I enjoyed walking up the mountain.

=> He is so young that he can't go to school alone.

= > I missed the bus so I was late for school.

10. I can' t go out because it is raining ( so)

=> It is raining so I can''t go out.

= > This car is so old that I can't buy it.

=> She wishes her house weren't far from her office.

13. She won't come here tomorrow ( wish )

=> She wish she would come here tomorrow.

14. The test was so long that i couldn't finish it in an hour( because)

=> I couldn't finish the test in an hour because it was too long.

15. My work isn't going well ( wish)

=> I wish my work were going well.

= > This book is so interesting that I have read it many times.

17. She doesn't study and she can't pass the exam( because)

=> She doesn't study so she can't pass the exam.

18. She can't concentrate on her work ( if only)

=> If only she could concentrate on her work.

=> She wishes she could go on a travel to somewhere.

24. Huong isn't tall enough to play volleyball ( so / that)

=> Huong is so short that he can't play volleyball

28. I can't help you because i don't have time (if)

=> If I had time, I could help you.

29. I didn't get good marks because i was lazy ( if)

=> If I hadn't been lazy, I would have got good marks.

30. The weather was very cold ,so we couldn't go camping ( too/ so...that)

= > The weather was so cold that we couldn't go camping.

= > If tomorrow were nice, Minh would go for a picnic with us.

=> Peter is so young that he can't see the film.

34. Lam couldn't ride his bike to school because of the heavy rain ( because )

=> Lam couldn't ride his bike to school because it rained heavily

38. What a pity i can't fly the superman ( wish)

= > I wish I could fly the superman.

1I wish I could speak English perfectly

2The weather was cold so they had to cancel their picnic.

3 Peter is the same age as Van

 If only the weather weren't better today.

5.  Lan wishes she could visit the citadel in Hue.

6 I enjoyed walking up the mountain.

Use the construction " too...to" to rewrite the following sentences:

1. The box is so heavy that she can't carry it

2. These shoes are very small. I can't wear them

3. It was so late that she couldn't go home

4. She was so tired that she couldn't eat

5. It is so cold that we can't go out

6. The man is so poor that he can't buy anything

7. My brother is so short that he can't play football

8. This novel was so interesting that I couldn't put it down

9. This soup is so hot that wa can't eat it

10. The room was so dark that I couldn't see anything

1: The box is too heavy to carry

2: These shoesare too small for me to wear

3: It was too late to go home

4: She was too tired to eat

5:It is too cold to go out

6: The man is too poor to buy anything

7: My brother is too short to play football

8: This novel was too interesting to put in down

9: This soup is too hot for we to eat

10: The room was too dark to see anything

V​iết lại các câu sau sử dụng Adverb clauses of result

​1 She did not go the zoo yesterday beacause she was ill.

​2 We cannot go to Vung Tau on this Sunday because it may rain.

​3 Hoa misses her parents a lot because they live far away from each other

​4 He never gets high marks on Literature because he is lazy

​5 I may not come to play with you tomorrow because I'm still sick

​6 Uyen can't attend the trip because of her sickness

​7 Last night she did not learn her previous lessons, so she got bad marks

​8 Because the weather is cold, we can't go swimming

​9 It is raining, so we may not go out this evening

​10 Because the Parkers are nice, Van feels like a member of their family

Bảng xếp hạng

• NL Nguyễn Lê Phước Thịnh 51 GP
• NH NGUYỄN HỮU KHÁNH 51 GP
• TP Thanh Phong (9A5) 45 GP
• TN Trần Nguyễn Phương Thảo VIP 32 GP
• PQ Phạm Quang Lộc 30 GP
• NV Nguyễn Việt Dũng 30 GP
• SV Sinh Viên NEU 22 GP
• KV Kiều Vũ Linh 15 GP
• NV Nguyễn Việt Lâm 10 GP
• VN Võ Ngọc Phương VIP 8 GP

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The Ultimate 3 Days in Paris Itinerary

When you only have 3 days in Paris, you need to get your Paris itinerary just right.

With a nearly unlimited number of incredible things to do (and eat, and see) in the City of Light, it’s important to plan a short trip carefully.

Sure, y ou want to see as much as you can–but you’ll also want to prevent yourself from burning out and/or wasting too much time in transport bouncing all over the city .

As first-time visitors to Paris quickly learn, the city is enormous and quite spread out, and without a solid plan, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

That being said, Paris ranks among our absolute favorite cities in the world, and we want you to love it as much as we do !

After roughly 10 trips to Paris (and counting!), we’ve designed this itinerary for Paris in 3 days to cover the best of the city, fast.

Follow this travel itinerary to see a solid chunk of Paris’ best highlights, eat some delicious food, wander stunning neighborhoods, and make sure you travel home with a snapshot of Paris that leaves you dying to plan your next trip to the city.

Here’s exactly how to make the most of a few days in Paris, France!

Table of Contents

The Perfect 3 Days in Paris Itinerary

Where to stay in paris, more than 3 days in paris, france, getting around during your 3 day paris itinerary, the paris pass & paris museum pass: worth the money, when to visit paris for 3 days, staying safe during this itinerary for paris.

• What to Wear in Paris, France

What to Pack for Paris

Your 3 day paris itinerary map.

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Day 1: Classic Paris Highlights

Start your morning on île de la cité near notre dame..

What better way to start 3 days in Paris than to visit one of Paris’ most famous landmarks?

Even after the awful April 2019 fire , Notre Dame’s status as an icon of Paris and its convenient location in the center of the city still make it a great place to kick off your few days in Paris.

While you’re nearby, check out the view from the corner of Rue de la Cite and Quai de Montebello , near the Pont de Coeurs , where you can photograph the tops of the towers and some of the front of the cathedral looking semi-normal.

U nfortunately, though, the damage to the cathedral is extensive, and Notre Dame is not expected to reopen before 2024 .

I’m leaving our photos from the rooftop of Notre Dame in place in this 3 day Paris itinerary out of nostalgia, but scroll down for a look at the current view from the corner mentioned above for a more realistic take at the moment.

Step inside Shakespeare & Company.

5-minute walk from Notre Dame

Paris’ most famous bookstore is known as the former haunt of Lost Generation writers like James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the ever-present Ernest Hemingway (he knew all the good travel destinations before the rest of us).

What some don’t know is that the present Shakespeare & Company is a bit different than the original!

T he original location closed during the Nazi occupation, and this store was opened by new management in 1951, in order to nurture a new generation of writers–think Henry Miller, Ray Bradbury, and Langston Hughes.

I could wax poetic about bookstores forever, but I suggest you check out this great article from Vanity Fair if you’re interested in a thorough history of Shakespeare & Company.

Here’s what you need to know to visit: it’s delightful and beautiful, they’ll stamp any books you buy with their seal on the title page (which make wonderful souvenirs from Paris ), there’s a cat who lives upstairs, and the view from the second-floor window over the Seine and toward Notre Dame is divine.

Photos are forbidden inside, so you’ll just have to step across the Seine from Île de la Cité to see the beautiful interior for yourself!

I will note that we’ve after almost a decade of visiting this bookstore on the majority of our trips to Paris, we skipped it on our July 2022 visit because of the huge line in front–we had never seen one there before.

When we returned in December 2022, we were able to walk right in, but if you are planning to visit Paris during the high season, we recommend visiting as early in the morning as you can (Shakespeare & Company opens at 10:00 AM).

Grab a coffee and pastry from a beautiful Parisian cafe.

Having checked a tiny bit of Paris sightseeing off your list, it’s officially time for a traditional French breakfast of a delicious coffee and pastry.

Here are a few cafes nearby (and by nearby I mean practically hidden in plain sight) that you may want to check out.

Famous for its beautiful building nestled into the corner of a cobblestone street near Notre Dame, Odette is a lovely (and photogenic) choice for grabbing breakfast on your first morning in Paris.

Shakespeare & Co. Cafe

Surprisingly affordable and home to delicious coffee, if you want to keep your 3 days in Paris itinerary simple this morning, head next door to Shakespeare & Company for breakfast at their popular cafe by the same name.

(Odette is mere steps away from here, so if you’re a huge Parisian cafe lover, you could even visit both).

A. Lacroix Patissier

This cafe isn’t famous, but it is delicious, cozy, and boasts views of Notre Dame!

We’ve been eating here for years and can highly recommend it.

Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole

This one is more for the photo snappers and late risers among us, as it doesn’t open until noon, but Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole is worth mentioning as an option here.

Famous for its gorgeous wisteria, this Parisian cafe is practically next door to Notre Dame, is quite well known among places to eat in Paris , and is incredibly charming.

Pay a visit to the oldest clock in Paris.

8-minute walk from Odette or Shakespeare & Company.

En route to Sainte-Chapelle during your 3 days in Paris, be sure to make your way past the Tour de l’Horloge on the side of the Conciergerie.

Here you’ll be able to take a peek at the oldest clock in Paris, which was installed in the 14th century, is still steadily ticking to this day, and also happens to be incredibly gorgeous.

Stroll over to Sainte-Chapelle.

6-minute walk from Shakespeare & Company

Sainte-Chapelle boasts one of my favorite church interiors in the world, but you likely won’t notice when you first enter: the first floor is rather typically decorated and quite dark.

Climb up to the second floor, though, and you’re in for quite a show: nearly every inch of the 50-foot walls (about 15 meters) are covered in elaborate stained glass.

It is colorful, magical, and absolutely beautiful–I haven’t seen anything quite like it anywhere else in the world , and it’s well worth fitting into your itinerary for Paris.

We recommend grabbing a skip-the-line in advance (for no extra fee!) to save time in lines and ensure that this (small and very popular) attraction doesn’t sell out.

Get your ticket for Sainte-Chapelle today to skip the ticket line!

Make your way to the Luxembourg Gardens.

15-minute walk from Sainte-Chapelle

Obviously, the Luxembourg Gardens are most impressive in the spring and summer, but they’re worth visiting regardless of time of year: the gardens feel distinctly Parisian and are a joy to visit.

The Luxembourg Palace sits to one side, and be sure to stop by to admire it.

If you want to take a peek at some of the garden’s hidden treasures, the Medici Fountain and Luxembourg Gardens’ very own beehives are both nearby.

If you’re trying to stay on a budget, this is a great place for a picnic lunch!

S imply pick up some Parisian staples (a baguette with cheese and fruit, perhaps) and bring them into the gardens to eat.

If you’d prefer a restaurant, the area surrounding the park is lousy with them (Le Prince Racine is close by and a favorite of ours, and Restaurant Polidor is both tasty and served as a Midnight in Paris filming location!).

During your 15-minute walk over from Sainte-Chapelle, a slightly longer route will also take you by the Pantheon if you’d like to stop by.

Walk toward the Louvre via St. Germain.

18+ minute walk from the Luxembourg Gardens.

Head to the Louvre through St. Germain, one of the most classically Parisian neighborhoods.

As you explore, you’ll pass by some beautiful boutiques, great restaurants, and gorgeous architecture .

Those classic Paris streets you see in photos? St. Germain is a great place to photograph them!

In addition to the restaurants mentioned above, we’ve also enjoyed eating at Eggs & Co. while here, which specializes in omelets.

The food is tasty, and the decor is adorable.

The walk from the Luxembourg Gardens to the Louvre is technically under 20 minutes, but depending on how much you want to meander around the neighborhood, it could take quite a bit longer!

Pay a visit to the largest art museum in the world.

The Louvre is a hard thing to budget time for–for people who aren’t very into art, an hour or 2 of checking out the most famous works might be enough.

For art and history lovers, weeks would be needed.

With only 3 days in Paris, we’d recommend booking timed entry skip-the-line tickets and spending around 2-3 hours in the Louvre, and doing a bit of research before you go.

If there are particular works you’re dying to see (say, the Venus de Milo or the Mona Lisa), make sure you plan accordingly and head in the right direction.

Alternatively, you can book a tour ( we absolutely loved this one ) to ensure you see the best of the Louvre in an efficient way!

We’ve now visited the Louvre three times and have seen almost none of the same exhibits on any of our visits !

Personally, one of my favorite things I’ve found in the Louvre is the Napoleon III apartments, which are an unexpected surprise amongst all of the paintings, sculptures, and historical artifacts.

It took us a few trips to Paris before we splurged on a Louvre tour, but we’re  so  glad we did.

This tour was amazing and gave us great context for the pieces we saw in the museum, and we can heartily recommend it. For a different take, this tour is also well recommended.

Lines at the Louvre get notoriously long–plan ahead and book your visit to the Louvre today! You can get timed entry skip-the-line tickets here , book the same  amazing tour we took here , or book another  well-reviewed tour of the Louvre here .

Stop by the Colonnes de Buren or grab a hot chocolate at Angelina.

Once you finish exploring the Louvre, it’s time for a quick Paris sightseeing pitstop before heading off to the Eiffel Tower.

If you’re searching for popular Paris photo spots , this is a great time to stop by the Colonnes de Buren in the Palais Royale.

The columns are free to visit and fun to see in the evening, when there will be plenty of people hanging out (and even working out–we’ve seen everything from group lunges to kids playing soccer) nearby.

After you finish at the Colonnes de Buren, the Galerie Vero-Dodat is  just  around the corner and is another one of Paris’ beautiful covered passages, so you can consider swinging by there for a quick look as well.

If you’re done seeing the sights and simply want to sit down and indulge, famous Angelina is a short walk away, ready to serve you a steaming cup of their legendary hot chocolate.

Admire the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero Gardens.

50-minute walk or 30-minute metro ride from the Louvre.

Are your feet killing you yet?

If so (and depending on the time), you may want to consider a metro ride at this point.

If not, we highly recommend the long walk along the Seine to the Trocadero Gardens, which will take you along some beautiful Paris views and past the famous Pont Alexandre III .

Regardless of how you get there, it’s safe to say that your first day spent visiting Paris isn’t complete without a picture-perfect view of the Eiffel Tower!

Head to the river to take a Seine river cruise before sunset.

To be perfectly honest, it took us many trips to Paris before we signed up for a Seine river cruise … and after taking one, we can’t believe that we waited so long!

Yes, they’re a bit touristy, but there’s nothing quite like admiring Paris and its many gorgeous monuments from the water.

Add in the possibility of a sunset, and the view is even better.

Many Seine river cruises leave from very close to the base of the Eiffel Tower, too, making taking one an easy addition to this 3 day Paris itinerary!

