The University of Washington campus is one of Seattle's best walks, especially when the cherry trees bloom in the Quad or Mount Rainier appears beyond Drumheller Fountain. It gives the city a grand academic landscape that feels very different from downtown's market, towers, and waterfront.
Start around Red Square and Suzzallo Library, whose Gothic reading room is the campus showpiece, then wander toward the Quad, the Burke Museum, or the waterfront paths near Union Bay. The surrounding University District is lively, student-heavy, and good for inexpensive food.
Suzzallo Library
Suzzallo Library is the building most visitors remember: pointed arches, carved stone, and a reading room that looks designed to make studying feel heroic. Check public access rules before going inside, but even the exterior is worth the detour.