One of Seattle's most famous landmarks, Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously working public market in the United States and one of the world's top 50 most visited attractions. Pike Place opened in 1907 as the city's first public market, expanding to keep up with its growing popularity as a convenient option for both shoppers and merchants. The market remains a veritable cornucopia of culinary and artisanal options, its crowded aisles and bustling halls thronged with customers jostled between vendors of fresh produce and gourmet eats, alongside fishmongers and craftsmen. The street level is dominated by the food and produce stalls, while the lower levels house a fantastic variety of shops including antique dealers, head shops, florists, and local artisans. A whirlwind of sights, sounds and aromas, Pike Place Market is nothing short of paradise for foodies and connoisseurs of unique wares.
Chihuly Garden Glass amazes visitors with displays of colour and fine artistry. With the iconic Space Needle serving as its backdrop, this unique exhibit – conceived by artist Dale Chihuly – features glass sculptures that have to be seen to be believed. The splendour of lush gardens showcasing Chihuly's signature glass creations is a truly serene experience. Easily accessible via the Seattle Monorail, there is no excuse for not experiencing this incomparable display of nature and glass.
Located on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill, Kerry Park is a popular park in Seattle that is renowned for providing the beautiful panoramic views of the city. With Mount Rainier as a picturesque backdrop, this park is popular with locals and tourists alike. At night, the view of the city from the park is breathtaking and dream-like which makes it perfect for pictures.
Explore the history of flight from the Wright Brothers to space travel. Collections at Museum of Flight include commercial, military and civilian crafts. See a 1929 Boeing 80A-1, the sole survivor of its type. The 1926 Swallow was used as the nation's first contracted airmail service starting in April 1926. For those interested in more modern aircraft, there are the dynamic M-21 Blackbird, the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever built, and the VC-137B Air Force One, which flew President Dwight D. Eisenhower on a historic visit to meet with Germany's Chancellor Konrad Adenauer in 1959. Take a walk through the “Red Barn,” a museum in its own right, where the Boeing Company manufactured its first aircraft. There is also a library with an extensive selection of aviation information, as well as a museum store and a cafe on the premises.
The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, locally known as the Ballard Locks, is a unique and historic location in Seattle. Completed in 1917, this landmark connects the waters of Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Puget Sound. Watching the boats navigate the locks is interesting enough, but the location also hosts an unusual fish ladder that connects salt and freshwater for the local migrating Pacific Salmon. The grounds feature a visitors centre as well as the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens.
Sitting on Capitol Hill with Volunteer Park's large grassy knoll at its entrance and a neighborhood known for its unique culture surrounding it, the Asian Art Museum is not to be missed. Have lunch in the park overlooking downtown Seattle, and then wander into the museum to be immediately engulfed in some of the world's most precious Asian art. Browse through over 23,000 objects that include African, Asian, European, Oceanic, Aboriginal, among other international art. From one of the top five US Japanese & Korean Art collections to ancient Greek and Roman artifacts, visitors are able to absorb prominent multi-cultural art. Call ahead for visiting hours.
Seattle's community center, Town Hall, is an important venue for cultural events. Many of the events and performances scheduled here are held at the Great Hall, which can seat a maximum of 832 people. This sub-venue of Town Hall has proved an excellent setting for concerts, seminars and meetings, what with its magnificent acoustics and visual appeal courtesy the stained-glass windows. The Great Hall can be accessed through the entrance at 8th Avenue. Rental of this hall is inclusive of the Lobby as well.
An eccentric city moored by the mighty mountains of the Cascade and Olympic range, Seattle can defy expectations. While a 4000-year old Native American past throbs underneath the modern daze of this seaport city, European settlement did not begin here until the latter half of the 19th Century. After a shaky period of initial settlement that led to small towns popping up around Elliot Bay, the city experienced several periods of boom and bust, first rising to prominence from its timber industry and then from its proximity to the newly discovered Klondike goldfields. Eventually, the mining and logging industries gave way to companies like Boeing, Microsoft, UPS and Amazon, that continue to be economic strongholds in the city. A major part of the city's culture and local spirit stays anchored to Downtown Seattle, the waterfront heart of the city which is home to retail gems like the Pike Place Market and the iconic Space Needle. At the periphery of this dynamic neighborhood, a host of art galleries, parks, and nightclubs attract and entertain locals and tourists. Today, the city fosters a multicultural atmosphere, garners an ardent love for coffee that brews in locally-owned roasteries, a liberal tolerance for the quirky, and a collective adoration for its treasured green spaces.
Take a walk under the streets of downtown Seattle through passageways and tunnels long forgotten for a truly unique experience. Beneath The Streets is a tour company that will take you on a trip through history that's extremely enlightening, engaging and will fascinate the senses. The tour guides are knowledgeable and friendly and will make sure your underground adventure is pleasant and memorable.
Built in 1892, and rebuilt in 1902 after a fire destroyed most of the original building, Trinity Parish Episcopal Church situated on 8th Avenue in the heart of Seattle is a historic and popular church that is visited by devotees from across the city in large numbers. This church building reflects the English Gothic Revival Style and is one of the most important cultural landmarks of the neighborhood. Tourists from afar visit in large numbers to take a look at the famed stained walls of this church. The spiritual and serene atmosphere at Trinity Parish Episcopal is ideal for those looking to get away from the rest of the world for some time or for those looking to light a candle and pray.