Want to splurge a bit for your first night in Paris?

You can even sign up for a full dinner cruise if a standard one-hour cruise doesn’t sound like quite enough time on the Seine.

Book your Seine river cruise today!

Day 2: The Elegant Side of Paris

Begin your day at the arc de triomphe..

What better way to kick off your second day in the City of Light than by admiring one of the best views in Paris?

Climb (all 284 steps of) the Arc de Triomphe for great views over Paris, including views of the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, La Defense, Montmartre , and more.

If you would like to zoom in (especially on faraway spots like Montmartre) it would be a great idea to pack travel binoculars so you don’t miss out on the details.

Be sure to stroll under the Arc de Triomphe as well–it is ornate and beautiful in a way that is hard to pick up from a distance.

Like most of Paris’ most famous attractions, the line to climb the Arc de Triomphe gets very long.

We love using skip-the-line tickets to walk right in–and there’s no extra charge for booking ahead!

Buy tickets to climb the Arc de Triomphe today!

Stroll down the Champs-Élysées.

The famous Champs-Élysées dead ends into the Arc de Triomphe, so after snapping photos both from the top of the monument and of the arch itself, continue your morning by heading down one of the most famous shopping streets in the world.

If you have time in your Paris itinerary (ie, depending on how early in the morning you got started!), consider continuing all the way to the Place de la Concorde before heading outside the city to enjoy one of the most iconic day trips from Paris !

Jump on the RER and spend most of the day at Versailles.

A day trip to Versailles is a perfect addition to 3 days in Paris: while some people do spend a whole day there, when trying to see Paris in 3 days, it makes more sense to squeeze in the Arc de Triomphe first.

(If you have no desire to visit the Arc de Triomphe, though, feel free to head right to Versailles after breakfast).

While at Versailles, be sure to tour the palace itself ( be sure to book tickets in advance if you’re not taking a tour ), and then head outside to the gardens for a long stroll.

Bear in mind that the property is the largest royal domain in the world and it is therefore predictably difficult to see absolutely everything !

The gardens alone take up 230 acres, and that’s without even considering attractions like Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, and the Queen’s Hamlet.

Booking a tour is a great way to get a thorough oversight on your first visit!

After seeing the popular main gardens near the palace, which boast the opulent fountains of Versailles seen in so many photos, consider taking a 25-minute walk through the gardens to visit the other palaces on site (plus Marie Antoinette’s hamlet, of course) .

How to Get to Versailles from Paris

To get to Versailles from Paris, take the RER C line to Versailles.

Transit takes less than an hour, and bear in mind that the RER is separate from the metro.

Y ou’ll need to purchase an RER ticket to head to Versailles.

Be sure to validate your ticket before you travel!

Book your timed entry skip-the-line tickets or guided tour of Versailles today!

Day 3: Parisian Food, Art, and Grit

Start your morning with a parisian food tour..

It’s no secret that French food is some of the most delicious in the world–and before leaving Paris, it’s a great idea to take some time to learn all about it!

We absolutely loved our experience on the Paris Ultimate Food Tour with Devour Tours , which focuses on the trendy La Marais neighborhood.

Taste award-winning pastries and macarons, delectable meats and cheeses, a memorable soup, and much more on this delicious (and extremely filling) food tour.

Devour Tours is one of our favorite food tour companies in Europe, and one of the many reasons for that is the history and culture that is woven into every tour.

The fight for the survival of long-standing traditional markets, the history of the Jewish community in Le Marais, and how French food gets its various designations are just a few details that made their way into our tour, and we walked away very satisfied with the experience.

(As is usual for us, we paid our own way for this tour and told no one we were travel bloggers while there).

Book the Paris food tour we loved today!

Choose Your Own Parisian Adventure: Catacombs vs. the Musée d’Orsay

As your 3 days in Paris rapidly come to a close, it’s incredibly ambitious to try to fit both the catacombs and Musée d’Orsay into the itinerary, especially as they’re quite far apart!

For that reason, I’ll leave your next stop up to you.

Travelers looking for something funky, offbeat, and unusual will love the catacombs.

Art lovers (especially impressionist lovers) will delight in the Musée d’Orsay .

Here’s what to love about each!

Option 1: See a different side of Paris at the Catacombs.

50-minute walk or 25-minute metro ride from the end of the Paris Ultimate Food Tour.

Technically an ossuary and not catacombs, this Paris highlight is a bit spooky and unusual, but a fascinating place to visit while in Paris for 3 days (unless you get freaked out by bones, that is).

Skip-the-line tickets are essential here, or you can even sign up for a guided tour to learn more about the (absolutely wild) history.

Set in Paris’ former quarries, the catacombs hold millions of former Parisians… but they didn’t start their time in the afterlife there.

From the late 18th to the mid-19th century, many of Paris’ cemeteries were emptied out due to health concerns, and the skeletons were relocated to the catacombs.

Artfully arranged and complete with cemetery-appropriate art (Bible verses and such, but also a sign saying “Stop! This is the empire of the dead” over the entrance, so, there’s that), the catacombs are a bizarre mix of fascinating, creepy, historical, and artistic.

The catacombs themselves go on for over 200 miles/320 kilometers, and we have loved each of our visits–and also loved staring down the dark paths that are not intended for tourists to visit.

Fair warning: it’s easy to get lost down there and people have died by breaking in and then getting too lost to find their way out. Stick to the path!

Even during our January visit, the line for the catacombs was still more than 2 hours long! Book your  skip-the-line tickets here or epic in-depth guided tour here !

Option 2: Enjoy Paris’ second-most-famous art museum, the Musée d’Orsay.

40-minute walk or 25-minute metro ride from the end of the Paris Ultimate Food Tour.

Many first-time visitors to Paris walk away saying that the Musée d’Orsay , not the Louvre, is their favorite museum in Paris.

We wouldn’t go quite that far (we love both too much), but it’s easy to see what draws people in.

Not only is the Musée d’Orsay home to some incredible art, including iconic works by Monet and Van Gogh, but the building itself is a bit of an attraction.

The Musée d’Orsay is set in a gorgeous former train station built at the end of the 19th century, complete with the famous clock on the top floor that provides a unique view of Paris.

In addition, the Musée d’Orsay is much smaller than the Louvre, and therefore less overwhelming and easier to visit without getting turned around.

Book your timed entry skip the line ticket for the Musée d’Orsay today!

Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in Montmartre.

25-minute metro ride from the Paris catacombs or 20-minute metro ride from the Musée d’Orsay .

Your last afternoon and evening in Paris are dedicated to a neighborhood that’s not quite as old or as stately as some Parisian neighborhoods… but it is delightfully fun and very well known.

Montmartre is home to Sacré Coeur, the Moulin Rouge , the famous Place du Tertre, and some incredibly adorable streets, squares, bakeries, cafes, and bars .

Once the haunt of artists and Bohemians, and today the haunt of travelers seeking out some of the prettiest streets and best views in Paris, Montmartre is a beloved favorite among Parisian neighborhoods for good reason.

This area is great for taking iconic Parisian photos, we take our Sony a7R III along with us and end up using it constantly.

While you’re there, be sure to visit Sacré Coeur (the 300 steps to the top of the dome are worth it), see the artists at the Place du Tertre, and duck into the art shops along the nearby side streets .

The steps of Sacré Coeur are one of the most popular sunset spots in Paris, and a wonderful place to watch the light disappear from your last full day in Paris (though the top of the dome is even better–you can see the Eiffel Tower from there!).

If you feel like sticking around for the evening, Montmartre is the perfect place to find nightlife in Paris, too.

W hether you want to go crazy and see a show at the Moulin Rouge (which is just downhill from Montmartre in the Pigalle area) or find a quieter bar to settle down at, you’ll have plenty of options.

Shop tickets to shows at the Moulin Rouge !

Say goodbye to Paris.

Three days in Paris go by so fast: it’s already time to say goodbye.

As you head back to your hotel on your last night in Paris, you may be able to squeeze in one more experience off your Paris wish list.

There are a million worthy options, but one reliably magical one is to grab a warm street crepe and admire the Eiffel Tower twinkling at night.

In our opinion, t here’s no better image to end your trip to Paris with than that one.

In a city as large and dense as Paris, deciding where to stay can be quite daunting!

Paris is famously divided into 20  arrondissements , or neighborhoods, that are named via a number system that starts with 1 in the center of the city (where you’ll find the Louvre) and circles outward like the shell of a snail.

After roughly 10 trips to Paris, we’ve stayed in many neighborhoods spread across the city, from Montmartre ( we loved this aparthotel ) to the Bastille area (an underappreciated place to stay, and this hotel was wonderful ).

And, while everyone has their own opinions about where to stay in Paris (there’s no one right answer) we love and highly recommend Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th arrondissement ) or the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement ) to travelers visiting Paris for the first time and frequently choose to stay there ourselves.

In these areas, you’ll be within walking distance of attractions like Île de la Cité (home of Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle), the Seine, the Luxembourg Garden, the Louvre, and many more.

And, by choosing a hotel near a metro stop, you’ll also have the rest of Paris at your fingertips!

Here are a few hotels we’ve personally stayed in and loved in the 5th and 6th, arranged more or less from most budget-friendly to most luxurious (though if it’s Parisian charm you’re after, this one is the clear winner).

Hotel Abbatial Saint Germain (Centrally Located & Cozy)

We love this cute boutique hotel in Paris, mostly because of its truly unbeatable location less than a 10-minute walk from Notre Dame and therefore an easy walk away from much of the attractions of Île de la Cité (and a metro stop, of course).

Despite the super central location, the streets outside were still quiet at night, a huge benefit, and the views during the day were lovely.

The customer service was excellent, the bed cozy, and the room, while still very small by global standards, was a bit roomy compared to what we’ve gotten used to in Paris.

We’d be happy to stay again!

Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Abbatial Saint Germain!

Relais Hôtel du Vieux Paris  (Classic Parisian Charm)

Located on a quiet street less than a block from the Seine and Île de la Cité, Relais Hôtel du Vieux Paris  offers all the advantages of a central location while maintaining its peace and quiet.

… and it does all that while still managing to have one of the most charming interiors we’ve experienced in a Paris hotel!

The ceilings, wallpaper, and overall decor never let you forget that you’re in the City of Light, and we loved every second.

The breakfast is also delicious, served at the table, and includes a generous selection of pastries as well as fruit, cheese, orange juice, coffee, and tea.

Check rates & book your stay at Relais Hôtel du Vieux Paris!

Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris (Modern Amenities + Kitchens on the Seine)

Located right on the Seine in one of the most convenient locations in Paris, the crisp and modern Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris offers ease at every turn.

And, that includes the fact that studios and apartments here include kitchens or kitchenettes!

If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat from sightseeing in Paris, a chance to enjoy an occasional dinner of cheese and baguette you picked up at the market, and a bit more elbow room than is traditional in the City of Light, this is the place for you.

We loved our stay here–and, thanks to the hotel being pet-friendly, so did Ranger.

Check rates & book your stay at Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris!

Paris is a city that can occupy a lifetime and still not be fully discovered–no matter how much time you have in Paris, you will never leave feeling that you’ve unturned every stone.

After about 10 trips to Paris and counting, we still find ourselves discovering new gems every time we visit!

A few things to consider adding to your Paris itinerary if you have longer than three days in the city include a visit to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery, or heading to the top of Montparnasse Tower (this tower is generally reviled for disrupting Paris’ beautiful skyline, but it does have quite the view at the top!).

You could also splurge on a Michelin Star meal, take a class on learning how to bake macarons or croissants (we did the macarons and adored it!), tour the Paris Opera House, duck into a smaller museum like the Musée de l’Orangerie (one of our favorites)… you get the picture.

Our gigantic Paris bucket list and/or our guide to the hidden gems of Paris are great blog posts to peruse if you’re looking for fun ideas to round out your itinerary for Paris!

There are plenty of hidden gems in Paris that lurk in plain sight, from the former home of Nicholas Flamel to lesser-known but interesting churches like the Church of Saint Sulpice to fascinating flea markets, all of which are worth seeking out if you have more than a few days in Paris.

If you’re looking to head out of town on one of your additional days in Paris, popular day trips other than Versailles include the town of Rouen, the castle of Fontainebleau, and Giverny to experience the water gardens that inspired Monet.

Paris is a large city, but it is surprisingly easy to get around.

As I mentioned above, the City of Light is made up of 20 arrondissements , or districts, starting with the 1st in the center (this is where you’ll find the Louvre), and spiraling outward from there.

When deciding where to stay in Paris, try not to put too much stock in being near any particular attraction.

Paris’ main sights are spread far and wide in its arrondissements (a few examples: the Eiffel Tower is in the 7th, the Louvre in the 1st, Montmartre in the 18th, and Notre Dame in the 4th), and wherever you end up staying, you’ll be traveling through the city during your stay.

Here’s how to get around during your itinerary for 3 days in Paris!

Paris’ metro system is extremely dense and developed.

O ther than walking, we recommend using it as your main method of transportation while in Paris.

The easiest way to purchase tickets is as a carnet, or group of 10 tickets at a time, and replenish as you run out.

However, if you happen to purchase the Paris Pass , access to the bus, metro, and RER systems are all included, so you won’t need to purchase separate tickets.

Taxis & Uber

Taxis and Uber are both prevalent in the city, though high prices and heavy traffic make them a less attractive option than the metro.

Lyft is not available in Paris.

Walking is our absolute favorite way to get around Paris, which is part of why this 3 days in Paris itinerary includes the option to walk so much.

Not only do you save money and work off the copious amounts of pain au chocolat you’re probably consuming, but you also get to discover Paris at its very best!

Meandering through a dorable side streets, sampling cute cafes, admiring gorgeous buildings, enjoying the enormous dog population, and more, are all part of the essential Parisian walking experience.

Do not rent a car in Paris.

Parking is an expensive nightmare, driving is difficult and traffic-laden, and the metro system is extensive and functional.

R enting a car in Paris is far more trouble than it is worth, and that’s without even including the cost of doing so as a factor. Just don’t do it.

If you follow this 3 days in Paris itinerary, a full Paris Pass likely won’t be worth the money unless you are going to be using a lot of transportation.

If you want access to benefits like a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour , you may want to consider it.

The Paris Museum Pass , though a better fit for this 3 day Paris itinerary than the Paris Pass is, still isn’t likely to be worth the money as compared to buying tickets individually.

