It does not rain daily in Seattle, Washington, as some might have you believe. In fact, this city has on average only 150 days of precipitation a year, many of which are between September and May. In other words, time it right and you have a better than 50 percent chance of avoiding the drizzle; if you’re lucky, you might even get in on one of those 71 sunny days that makes downtown Seattle positively resplendent. Should the weather gods indeed smile upon your endeavors, you’ll want to put museums on the back burner and head instead straight for some of Seattle’s best outdoor sights.

Wondering how to kick off your “things to do in Seattle when it’s sunny” list? Our vote for the perfect day is to start at Pike Place Market, just up from the waterfront where a multi-sensory experience awaits. Here, noisy fish mongers and colorful flower stands are set in the context of aromatic fresh ground coffee, hot bagels and an assortment of international foods. Take away your lunch and enjoy a picnic with similarly minded Seattleites on the grassy knoll overlooking the water just west of the market.

Finish lunch with a cup of world famous coffee to-go, wandering up a few blocks to the monorail station at Fifth and Pine for the short ride to Seattle Center. Here you’ll find cultural venues, restaurants, museums and that iconic landmark, the Space Needle. Head up to the Space Needle’s observation deck for sweeping views of Seattle, the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains to the west. Looking for a way to fill an evening? Snatch up tickets to a Seattle Mariner’s game at Safeco field, or a Seattle Seahawks game at Qwest field in season, or, consider a dinner cruise around the sound for a glimpse of Seattle all lit up at night. Clearly, no shortage of things to do in Seattle on one of those special, sunny days.