Pike Place Market
First Avenue and Pike Street
(206) 625-4764
Nine decades old, Pike Place is one of Seattle's most popular landmarks, as famous for the theatrics of its boisterous vendors as it is for its appealing wares. Its most popular buildings are the Main and North arcades, with their carefully arranged stacks of produce, and fresh fish, crabs and mollusks piled high with ice. The best time to visit the market is to go on a weekday morning. Wander slowly, sample frequently and remember to watch for flying fish!
Over half of the market's open-air stalls are now devoted to locally made arts & crafts, and its lower levels are filled with small shops of all descriptions, from Indian spice stalls to magicians' supply shops. The streets surrounding Pike Place Market continue the maze of shops, with ethnic food stalls, plant shops, galleries and gift boutiques. Pike Place Market is in the northwestern corner of downtown, close to the waterfront.

Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
(206) 684-7240
Seattle Center general information: (206) 684-7200
The 1962 World's Fair, also known as the 'Century 21 Exposition', brought in over 9 million visitors from around the world for a glimpse of Tomorrow, Seattle-style. What remains of the futuristic enclave of exhibition halls, arenas and public spaces is today called the Seattle Center. The center hosts more than 1,500 events every year, including summer festivals celebrating the cultures of the Philippines (June 10-11), China (June 16-18), Brazil (Aug. 20) and Tibet (Aug. 26-27). The grounds are home to dance, theater, opera, museums and Key Arena. More info

Space Needle
219 4th Avenue North
206-443-2100
Elevator hours are Sunday 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight. Tickets are $9 adults, $8 seniors, $4 children 5-12, free for 4 and under. There is no elevator fee for restaurant patrons. (206-443-2111)
The Space Needle is a 600ft (180m) rocket styled observation station and restaurant. After the 41 second zip up its elevators to the top, visitors are treated to breathtaking 360° views. The top of the 605-foot Space Needle is the best place to orient yourself to the city and its surroundings. More info

The U District
University of Washington
The U District is 3 miles (5km) northeast of downtown and accessible by bus. The campus sits at the edge of a busy commercial area known as the U District. The main streets here University Way, commonly called the Ave, and NE 45th St are filled with affordable restaurants and cafes, arthouses, cinemas and student filled bars. 'U Dub', as most people refer to the university, is a lively place that's definitely worth touring, especially in spring, when pink and orange flowered azaleas paint the campus in brilliant hues.

Washington Park Arboretum
(206) 543-8800
Daily 10-4
Donation requested
The park features 5500 different plant species within 200 acres (80ha) of mature forest and gardens. At the southern edge of the arboretum is the Japanese Garden, a collection of koi pools, waterfalls and manicured plantings. Bird watching is popular at the northern end of the arboretum, as are canoeing, fishing and swimming. free public tours are offered.

Broadway
dotted with restaurants and pubs along the neighborhood's main strip. With its multitudes of sweets shops and cafes, it's also a fine place to develop sugar and caffeine habits. For some divine accompaniment with your indulgence, sit close to St Marks Cathedral, where a chorus performs Gregorian chants on Sunday nights.

Pike/Pine Corridor
a nightlife hotspot of all-night coffeehouses, live-music clubs and rowdy, smoke-filled bars. If you're looking for late night action, this is one of Seattle's most lively scenes. Capitol Hill is a mile (2km) northeast of downtown and connected to the city center by bus.

Queen Anne
Rising above Seattle Center is Queen Anne - a neighborhood of majestic red-brick houses and apartment buildings, sweeping lawns manicured to perfection and gorgeous views of the city and bay. Queen Anne is not nearly as established as other neighborhoods, but it does have cafes, trendy music clubs and some old-time Seattle entertainment. The main reason to visit is to check out the view. The observatory deck at 3rd Ave and Highland Drive is the best spot for it, especially at night or sunset. Queen Anne is just over a mile (2km) northwest of downtown and has frequent bus connections to the city center.

