SEATTLE,USA DESTINATION

Seattle Travel Guide

Seattle is known as “the Emerald City”, and just like the home of the Wizard of Oz in the fairy tale, it is a magical place. Rated as one of the world's most liveable cities, after Melbourne and Montreal, it boasts among its citizens three out of the world’s ten richest men, including Bill Gates, head of the mighty Microsoft empire. The city’s emergence as a trend-setting and fashionable metropolis with sky-high property prices has occurred in less than 200 years, since it was founded in 1869.
Sitting at the extremity of the United States’ northwest, at the gateway to Canada, Seattle reaches for the sky with its landmark soaring “space needle”, built in the 1960s, a modern monument that epitomises the city’s image as a high-tech, dynamic and young community.

Seattle Attractions
Pike Place Market
Rachel, a giant piggy bank, stands guard over the Pike Place Farmer’s Market in downtown Seattle, placed there to raise funds to preserve this National Historic District founded in 1907. The bustling market has provided the local people with producer-priced goods for decades, and continues to do so today as about 100 farmers and fishmongers tout their wares. They have been joined by more than 150 local craftspeople and artists who have also set up shop here, along with street performers, dozens of restaurants and numerous speciality shops. The world’s first Starbucks coffee shop opened here in 1971, and is still brewing up its famous beverage on the original site. At the north end of the market Victor Steinbrueck Park provides a popular grassy place to sit in the sun and escape the milling crowds.

The Space Needle
Anyone who has followed the Hollywood movies will be familiar with Seattle’s internationally recognised symbol, the futuristic creative Space Needle building. From afar it looks like a spinning top, with the needle aerial pointing skywards. The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World’s Fair to showcase upcoming architectural development, and proved itself by withstanding an earthquake experienced in the city in February 2001 measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale. Visitors can ascend the 607ft (185m) building as far as a revolving observation deck 520ft (158m) above the city, where high-powered telescopes are positioned to allow you to pick out the city sights. There is also a restaurant on top of the tower.

Experience Music Project
One of Seattle’s most popular attractions is the Experience Music Project, basically a rock ‘n roll music museum with a difference, housed in a huge, colourful psychedelic building, designed by Frank Gehry at the base of the Space Needle. The museum was planned originally by Microsoft entrepreneur Paul Allen as a memorial to Jimi Hendrix, the superstar guitarist who was born in Seattle and died more than 30 years ago. The Hendrix exhibit, featuring artefacts associated with the rock legend, remains the biggest drawcard at the museum, but the collections and interactive exhibits have been expanded to include the general history of American popular music. Exhibits range from the first electric guitars of the 1930s to a rock ‘n roll thrill ride akin to a roller coaster. In interactive rooms visitors can try their hands at mixing on DJ turntables or playing various instruments. The museum is also the venue for numerous concerts.

Seattle Art Museum
Seattle’s downtown Art Museum is landmarked by the animated thudding massive steel sculpture by Jonathon Borofsky called “Hammering Man” that stands outside. Inside the remarkable building, designed by Robert Venturi, are a large range of exhibits covering European and American art, from ancient through to a vast 20th-century collection devoted to Northwest contemporary art. Free guided tours of the different collections are offered.

Pioneer Square
Billed as “where Seattle begins”, the historic district of Pioneer Square features more than 20 city blocks of historic buildings, more than 30 galleries, a vibrant retail sector and the city’s most exciting nightlife. The district is south of the main downtown area, and encompasses two major attractions. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park recalls the days when Seattle was a jumping off point for hopefuls heading for the goldfields. Another visitor favourite is the unique Underground Tour, taking in the sunken storefronts of the original “Skid Road”, where timber used to be slid down to the steam-powered mills on the shores of Elliott Bay.

Museum of Flight
Next to Boeing Field, south of downtown Seattle, the Museum of Flight consists of a six-storey high glass and steel construction, which was the original Boeing factory. Inside is a collection of more than 130 aircraft, some suspended from the ceiling, which includes some of history’s most famous airplanes. There is, for example, a replica of the Wright brothers’ first glider and the original Air Force One presidential plane used by Eisenhower. The museum covers the entire history of flight right up to the space programme. The Museum's most recent acquisition is a British Airways Concorde - the only one on America's West Coast. Concorde arrived in true style setting a new world's record time from New York to Seattle.

Seattle is not a place that fosters couch potatoes. Visitors and locals alike revel in the outdoor activities the city’s situation provides for. Seattle sits on the shores of two large lakes and Puget Sound, with remote wilderness less than an hour away, and it is flanked by two major mountain ranges (Olympics and Cascades), with Mount Rainier in full view from the city. It is also within easy reach of the San Juan Islands, Pacific Ocean beaches and major rivers.
This active city lends itself to walking tours, particularly around the two main tourist areas, the waterfront and Pike Place Market. In addition, 80 percent of the city limits are surrounded by water, so tour boats also abound. To fully enjoy Seattle be prepared to go boating, and bring a comfortable pair of shoes.