In 2022, with so many tickets easily available for online purchase in advance, a lot of the convenience of city passes and museum passes has been left behind, leaving only monetary benefit as a reason to buy one.

If you have your heart set on visiting several other small museums in Paris not covered on this itinerary that are included with the pass (check the list carefully, as what is included and excluded can be a bit surprising), you may be able to get a good deal.

Please note that if you do purchase a Paris Museum Pass , you’ll still need to sign up for a timed entry reservation for the Louvre.

There is no bad time of year to spend 3 days in Paris.

In the spring, you’ll see beautiful flowers (and if you’re lucky , even cherry blossoms!), and get to see the city in full bloom.

In the summer, Paris is at its sunniest and warmest, and it’s the perfect time of year for long evenings spent outside of adorable cafes.

In the fall, the autumn foliage is stunning.

In the winter, you can experience Paris at its emptiest and with its lowest prices (but it’s all relative–this is still Paris).

It doesn’t typically snow in Paris, but December does offer the bonus of Christmas decorations and decor!

We’ve now been lucky enough to visit Paris during most months of the year, and haven’t had a bad trip yet.

Whenever you have a chance to visit, go: no matter what time of year it is, it is the perfect time to be in Paris.

Traveling in Paris is generally a very safe activity, but like in all large cities (and especially large cities crawling with tourists), scams and petty crime run rampant.

Beware anyone approaching you asking you to sign a petition, offering you a rose or “friendship bracelet”, or enticing you to buy a “gold” ring that they “found”.

In general, keep an eye on your belongings, watch out for pickpockets (especially in crowds), and avoid getting overly intoxicated  (especially alone or late at night).

In other words: use common sense.

Generally speaking, the riskiest places for encountering potential scams or pickpockets are in the areas most dominated by tourists–near the Eiffel Tower, for example, or in front of the Louvre.

Keep your wits about you, but there’s no reason to be overly worried: millions of people safely visit Paris each year, and we’ve never had any trouble.

An anti-theft purse or backpack can help add a layer of protection from petty theft, though of course you’ll still need to be vigilant.

We’ve happily used this anti-theft backpack for years, and a couple of our friends swear by this one .

If you’re not used to traveling in large cities, you could also consider using a money belt during your Paris vacation.

This is up to you: we no longer use one, and thieves are certainly aware of them, but if you’re more comfortable having your valuables more secure than they are in your pockets while exploring, it’s an option.

What to Wear in Paris , France

Our general rule of traveling is that we never expect to (or try to) pass as locals, but we aim to look like ex-pats or frequent travelers that at least know what we’re doing… and, okay, in Paris, we want to look somewhat good.

It is Paris, after all.

The big key to blending in and looking fashionable in Paris? Less is more.

Think lots of dark colors (I swear, 90% of Parisian women we saw on our most recent winter trip were wearing a black coat), fashionable jeans or pants, and cute dresses.

Flats or boots for women depending on the season and casual loafers or boots for men are just fine–much more important than the exact shoe is that they’re very comfortable and well broken in.

For men, think fitted slacks or jeans, and fitted shirts. Not particularly fancy or dressed up, but not sloppy, either.

We generally consider the whole “Europeans don’t wear jeans!” rule to be either complete fiction or at least wildly outdated, but Parisians certainly don’t tend to wear ill-fitting, or worn-out ones, either.

Bottom line?

Don’t worry too much about what to wear in Paris–we find that people tend to overthink it.

Pack clothes you’re comfortable in, leaning toward classic, basic styles, and dark colors, and you’ll blend right in (as much as any tourist can).

And hey, if you get there and feel completely out of place in your wardrobe, Paris is a pretty fantastic place to shop!

Travel Insurance  — We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen, and this is definitely a case of better safe than sorry.

Travel Adaptors for France — If you’re coming from outside of Europe, you’ll definitely need adaptors for your electronics.

Swiss Army Knife   — AKA, your handy baguette-and-cheese-slicer plus wine bottle opener all in one–it’s a Parisian essential!

Pacsafe    — We bring this with us everywhere these days. Simply place your important belongings inside before you leave for the day, string the safe around the sturdiest thing in the room (the base of the toilet or a pipe under the sink is a good option), and voila! You’re good to go.

Travel Journal — I personally love the One Line a Day Journal that covers 5 years–you write one sentence a day, and every date is on the same page through the years (so, for example, you can easily see what you were doing on all the April 18th’s).

I adore the concept (I’m currently on my second volume), and a quick sentence each day is about all I can commit to in a journal!

Camera — This one comes from personal experience: on our first trip to Paris in late 2013, we took all of our photos on our cell phones, and we definitely regret it.

While phone photography has come a long way in the last decade, if you’re even the tiniest bit into photography as a hobby, definitely bring the camera.

We recently upgraded to our Sony a7R III and absolutely love it, but whatever camera you’re comfortable with works–just make sure you have something with you to preserve your memories! 

They’re incredibly handy and we recommend adding one to your packing list. We’ve been carrying ours for years and it never stops coming in handy!

Reusable Water Bottle  — Even in fashionable cities like Paris, we always prefer to keep water with us—it saves both money and plastic as compared to buying water bottles along the way.

Hand Sanitizer — We’ve never been sorry to have this floating around in our day bag.

Money Belt   — This is up to you: we no longer use one, but if you’re more comfortable having your passports with you at all times in Paris, you can consider bringing one.

We used to use this one   and had no complaints. These days, we prefer just to leave valuables in our Pacsafe during the day.

Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

53 thoughts on “The Ultimate 3 Days in Paris Itinerary”

Your itinerary seems to cover all the major attractions of Paris in a tightly packed schedule. I’m bookmarking this for future reference for whenever I finally manage to make my way down to Paris. Nice photos, I particularly enjoyed the ones taken from the gargoyles’ perch.

Thanks, Denny! We love the gargoyle photos too.

I never say no to a trip to Paris, even though I’ve been many times. Still haven’t seen Saint Chappelle or the Luxembourg Gardens though! Those stained glass windows are stunning. Looks like I have to make it back for trip no. 5!

There’s no such thing as too many trips to Paris! 😉

That’s a great itinerary for a short trip! I loved all the crepe vendors, I ate one too many banana Nutella crepes while there. Did you have a chance to go to Angelina? Best hot chocolate ever!

We did not–something to add to the list for our next trip! We’d love to make it back to Paris again in 2018– we shall see.

Angelina’s is divine. We will be back in Paris in Sept, and getting so excited. Looking for some new neighborhoods to explore off the main attractions path.

September is such a wonderful time to go!

You might like this post on getting off the beaten path in Paris–some of these spots are in quieter neighborhoods, and some are hidden in plain sight: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/secret-paris-off-the-beaten-path/

I have never been to Paris so this guide is just perfect for me! You curated the itinerary very thoughtfully. It has a mix of touristy as well as offbeat things to do! I love walking and public transport, so this guide feels like it is tailor made for me!

Thank you, Abhinav! 🙂

I have been to Paris many many times before so i was curious if your list has something that I havent seen yet and indees there are two things! The galery Lafayette although I knew its existence. However, the catacombs is new to me! But if I am not wrong, they made a horror movie about or inspired about this? The title is “Upside…” something.

Ha, yes there is! It’s called “As Above, So Below”. It came out a year or so after we first visited the catacombs, so of course we had to go see it. It was only an okay movie, but the shots of Paris and the catacombs were more than enough to keep us entertained.

What a fantastic itinerary! I love how you’ve planned each day out. It would be an exhausting three days, but it would be worth it!

When we were in Paris, we never made it over to Versaillas. I hope to do that next time we’re there, plus visit in the spring for those beautiful cherry blossom in front of the Eiffel Tower pics! 🙂

I hear you on the Eiffel Tower pictures!! Both of our visits have been in winter so far (technically this one was at the beginning of spring, but Paris’ flowers hadn’t bloomed yet), and I want those iconic cherry blossom views!!

What a comprehensive itinerary for visiting one of my favorite cities. Love all your suggestions and it makes me yearn to return.

Thanks, Sue! I hear you on wanting to return–I think I said “I miss Paris” out loud at least a dozen times while writing this post. 🙂

This is such a great itinerary for Paris. I made it to several of your suggestions during my visit but missed a few. Seeing you with that crepe made my mouth water. I loved the banana/nutella/strawberry crepes-amazing!!

Haven’t actually tried that combo yet–next time I’ll need to! The one I’m holding is a butter & sugar–so simple and yet so tasty.

I love Paris!! We visited last May and couldn’t wait to go back again! There are a few spots we missed like Musee d’Orsay and Luxembourg Garden. Definitely need to go back when we’re in the city next time. I don’t know about the catacombs though 😛

Ha, you’re not the only one! Some people aren’t into the whole bones thing… we find it completely fascinating, though. 😛

This post is SO thorough! One of the best I have read on Paris.

Thank you, Natalia! That was the goal. 🙂

This is a perfect itinerary for me. I am keeping it for my future visit to Paris. Wow Paris is still a dream. I am sold on the Sainte-Chapelle. Its such a stunning architecture. Someday I will make to to this destination. I loved your guide for the clothing. Great post.

Sainte-Chapelle is amazing–easily one of the most memorable houses of worship we have been in.

We are planning to visit Paris in July. Such a gorgeous place and there is so much to see and do there. can’t wait to explore and take some pretty pictures for sure 🙂

I hope you have an amazing trip! You will definitely come home with pretty pictures. 🙂

Excellent guide, I’ve been to Paris twice, the first time I had about 8 days and the 2nd time was only over a weekend so this itinerary would have been helpful! I was there in the middle of summer though and it was stinking hot. I love the French fashion and style but it was hard to dress in style with such heat! Excellent advice in this piece.

I’ve heard the heat can be killer! Hoping to make it in the summer one of these days to feel it for myself–worth it to see all the beautiful gardens in bloom, hopefully. 🙂

One of the best destination! It’s also known for its French architecture and mouthwatering variety. Thanks for the reminder that it doesn’t matter how long you wait until traveling, just that everybody can start once.

Thanks, Chi! Glad to have you stopping by.

I’ll be in Paris in the next few weeks and this is definitely helpful in planning my trip!

I stumbled on your site while planning a trip to Italy (Florence and Rome), Monte Carlo, Paris and London in July 2019. I loved all of your itineraries for Florence, Rome and Paris. I’ve been to Paris (but that was 30 years ago), and visited all the spots you mention. That being said, I’m eager to see them all again. Thanks for your suggestions on what to see in 2 or 3 days in each of these cities. You definitely helped me plan out our days so they make the most sense. I cannot wait until we get there!

Thank you so much, Melissa! The detailed trip itineraries are honestly some of my favorite things to write, and nothing makes me happier than hearing that other people found them useful.

Your trip sounds fantastic–hope that you have an amazing time in July!

Hi Kate, I, like many others here, stumbled across your site while planning our 1st trip to Paris coming up May 2019. My husband and I will be in Paris for 3.5 days. So this itinerary seems perfect. Since I am a planner and wanting to make sure I can plan and purchase tickets to the museums and such ahead of time, I don’t want to feel so committed as well in case we change our minds or want to see something (like the Eiffel Tower) at night rather than mid day. I certainly do not want to spend hours in lines to purchase tickets and then another hour in line to view the museums. Any suggestions on pre-arrival planning and do some of the tour companies offer cancellations up to a day in advance? Thank you for this great information. I will be using it as a guideline for our trip. We will be headed to Barcelona after… have you been?

We use Get Your Guide for buying all our tickets and tours in Paris–you can buy skip-the-line passes to things like the Arc de Triomphe through them and then just show the ticket on your phone at any time that day (we just did that one personally last August). In Paris, we normally book our tickets for whatever we want to do that morning before heading out for the day and download them to our phones, so we stay pretty flexible while also having our tickets ready to go and avoiding lines during the day.

This is perfect for museum entrances, visiting the Palais Garnier and Versailles, etc. Where it becomes an issue is with the Eiffel Tower (which is a special case requiring a time slot) and guided tours–if you’re looking for a guided tour of the Louvre, for example, that will be time-sensitive and we really recommend booking at least a few days in advance (especially in May, which is a popular time to visit Paris).

What I’d recommend in your case is to book any timed experiences (food tours, Eiffel Tower climb, guided tours) ahead of time and then using those to structure the rest of your trip. Pretty much everything else can be bought day-of, though we definitely still recommend buying skip-the-line tickets online to avoid lines. Cancellation policies will be a company-by-company thing, but I know Get Your Guide usually allows cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

We have not been to Barcelona yet, but would love to go soon! We thought about going this April, actually, but getting back to Italy again won out (as it so often does with us).

Hope you have an amazing trip!

I am taking my husband and 2 children to Paris in July 2020. We are also going on to Rome and Florence. I have been to Paris for work. My family has never been. We are thinking 3 days in Paris. Should we go for 4 and reduce our time in Italy, or can we see enough in Paris?

I would say it depends on how long you have to spend in Rome and Florence. Ideally, I’d say the minimum number of days to spend in each city is 3 days in Paris, 3 in Rome, and 2 in Florence–though you could easily triple the time in any of them and still leave with lots left to do!

They happen to be 3 of our favorite cities in the entire world–we visit all of them regularly–so in my opinion, you can’t go wrong with extra time in any of them.

Hello, thank you for the comprehensive and interesting itinerary!

However, the day that I’m arriving happens to be on a Tuesday, which I heard that Louvre would be closed. May I know how I can switch my itinerary around?

Sure thing! Of course there are a million ways to do so, but the easiest would be to swap the Louvre and Montmartre on your itinerary–so see Montmartre the afternoon of day one and the Louvre the afternoon of day three. 🙂

Hope you have a great time!

Hi,loved your article. I am an armchair traveller and My son is on his first backpacking trip to Europe ,I read through lot of articles and found yours the best,sent him the links and he followed them almost to the the T, except doing Louvre in the evening as after 6 pm,as it’s open for students. Thanks a lot.

Thanks so much, Asiya! So glad your son had a great time–we love visiting the Louvre at night as well, it has such a nice atmosphere in the evenings.

WOW!! What a great itinerary, practically covered with many, if not all the places you should definitely know if you want to go to Paris, I would love to be able to take my girlfriend for a journey to know Paris, I will definitely take into consideration these places, I would like the idea of being able to visit the catacombs, however she is very scary, so I think she won’t be interested much hehe

Thanks, Mauel! Hope you and your girlfriend have the chance to visit Paris soon. 🙂

This is such detailed guide to Paris and saving it up for next travel to Europe.

