Seattle is a culturally and visually stunning place to visit: from the visual wonder of the Space Needle to the treasures of the Seattle Art Museum, there are many things to see and do.
Seattle Center Located downtown is the Seattle Center, built in 1962. It houses numerous tourist attractions including the Pacific Science Center, Paul Allen's Experience Music Project and KeyArena, home of the Seattle Supersonics. Try the clams at the Palace Kitchen. Most visitors come to the Center for Seattle's most famous and most visible landmark, the Space Needle, and all will enjoy the ride on its glass elevators and the panoramic views from the observation deck.
Westlake Center The Seattle Center is also at one end of the Monorail, and the tour continues with the 90-second, 1.3-mile ride from the Seattle Center to the Westlake Center, a popular arcade for shoppers. The Brooklyn is an excellent dining option in this area. When you've had your fill, head south to Seattle's historic multi-level Pike Place Market.
Seattle Art Museum Stop by the Seattle Art Museum near the Waterfront, and just a few blocks onward, you'll enter Pioneer Square. If you're with children, or have a taste for kitsch, cap off your walk with the 1.5-hour Underground Tour, which gives a sense of what Seattle life was like before the fire and provides details of the reconstruction process. The Pike Place Market is also located near the Museum. Here you can find something tasty to eat.
Seattle Opera The Seattle Center Opera House hosts the Seattle Opera, one of the most acclaimed opera companies in the United States. This is also home to the Seattle Symphony, in an excellent acoustic space. Stop for a quick bite at the Pike Street Cafe. Theater buffs will seek out the nationally-recognized A Contemporary Theater (ACT) a few blocks away.
With so much to see and do, visitors usually opt for a tour company to help them see it all. Catch a ride on a dinner train, or choose the more traditional bus or van ride, the choice is yours.
Bus ToursGray Line of Seattle ( +1 206 624 5077 / http://www.graylineofseattle.com/ )
Van ToursShow Me Seattle ( +1 206 633 2489 / http://www.showmeseattle.com/ )