25 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SEATTLE

Something has to be in the air of Seattle to be the birthplace of successful companies such as Microsoft or Starbucks, and musical groups such as Nirvana. Will it be the Pacific breeze? Who knows, just in case we have breathed its air in full lungs to try to spread its entrepreneurial spirit, now we have to wait for it to take effect. Leaving aside its more material side, Seattle is a versatile and dynamic city, underground and at the same time hooked to trends, with a vintage touch aligned with the most contemporary hipsterism. And increasingly infected by the poison of Silicon Valley, which the locals reject so much. If it is in your plans to visit this corner of the state of Washington, pay attention: we will tell you the best 25 things to see and do in Seattle.

* Remember that at the end of the article we give you more useful information to prepare your trip to Seattle

1. The first thing that attracts attention is the silhouette of the Space needle, the most peculiar tower and symbol par excellence of Seattle (if you've seen Grey's Anatomy you know what we are talking about). Compared to other towers of the continent such as the Toronto Tower, it does not have a remarkable height (“only” 184 meters), although it was a feat in 1962, the year it was built. You can climb to the observation deck and contemplate the city from above, and get scared in the glass floor areas. Admission costs between $ 32.50 and $ 37.50 (depending on visiting hours) and you can buy them online or at the box office.

2. When you get off the tower, it is best to go to Kerry park And enjoy another wonderful view. But this time you will have the panorama of the city skyline in front, obviously including the famous tower (after all if you are in the Space Needle, you will not see the Space Needle :-p).

3. If the gastronomic markets drive you crazy, welcome to the club! In Seattle you have to write this name: Pike Place Market, where you can walk between hundreds of stalls of all kinds of food and ... Oh yeah! also for restaurants where to quench your hunger. Open every day, from 09.00 to 18.00. In this article we give you a list of 8 restaurants to eat in Seattle (good and cheap).

4. Near there, in the alley of Post Alley, you will find the Gum wall, a very colorful wall for the simple fact that it is full of chewing gum! The tradition of sticking the gum on these bricks began in the 90s, when people waited to enter the Market Theater, and it has ended up becoming one of Seattle's most disgusting attractions.

5. One of the most interesting and most personality neighborhoods in Seattle is Capitol hill, the neighborhood that hosts the largest LGBT community in the city. If you like to wander around, stop for a beer and go shopping… you have to stop by. And also why not to cultivate a little, here is The Elliott Bay Book Company, a bookstore with more than 150,000 new and second-hand titles.

Views from Kerry Park

6. And the area of Pioneer Square It also has to be included in your plans: full of brick buildings, trendy premises and ambience, especially at lunchtime.

7. The Columbia Center It is another building that will delight those who are eager to fly: from its viewpoint (Sky View Observatory) you can see the city too much (yes, including the Space Needle). We did not go, for lack of time, but they told us that it is very cool. This is the tallest building in the state of Washington, with 284 meters, and the entrance costs $ 22.

8. The Seattle Central Library We found it a curious stop: it is a steel and glass construction that is a very photogenic place. Also on the 10th floor there is a free viewpoint that will give you a curious view of the city.

9. Did you know that in Seattle is the world's first Starbucks? It was founded in 1971 and since then to know how many liters of coffees were drunk in the streets of Seattle (and the world!). And yes, entering even to know this historic place is a must. Peeeero if there is a Starbucks that drives everyone who visits it crazy (especially instagramers) is the The Seattle Roastery. Of course, do not forget to try other coffees, because Seattle is one of the cities with more coffee culture in the world, going alone to Starbucks would be like eating at a Domino's Pizza in Naples. Some of Seattle's best coffee shops are: Milstead and Co. Y La Marzocco Café.

10. The Amazon headquarters It is also one of the best things to see in Seattle, especially thanks to its glass domes. There is also good news for geeks: tours can be done to get to know the offices of this famous company (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am and 2 pm). More info here.

Seattle Central Library

11. In 1889 Seattle was destroyed because of a huge fire. To know its history and to see places that were buried under the ruins, there is a very popular excursion called Underground Tour. You will walk through tunnels and passages while your guide tells you all about the past of this ghost town. Curiosity: apparently the fire started when an apprentice Swedish carpenter, became the Swede (sorry, bad joke) and forgot hot glue next to some wooden chips ...