Thanks so much, Mayuri! Hope you enjoy your next Europe trip!

Hi Kate, Your itinerary for Paris is as good as it gets. I am planning a trip to Europe in June 2020 with Paris as the first stop. Stay will be for 3 days which is perfect as per the itinerary. However, the only glitch is that our arrival will most probably be at 14:20 LT in Paris. Which means that after checking in at the hotel, we may make it for the evening cruise only. Our arrival will be most probably on 1st June and will leave Paris on 04th June. Will it be enough or should I add one more day?

Thanks, Sanjeev! To do absolutely everything on this Paris itinerary you might need another day, but if it doesn’t fit into your trip, no worries at all! You can still have a great trip and just either hurry through the sights a bit or cut whichever 1-2 things appeal to you the least–whichever fits your travel preferences more.

You mention hiking 3 towers in one day, but did I miss it…I didn’t see anywhere that you reviewed the Eiffel Tower? I only saw Arc De Triomphe and Sacre Coeur? I wanted your input on Eiffel Tower? Heard it’s not worth the amount of time spent to go to top? How about second floor? Worth it?? Thank you.

Apologies, that must be left over from years ago when this itinerary also included climbing Notre Dame. I’ll get it updated.

We’ve never gone to the top of the Eiffel Tower due to the number of friends who have told us it’s not worth it. Personally, it has never appealed to us as much as other monuments–I like having the Eiffel Tower in my Paris skyline photos!

We keep saying we’ll go up one day just so we can offer a first-person review–maybe this will finally be the year we do. 🙂

I would love it if there was a schedule with approximate times for each attraction!! Is there something like that <3 ? Thanks anyways 🙂

We don’t include any specific times since everyone moves at their own pace and starts at different times of the day (some families love to start sightseeing at 7, others at 9–and the itinerary can easily be adapted for both).

Have a wonderful time in Paris!

I really like this article as a fan of literature, I would really like to visit the Shakespeare and company. And the itinerary was so well plan and detailed. I will be bookmarking this for future references. Thank you for this post!

Thanks, John!

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3 Days in Amsterdam Itinerary: See the Highlights, Skip the Rush

Amsterdam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, to the point that the city has started implementing a higher tourist tax and restricting cruise ships. Maneuvering around the crowds to see the city’s highlights takes some advance planning (plus it doesn’t hurt to visit in the off-season!)

When researching our Amsterdam trip, I saw a lot of itineraries that jam-packed every second of the day. But that wasn’t the kind of trip I enjoy, so I built this 3 days in Amsterdam itinerary to make sure we could see the most important sites, but also have time to wander and relax, because that what a city like Amsterdam is meant for.

Amsterdam Itinerary in a Nutshell

I developed this itinerary for our couple’s trip to Amsterdam, but it could easily be adapted for families (although I wouldn’t suggest the Anne Frank house for children under 8), and I also have some suggestions on things to do in Amsterdam with teens in a separate post.

I’ll go into more detail below but here is a quick overview and a map of the places included:

• Breakfast: Pancakes Amsterdam
• Canal cruise
• Fabel Friet
• Skinny Bridge
• Museum of Dutch Resistance WWII
• (Optional Portuguese Synagogue)
• Rembrandt Square
• Flower Market
• Book Market (on Fridays)
• Dinner: Kantjil & De Tijger
• Breakfast: Pancake Bakery
• Anne Frank House
• Noordermarkt
• Optional: Cheese Museum, Tulip Museum
• Lunch: Winkel 43, New Dutch Amsterdam, or Banh Mi Deli
• Nine Streets (De Negen Straatjes) (Optional: Joordan)
• Dinner: Moeders or Smelt
• Brunch: Collins West
• Rijksmuseum
• Back to Black Coffee Shop
• Van Gogh Museum
• Optional: Vondelpark
• Dinner: Jansz

This map was created using Google My Maps and covers this 3 days in Amsterdam itinerary. You can click on the star next to the title and save this to your Google Maps account or click on the share icon to send it to yourself via email.

3 Days in Amsterdam Itinerary

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

This Amsterdam itinerary presumes that you have three full days and three nights to spend in the city. For our trip, we went over a holiday weekend so we only had to take one day off of work, leaving Thursday night from Boston, arriving Friday morning, and flying home on Monday.

Of course, if you are traveling from elsewhere in Europe, you won’t be nearly as jet lagged on your first day!

Day 1: Welcome to Amsterdam

If you are flying from the United States, you will likely arrive fairly early in the morning. The trip from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to the city center is only about 20 minutes by car. You can take public transportation but it takes longer and after a long flight, and I like my arrival to go as smoothly and quickly as possible. I booked an airport transfer with Welcome Pickups . I’ve used them in many cities and they are always on-time and ultra-professional with very nice vehicles.

You will be tired when you arrive, so you don’t want to book too many scheduled activities, but you also don’t want waste your day. The best way to get over jet lag (beyond getting some sleep on the plane), is to take a walk in the fresh air.

I’d recommend staying in the Centraal neighborhood and the area on Prinsengracht is a perfect location. We stayed at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht and absolutely loved it, but more on that later.

Start off with a nice walk along the canals to breakfast. The Netherlands is famous for its Dutch pancakes, so you need to try as many as you can. Our plan was to go to Pancakes Amsterdam , but the location by our hotel was closed for renovation, but there is another near the Anne Frank House. We didn’t have quite enough time to go that far so we ended up with a quick bite at Joe & the Juice.

Once satisfied, I highly recommend taking a canal boat tour through the city. This is the perfect way to start to get a feel for the canals and landmarks, as well as learn a bit about Amsterdam’s history. There are many types of canal boat cruises and most of them leave from the area near the Centraal Train Station. However, I’d suggest a classic boat that hosts smaller groups for a more intimate experience.

I booked with Leemstar , because it leaves right from the Andaz hotel dock.   Leemstar’s Signature Amsterdam Discovery Cruise takes a maximum of 12 people on a 90-minute tour that kicks off with a class of Prosecco. Since we were visiting Amsterdam in January , we ended being the only guests on the 11:00 a.m. tour and therefore got a private tour!

After exploring Amsterdam by boat, you will probably be a little hungry. If you want to find a good place in Amsterdam, just look for the lines out front! (It is kind of like Japan in that way.) Just around the corner is one of the most famous frites stands in the city. Scan the QR code for the menu at Fabel Friet and hop in line because it moves quickly. Grab your fries and find a spot by the canal to watch the boats go by while you enjoy your snack.

If you need something sweet, pop into Banketbakkerij Het Koekemannetje next door for some freshly-baked cookies or shop for some cheese at the De Kaaskamer cheese shop (you will catch a whiff of the cheeses as you walk by the open door.) If you don’t taste any local cheeses here, don’t worry, you will see Henri Willig cheese shops all over and they have plenty of samples to nibble on.

You may be tempted to go back to the hotel and nap, but try if you can to stay awake just a while longer. Walk along the Singel Canal to the Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market) . This is a little disappointing as it is mostly a row of nondescript flower shops selling tulip bulbs (that we were warned often don’t come up), but maybe it is prettier in the spring.

Next you will come to Rembrandtplein , which is a large square that is surrounded by bars and restaurants. If you spot one of the locations of Heinen Delfts Blauw , this is a good spot to shop for authentic hand painted Delft pottery (and some imported stuff too.)

Cross over the Amstel River via the beautiful Blauwbrug Bridge , which has a nice view of the Skinny Bridge to the south. You will then head into what was the Jewish neighborhood, where you can see the Portuguese Synagogue (closed on Saturdays and closes early on Fridays), the Jewish Museum, the Holocaust Monument, and the Auschwitz Memorial.

I had hoped to visit the National Holocaust Museum but that is currently closed. Instead, we visited the Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam , which is the Museum of WWII Dutch Resistance. This museum does a great job telling the history of The Netherlands during WWII and the many forms of resistance attempted by every day citizens.

I think it was a good museum to set the stage for visiting the Anne Frank House, especially for those that don’t know as much about World War II and the Holocaust. The museum was very interactive, with short films, touch screens, and engaging exhibits. It would be appropriate for kids over eight to ten, depending on the kid. If you aren’t interested in this history, you could also take this time to explore the Red Light District on a tour or on your own.

If you are a book lover and visiting on a Friday, you may want to stop at the Amsterdam Book Market in Spui Square on your way back to the hotel. This reminds me of book markets in Bordeaux or the small shops along the Seine in Paris , with various sellers of used and collectible books. There are also a number of bookshops in the area. If you are hungry on the way, you may want to stop for stroopwafels. Van Wonderen Stroopwafels claim to be the world’s best and there is often a line out the door. Personally, I thought they were fine, but REALLY overpriced at €10 a pop!

You will be happy to go back to your hotel for a quick nap and a shower before dinner because by this time the jet lag is probably hitting hard! I’d suggest something casual for dinner and if you eat on the earlier side in Amsterdam, you can avoid the crowds, but I’d still suggest making reservations.

In case you weren’t aware, the Dutch East Indies, which was a Dutch colony, refers to Indonesia and therefore, you will find a lot of Indonesian food in the city. Since we don’t have those options at home, we were happy to try the Rijsttafel menu at Kantjil & de Tijger , especially since it was such a short walk from our hotel.

Day 2: Anne Frank | Centraal | Joordan

I would have loved to take a food tour, but unfortunately my favorite food tour company, Devour Tours , didn’t have any running during January or February, but it is something you can look into — just plan ahead so you can book your Anne Frank House tickets accordingly.

Instead, we started our day with pancakes — of course — at the Pancake Bakery located in a 17th Century warehouse very close to the Anne Frank House. We were able to walk right in, but you may want to book a table in advance.

One thing you will need to do six weeks before your visit is purchase your timed-entry tickets to the Anne Frank House . Tickets go on sale every Tuesday at 10:00 am CEST for a visit in six weeks.  Set a reminder (or an alarm) and book as soon as possible because they absolutely will sell out, even in low season.

I recommend booking an early time slot. One thing you will soon notice about Amsterdam is that the locals get a late start (some breakfast places don’t open until 8 or 9 a.m.), but the visitors still hit the streets by 9 or 10 a.m. When you purchase your tickets, you will have a choice to buy just the self-guided visit with an audioguide or a ticket that includes a 30-minute program before you take the self-guided tour.

If you have not read the Diary of Anne Frank , I would suggest booking the program. They bring you up to a classroom and walk you through the timeline of the Franks’ life in Amsterdam and their time in hiding. You can also see a replica of her original diary and take pictures in this room (no photos are allowed in the museum or house itself.)

Again, I wouldn’t recommend visiting with children under eight, but there were only one or two images in the introductory films in the museum which were graphic and included pictures from concentration camps. Visiting the museum and walking through the building where the families hid, imagining that many people living in what are now just empty rooms is moving and powerful, as you would expect.

It can be hard for some to imagine the horrors of the Jewish people trying to survive under the Nazi regime but seeing this through the eyes of a young girl hopefully humanizes it for visitors and creates a deeper understanding of what happened.

The Westerkerk (church) is right next door if you want to take a look. The front was covered in scaffolding when we visited so we didn’t look to see if there was still a way inside. Instead, we crossed the Prinsengracht canal and walked up to the Noordermarkt , which is a farmer’s market and vintage market that is held every Saturday. This is a fun way to mix with locals and maybe find some interesting souvenirs.

In that area you can also pop into the Amsterdam Cheese Museum , where they offer tastings, or the Amsterdam Tulip Museum . This shop sells bulbs (and tells you how and when to plant them based on where you live) and tulip-related souvenirs. But you can also pay €5 to visit the small but interactive museum downstairs, which tells the history of tulips in The Netherlands. Did you know that most tulips are native to the Himalaya region?

By then, you may be getting hungry again. You can stop at Winkel 43 , which is famous for its apple pie, but if the line is too long, New Dutch Amsterdam is close by and has a good brunch/lunch. For something more casual, I’ve heard that Banh Mi Deli has amazing sandwiches, but it is mostly take out and you need to find a spot by the canal to eat.

After lunch, I’d suggest heading into the city center and visiting DAM Square . From here you are only five minutes up Damrak to Central Station and very close to a number of museums such as Madame Tussaud’s, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and not too far from the NEMO Science Center, all fun options when visiting with kids.

The square is also surrounded by important landmarks such as the Royal Palace (Koninklijk Palace), which is no longer home to the Dutch Royal family, but is still used to hold official receptions. The  New Church  (Nieuwe Kerk) is also used for art exhibitions, and Beurs van Berlage, an old stock exchange building, which is now used as a concert hall and an exhibition space. In the square you will also see the National Memorial statue, built in the memory of Dutch soldiers and members of the resistance who died in World War II. 

If you want to pack your day, you can certainly take in some of these sights, or explore the Red Light District. However, I think it is nice to use the rest of the day to wander the small streets and canals, soak in the atmosphere, and maybe do some shopping along Kalverstraat in the city center where you will find many global brands, or the cuter, more unique fashion boutiques in the Nine Streets (De Negen Straatjes). You can also wander through the hipster residential neighborhood of the Joordan.

Take some time to relax before heading back out for dinner (remember to make reservations in advance!) For traditional Dutch cuisine (think meat and potatoes), head to the quirky Moeder’s Restaurant . Moeder means mother in Dutch and the restaurant’s walls are lined with photos of mothers. You will find a mix of locals and visitors but it is far enough off the beaten track to not feel touristy.

Another great option is Restaurant Smelt , near the Andaz. This is a small, cozy fondue restaurant that serves a variety of different fondues and appetizers such as charcuterie, paired with a nice wine list. The Dutch-style fondue was definitely my favorite! We ended up going here for lunch and Moeder’s for dinner.

Day 3: Museums

Today is your day to tick off some of Amsterdam’s most famous museums. Start off with a delicious Middle Eastern-style brunch at Collins West (or Little Collins if you are staying closer to De Pijp.) You can make a reservation but if you go early, this hipster hot spot isn’t crowded.

Next, reserve your timed-entry ticket to the Rijksmuseum for a morning time slot (we picked 11 a.m.) to avoid the crowds that gather mid-day. You can pay extra for the audio guide, but I’d recommend just downloading the official app in advance and bringing along your own ear buds. It is the same as the audio guide device. The app allows you to select from a variety of preset tours, depending on your interests and how much time you have.