Experience Music Project
(Just opened in July, 2000; please check locally in Seattle for address)
Museum of Rock 'N' Roll combines exhibitions of artifacts with interactive displays that help people create and play music on their own. A tribute to the "Seattle Sound," the museum was financed by billionaire Paul Allen who was inspired by Jimi Hendrix, the legendary Seattle guitarist of the 1960's. Memorabilia from the bands Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden and many other local groups are displayed along with the history of the bands that sprang from Seattle and redefined the industry.

Seattle Art Museum
100 University Street
(206) 625-8900
Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm, Thursday till 9 pm. US$7 adults, US$5 seniors and students.
Free the first Thursday of the month.
Save your ticket! It will admit you to the Seattle Asian Art Museum if you go within one week. 100 University St. at 1st Avenue. Phone (206) 654-3100.
The mammoth Hammering Man sculpture guards the museum's entrance. Within are four floors of African, European and Northwest Coastal Native American art.
Jonathan Barofsky's towering metal "Hammering Man" makes the museum at 100 University St. easy to spot. Visitors pass the gift shop and climb an impressive staircase to the main galleries. The Ebsworth Collection"opens Aug. 10 and runs through Nov. 12, with oil paintings, with some sculptures and works on paper by artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Alexander Calder and Willem de Kooning.
Among the museum's most distinguished permanent collections are African, Northwest Coast Indian and Asian art. "The Russian Decorative Arts: The Plestcheeff Collection" offers visitors a look at Russian porcelain and decorative arts. And "The Northwest Art/Asian Affinities" exhibit explores the relationship between Asian aesthetics and recurring motifs in the work of Northwest artists.

Seattle Asian Art Museum
1400 E. Prospect.
(206) 654-3100
Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm, Thursday till 9 pm.
US$3 adults and children age 13 and older.
Free the first Thursday and Saturday of the month.
Your ticket is also good for admission to the Seattle Art Museum within one week.
This museum houses one of the nation's most important collections of Asian art. The building itself is a gorgeous example of art nouveau architecture. Ample free parking.

Observation Towers
Bank of America Tower (formerly Columbia Seafirst Tower), 701 Fifth Ave., offers a dramatic but less panoramic view from the 73rd floor because its observation deck doesn't go completely around the building. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays; the cost is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and children. (206) 386-5151.
The best free view in the city may be from the 108-step climb to the top of the old water tower in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill. Open daily.

Woodland Park Zoo
5500 Phinney Ave. N
(206) 684-4800
Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Admission is $9 adults, $8.25 seniors, $6.50 ages 6-17 and people with disabilities, $4.25
ages 3-5, free for 2 and under.
Discount for King County residents.
The zoo is a pioneer in open-environment exhibits where animals live in natural settings with a minimum of fences. Popular spots include the Northern Trail of Alaska, the tropical rainforest exhibit, Elephant Forest and the African savanna.
"Butterflies and Blooms," an outdoor exhibit representing nearly 1,000 butterflies of North America, opens May 13 and runs through summer at the award-winning zoo. Another summer exhibit (opening May 27) is the Dragons of Komodo, where visitors can get an up-close-and-personal glimpse of the largest lizard in the world.

University of Washington Museum
15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 41st Street
(206) 543-2280
Admission is $5; $3.50 for students and 62-plus free Thursday 5-8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., until 8 p.m. Thursday.
The museum is a mecca for contemporary art in Seattle. On display this summer will be "Andy Warhol: Drawings, 1942-1987," with more than 200 rarely seen drawings that survey Warhol's entire career. It runs July 20 through Oct. 8

Museum of History and Industry
2700 24th Ave. E.
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m
Suggested admission is $5.50 for adults, $3 for children 6-12 and 55-plus, $1 for children 2-5.
(206) 324-1126
This is the place to get a sense of Seattle's distant and not-so-distant past. Exhibits of artifacts bring to life Seattle's roots (from the Klondike Gold Rush to Boeing's early days), and a new show, "See All About It," features 100 images of 20th-century Seattle taken by Seattle P-I photographers. The museum offers walking tours (to the Montlake Cut with a museum historian and the Washington Park Arboretum with a naturalist), on most weekends through September. The museum is off Montlake Boulevard, south of Husky Stadium and the Montlake Bridge. More info

