Experiencing Seattle

What makes Seattle a great city to visit? Maybe it’s the city’s many iconic landmarks and attractions. Or maybe it’s because it’s surrounded by mountains, islands, forests, and waterways, which is why it is known as “The Emerald City.” The city is also a foodie’s paradise specializing in fresh seafood, artisanal cheeses, and the many local specialties found at the vibrant Pike Place Market. Oh, and don’t forget the coffee. After all, Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks; but it is also a hub of a strong coffee culture with a growing list of small, independent roasters, coffee shops and cafes with personality.

A Great Introduction To The City
When visiting Seattle for the first time, consider a ride on City Sightseeing’s Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour (citysightseeingseattle.com). We like to do this whenever we visit a city for the first time. Taking the tour for the full ride through the 20 stops in Seattle gave us a great introduction to the city’s top attractions, hot spots, and historical sites. We also opted for the 48-hour ticket, which enabled us to return the next day and use the bus to visit the specific stops we were most interested in.

We also suggest that you purchase the Seattle CityPASS (visitseattle.citypass.com), which can save you some significant money on admissions to the top Seattle attractions. Two types of passes are offered – one that includes 5 attractions and another that includes 3. The CityPASS app will contain your entrance tickets and provide all the information needed about the attraction, including whether an attraction requires a reservation or not. You can then make any reservations right in the app. Almost all of the attractions we visited are included on the CityPASS.

Iconic Attractions
Among the most popular Seattle attractions is the Space Needle. Even though it was constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair, it still maintains its iconic stature representing the innovative and forward-thinking spirit of Seattle. The tower’s 520’ saucer-shaped “top house” offers visitors Seattle’s only 360-degree indoor and outdoor panoramic views of downtown, Mount Rainier, Puget Sound, and the Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges.

The Space Needle has two levels of floor-to-ceiling views. The top level includes an outdoor observation deck as well as an indoor viewing space featuring the Sunset Bar and TipTop Café. One level down is The Loupe—the world’s first and only rotating glass floor. The Loupe Lounge is a walk-up bar serving specialty cocktails and local beer & wine.

The Art Of Glass And Color
Directly adjacent to the Space Needle is another Seattle “must-see” - Chihuly Garden and Glass. This wonderful indoor/outdoor exhibit brings together all the elements of world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly – many of his iconic glass creations, large architectural installations, and personal collections. The exhibit features indoor galleries, the Glasshouse, and an ever-changing Garden, along with live glass demonstrations, a Theater, and The Bar at Chihuly.

We recommend spending time in The Garden, which presents a wonderful array of colorful trees, plants, and flowers purposefully designed to complement the artwork. We experienced one of the most peaceful hours of our travels strolling the pathways and enjoying the beauty of the glass installations and the serenity of the garden.

Be sure to check the schedule for the Community Hot Shop demonstrations. Watch as local artists explain the art of glassblowing while creating a beautiful glass object.

The Power Of Pop Culture
Also located nearby is the Museum of Pop Culture – known as MOPOP. Housed in a Seattle Center building that is as eye-catching as the exhibits of the world-shaping power of pop culture located inside. The exhibits feature a variety of pop culture categories – music, film, photography, fantasy, and science fiction. With more than 80,000 artifacts in its care, MOPOP regularly rotates items on view.

Music buffs will love the Guitar Gallery – an exhibit of legendary guitars and the iconic artists who wielded them. Also, the hometown hero, Jimi Hendrix, exhibit is popular. Other exhibits we enjoyed included Scared to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film and Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction.

Get Out On The Water
A great way to view Seattle is from the water. After all, there’s plenty of it around. We enjoyed viewing Seattle’s beautiful skyline and learning about its iconic landmarks on a cruise of Elliot Bay offered by Argosy Cruises. Their one-hour cruise offers fabulous views of the skyline, Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and Mt. Rainier. A variety of other cruises are also offered.

An Iconic Market
Probably the most recognizable Seattle attraction is Pike Place Market. For more than a century locals and tourists alike have shopped, visited, eaten and rejuvenated what is considered by many “the soul of Seattle.” Founded in 1907, the Market is one of the oldest and largest (more than nine acres in size) continuously operating public markets in the United States.

We highly recommend exploring the iconic market on a chef-guided food tour. Our two-hour tour led by Chef Will of Eat Seattle Tours gave us an opportunity to learn about – and sample - some of the Market’s best artisan foods, while learning about the history and culture of Pike Place Market.

The City’s Beginnings
Another guided tour we recommend is Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. Following a fascinating explanation of the city’s early founding, we followed our guide through a maze of subterranean storefronts and sidewalks entombed beneath what is now Pioneer Square when the city rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire of 1889.

If you still have more time in Seattle, spend a day at Mt. Rainier National Park. You will have probably gotten a few great views of this majestic mountain from the Space Needle or on the Argosy Harbor Tour, but an up-close experience can be truly memorable. The park is about a two and a half-hour drive from the city. A number of scenic drives and a variety of hiking trails, from easy to advanced, offer visitors many opportunities to fully appreciate this impressive natural wonder.

Still have some time? Hop on a ferry and visit one of Seattle’s nearby islands, like the easily accessible Bainbridge Island or the larger Vashon Island. Puget Sound islands offer a whole different perspective of the Pacific Northwest.

For more info visit: visitseattle.org