A part of the Lake Wilderness Park; Lake Wilderness Arboretum is a verdant escape from the concrete jungle. Located a short drive away from Seattle, this arboretum is home to the Smith-Mossman Western Azalea Garden, Perennial Garden, Legacy Garden, and the Woodland Garden, making it a treat for nature lovers. The Arboretum organizes free tours, allowing one to stroll along its winding paths that are neatly lined with Japanese Maples and Redwood Trees, with Rhododendrons and hydrangeas peeking through the foliage to ease one's jaded vision.
Pioneer Square is Seattle's oldest neighborhood, and it wasn't always a pleasant place to visit. The Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour takes visitors around Pioneer Square above ground and also to a hidden Seattle that now lies underground. About 25 square blocks of Pioneer Square have hollow spaces under the sidewalks, thanks to peculiarities of the reconstruction after the great Seattle fire of 1889.
Seattle's most famous landmark, the Space Needle's futuristic design rises over 600 feet (182.88 meters) tall. The tower was originally built for the 1962 World Expo in Seattle, and was designed with cutting-edge know how by award-winning engineer John K. Minasian, known for his work at Cape Canaveral, home of the U.S. Space Program. From the top, the Space Needle provides 360-degree views of downtown Seattle, Mount Rainier, Elliott Bay, and the Cascade and Olympic mountains. Besides the Skydeck restaurant, the Space Needle also features a gift shop and observation deck.
If you are fascinated by airplanes, then take this tour of the Boeing Everett factory. Housing the Boeing flight line, the building measures 472,000,000 cubic feet. See airplanes in various stages of manufacture. Follow the mighty 747 from start to completion. Tours are conducted in English and last one hour. Photos and video cameras are not permitted. Children under four feet, two inches tall (127 centimeter) are not allowed on the tour.
When gold was discovered in the Alaskan Klondike, thousands of miners tramped through Seattle on their way to seek their fortunes. Some stayed and made fortunes in other ways including John W. Nordstrom, the founder of Nordstrom department stores. Seattle played a big role in the Gold Rush of 1898, and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park tells the story. Located in historic Pioneer Square, the museum depicts the Gold Rush and the impact it had on the fledgling city. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
Located just south of Seattle in Federal Way, Rhododendron Species Foundation Botanical Gardens devoted to rhododendrons and azaleas is a must for flower lovers. The garden features over 450 species from four continents. Flowers in a range of colors intermingle in a forest of conifers, deciduous trees, ferns and heather. The gardens also include a gift shop and plant sales pavilion.