Argosy Cruises
(206) 623-4252
Piers 55 and 57 at the foot of Seneca St. and Lake Union
Hours: The 1-hour cruise departs daily at 11, 12:15, 1:30, 2:45, 4 and 5:15, June-Sept.; at 12:15, 1:30, 2:45 and 4, Apr.-May and in Oct.; at 1:30 and 2:45, rest of year.
Admission based on length of tour.
The 2.5-hour cruise departs daily at 10, noon, 1, 2:30, 4 and 7, July-Aug.; at 10, 1, 4 and 7, in June and in Sept.; at noon and 3, Apr.-May and in Oct.; at noon and 1:30, rest of year.
The 2-hour cruise departs daily at 11, 1:15 and 3:30, June-Sept.; at 1 and 3:30, Apr.-May and in Oct. at 1pm, rest of year
1-hour narrated trips along the waterfront and past the shipyards or a 2.5-hour tour through the Hiram Chittenden Locks to Lake Union. A 2-hour cruise of Lake Washington departs from AGC Marina on South Lake Union.

Boeing Everett Plant
Everett is 30 mi/48 km north of Seattle.
Take I-5 to Exit 189, then SR 526 W. for 3.5 mi/5.5 km.
(206) 544-1264 (Be sure to call first for updated tour information).
US$5 adults, US$3 seniors and children younger than age 15.
Tours are available of the Everett plant that manufactures the Boeing 747, 767 and 777 airplanes. Monday-Friday 9 am-3 pm, with approximately six tours each day. Tickets are distributed beginning at 8:30 am, but lines start forming at 7 am in summer months. Tickets are usually gone by noon May-October. No tours on major holidays or the second half of December. Rules: No reservations; no still photography; and no video cameras, cell phones, purses or bags allowed (all these must be stowed in your car). Be prepared for a bit of a walk and steep stairs (wheelchair accessible). Visitors must be at least 50 in/127 cm tall. Tours last one hour.

Pioneer Square Historic District
The original Seattle downtown, Pioneer Square is made up of six city blocks of restored century-old buildings. They now house shops, restaurants, offices, nightclubs and galleries. On Fridays and Saturdays, the area is awash with music lovers going to taverns and clubs. Pioneer Square is just south of the current city center, bounded by 1st and 3rd Avenues and Yesler Way and S. Jackson Street.

Burke Museum
University of Washington/Db10
N.E. 45th Street at 17th Avenue N.E.
(206) 543-5590, Fax: (206) 543-9285
Daily 10 am-5 pm, Thursday till 8 pm. US$5.50 adults, US$4 seniors, US$2 students (add US$1 to visit the Henry Gallery on the same day)
This museum at the University of Washington contains exhibits about dinosaurs, fossils and cultures of the Pacific Rim, as well as the bones of the Kennewick man. The museum keeps a good collection of dinosaur skeletons, but its real treasures are its Indian artifacts, especially the collection of cedar canoes and totem poles. It is also the school's fine art show space. Have coffee and biscotti in the Boiserie Cafe, charming with its 19th-century paneled walls

Frye Art Museum
704 Terry Avenue , P.O. Box 3005
(206) 622-9250
Cafe and gift shop. Tues-Sat 10 -5 Thursday till 9 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm.
Admission: Free
The Frye Art Museum on First Hill has been handsomely renovated and has a permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century Russian and other European art. Other eclectic exhibits include comic strip art and works by Melville Holmes.