We were able to complete the highlights tour in just under an hour. The Rijksmuseum houses over 8,000 Dutch and European artworks from across 800 years of history including Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch,” Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid,” and Van Gogh’s self-portrait.

After the Rijksmuseum, you can take a little time to wander through Vondelpark or get a bite to eat before hitting another museum in the Museum Quarter . We walked over to the cozy Back to Black coffee shop, which is a local hangout for pour-over coffee, tea, and baked goods. if you are lucky, you can get a seat near the very docile cafe cat.

Before you leave Amsterdam, you should check out the Van Gogh Museum . Dedicated to the works of Vincent Van Gogh and his associates, the museum provides insights into the timeline of his troubled life and the stages of his work. It can be a bit challenging to interpret all this on your own, because the museum does get very crowded.

I would highly recommend booking The Complete Life of Van Gogh: Closing Time at the Museum tour with Take Walks. We had an excellent guide in Eduardo, who taught me more about Van Gogh than I had previously ever learned, even at the interactive Van Gogh exhibits. I always find it very helpful to have a guide in a busy museum to help tell the stories behind the art and the artist and highlight some of the most notable pieces. I never took art history but I’ve learned so much by visiting museums around the world this way!

I understand though that art museums aren’t for everyone so if you want to take your third day in Amsterdam to do more exploring, there is still plenty to see! You can take the ferry over the NDSM Wharf , which was a former shipyard and it has become a cultural hotspot with a vibrant artist community and plenty of bars and restaurants. Our canal boat pilot suggested eating at Pllk, which is made out of old shipping containers and has awesome views (probably great in good weather.)

You could also check out the Albert Cuyp Markt  in De Pijp or the Heineken Experience (for those over 18). If you are visiting in spring, consider taking a day trip to see the flower fields (you need to plan this in advance) or the windmills.

Finish your time in Amsterdam with a special meal at Jansz Amsterdam , which offers modern Dutch cuisine in a sprawling space broken into multiple rooms to still keep an intimate feel.

This three day Amsterdam itinerary will let you see all the highlights, but still have time to be spontaneous and enjoy exploring or relaxing. If you stay in a different area, you may want to swap out some restaurant suggestions or reorder, but this guide takes you through each of the main neighborhoods in central Amsterdam.

Where to Stay in Amsterdam

I loved our stay at the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht , which I booked using some of my World of Hyatt points. The location is absolutely perfect for exploring the city on foot. I was so impressed with the level of service and the room size and amenities (including a complimentary mini bar.)

The rooms aren’t ideal for families and I’m not a huge fan of the open bathroom floorpan, but it still worked well for a couples trip to Amsterdam.

Find other places to stay in Amsterdam:

Visiting Amsterdam? You may also be interested in…

• Things to do in Amsterdam with teens
• 7 Things to know before visiting Amsterdam in January

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Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.

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Publish Date: February 2, 2024

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Seattle Itinerary: 3 Days in Seattle, Washington

Welcome to JetSetting Fools, here you will find our best travel tips for destinations worldwide. Some of the links on this site are Affiliate Links and if you use them to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. For more information, read our Disclosure Policy .

Creating a Seattle Itinerary can be quite the task! Seattle is brimming with cool cafes, iconic sights and incredible nature. Spending 3 days in Seattle, Washington is just enough time to get acquainted with the city, visit top attractions and sample the local fare. To help fellow travelers plan their Seattle trip, we designed a perfect Seattle 3-Day Itinerary that features the absolute best of the city.

About Our Seattle Itinerary

Our Seattle, Washington 3-Day Itinerary is comprised of a detailed day-by-day Seattle trip plan. We feature the best things to do in Seattle – including tours, attractions and food. Because there are so many things to see in Seattle in 3 days, we have limited our recommendations to places and experiences that are unique to Seattle.

3 Days in Seattle Itinerary FAQs

Before we get to our outline of what to do in Seattle for 3 days, we want to answer a few of the most frequently asked questions about our Seattle trip plan. 

Are there Free Things To Do in the Seattle, Washington Itinerary?

Yes! While many of the things to do in Seattle are ticketed attractions that cost money, we do highlight the top neighborhood exploration and free Seattle activities, as well. 

Can I Use this Seattle Itinerary for Families? 

Sure! Throughout the post, we offer many kid-friendly attractions that will be fun for the whole family. 

Do you Provide Tips on How To Plan a Trip to Seattle?

Absolutely! In addition to our tips for how to see Seattle in 3 days, we also provide pertinent travel info – like how to get there, where to stay and what to pack. 

3 Days in Seattle, Washington

Travelers planning a long weekend in Seattle might be wondering, Is 3 days in Seattle enough – or is it too long? From our experience, we think 72 hours in Seattle is just enough time to get a good feel for the city. 

Therefore, below, we have outlined how to spend three perfect days in Seattle.

However, we know not everyone has plans to visit Seattle in 3 days, so we share our tips for shorter (and longer) Seattle itineraries at the end of the post. Whether you are planning how to visit Seattle in a day, are spending 2 days in Seattle or have a full week, our Seattle trip planner suggestions will help you plan your time in the Emerald City.

SEATTLE ITINERARY: What To See in Seattle in 3 Days

Our itinerary provides a succinct plan for seeing Seattle in three days. In addition to our tips for how to spend 3 days in Seattle, we also offer advice on alternate activities that you might want to include. In short, this Three Days in Seattle Itinerary includes everything you need to plan your vacation!

Save, Bookmark or Pin our Seattle Travel Guide to plan your trip to Washington State!

Day 1 of Your Seattle 3-Day Itinerary

On Day 1 of your 3-Day itinerary for Seattle visit the city’s most iconic landmarks. After checking into your accommodations (recommendations below), head straight for Pike Place Market, then wander along the harbor at the Seattle Waterfront Park and make your way to the iconic Space Needle.

Pike Place Market

Visiting Pike Place Market is practically mandatory on your Seattle 3 Day Itinerary – which is why it is where we suggest starting your vacation. 

Opened in 1907, Pike Place Market is a multi-storied farmer’s market and one of Seattle’s top attractions. Covering 9 acres, the expansive 24-building market was established as a place where shoppers could meet the farmers, butchers and bakers face-to-face.

In addition to the produce, meat and fresh baked goods for sale, Pike Place Market is home to numerous craft vendors, antique shops and top Seattle restaurants.

Planning a Trip to Seattle Pike Place Market: What To See, Do and Eat

Some must-see Seattle sights at the market are the famous salmon-tossing fishmongers at the Pike Place Fish Market, Rachel the bronze piggy bank, the original Starbucks, the infamous Market Theater Gum Wall and the bright red Seattle Public Market Center sign.

However, the real draw of the market and the reason it is a must on a 3 day trip to Seattle is the food…and there is plenty of it!

Nearly impossible to pick just one place to eat, we recommend grazing your way through the market. One thing not to miss, however, is a plate of Seattle’s own Chowder Fries from the famous Pike Place Chowder.

Looking for an upscale dining experience for your Seattle three day itinerary? Inconspicuously located down Post Alley, The Pink Door is an iconic Italian eatery. 

Pro Tip : For the best introduction to the massive market during your weekend in Seattle, we highly recommend joining a tour. Local guides will help you navigate your way through the market to the best Seattle bites and shops – all while filling you in on the spectacular market history. Reserve your spot!

Seattle Great Wheel

A relatively new attraction on Elliott Bay, the Seattle Great Wheel is a 175-foot-tall Ferris wheel standing proudly on Pier 57 since 2012 – and it’s a must for your Seattle Itinerary.

Visitors can hop on for a spin and enjoy the magnificent views of Seattle. That said, personally, we like the view of the wheel, which lights up at night with a dazzling display of 500,000 LED lights.

Waterfront Park Seattle

When planning a trip to Seattle, don’t skip the Waterfront Park. Originally called Schwabacher Wharf when it was developed in the late 1800s, the old Seattle docks were transformed into a park in the 1960s.

Seattle Waterfront Park consists of several viewing platforms – and there are tables, benches and telescopes for visitors to use.

Space Needle and Seattle Center

Next up on your Seattle, Washington 3 Day Itinerary is the famous Space Needle. From downtown Seattle, hop on the Monorail (or into an Uber ) and ride uphill to the Seattle Center, a 74-acre park built for the 1962 World’s Fair.

The landmark Space Needle – standing at 605 feet – is the centerpiece of the park. Getting an up close view of it is a must on your Seattle 3 Day Itinerary – especially if it is your first time in Seattle.

Visitors can take the elevators up to the observation deck, which offers stunning 360-degree views of Seattle, Puget Sound, Bainbridge Island and (hopefully) Mt Rainier. Tickets to the Space Needle are included with the Seattle CityPass – which we talk more about later.

Other top attractions at the Seattle Center that you might want to visit during your 3 days in Seattle are the International Fountain, theaters, top Seattle museums and art exhibits.

Kerry Park Seattle

After taking in the views from the top of the Space Needle, trek uphill to Kerry Park.

Barely more than a narrow strip of land, the elevated park is the place to go for panoramic views of the Space Needle, Seattle Skyline and Mount Rainier. If you are a traveler who likes epic views, Kerry Park will be a highlight of your 3 Days in Seattle trip (and don’t forget your favorite travel camera !).

Dick’s Drive In

Eating at renowned Dick’s Drive-In is a must on your 3 Day Seattle Itinerary; Washington native Sir Mix-a-Lot even rapped about this burger institution in his 1988 song, Posse on Broadway .

The famous Seattle fast-food chain has been doling out “Dick’s Deluxe” burgers – which includes two well-done patties, cheese, lettuce, mayo and relish – since 1954. The Dick’s Queen Anne location opened in 1974 – and is the only restaurant in the locally-operated chain to have indoor seating.

After Dinner Drinks on Day 1 of Your Seattle Vacation

For after dinner drinks on the first night of your Seattle weekend trip, either go to a classic Seattle dive bar or a modern craft beer bar.

The 5 Point Café is a diner-slash-tavern – and exactly the kind of jovial atmosphere you would expect at one of Seattle’s best dive bars. Opened as a greasy-spoon American diner in 1929, the 24/7 tavern serves all day breakfast and features a full bar menu. It’s another iconic place to go on a 3 day trip to Seattle.

Just a block away, TeKu Tavern offers a more polished bar experience. With a gigantic selection of beer and ciders in bottles, cans and on tap – including a large menu of local Seattle libations – visitors are spoiled for choice. Patrons who want a taste of several local Seattle craft beers can order a tasting board.

Seattle Live Music during Your Seattle Weekend Itinerary

The Seattle music scene is legendary. In fact, many visitors plan a trip to Seattle for the express purpose of catching a live music performance.

The birth of Grunge happened in Seattle’s downtown locales. Among the many small venues where grunge bands got their start, there is none more popular than the iconic Crocodile.

Opened in 1991, the Crocodile stage has seen a slew of iconic acts – including Seattle’s own Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, along with R.E.M., Green Day and many others. The Croc is still an operating club featuring live music – so go check out a show! It’s one of the best things to do in Seattle on the weekend.

Day 2 of Your Three Days in Seattle                              

On the second day of your Seattle travel itinerary delve into the history of the city, get a taste of local fare and end the day at a baseball game.

Breakfast on Day 2 of your Seattle Visit Itinerary

The coffee culture in Seattle is unmissable! In addition to the recognizable (unavoidable?) brands – like Starbucks, Tully’s and Seattle’s Best Coffee – Seattle is home to hundreds of coffee shops and local roasters. Getting a taste of the city’s best coffee is a must on your Seattle long weekend trip – and it tastes even better with a breakfast of biscuits or doughnuts. 

In a city where drinking coffee is serious business, where you get your cup of joe will depend on your interest in the craft – and what breakfast you want to eat with it. We have two phenomenal Seattle food recommendations: General Porpoise or Biscuit Bitch. 

General Porpoise Doughnuts and Coffee

If you want to your day in Seattle with a combination caffeine jolt and sugar high, then head for General Porpoise (Pioneer Square location), where coffee and doughnuts are perfectly paired.

Biscuit Bitch

Travelers looking for a heartier ‘trailer park to table’ breakfast experience should track down Biscuit Bitch. Get your day started with a heaping mess of biscuits and gravy and a cup of Seattle coffee made specially for the restaurant by local Seven Coffee Roasters. 

Pioneer Square: A Must on your Seattle Travel Itinerary

The next stop on your Seattle, Washington Itinerary is Pioneer Square. At the heart of the city when it was founded in 1852, the Pioneer Square district is steeped in history and filled with architectural gems.

Wander the streets, pop into the art galleries or embark on the Trail to Treasure to better understand the events that shaped Seattle. (Pick up your free map at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park to seek out the Seattle, Washington points of interest).

Some Seattle tourist attractions not to miss in the area are Occidental Square (an urban park with art exhibits) and the Waterfall Garden (for a calm respite). 

Seattle Underground Tour

One of the best things to see in Seattle in 3 days is the city’s underground. The history is fascinating!

The Great Seattle Fire of 1889 decimated the original city – and, when it was rebuilt, the planners buried the rubble and started with a clean slate. By doing so, remains of the first city are preserved underground…and visitors can access the old Seattle streets to explore the fascinating subterranean labyrinth, but only on a guided tour. Reserve Your Spot!

Smith Tower Seattle

After navigating the underground, the next activity on your Weekend in Seattle Itinerary is to soar to the top of the Smith Tower.

The 38-story building was opened in 1914 – and ranked as the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at that time. Today, guests can access the 35th floor observations deck and Prohibition-themed bar by taking a ride up on the original Otis elevator. Buy Skip-the-Line Tickets here!

Chinatown-International District

A vibrant, multiethnic neighborhood, Chinatown-International District (or just CID) is a conglomeration of three distinct neighborhoods: Chinatown, Japantown and Little Saigon . Known for its many Asian eateries, landmarks and festivals, CID is one of the most intriguing districts to visit in Seattle.

For lunch on Day 2 of your 3 Day Seattle Itinerary, eat at Jade Garden or Honey Court Seafood – two of the more popular Seattle Chinese food restaurants. Another good food option is to check out the goods at the Uwajimaya grocery store where visitors can dine on an array of delectable Asian eats.

Pro Tip: Unbeknownst to many, one of Seattle’s signature dishes is teriyaki – which is prevalent on many menus in the district. 

What To See on a Trip to Seattle: CID Sights

While in CID, there are a few top attractions that you might want to include in your Seattle itinerary.