12. If you have time and you feel like a moment of tranquility, we recommend you approach one of these two parks: Olympic Sculpture ParkIt is an urban park that, as you have already imagined, is characterized by being dotted with statues. And the Washington Park Arboretum which at one of its ends has the Japanese Garden.

13. Good news for Asian lovers: in Seattle there is not only one Chinatown as in many cities in the United States, there is also a Japantown, a Little india and surely something else hidden out there. The truth is that the neighborhoods of Seattle are full of personality ... another super recommended (and also cheap) is the U District.

14. The Seattle cultural scene is versatile and always evolving, but there are a handful of museums that you should keep in mind One is the Pop Culture Museum (the Mopop), created by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. Here you can surround yourself with personal objects of great music, such as Kurt Cobain de Nirvana, David Bowie or Jimy Hendrix himself.

15. Another is the Chihuly Garden and Glass, an almost unreal world where you will be surrounded by colorful, immense and somewhat crazy glass sculptures. It is a tribute to the artist Dale Chihuly, a must in Seattle.

Seattle Pop Culture Museum (MoPOP)

16. The Seattle Art Museum It's also worth it, especially if you're passionate about ethnic art. Eye: it has different locations so if you decide to go, you must plan your visit well.

17. Are you more numbers than letters? Then you are sure to be more interested in visiting the Pacific Science Center, entirely dedicated to science. It will please both small and not so small!

18. Do you want to live a very yankee experience? Go see a baseball game of the Seattle Mariners... Few things are more typical than this. Or if baseball seems too boring, you can opt for a game of football, yes, you must decide whether to be a fan of Seattle Sounders or of the Seattle Seahawks. We would not think about it and go to see the latter at their stadium: the Centurylink Field Stadium, which once had the Guinness Record for the noisiest fans. You can also do tours around the stadium on days when there is no game.

19. We're not done with Seattle neighborhoods yet, Fremont It is one of the most fashionable ones right now. Here you will find endless shops, restaurants and a craft brewery that you have to visit: we talk about the Fremont brewing. The pints cost about 5-6 $ and there is also the possibility of tasting several beers. Eye: they do not sell food, so if you want you can bring something to eat yourself, what they do give for free are apples and mini-pretzels hehe.

20. If your hand goes out with the pints and when you're back you think you see a troll ... You're not going crazy! Is he Fremont troll, a colossal very popular sculpture that sits under the George Washington Memorial Bridge.

The Troll, in Fremont, Seattle

21. And why not take the last listening to music on The croccodile? It's a pub where groups like Pearl Jam or Pen Cap Chew played, the first group of Kurt Kobain. Come on, it's the Seattleana version of The Cave of Liverpool! Eye: check out the calendar since performances are not always free. You can see it here.

22. Take a walk through the Pier 66, a very nice and lively area, with good views of the sea and the Downtown. Within walking distance there is also the Pier 57/55 which is also very cool (with its ferris wheel and the Miners Landing, a pier full of shops and restaurants)

23. Seattle is nestled in Elliot Bay, a good plan to take a ferry from the Seattle Ferry Terminal and go sailing through it. The most popular route is the one that reaches Bainbridge island, where you can take walks in nature and enjoy a visit to a quiet city (in 2005 it was chosen as the second best place to live in the US). The price of the ferry is $ 8.50.

24. With the boat ride you have felt like beach? Then go up Alki beach, but do not expect a paradise beach ideal for swimming. It is a quiet area where you can relax by the water, have a drink in your berths or enjoy a beautiful sunset with the Seattle skyline in the background.

Ferris Wheel at the Seattle Pier

25. And if you still have time on your visit to Seattle, a good idea is to rent a car and get some good getaways: there are jewels like the Mount rainier wave Olympic Peninsula. The state of Washington (don't confuse it with the city, Washington DC) is one of the greenest in the United States, if you like nature, you'll love it.

There is also option to do these excursions with tour. Here we leave you the most interesting:

The truth is that we liked this city in the north of the United States, and we would not mind returning with more time! Do you know more things to see and do in Seattle?

Here you have a map with the points you can not miss on your visit to Seattle:

Video: 22 Things to Do in Seattle, Washington (May 2024).