Beautiful, culturally rich, eco-smart, locally-sourced, micro-brewed and highly-caffeinated, the city of Seattle is beyond hip.
In its iconic skyline, the first thing that hits you is The Space Needle. This relic of the 1962 World’s Fair has survived over five decades, several storms and a 6.8-richter earthquake. Anyone moving to Seattle sight-unseen should begin their journey here, 520-feet-up on the observation deck. From this vantage point you can see the unique urban landscape and stunning natural setting in which you will reside: Mount Rainier, the Cascade Mountains, Mount Baker, Lake Washington, Lake Union, the Puget Sound and the surrounding islands. If you’re an outdoors enthusiast, welcome to heaven. There are millions of acres of outdoors in the Pacific Northwest, with dense forests, 300-foot old growth trees, mountains and volcanoes, cascading waterfalls, glacial lakes, rocky ridgelines and foggy beaches.
But first a look at the city. A 45-second descent from the top of the Needle will take you down to street level, landing you in a little part of town known as Seattle Center. Here you’ll see museums (notably, the Science Museum and the EMC), theaters, gardens, galleries, street art and, of course, a Starbucks (Seattle’s famous coffee chain). A quick trip south will take you to Pike’s Place Market, a historic, fish-slinging farmers market with live music, art and street performers. Continue south to Pioneer Square where you can take a tour of the Seattle underground. This maze of subterranean tunnels and buildings are where ye olde gamblers and harlots used to hang out.
Once you have seen Seattle’s skyline, its natural surroundings, its city streets, and its seamy underground history, you will start to get a sense just how cool you are for becoming a part of the Emerald City.
landmarks
Landmarks in Seattle include the Space Needle, the Science Center, the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPoP), Chihuly Garden, Olympic Sculpture Park, Chittenden Locks & Fish Ladder, Pike Place Market, the Seattle Great Wheel, the statues of Fremont, Gas Works Park, Bruce Lee’s Grave, and Ye Old Curiosity Shop, a fascinating museum of macabre farm animals.
activities
Music
Seattle totally rocks. At the Columbia City Theater, there is vintage jazz and burlesque, as well as rock, hip-hop and theater acts in a beguiling brick-walled setting. At Neumos, you can catch big-name acts like MGMT as well as emerging Seattle bands. The Tractor Tavern is known for its folk, bluegrass and alt-country scene, while the hole-in-the-wall Seamonster brings the funk, blues, and jazz. And the local favorite for wild-card performances, Blue Moon Tavern, is the best dive for raw blues, punk and grunge.
Hangouts
First, stroll along the cobbled squares, parks, and shops around Pioneer Square. Then, stop by Pike Place Market to see the fish-throwers, buy fresh veggies, and grub on oysters and humbow while you watch street performers. Wander the waterfront for boardwalk sights and a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel. People-watch at Gasworks Park, play in the International Fountain, or hangout with the Fremont Troll. If you’re still itching for more, try spending the day on the pier, or renting a hot tub boat (it’s exactly what it sounds like) and cruise around Lake Union.
Food
Seattle thrives on donuts, coffee, craft beer and locally-sourced food (did someone say salmon and oysters!?). There’s an amazing variety of worldly spice too, with flavors ranging from southern barbecue to New York deli cures to Afghan kabobs and Taiwanese bubble tea. There’s cuban roast at Paseo Caribbean, old-school French fare at Le Pichet, Russian pastries at Piroshky Piroshky, and Tibetan dishes served underground at Annapurna Cafe. For uniquely-Seattle flavor, try the wild boar sloppy joe at Quinn’s Pub, the geoduck butter at Shiro, the fresh salmon at Pike Place, the famous Seattle Dog (hot dog with cream cheese and grilled onions), or the indulgent dutch baby (part pancake, part souffle).
Island Hopping
Cross the Puget Sound on a commuter ferry for a daycation on one of the nearby islands. Serene and forested with gorgeous beaches, it’s the perfect way to unwind and catch some rays. You can try a local winery, visit the shops, or go hiking, fishing, kayaking, and snorkeling.
Into the Wild
Whether you crave the occasional escape or spend every weekend among the trees, pack a tent, put on your hiking boots and head into the wilderness. Camping, hiking, and exploring in Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, and Mount Saint Helens are some of the most amazing experiences you will ever have.
transportation
Seattle traffic is far from the worst, but can be difficult at times. Because central Seattle is located on an isthmus, east-west travel can get especially congested around rush hour. And, during heavy rains or snowfall, the hilly terrain can be especially challenging.
Public transportation is provided by a combination of King County Metro buses, streetcars, water taxis and rails, Sound Transit trains and buses, and Washington State ferries. Thankfully, you only need one card to ride them all: the ORCA card. Purchase it for $5 or less and refill as needed.
sports
Seattle has three major league sports teams: the (Super Bowl-winning) Seattle Seahawks, the Seattle Mariners (MLB), and the Seattle Sounders (MLS). While Seattleites love all their home teams, they have a particular passion for soccer. If there’s a Sounders game, chances are if you’re not in the stadium, you’ll find yourself watching soccer at the local sports bars.
weather
Many are surprised to learn that Seattle is not the rainiest city in the US. In fact, Seattle gets less rain than Boston, New York and Atlanta. However, that’s if you’re looking at volume, rather than frequency. Seattle isn’t famous because of its heavy rains, but because of its frequent overcast and constant drizzle. In Seattle, rather than worrying about bringing an umbrella in case of rain, locals would rather just wear a flannel and make peace with the dampness. The sun does shine in Seattle too, though, mainly between May and September. On average there are 152 sunny days per year, which means 152 days to enjoy the beach!
In Seattle, temperature extremes are rare - mostly regulated by Lake Washington, the Puget Sound and the greater Pacific Ocean. The average high in July is about 75 degrees, while January lows average just above freezing.
company headquarters
For decades, Seattle’s biggest economy drivers were Boeing, Starbucks, and cruise lines. However, this brews, boats and Boeing-based economy has caught the wave of techie ingenuity, housing Microsoft’s headquarters along with web successes like Amazon, Allrecipes.com, Classmates.com, and WhitePages.com. There is also a booming video game industry. Big Fish Games, PopCap, Arenanet, and Sucker Punch Productions are all located here. Meanwhile, Cray Inc. is building supercomputers, and companies like Juno Therapeutics, Kineta, Seattle Genetics, and ZymoGenetics are growing the biotech industry.
