Seattle, Washington

I recently visited Seattle for a conference but was able to do a little sightseeing.  The first thing about Seattle is that it is a very walkable city.  Everything is close by, especially if you are staying Downtown, requiring walking only a few blocks.  It is also a very eco-friendly city.  You ride in Prius taxis.  Some of the hotels even have sections in the trash cans for recyclables.  The conference center had three sections, trash, recyclables, and compost.  Everyone thinks it rains all the time in Seattle.  There is rain, but not heavy showers.  You can walk around with just a hood on.

Of course, the first place to visit is Pike's Market.  You can find anything there.  Walk the stalls for fresh vegetables, flowers, and many homemade items.  The big draw are the fish stalls where the workers throw the fish.

The other place you have to visit is the Space Needle.  You can take the Monorail from Westlake Center (for $2.25 each way) which only stops at the Needle.  At the top of the Space Needle is a cafe and an open air area with great views.  You can stay all day and get great pictures of Puget Sound, the city, and sometimes Mount Rainier.  Many other sights are nearby.  The Chihuly Garden and Glass showcases many pieces made entirely out of glass along with trees, flowers, and other plants.  You actually ride the monorail through the Experience Music Project.  There are exhibits, oral histories, and other displays from many musicians and other artists.

A less known area is Pioneer Square.  It is the original area of Seattle.  There are some original buildings, a Pagoda, and a (not original) totem pole dedicated to Chief Seattle.  The Underground Tour that will take you to see all the tunnels and underground areas of the city starts here.  Take a bus (they run in a tunnel under the city) to Yesler Way and walk down to the square.  Yesler Way is the orginial Skid Row (called that because loggers would skid the logs down the road to the harbor). Do visit this area during the day time.  There are a lot of bars and shelters nearby.

Near Pioneer Square is the Smith Building.  When it was built in the early 1900s, it was one of the tallest buildings west of the Mississippi at 45 stories.  Now you can ride up the (original) elevator to the top to also get great views of the city, including the Space Needle.  ***Tip-This is a cheaper alternative to the Needle.  It costs $7.50 for the Smith Building while the Needle is $19.  You do not get up as high as the needle though***