Alki Beach
Seattle WA
Over 150 years ago, Arthur Denny and a ragtag crew arrived at Alki Point and became the first white settlers on this section of Native America. Located about 15 minutes west of Downtown Seattle, this Seattle beach offers superb views of the city, the Space Needle and Mount Ranier. Grab fish and chips or stroll through the fine, silky sand. Seattle's cultural beauty is only exceeded by its natural beauty.
Downtown Seattle
6th and Pine Streets, Seattle WA
While tech-heavy corporations like Microsoft and Boeing may prefer suburban corporate campuses to the distractions available to the coffee-buzzed execs downtown, for those spending vacation money, not venture capital, downtown Seattle is awash in boutiques and renowned retailers. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany and Cartier are but a few of the couture and crystal set that dot this lively Seattle shopping district.
Experience Music Project
400 Broad St., Seattle WA
The Experience Music Project stands out among Seattle museums, having been conceived by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, dedicated to Jimi Hendrix and designed by Frank Gehry. In fact, it's not a museum at all, but a temple to guitar gods and gospel choir alike. Located at the base of the Space Needle, the EMP houses artifacts (like Jimi's infamous Stratocaster), as well as a video arcade, an interactive "Sound Lab," a nightclub and an amusement park. Tune in. Turn on. Drop by.
Pike Place Market
Main Entrance at First and Pike, Seattle WA
An 80-year old neon clock serves as a beacon to Seattle's 9-acre populist market. The market, like the city itself, has a history rich in the commerce of farm and fish. Now a historical as well as commercial district, this Seattle landmark attraction houses restaurants, museums, crafts, shopping and boutiques. But perhaps most entertaining of all are the fishmongers and catchers themselves, who hurl 30-lb salmon around like tennis balls.
Pioneer Square
Seattle WA
Seattle's first neighborhood, and home to some of its most distinctive architecture, Pioneer Square has alternately housed the city's first families, artists, the homeless and, most recently, it's sports franchises. Born out of Seattle's first white settlement, only later to be leveled in the Great Seattle Fire, the defiant district rebuilt itself with brick and stone in an aggressive Victorian Romanesque style. While the 1970s and 80s saw the once vibrant neighborhood turn to desolation and desertion. More recently artists (and eager developers) have moved in to this visually stunning section of Seattle.
Space Needle
400 Broad St., Seattle WA
Built for the 1962 World's Fair by architect John Graham (in collaboration with artist Edward Carlson), the 605-ft high needle is the visual focal point from almost any position in the city. The Seattle landmark houses an observation deck, restaurant and, 40 years after it opened, the Seattle Space Needle is still the Seattle's number one tourist destination.
The International District
Seattle WA
Seattle has long prided itself as the gateway to the east. Its cosmopolitan denizens will attest to its worldly nature, but the real evidence are the thriving Vietnamese and Chinese communities which operate almost independently from the compu-hiking, Sea-Tac populace. Restaurants and markets abound at this Seattle attraction.
Bumbershoot
Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, Washington; Tel. 206.628.0888
Three days of music from a variety of genres, comedians, literary arts speakers, a film festival, dance and theater performances and visual arts displays.
Ballard Seafood Fest
2208 NW. Market St., Seattle, Washington
Various booths with arts, crafts and, of course, food vendors each offering a unique seafood item make up this festival. The Seafood Fests started in 1974 as a one-day community salmon barbeque and has evolved into a weekend-long event in July in the middle of historic Ballard. Two entertainment stages, a beer garden, vendors and, of course, a salmon barbeque attract people to celebrate the maritime tradition in Ballard.
