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HALF DAY
Seattle offers many tours and excursions, from art to history, celebrity, agriculture, gardens and much more. Or, focus on one geographical area:
PIONEER SQUARE
First settled in 1856, Seattle is a young city with a vibrant history. Pioneer Square, site of America's original "Skid Road" and Seattle's oldest and most famous neighborhood, is a 30-block National Historic District blending past and present legend and lore. Points of interest include:
Underground Tour: Stroll above and below Seattle, a city literally rebuilt atop its own ruins, with non-stop and witty historical commentary about the unique events and characters that shaped our city.
Smith Tower Observation Deck: Vintage 1914 elevators (with human operators) whisk you from the Grand Lobby to the 35th floor Chinese Room and Observation Deck of Seattle's first skyscraper. Senior rates available.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park: This park chronicles the impact of the Alaska Gold Rush; while it comprises the country's smallest historic park, only half of it is located here in Seattle — the other half is located in Skagway, Alaska.
Safeco Field: The grand Seattle Mariners baseball stadium debuted on July 15, 1999, an open-air field with a retractable roof, real grass, and plenty of new art and amenities for fans. Tours available.
Qwest Field: The 67,000-seat stadium for the Seattle NFL Seahawks offers 82 luxury suites and club seating for 7,000. The north entryway is designed as a 12-story tower with the scoreboard at the top which preserves views of downtown Seattle. Tours available.
CHINATOWN / INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
Representation by all the nationalities of Asia helps to make this neighborhood a favorite destination for groups. Just south and east of Pioneer Square, look for:
Chinatown Discovery Tours: Discover a fortune cookie factory, an herb dispensary, a 10,000-character Chinese printing press, and more.
Uwajimaya: The largest Asian grocery and gift market in the Pacific Northwest offers products from the Asia Pacific region and a truly unique shopping/dining experience.
WATERFRONT
From Pike Place Market, descend the Pike Street Hillclimb stairs to Pier 59. Alaskan Way, named for all the prospectors who left from Seattle for Alaska during Gold Rush days, offers many tour and shopping opportunities including:
Seattle Aquarium: Resting on the doorstep of one of the richest and most diverse aquatic habitats on Earth, the aquarium's world-class exhibits and unique underwater viewing dome take you close up to the wonders of Puget Sound marine life.
Argosy Cruises: The American Automobile Association calls Argosy's one-hour harbor cruise "the most outstanding tour of its kind in the nation." Take the two and1/2-hour Locks Cruise, the one-hour Harbor Cruise, the one and 1/2-hour or two-hour Lake Cruise or the "Royal Argosy" dinner cruise.
Waterfront Streetcar: Colorful trolleys, imported from Australia, connect the waterfront to Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District.
Tillicum Village: Excursions to Blake Island.
TECHNOLOGY
Boeing Aircraft Assembly Plant / Everett Tour Center
Visit the world's largest building and center for one of the most modern and busiest aircraft assembly facilities in the world. This is the Boeing 747 and 767 assembly plant where workers can fit eight 747s and eight 767s in this enormous final assembly factory at the same time! Sorry, no children under 4'2" (127 cm) permitted. Purchase tickets at the Boeing Tour Center in Everett, or tour with Gray Line or Customized Tours.
Museum of Flight
The six-story steel and glass Great Gallery offers a unique perspective on aviation history, with 20 full-sized airplanes "flying" from the ceiling. The new Personal Courage wing showcases rare and restored World War I and II fighter aircraft. Personal stories of pilots, ground crew, designers and builders of these vintage aircraft are highlighted through oral and living history presentations. Gift shop and restaurant on premises.
SEATTLE CENTER
This 74-acre (30-hectare) urban park, a legacy of the 1962 World's Fair, is the site of many of Seattle's best-known and best-loved public events, including the Northwest Folklife Festival, the "Bite of Seattle," and the Bumbershoot music and arts festival. Seattle Center is accessible by a 90-second monorail ride from downtown. Sites on the grounds include:
Experience Music Project: This unconventional structure, which opened in June 2000, houses an interactive array of exhibits and technology tracing the evolution of American music.
Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame: Co-located with Experience Music Project, this attraction houses a one-of-a-kind collection, exploring the adventurer's imagination and the infinite possibilities of the future.
The Space Needle: 605 feet (184 meters) high, with two outstanding revolving restaurants and an observation deck.
Pacific Science Center: Virtual reality, laser light shows, hands-on science, and the Boeing IMAX Theater. Also look for the Tropical Butterfly House and Insect Village in the adjacent Ackerley Family Exhibit Gallery.
Seattle Monorail: Departing every 10 minutes from both Seattle Center and 5th and Pine Street downtown, the Monorail is a quick and easy way to get from downtown to Key Arena, Experience Music Project, Pacific Science Center and other attractions and events at Seattle Center.
Center House: Located at the heart of Seattle Center, featuring international foods and a wide array of shops.
Also on the grounds are the Northwest Craft Center Gallery, the new Marion Oliver McCaw Opera House (home to Pacific Northwest Ballet and Seattle Opera), Seattle Rep (at the Bagley Wright Theater), the Intiman Theatre Company (at Seattle Center Playhouse), Center House Theatre (home to Book-It Repertory Theatre and Seattle Shakespeare Company), the Children's Museum, the Charlotte Martin Theatre (children's productions), KeyArena, home of the Seattle SuperSonics (NBA basketball), the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHA hockey), and the Seattle Storm (NBA women's basketball).
PIKE PLACE MARKET
No trip to the Emerald City is complete without visiting Pike Place Market. Many market fish purveyors will pack fresh fish to go, to last 48 hours without refrigeration. Tours of the market are available.
WALKING TOURS
Many local guide companies offer excellent walking tours focusing on Seattle architecture and history, Pike Place Market, public art, Pioneer Square, shopping, and more.
WOODLAND PARK ZOO
Ranked one of the world's outstanding zoos, Woodland Park Zoo features both Northwest and exotic animals in naturalistic environments. Award-winning habitats include the Trail of Vines, Tropical Rain Forest, Northern Trail and African Savanna. |
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