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For a look behind the scenes of java juggernaut Starbucks, take a tasting tour at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. Two-story Elliott Bay Book Company is a haven for lit lovers, and the local stores along Pike and Pine Streets are chock-full of artisan wares and spots to grab a drink or bite between browsing.
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When it comes to dining, options range from steak and seafood spots to local staples like Dick’s Drive-In for a quintessential Seattle burger and fries. Nearby Capitol Hill is the city’s LGBTQ hub and one of Seattle’s trendiest neighborhoods, with rainbow crosswalks, a thriving music scene, and an array of hip restaurants, bars, and boutiques. The expansive waterfront park on Lake Union is a perfect spot to watch Kenmore Airseaplanes take off from the water. Known as a tech and biomedical hub (Amazon, Facebook, and Google are all located here, along with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center), the area is also home to the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) with exhibits delving into Seattle’s unique past The Center for Wooden Boats, where you can rent sail boats and rowboats and REI’s flagship store, complete with an indoor climbing wall. Music lovers can stop in at the KEXP radio headquarters to watch live broadcasts and do-gooders will enjoy the nearby Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a global perspective on health, poverty, and education.Ī short walk away is the South Lake Union neighborhood. Surrounding the Space Needle is Chihuly Garden and Glass, housing works by internationally renowned glass artist and Pacific Northwest native Dale Chihuly the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), a mecca for music and pop culture fans and the Pacific Science Center, a family favorite with exhibits on everything from the human body to tropical butterflies. For foodies, Eat Seattle food tours offers a variety of options, from walking tour of South Lake Union to a Pike Place Market eating extravaganza.įor self-guided touring, start at the Seattle Center on the north edge of downtown. You’ll see sights such as the the Space Needle, to the houseboat seen in Sleepless in Seattle, the Seattle’s Stadium District and more! In Pioneer Square, Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour or Beneath The Streets Tour offer a 75-minute mix of humor and history as you stroll through the city’s subterranean streets. Make the most of your time in the Emerald City, either exploring on your own or with a guided tour designed for cruise passengers looking to experience Seattle highlights in just a few hours.Ĭompanies like Show Me Seattle, Tours Northwest, Argosy Cruises, and Customized Tours all offer info-packed tours traveling to iconic landmarks, all running three hours or less. Sailing on Lake Union Amelia Vaughn Photography For an up-close look at the marine life native to Puget Sound waters, the Seattle Aquarium on Pier 59 is home to sea otters, a giant Pacific octopus, tide pools and more - a perfect way to round out your Seattle experience. Pier 57 is also home to Wings Over Washington, a “flying theater” experience that takes you on a virtual trip over Washington state’s most scenic sights. The waterfront offers its own array of attractions, including fun gift shops, seafood joints like The Crab Pot and its “Seafeasts” of clams, mussels, and Dungeness crab, and the tall Seattle Great Wheel. The Olympic Sculpture Park on the waterfront is another downtown art mecca, offering a sprawling nine acres to stroll and enjoy larger-than-life art installations framed by glistening Elliott Bay. Heading back toward the pier, the Seattle Art Museum is a draw for art aficionados and casual museum-goers alike, with permanent collections and rotating exhibitions. Another sky-high options The Columbia Center Sky View Observatory, standing at 902 feet, is the highest public observation deck on the West Coast. For a bird’s eye view of the city, visit the Seattle’s first official skyscraper Smith Tower, with its Prohibition-inspired bar and 360-degree, open-air observation deck. Browse eclectic boutiques and art galleries-the First Thursday Art Walk is a local favorite. South of the market is tree-lined Pioneer Square, known as the city’s “original neighborhood” for its Gold Rush–era roots.