Henry Art Gallery
Northeast 41st and 15th Northeast
(206) 543-2280
Tuesday-Sunday 11 am-5 pm, Thursday till 8 pm.
US$5 adults, US$3.50 seniors
(add US$1 to visit the Burke Museum on the same day).
Free Thursday 5-8 pm.
Underground parking.
The newly renovated and expanded Henry Gallery, at the edge of the University of Washington campus, includes beautifully curated exhibits of modern painting, sculpture and photographs. Noontime and evening lectures are offered. Café opens onto a small sculpture courtyard. Gift shop has a fine selection of note cards, handmade jewelry and books.

Klondike Gold Rush Museum
117 S. Main Street , Pioneer Square
(206) 553-7220.
Daily 9 am-5 pm. Free.
Located in Pioneer Square, this national historic park is more a building than a parkland, but it's worth a visit for its exhibits that commemorate the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s. Seattle was a major gateway for the Klondike prospectors, who boarded ships there on the way to gold fields in Alaska and the Yukon Territory. In addition to photographs, artifacts and slide shows, the park staff presents interesting demonstrations of gold panning and discussions of the harsh conditions faced by the miners.

Museum of Flight
9404 East Marginal Way South of the City by Boeing Field
(206) 767-7373, (206) 764-5720,
Daily 10 am-5 pm, Thursday till 9 pm.
US$9.50 adults, US$8.50 seniors, US$5 students and children ages 5-17.
Admission is free the first Thursday of each month 5-9 pm.
The Museum of Flight's glass-walled gallery is several stories high to display authentic historic aircraft suspended from the ceiling.
In the steel-and-glass Great Gallery, visitors can experience the history of aviation with dozens of full-size authentic historic aircraft suspended six stories above. A new section focuses on early air mail planes. You can board the original Air Force One, the only presidential jet open to the public.
Special events and films are offered throughout the year, including May 29, a salute to America's Armed Forces, and June 18, when dads get into the museum free on Father's Day. The Blue Angels make the museum their base annually when they are in town to perform at Seafair, the city's summer celebration. The museum's core is the "Red Barn,"the original Boeing Airplane Co. factory. Fans of aviation will enjoy the extensive collection of planes and aviation and aerospace artifacts.

Museum of History and Industry
2700-24th Avenue East
(206) 324-1125
Call for directions: (206) 324-1126.
Daily 10 am-5 pm. US$5.50 adults, US$3 seniors, people with disabilities and children ages 6-12, US$1 children ages 2-5.
Learn about Northwest culture through photographs and narratives, including exhibits on salmon and the history of the ferries. The museum is less than 1 mi/1.6 km from the University of Washington, in the Montlake District off I-5.

Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art
1116 108th Ave. N.E.
425-455-1116.
Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm.
US$6 adults, US$5.50 seniors, US$4 children.
Across Lake Washington in Bellevue is the Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art, a spectacular collection of collectible and antique dolls, teddy bears, miniatures and toys. The sophisticated displays interest doll and toy collectors as well as children.

Wing Luke Asian Museum
407 7th Ave. S.
(206) 623-5124
Tuesday-Friday 11 am-4:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon-4 pm.
US$2.50 adults, US$1.50 seniors and students
US$0.75 children ages 5-12. Free on Thursday.
Asian-American art and history are the focus of this museum in the International District southeast of downtown.

Fremont
Between N. 34th and 50th Streets, and Phinney Avenue N. and Stone Way N.
This artistic community 10 minutes north of downtown blends unusual public art (such as a giant car-eating troll that lurks under a bridge, and an original Soviet statue of Lenin) with small breweries, antique shops, bookstores, European-style pubs and restaurants and avant-garde parades and events. Art walks are held the first Saturday of the month, 4-7 pm. A walking guide and brochure are available at most Fremont shops and at "hysterical markers," which are poles along the street.