The Wing Luke Museum details the history and culture and Asian Pacific Americans in Seattle.

The Panama Hotel dates to 1910 and features a Japanese bathhouse.

The Hing Hay Park, Kobe Terrace and Historic Chinatown Gate are other top places to see in Seattle CID.

For something unique in CID, stop by the Seattle Pinball Museum, where visitors can play classic arcade games!

Seattle Craft Beer

Just like many of the best vacation cities in the United States – like Denver , San Diego and Portland and even nearby Spokane or Vancouver WA – the craft beer revolution in Seattle is in full swing. There are dozens of craft breweries that you could pop into during your three days in Seattle.

That said, we recommend putting Elysian Fields – one of the first microbreweries – on your Seattle trip itinerary, but only if there is a sporting event. Otherwise, belly-up to the 16 taps at Old Stove Brewing or have a tour and a taste and The Pike Brewing Company.

For real bar nostalgia, however, head to Flatstick Pub. The Pioneer Square location is like a playhouse for adults, with mini golf, duffleboard, beer pong…and naturally an extensive craft beer tap list. 

Nearby is another entertaining bar, Seattle’s Cowgirls Inc. Guests rave about the mechanical bull and jovial atmosphere in the Western-themed drinking institution.

Mariners Baseball Game (or other Seattle Sporting Events)

Seattle may not have as a deep-rooted history of baseball – like New York , Boston and Chicago – but they do have an awesome ballpark. If there is a Mariners game during your visit , it is a must for your Three Days in Seattle Itinerary!

While the team is not known for their successes (the Mariners have never played in a World Series), a night at T-Mobile Park is still quite the experience.

In fact, the Mariners proudly produce one of the best dining menus of all Major League Baseball venues. With a robust selection of ballpark classics and unique eats (like Hawaiian Plate Lunches and Acai Bowls), having dinner at a Seattle Mariners game is half the fun!

Pro Tip: Before going into the stadium, seek out Al’s Gourmet Sausage (he has a yellow tent!) outside the stadium for an epic Seattle Dog. Al is often credited for starting the strange Seattle tradition of topping hot dogs with grilled onions and cream cheese (yep, cream cheese ) – it’s one of the unique things to eat on your Seattle trip! If there’s no baseball games when you visit Seattle in 3 days, see if there is a Seahawks or Sounders FC home game at Lumen Field, right next T-Mobile Park.

Best Seafood Dinner in Seattle

If there are no home games to attend (or you’re just not interested in sports), consider settling into a classic Seattle seafood meal at nearby Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar. Taylor shellfish farms have been operating in the Pacific Northwest since the late 1800s – and the company is committed to fresh seafood and sustainable farming.

Day 3 of Your Seattle Trip Itinerary

On the last day of your Seattle Three-Day Itinerary, get caffeinated and then spend time in the beautiful outdoors. There are heaps of outdoor adventures in the city, so we are offering a few suggestions of places to include in your 3 perfect days in Seattle.

Starbucks Coffee during your Weekend Trip to Seattle

Starbucks was born in Seattle – and while it is now available anywhere in America (and nearly every country in the world), getting a taste of the successful chain’s coffee in its home city is a must on your Seattle weekend itinerary.

Visitors can fight the crowds at the original Starbucks location (near Pike Place Market) or visit a Starbucks Reserve Roastery, where guests get a coffee experience like none other.

At the Reserve Roastery, Starbucks offers multiple coffee bars, tasting flights and even liquor-infused coffee drinks. It’s a fun place to kick off the final day of your 3 Day Itinerary Seattle.

In fact, we recommend staying in the Capitol Hill district for a little sightseeing after your coffee. Stroll through Cal Anderson Park to the Reflecting Pool, peruse the books at the Elliott Bay Book Company or do some shopping at Harvard Market. 

Seattle Parks

Seattle is dubbed the Emerald City for its year-round evergreens and abundance of nature – so spending some time in the outdoors is essential during your Seattle 3-Day Itinerary. There are heaps of choices when it comes to parks in Seattle, and we are highlighting a few of the best.

Olympic Sculpture Park

Located just north of downtown, the waterfront 9-acre Olympic Sculpture Park is part of the Seattle Art Museum and a wonderful place to include on your Seattle vacation itinerary.

Once an industrial site, the land was transformed into a green space in the early 2000s. The park, which is free to enter, contains a permanent and rotating exhibition of artworks.

Gas Works Park

The former site of the Seattle Gas Light Company, the Gas Works Park is a unique outdoor space to visit on your three days in Seattle.

The park contains remnants of the coal gasification plant, combining industry with nature in an intriguing way. Beyond the plants remains, the other top attraction is 60-foot Kite Hill that offers stunning Seattle views.

Visitors who go to Gas Works Park might also want to check out the nearby Fremont Troll (who resides under an overpass) and Fremont Brewing’s Urban Beer Garden.

Volunteer Park

Situated in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Volunteer Park, was established in 1901. Marked by gardens, ponds and trails, this Seattle park also features a conservatory, amphitheater, water tower, statues and sculptures.

Nearby is the Lakeview Cemetery, which is where Kung Fu master Bruce Lee and his son are buried – and their graves attract visitors to Seattle from around the world (so why not include it on your Seattle trip itinerary, too?!).

Washington Park Arboretum and Seattle Japanese Garden

Washington Park Arboretum is a lush park maintained jointly by both the University of Washington and Seattle Parks and Recreation. Visitors can join a guided tour or use the trail maps to explore the park on their own.

On the south end of the park, the inviting Japanese Garden is a beautifully landscaped green space that was planned with impeccable detail. For many travelers, it’s one of the top things to see in Seattle in 3 days.

Outdoor Excursions for your Itinerary for Seattle

When you visit Seattle in 3 days, there is just enough time to get out and explore the surrounding area on the afternoon of your last day. Even visitors spending 3 days in Seattle without a car can explore beyond the city center.

In the afternoon of your third day in Seattle, continue your discovery of the great outdoors by either enjoying a harbor cruise, hopping on a ferry to Bainbridge Island or spending time on Lake Union.

Seattle Harbor Cruise

Enjoying the views from a harbor cruise is a fantastic way to cap off your Seattle 3 Day Trip. The classic, narrated 1-hour tour features the beautiful sights of the Seattle Harbor and Elliott Bay. 

Pro Tip: The 2-hour cruise takes passengers to the Ballard Locks and a community of houseboats (that were featured in the film Sleepless in Seattle). This is a top Seattle tour, but be aware that it is a one-way route. 

Ferry to Bainbridge Island

Located on Puget Sound just across from Seattle, Bainbridge Island is a perfect half-day destination that you should fit into a 3-Day Seattle Itinerary.

With the ferries running regularly, Bainbridge is easily accessible. Once there, guests can either walk into town – where there are museums, shops and winery tasting rooms along Winslow Way – or rent a bicycle to explore Bainbridge Island’s ample gardens and parks.

Visitors who would rather a guide lead the way can join an all-inclusive Bainbridge Island tour from Seattle. Get the details here!

Pro Tip: Another fun Seattle ferry ride is from the Seattle Ferry Terminal to Bremerton. Once in Bremerton, visitors can see the Harborside Fountain Park and Puget Sound Navy Museum, wall the Bremerton Boardwalk to the USS Turner Joy Museum and dine on delectable seafood at the famous Anthony’s at Sinclair Inlet. 

Lake Union Seattle

A large freshwater lake just north of the Seattle city center, South Lake Union is a popular destination for outdoor recreation in the summertime and a great place to spend some time on your Weekend in Seattle itinerary. There is an abundance of options for getting out on the water – from renting luxury boats to paddling around in kayaks to taking a cruise .

Visitors looking for a unique Seattle water expedition should look into renting a Hot Tub Boat – where participants…well, it’s self-explanatory.

Pro Tip: For a truly spectacular experience, take off in a seaplane for a flight over Lake Union. The scenic tours offer the most breathtaking views of Seattle, surrounding islands and Cascade Mountains. Get the details!

Seattle Map

Use this link to Google Maps to find our Seattle map of attractions. Our map of Seattle highlights the locations of the sights from Day 1 (BLUE), Day 2 (RED) and Day 3 (PURPLE). 

More Seattle Things To Do

We outlined our three perfect days in Seattle – but there is so much more to do in the city! Consider adding or substituting (we won’t be offended) some of the following attractions to your Seattle, Washington Itinerary.

Seattle Museums

As wonderful as the surrounding nature can be, the weather in Seattle doesn’t often cooperate. Thankfully, Seattle has a slew of excellent museums and indoor attractions that can be added to your Seattle travel itinerary.

Top Museums for your 3 Days in Seattle Itinerary

We are highlighting a few of the top-rated museums in Seattle – some of which are included with the Seattle CityPass . These are some of the best places to visit in Seattle on rainy days.

Seattle Museum of Pop Culture

The Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPop, is one of the most intriguing places to visit in Seattle. Housed in an architecturally unique structure, the engaging and interactive exhibits cover a range of pop culture topics. Visitors could easily spend the better part of a day seeing the culturally significant artifacts and exhibits on film genres.  Find out more !

Chihuly Garden and Glass

A simply magnificent display of Tacoma native Dale Chihuly glass artwork, the Chihuly Garden incorporates the intricately colorful glass displays into natural settings.  Book it now !

Pacific Science Center 

PacSci is a fun, hands-on museum that is great for a Family Trip Seattle Itinerary. In addition to the science exhibits, the PacSci features an IMAX theater, a butterfly house and a laser show. 

Seattle Art Museum (SAM)

Featuring an array of modern art, international artworks and special exhibits – like the Porcelain Room, the SAM Art Museum is an ideal place to wile away a few hours when visiting Seattle. Travelers planning a Seattle Itinerary on a Budget should visit SAM on the first Thursday of the month when admission is free! 

Museum of Flight

The city of Seattle has a strong connection to the history of aviation – and there is no better place to learn about it than the Museum of Flight. Exhibits feature more than 100 years of history, including famous aircraft – like Air Force One and the Concorde. Get tickets here!

Museum of History and Industry

Situated on the south bank of Lake Union, the Museum of History and Industry (or MOHAI) is a kid-friendly space that features key exhibits on innovation, tech and the history of Seattle. 

Seattle Aquarium

A fun place to see seals, seat otters, puffins and giant octopus, the Seattle Aquarium is prominently located right on the waterfront promenade. With knowledgeable staff and hands-on exhibits, the aquarium is a fun Seattle attractions for visitors of all ages! 

Woodland Park Zoo

The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle is a fun place to go for families with young kids. From red pandas to grizzly bears to giraffes and monkeys, the walkable zoo is home to a variety of animals from around the world.

Theo Chocolate

A fascinating experience for Seattle visitors, the Theo Chocolate offers a behind-the-scenes look at creating delectable chocolates…plus the opportunity to taste the product! 

University Of Washington

Home of the Huskies, the University of Washington was founded in 1861 – and is just a short jaunt from downtown Seattle. Campus visitors will not want to miss Red Square, the Drumheller Fountain or the Suzzallo Library.

If your visit to Seattle happens to be in the springtime, check to see if the Yoshino cherry trees are in blossom on the Quad. Also, the university’s Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture is an excellent place to learn about Northwest US history – from dinosaurs to Native Americans. 

Amazon HQ Tour

Headquartered in Seattle, Amazon has built an urban campus in the center of the city – which features The Spheres, three glass-dome conservatories. Tours are only available on select days, so check ahead of time before adding it to your Seattle vacation itinerary.

Alki Beach in West Seattle

Although the Puget Sound waters may be too cold to swim in, the Alki Beach is a top summertime destination for walking, sunbathing and hanging out with friends.

Additionally, there are a few points of interest that are fun to seek out – like the Statue of Liberty replica, Alki Point Lighthouse and the Birthplace of Seattle Monument. Visitors can travel by water taxi to West Seattle. 

More Parks in Seattle

We highlighted a few top parks in our 3-Day Seattle Itinerary, but there are a several more notable Seattle parks – such as Kubota Garden, Green Lake Park and Discovery Park – that are also worth checking out on nice days. Visitors could also explore Pioneer Park on Mercer Island. 

Seattle Architecture

The Seattle Space Needle isn’t the only architectural stand-out in the city! In fact, there are numerous buildings in Seattle that architectural gems.

Some of the uniquely designed Seattle buildings include the Seattle Central Library, Columbia Center, Rainier Tower, Seattle City Hall and King Street Station. Architecture fans will want to make time to see these structures when they plan a trip to Seattle.

Seattle Tours and Tickets

Visitors planning what to do in Seattle for a weekend might want to include a Seattle Tour in their itinerary plans. We highlighted some of the best food tours and city experiences throughout our 3 Days in Seattle Itinerary – and we are listing a few of the top ones here again. When looking for the best tours in Seattle, we recommend starting your search on Viator . 

• Pike Place Market Tour – Book it here!
• Seattle Underground Tour – Reserve your spot!
• Classic Harbor Cruise in Seattle – Don’t miss it!
• Seattle Seaplane Tour – Get the details!

Seattle City Pass

An all-in-one pass to the best museums in Seattle, and includes entry to the Space Needle, the Seattle Aquarium, the MoPop Museum, Woodland Park Zoo, Chihuly Garden and a harbor cruise. Get yours now!

Seattle Day Trips

While there are certainly enough city center sights to fill 3 days in Seattle, there are ample regional attractions that visitors might want to include in their Seattle itinerary.

Boeing Factory Tour ( Currently Closed for Tours )

Interesting to more than just aviation geeks, the Boeing Factory, which is housed in the largest building in the world, is a phenomenal place to learn about the history and engineering of airplanes.

On half-day expeditions from Seattle, participants will tour the Boeing Factory, enjoy interactive exhibits at the aviation Center Gallery and get an educational learning experience at the Future of Flight Aviation Center Museum. Book it now!

Mount Rainier Tour from Seattle

Mt. Rainier, located within the Mount Rainier National Park, stands as the tallest mountain in Washington State – and it can be reached on a day trip from Seattle.

On a popular day tour, visitors are led by a guide to spectacular waterfalls and amazing viewpoints. Depending on the season, the day may also include snowshoeing, sledding and wildlife watching. Get the details!

Olympic National Park Tour

A UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve, Olympic National Park features both coastline and forests and has multiple ecosystems. It is considered to be one of the best national parks in America.

Visitors can plan their own Olympic National Park Itinerary from Seattle – or join a tour the includes convenient pick up and a gourmet lunch. Learn more here!

