How to make the most of a short city stay

My husband and I are in Seattle, Washington for three days before we board our Alaska Cruise.

A few of my tips for making the most of a short stay in a new city:  

Use small group tours  to see a lot of highlights in a smaller amount of time: One of Seattle's famous attractions is the Pike's Place Market. It's massive. We could spend hours wandering the aisles. We decided to take a small group tour. The tour gives us access right before it opens. We sample treats from the highest rated booths. And, I may even get the chance to catch a fish. In 2 1/2 hours, we will sample more and see more of the market than we could have on our own.

If the city is on the water, use local transportation instead of harbor cruises. Seattle has a great ferry and water taxi system. They also offer harbor tours to tourists. Instead of paying $30 per person for the cruise, we rode the ferry out to Bainbridge Island and back for $8.20 per person. We missed out on the commentary, but all we really wanted was some time on the water and this great view of Seattle skyline:

Pick two to three  activities that really interest you and leave time to explore spontaneously. It's easy to feel the pressure to "see everything". Our formula for a new city is a museum, an activity, and some type of local food. For Seattle, we picked the Museum of Pop Culture, attending a Mariners game, and the Pike's Market Tour. This becomes the foundation of the trip and if we accomplish more - great!

Star Trek exhibit at Museum of Pop Culture

What would your activities be?  Zoos? Botanical gardens? Antique shops? Breweries?