San Juan Islands Whale Watching Tours from Seattle

The San Juan Islands archipelago is a fabulous destination from Seattle! Located north of the city near the Canadian border, the islands are renowned for their exceptional beauty and relaxing vibe. 

One of the best ways to experience San Juan Islands from Seattle is on a whale watching tour. Visitors embark on the journey from Pier 69 to the San Juan Islands and search for sea life – like orca, humpback and minke whales. Dock at Friday Harbor and spend a couple of hours in in town before making the boat trip back to Seattle to complete the full day tour.

Vancouver, WA

Take a 3 hour drive down I-5 to surprising Vancouver, Washington. We completely enjoyed our stay in the city and you can read all the details in our Best Things To Do in Vancouver, WA article!

Snoqualmie Falls and Wine Country

On a relaxing day trip from Seattle, tour participants see the beautiful Snoqualmie Falls and then travel to Woodinville – Washington’s wine country.

In addition to the famed Chateau Ste. Michelle, one of the most famous wineries in Washington, tours also stop at a family-run winery for tastings. Before returning to Seattle, there is one more stop at Boehms Candies, a local chocolate factory. Find out more!

How Many Days in Seattle

There are many factors to consider when determining how many days to visit Seattle. Among the most important are you personal interests, overall time allotment for the trip and your Seattle vacation budget. 

We think spending 3 days in Seattle allows the best introduction to the city. To make the most of the time, we absolutely packed our itinerary with the top things to see in Seattle in 3 days. 

That said, we could easily condense our Seattle trip plan to a single day – or extend it to a week or longer. 

More Seattle Itineraries

We shared our top tips for what to see in Seattle in 3 days – but what if you have more – or less! – time? No need to worry! We have ideas for how to spend a half day to a week in Seattle!

Half Day in Seattle

Travelers constrained to visiting Seattle in half a day will need to limit their Seattle sightseeing to just the highlights. An ambitious visitor might be able to plan a Seattle itinerary that includes Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. However, for a more leisurely half day, we recommend seeing Pike Place Market then going to Waterfront Park.

Seattle 1-Day Itinerary

Visitors creating a 1-Day Seattle Itinerary will still need to be detailed in their sightseeing plan.

How To Plan a Seattle One Day Itinerary

For us, an ideal Seattle in One Day Itinerary would basically follow our outline for Day 1 in our above 3-Day Seattle Itinerary. That said, visitors most interested in history might want to create a 1 Day in Seattle Itinerary using our outline for Day 2 instead.

One Day in Seattle with the City Pass

If the weather is unsavory, it is also possible to spend most of the day indoors at museums. In fact, it is possible to create a 1-Day Seattle City Pass Itinerary. After exploring Pike Place Market, use the City Pass for the following sights (in order): Elliott Bay Cruise, Seattle Aquarium, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture and Space Needle. Find out more about the pass!

Seattle in One Day with a Tour Guide

One more way to plan a day in Seattle would be to leave it up to a tour guide! Skip all the hassle of planning what to see and how to get around and join a wildly popular One Day Seattle Tour. Book it now!

Seattle Itinerary 2 Days

Spending two days in Seattle allows a lot more time for exploration! In fact, with 2 days in Seattle, it is possible to see nearly all the iconic sights and highlights.

How To Create a Seattle 2 Day Itinerary

To plan a succinct Seattle 2-Day Itinerary, we recommend following Days 1 and 2 from our Seattle 3 Days Itinerary in order to get a good overview of the city. 

Seattle Weekend Itinerary

A Weekend in Seattle Itinerary – utilizing 2.5 days – is a fabulous opportunity to include just a bit more sightseeing into your trip. Assuming that you arrive on Friday afternoon; get settled into your accommodations, then kick off your Weekend trip to Seattle Itinerary with a fun Haunted Pub Tour . Then, use our advice for a Seattle 2 Days Itinerary (directly above) for things to do on Saturday and Sunday.

Alternative Seattle Itinerary 3 Days

While we feel our outlined Seattle 3 Days Itinerary is a fantastic introduction, we know that some visitors have different interests. The city offers a variety of activities that will surely appeal to wide range of preferences.

How To Plan What To See in Seattle in 3 Days

While our itinerary sticks close to the city, other visitors may find touring the region to be more interesting. Therefore, visitors not keen on exploring Seattle’s history may instead want to take a full-day trip to Rainier National Park on Day 2.

In fact, travelers who want to mostly experience nature can book a 3-Day tour of Seattle and the surrounding region that includes the city, Olympic National Park and Mt Rainier National Park. Get more info!

Seattle Itinerary 4 Days

Visitors planning a 4-Day Seattle Itinerary will have ample time to see the top sights – and much more!

How To Plan a Trip for 4 Days in Seattle

Using this post as a base, it’s relatively easy to plan a Seattle 4 Day Itinerary. To create a 4 Days in Seattle Itinerary, use our Seattle, Washington 3-Day Itinerary, then on day 4, go on a Seattle day trip! We recommend going to the Cascade Mountains or Washington wine country, based on your personal interests.

Seattle Itinerary 5 Days

Travelers with 5 days in Seattle can easily fill their days with fascinating sightseeing!

How To Plan a Perfect Seattle 5 Day Itinerary

Start by using the above Seattle 4-Day Itinerary as a base. Then, on the final day of your 5-Day Seattle Itinerary, venture out to see the optional parks and sights listed on Day 3 of our original 3-Day Seattle Trip Plan. For example, if you spent Day 3 at Volunteer Park and Bainbridge Island, then on Day 5, go to Gas Works Park and Union Lake.

Seattle Itinerary 6 Days

Thinking about planning 6 days in Seattle? You will have ample time to see the best sights and the some of the surrounding nature – plus a few of the fabulous museums.

How To Create a Seattle 6 Day Itinerary

Use the above Seattle 5-Day Itinerary as a base for your plans. Then on the last day (or any rainy day during your stay), use the Seattle CityPass to explore the museums.

Seattle Itinerary 7 Days

Visitors planning a week in Seattle will find that there is plenty to see and do! You will truly be able to get a taste for the city and PNW region. 

How To Plan a 1 Week Trip to Seattle

To create an ideal Seattle One-Week Itinerary, use our tips for the above Seattle 6-Day Itinerary and then on the last day either take a second day trip, explore the University of Washington campus or relax for the day on Alki Beach.

Portland and Seattle Itinerary

Because of their proximity, many travelers will want to create a Seattle–Portland Itinerary. Visitors can easily get between the two cities by renting a car or using a bus or train (or even fly if you aren’t returning to Seattle for a flight home). To plan your time in Portland, be sure to read our Guide to the Columbia River Gorge and our complete Portland Itinerary !

San Francisco to Seattle Itinerary

A popular US road trip route is from San Francisco to Seattle (or vice versa). Travelers making this journey can use our tips for the Oregon Coast portion of the drive or opt for the inland route through Bend, Oregon . Either way, get back to the coast to see the giant redwoods outside Crescent City and when in SF check out our San Francisco Itinerary .

Top Travel Tips For Your 3 Days In Seattle Itinerary

Now that you know what to do in Seattle for 3 days (or longer), we have a few final tips and packing hacks for your vacation.

Organizing a Trip to Seattle, Washington

Organizing your Seattle trip plans is a must! Make sure you keep track of all the trip planning details – from flights to restaurant reservations – in a travel planner. Our Printable Travel Planner is ideal for staying on top of trip planning for Seattle! 

How To Get To Seattle

An essential consideration for your Seattle vacation itinerary is how to get there. Seattle can be reached by car, bus, boat, train or plane. Our preferred method of travel is by plane – we are JetSetting Fools, after all! When we start looking for the best flights and airfare , we start our search on SkyScanner .

Seattle Airport to Seattle

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) – or SeaTac – is located about 15 miles south of the city center. SeaTac offers loads of flights from around the world, including international services from Amsterdam , London and Tokyo as well as direct flights from major US cities like Chicago , Phoenix , Boston , NYC , and Washington DC to name just a few!

Visitors can easily hop on the Link Light Rail to get from the SeaTac airport to downtown Seattle, but Uber is an option as well as private transfers booked online . 

Where To Stay in Seattle

Choosing where to stay for your 3-day trip to Seattle can feel overwhelming – there are so many accommodation options to choose from! We have stayed in various hotels in Seattle – and you can find the best place to stay for your trip, as well!

Seattle Hotels

To find an ideal hotel for three days in Seattle we recommend looking for accommodations in downtown. From there, it is easy to get to the best places to see in Seattle. Of course, hotels in Seattle – especially right in the heart and during the summer – are notoriously expensive. 

The luxury Artic Club Hotel is our recommended place to stay. We absolutely loved staying in this classy and cozy hotel that was just steps from attractions. Check rates and availability for your stay! 

Budget travelers can find an affordable place to stay in the Seattle City Center at the Green Tortoise Hostel. Check rates for your stay! 

Use our tips for booking the best hotels – and start your search for the best hotels in Seattle on Booking.com – like we do!

Seattle Airbnb Apartments

While there are numerous hotel choices in the downtown area Airbnb apartments are an alternative to pricey hotels in Seattle. We have stayed in Airbnb Apartments around the world and have found that they are affordable options in most cities. However, before booking a Seattle vacation rental, be sure to compare the final Airbnb price (with all the fees) to the total cost of the hotel to make sure you are, in fact, saving money. 

What To Pack for 3 Days in Seattle, Washington

These are our top tips for what to pack for your trip to Seattle – but you can find more of our packing advice on our Ultimate Packing List post. Need a packing checklist? Get your FREE Packing Checklist here !

The Right Shoes for your 3 Day Itinerary in Seattle

When visiting Seattle in 3 days, you are going to need good walking shoes ! Seattle sights are spread out and, while there is good public transport and Uber/Lyft, you will want to wear comfortable walking shoes. I like to wear these shoes by Columbia and Kris prefers wearing Merrell trail shoes.

Seattle Weather Gear

Make no mistake, it rains in Seattle! Be sure you are prepared for wet days with a travel umbrella and a packable raincoat . Of course, the sun can be intense, so make sure you bring sunscreen and a wide-brimmed travel hat if you are visiting Seattle during summer months.

Travel Camera for Seattle Photography 

Seattle is certainly beautiful – so bring an actual camera to capture the stunning landscapes and sights! We use a Canon Rebel with an everyday 18-135mm lens . It takes excellent photos – and comes bundled with tons of great accessories that are perfect for beginner photographers !

Day Pack for your Seattle Trip

Whether you travel with a suitcase or a backpack , you will certainly want a great day bag to organize and secure all of your essential, everyday travel items .

US Travel Insurance

Trip insurance may protect against trip cancellations, flight delays and lost luggage – among other travel mishaps . Check rates and coverage at World Nomads .

Start planning your trip to Seattle, Washington ! Search for the lowest airfares , the best accommodations and fun things to do …then start packing !   Want more travel planning tips? Head over to our Travel Planning Page for more information and tips on traveling – and for country-specific information, take a look at our Travel Guides Page !

Planning More USA Adventures? 

We share insider tips for how to spend time in the best US destinations! For quick trips, don’t miss our top picks in our Best USA Weekend Getaways guide! Looking for less visited places? Check out our list of Underrated US Destinations !

Dig into our complete guides to Montana , New Orleans , Las Vegas , Austin , Cincinnati , NYC , Denver and many more on our USA Travel Guides Page!

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Luyện tập tổng hợp

• trắc nghiệm
• bài tập sgk

1. Our trip last three days .

-> It is a

2. That dress is like this one

-> That dress is the

3. He was too lazy to pass the exam

-> He was lazy, so

4. She is not tall enough to phay volley ball

-> She is not tall, so

5. She spent a few hours collecting her old clothes

-> It took

6. The phay is interesting to the children

-> The children are

7. She doesn't really want to go out late at night

-> She'd rather

8. When did you first know this bamboo forest?

-> How long

9. "What is your hobby?"

-> She asked Nam

10. We like to lie on the beach all day

-> We are

-> It is a three-day trip

-> That dress is the same as this one

-> He was lazy, so he couldn't pass the exam

-> She is not tall, so she can't play volleyball

-> It took her a few hours to collect her old clothes

6. The phay is interesting to the children(vt sai chính tả)

-> The children are interested in the phay

7. She doesn't really want to go out late at night

-> She'd rather not go out late at night

-> How long have you known this bamboo forest?

-> She asked Nam what his hobby was

-> We are interested in lying on the beach all day

• Nguyễn Nhật Thanh

Enough with adjective: (adj + enough + (for s.o) + to + V(inf)

1. He is too young to go out alone.

2. She is intelligent. She can take part in the contest.

3. My grandmother is too weak to lift the bag.

4. She was too lazy. She didn't pass the final exam.

5. The birds are too young to fly into the sky.

6. There are old they xan go to school themselves.

7. His sister is not intelligent. She can't answer the question.

8. The boy is clever. Hen can draw beautiful pictures.

9. That boy is so fat that he can't sit onto the armchair.

10. It's sunny. We can have a picnic outdoors.

• Lê Thị Khánh Huyền

Rewrite these sentences using the cuses provided with SO/SUCH/TOO/ENOUGH

1. We went to bed earlly because we were very tired

We were so.....

2. The lesson is very difficult. We can't understand it

It is such.......

3. The car is so old that he doesn't want to drive it

It is such.....

4. The weather was very cold. We couldn't go out

The weather was too.......

5. The film was so interesting that we couldn't miss it

It was such......

6. David has too many girlfriends. He can't remember all of their names

David has so......

7. Tom drives too fast, so he often causes accidents

Tom drives so.....

8. This is good tea. I think I'll have another cup

This is such.....

9. John was very angry. He couldn't say anything

John was too....

10. These exercises are so long that I can't finish them in an hour

They are....

11. She is old. She can't work by herself (enough)

She is.....

12. The boy is intelligent. He can understand you (enough)

The boy is....

13. Mai is good. She can pass the examination (enough)

14. The children were very late. They couldn't see the display of fireworks (too)

The children were...

15. Your brother is very young. He can't go swimming (too)

Your brother is...

16. The sound is very low. We can't hear it (too)

The sound was...

Rewrite the following sentences

1. It was such a high wall that we couldn't climb over the wall. (too... to)

2. The room is so tidy that it took us one hour to clean it. (such... that)

3. It is such a long film that they canh broad cast it on one night. (so... that)

4. The weather was so warm that they had a walk in the garden. (enoug... to)

5. It was such a funny story that he couldn't stop laughing. (to... to)

6. The match was so exciting that all the fans shouted loudly. (such... that)

7. There is so much rain that we canh go out. (such... that)

8. The milk is excellent enough for the children to want some more. (so... that)

9. My sister is too young to go to the zoo alone. (so... that)

10. There were so many people in the hall that we couldn't see him. (such... that)

11. They drunk such a lot of coffee that they couldn't sleep all night. (so... that)

12. The road is too narrow for two cars to pass each other. (enough... to)

13. The game is too difficult for the children to play. (enough... to)

14. Alice had so many exercises to do that she couldn't go out. (such... that)

15. He runs so slowly that he canh win a prize. (too... to)

16. The downtown area is too crowded for you to get a taxi. (so... that)

17. The weather was lovely enough for us to spend the whole day in the garden. (such...that)

18. He drank such a lot of coffee that he couldn't get to sleep. (so... that)

19. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the armchair. (enough... to)

20. The exam was so difficult that most of the students couldn't do it. (such... that)

21. My father is such a busy man that he doesn't have any free time. (too... to)

22. It is such an illegible handwriting that I can't figure out what this sentence says. (so... that)

23. His son's feet are so big that he has difficulty finding slippers to fit him. (too...to)

24. The composition was so bad that I couldn't read it (too...to)

25. The book is so interesting that we have read it many times. (such...that)

26. He drives too fast for me to call. (so...that)

27. The food is too hot for the old woman to eat. (enough)

28. This folk song is simple. Everybody can sing it.

29. The little girl looks miserable. We all feel sorry for her.

The little girl ............

30. That tower was very high. We couldn't climb it up.

That is ............

31. The tale story is very exciting. We want to hear it again.

It is ............

32. I don't think Mary is old enough to get married.

I think Mary ............

• Huyền Trang Hoàng

1 john ............ ( lose ) his job last month and since then he ..........(be) out of work - do you know why he .............( lose) his job ? - because he ................. (be) very rude to his boss 2 yesterday morning , when i ....... . ( arrive) at the airport , sophie ....... ..(wait ) for me . she ....... ...(wear) a pink dress and ... ...look very pretty cau 2 : 1 mark twain was born in missouri ..............(on/for/in )1835 2 fresh air is ............(of/about / in) great use to our health 3 he will not pass the exam ...............(if/unless/or) he works hard 4 my father often goes to church ............(with/at/on) sundays 5 surfing is one way..........(of/at/on) spending free time in australia 6 they are the children..............( whose /who/ whom ) won the match yesterday 7 tom has been living here .............. (for/since/in) six years 8 we would go camping ..............(although/if/ but) the weather were fine cau3 : pewrite the following sentences : 1 the remark was so unexpected that did not know what to say >> it was .................................................... 2 you are the worst guitarist in the world >> no one .................................................... 3 it is 3 years since i last saw nam >>>>> i have not ................................................................. 4 keeping the environment clean is very inportant >> it is .........................................................................

cau 1 : rewrite the following sentences 1 she does not work hard , so she does not get good marks >> if .......................................................... 2 i am so busy , so i do not write to my friends regularly >> if i .............................................................................. 3 i do not know his address , so i can write to him >> if i .............................................................................. 4 the last time she went out him was 9 months ago >> it is ............................................................................... 5 mr. jackson is old , but he runs ten miles before breakfast >> although .................................................................. 6 we can not go to a trip because we are very busy >> if we ............................................................. 7 mekong is the longest river in indochina >> no river ............................................................ 8 hue is not as big as hcm city >> hcm city .................................................................. 9 please stop complaining about the heat now >> i wish you ................................................................ 10 the children enjoy eating ice-cream >> the children are .......................................................... 11 i am quite tall but you are taller >> i am not ................................................... 12 remember to check your luggage >> do not .................................................. 13 he is handsome but she does not trust him >> even though ......................................

1.I like playing soccer and that's why I spend a lot of time on that game

=>I like playing soccer

2.This book so interesting enough for me to read many times

3.He is too young to go to school alone

=>He is not

=>He is so

=>He is such

4.The test was so long that I couldn't finish it in an hour

=>It was

5.I'm afraid you're not fast enough to be in the running team

=>I'm afraid you're too

6.I didn't use that string,because it was too short

=>That string was

=>It was such

7.It was such a good play that the audience cheered

=>The play

8.The piano was too heavy for anybody to move

9.He never writes to me and our relatives

=>If only

10.She got so much money that she could buy anything she wanted

=>She got such

11.Nam has such much money that he can establish a library

=>Nam has so

12.The bookshelf is too bog for me to take

=>The bookshelf is not

=>The bookshelf

13.They made the children workd hard in the workshop

=>The children

14.The coffee is too hot for me to drink

=>The coffee is not

=>It is such

=>The coffee is

mọi người giải giúp em với ạ em cần gấp ạ

1. my mother planted that tree

->That tree

2. Your sister í very young. She can not go to the zoo alone

->Your sister too

3. Did you meet your parents at the railway station yesterday

->were your parents

4. He is tall and thin

->he is not

5. we could not go on a picnic. It was raining

->because

6. i had someone cut my hair

-> i had

7. i am not good at mathematics

->i wish

8. you are too old to wear this dress

-> you are not

9. peter is seven years old

->peter is

10. Nam gets bad marks because he is lazy

-> because of

1 we (go )...............to the cinema last night , but i (not enjoy) ..................the film much 2 we ( have ) .................. four tests so far this semester 3 the room ( clean ) ....................when i arrived 4 i (visit) .........................halong three times since i ( start ) ...................working in quang ninh 5 last week , we (have ) ...................... a picnic to my uncle is farm 6 she is my ( old ) sister 7 it is 10 oclock now . my mother (do )................. the gardening , my brother (study )............................. he (study ) ...................... for three hours 8 unles he (study ) .......................hard , he (not fail) ...........................the final exam 9 if we ( not protect ) .................the animals , they ( kill)............................. 10 yesterday , she (burn )....................... her hand while she (cook) .......................dinner 11 she teaches english (good )...................................................... 12 which is (difficult ) ............................english or maths ? 13 she usually (go ) ...................... to school by bus but today she (cycle )............................. 14 i hope we have (sun ) ..............................weather for our holidays

1,I am moving in to our new house tomorow→she said

2,why don't we discuss this problem at the next club meeting→he sugessted that

3,we keep information on our computer→the

4,he spent three hours going to lao cai→it

5,no one in mai s'family is as tall as mai→mai is

6,the town was beautiful.we spent our holiday there last summer→the town where

7,to do exercise is interesting→it is

8,i'm certainly not going to help you→i have no

9,she can speak russian much better than i do→i can't

10,john advised me to spend more time on the next exam→johnn suggested

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Train strikes in May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected

Rail lines are set for disruption in the week following the first May bank holiday as train drivers at 16 rail companies strike on different days.

Monday 29 April 2024 09:17, UK

Train drivers will stage a fresh wave of strikes and overtime bans in May, causing disruption to the rail network.

The strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from 7 to 9 May.

Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when.

Rail strike dates

Tuesday 7 May

Strikes will affect c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.

Wednesday 8 May

Strikes will affect Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Thursday 9 May

Strikes will affect LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express.

Overtime ban dates

From Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May union members will not work overtime.

Overtime bans, an action short of a strike, means some services may not be running or may be reduced as drivers refuse to work their rest days.

People are advised to check before they travel, as some areas may have no service.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

How do strikes and overtime bans affect services?

Strikes tend to mean services on lines where members are participating are extremely affected or cancelled entirely, whereas overtime bans often lead to reduced services.

Are there strikes on the Tube too?

There have been regular strikes on London Underground too recently, and while there aren't any planned walkouts for drivers, customer service managers are set to walk out on Friday 26 April in a dispute over terms and conditions.

There will also be an overtime ban for the customer service managers on the following days:

Monday 29 April

Tuesday 30 April

Wednesday 1 May

Tuesday 2 May

Wednesday 3 May

Thursday 4 May

Friday 5 May

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) says the action by its members is likely to cause Tube stations to close at the last minute, including on the Saturday following the strike (27 April), while TfL has said on its website "some stations may need to close at short notice".

Despite the warning, a TfL spokesperson has said they aren't expecting significant disruption.

This action follows strike action taken by the same workers on 10 April, which the TSSA said had a "real impact" with "many stations shut at short notice".

They say they are "extremely concerned" about TfL's 'Stations Changes' proposals.

"We have made it clear that our union will not accept the continued threats to our members' roles, locations, terms, and conditions to stand unchallenged," a TSSA spokesperson said.

"We will continue to take sustained action until London Underground is prepared to negotiate with us in good faith."

Commenting on the impending strikes, a TfL spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that TSSA is continuing with this strike action following a consultation process.

"While we don't expect this action will cause significant disruption, we urge TSSA to continue to work with us to help find a resolution.

"There are no planned job losses as part of these vital changes which will improve the service we provide to customers at our stations."

How can I stay in the loop?

You can use the National Rail's journey planner to see when trains are running.

Be sure to check it close to when you plan to travel, as it will be updated regularly.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Why are the strikes still happening?

Aslef rejected a two-year offer of 4% in 2022 and another 4% this year, saying it is way below inflation, and is linked to changes in terms and conditions.

Aslef said train drivers have not had an increase in salary for five years, since their last pay deals expired in 2019.

The union said after its members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue taking industrial action, it asked the train operating companies to hold talks.

General secretary Mick Whelan said the year-old pay offer of 4% and another 4% was "dead in the water".

Related Topics

• London Underground
• Rail strikes

Bills pick Georgia OL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger in fifth round of 2024 NFL draft

The Buffalo Bills selected Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger with the 141st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft . Van Pran-Granger spent four seasons with the Bulldogs, capturing two national titles. Here’s everything you need to know about Van Pran-Granger.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger scouting report

A glue guy who started every game the past three seasons for a Georgia team that went 42-2 during that stretch with two national titles. A captain of the offense from his center position on a line that included 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones and projected 2024 first-rounder Amarius Mims.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger height, weight

Van Pran, who is from New Orleans and went to Warren Easton High School, is 6-foot-4 and 298 pounds.

NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger college stats

Played 2,746 snaps during his Georgia career including 868 last season when he gave up no sacks and 13 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger highlights

Van Pran-Granger’s most impressive aspect may be simply his durability and consistency on a Georgia team that had different offensive coordinators (Todd Monken and Mike Bobo) and quarterbacks (Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck). He showed a calm demeanor when he picked up a fumbled exchange and gained six yards and a first down at Vanderbilt.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger NFL combine, pro day measurables

Van Pran-Granger ran a 5.20 40, which ranked fifth among centers at the NFL combine. His 1.77 10-split ranked sixth. He was fifth in the 3-cone drill at 7.46.

County Road 26 to open Monday for local, critical trips

Limited travel for commuters using the lake city cutoff opens after state and county collaboration as bridge closure continues.

Montrose and Gunnison Counties — This weekend, CDOT and Gunnison County are working together to accelerate improvements to County Road 26 (Lake City Cutoff) so it can open Monday for local commuter travel between Montrose and Gunnison.  At the same time, engineers continue to conduct safety inspections of the US Highway 50 bridge crossing the Blue Mesa Reservoir at Dillon Pinnacles. This bridge, located west of Gunnison at Mile Point 136.3, closed Thursday in the interest of public safety after an inspection revealed a crack in one of the girders. The technical structure name for the bridge is K-07-B. 

Recognizing the US 50 closure creates a significant detour for commuters traveling between Montrose and Gunnison, CDOT and Gunnison County officials this weekend prioritized getting a shorter access route in place for local travel between the two communities. That collaboration will continue as officials work to further fortify the road with gravel and manage traffic to a level that the road can safely carry.

“We are starting slow in order to increase the chances we can go faster later. The impact on western Colorado cannot be understated and we are exhausting all opportunities and partnerships to mitigate the impacts of the bridge closure,” said Martin Schmidt, Assistant Gunnison County Manager for Public Works.

On Monday, April 22, pilot cars will lead  passenger vehicles through the access route two times a day in each direction. Because CR 26 is a high-mountain, unpaved road that is not intended to accommodate the traffic volumes of US 50, travel times will be limited and commercial vehicles exceeding a 16,001 gross vehicle weight rating are prohibited. The schedule for piloted travel is:

• 6 to 6:30 a.m. and 6 to 6:30 p.m. for westbound travel 
• 7 to 7:30 a.m. and 7 to 7:30 p.m. for eastbound travel 

The queue for westbound pilot car operations will start near the intersection of CO 149 and CR 26 and the queue for eastbound travel will start near the intersection of US 50 and CR 26. The travel time on the access route is expected to be 30 minutes or more.

County Road 26 will only be open for local, essential travel during these timeframes. The road will remain closed at all other times for the ongoing restoration work needed to ensure the road remains safe for travel.

A hotline and email continue to be in place to assist customers with questions about the closure. Anyone with questions can reach out via 970-648-4423 or [email protected] . Calls will be closely monitored and will receive a prompt reply. Information is also available on the project website at bit.ly/us50bridge . Travelers should refer to COtrip.org or the smartphone COtrip Planner app to plan an alternate route.

“CDOT appreciates Gunnison county’s dedication and hard work as we cooperate to offer more options to help the western slope manage this safety closure.  CDOT will continue to support the county as we focus on the opening of County Road 26 to serve the critical needs of residents,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “County Road 26 is an important local route that is up to five hours more efficient than detouring via state highways. However, this road currently has a natural roadbed and can only accommodate limited traffic - so it is important that we help Gunnison County focus this capacity on the needs of local communities most impacted by the closure.”

There are two recommended detours for through travel via Interstate 70 to the north or US 160 to the south and these detours add six to eight hours of travel time. CDOT is coordinating with emergency service providers to ensure emergency response is unaffected.

Travel Impacts  

• US 50 is closed between Montrose and Gunnison
• Recommended alternate routes are I-70 to the north or US 160 to the south
• A limited, local detour is in place for travel at specific times

Project Contact Information 

For additional information about this project, contact the project team.  

• Webpage: bit.ly/us50bridge
• Information hotline: 970-648-4423 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Fact Sheet: County 26 Local Access
• Hoja informativa del proyecto:  Ruta de acceso local en la County Road 26

Download the COtrip App!

The new free COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!