Waterfront
Seattle's waterfront is a 3-mi/5-km stretch of shops, restaurants, visitor attractions, parks and piers. Start at Pier 54 by the Washington State Ferries dock. Pause at Ivar's for a cup of clam chowder. Duck into the Seattle Aquarium for an hour-long visit. Next door, at Pier 59, view the spectacles in the Omnidome IMAX theater. Wind up at Myrtle Edwards Park, the most popular downtown walking and jogging area. Though the area is a great place to stroll, you can also take advantage of the Waterfront Streetcars when you need a rest: The tracks run along the water from Pioneer Square to near the park.

Discovery Park
3801 W. Government Way
(206) 386-4236
Park open daily dawn to dusk
with the Visitor Center open 8:30 am-5 pm.
Located 15 minutes north of downtown in the Magnolia neighborhood, Discovery Park is on a high bluff with panoramic views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula. Rare birds and other wildlife may be sighted in and around its cliffs, beaches, meadows and thick forest

Gas Works Park
Open daily dawn to dusk.
At Northlake Way and Meridian Avenue.
On Lake Union's north shore, this park was once the site of an actual gas works. The grassy knolls offer spectacular views of the downtown skyline, houseboats and sailing vessels. Don't miss the sundial.

Volunteer Park Conservatory
1400 E. Galer
(206) 684-4743
Open daily 10 am-7 pm (closing at 4 pm in the winter)
Free admission
If time permits, visit the 106-step Observation Tower, south of the museum Just yards from the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Volunteer Park Conservatory is a must: Victorian-style greenhouse with numerous species of exotic and tropical plants, especially orchids and cacti.

Washington Park Arboretum
About 15 minutes east of downtown, off Lake Washington Boulevard (near Madison).
(206) 543-8800
For Tea House information, call (206) 324-1483
Tripods require advance permission: (206) 684-4080
Admission to the arboretum is free.
The Japanese Garden is open daily 10 am-5 pm March-November.
US$2.50 adults, US$1.50 seniors and students.
(Fee includes entry to the Tea House, which is open only on the third Saturday of the month April-October.) Stroll among 5,500 species of plants, both native and nonnative, including specimens of west coast trees. Paths wind through the park's 230 acres/90 hectares. One of the most colorful spots complete with pond, benches and rare plants, is the Seattle Japanese Garden.

Enchanted Park
In Federal Way, about a half hour's drive south of downtown. I-5 Exit 142B 253-661-8001
A two-park passport is US$24.95 adults and children over 48 in/122 cm, US$22.95 children under 48 in/122 cm, US$16.95 seniors.
Open daily during the summer (Easter to Memorial Day, weekends only) 11 am-7 pm
Two parks in one: Enchanted Village, with live entertainment, is an amusement park for children. Wild Waves Water Park attracts all ages, with its giant wave pool, water rides and the Wild Thing-a double-corkscrew, single-inversion roller coaster.
Holiday of Lights, with its 600,000 lights and displays, is open from early December to early January, 6-10 pm. US$9.95 for those 48 in/122 cm and taller, US$7.95 for those under 48 in/122 cm (includes rides).

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
Often known as the Ballard Locks (being located in the Ballard area), these locks funnel boats between Puget Sound's Shilshole Bay and Lake Washington. Boat traffic ranges from day sailors to million-dollar yachts to North Pacific fishing boats. Next to the canals is the largest salmon fish ladder in the Pacific Northwest. Underwater viewing windows let you look at the fish-sockeye late June through August, coho in September. A botanical garden and a regional visitor's center and bookstore are also located at the locks.

Omnidome Film Experience
near the Seattle Aquarium
(206) 622-1868
US$7 adults, US$6.50 seniors and children ages 6-18, US$5 children ages 3-5
A second feature costs US$2. A special combined offer includes admission to the Aquarium: US$14 adults, US$13 seniors, US$10.25 children older than age 5, US$7 children ages 3-5. This IMAX theater shows its signature film, The Eruption of Mt. St. Helens, every 90 minutes 10 am-8 pm daily. Other films vary but usually run 40-45 minutes in length.

Tillicum Village
For exact times, call (206) 443-1244
US$60 adults, US$54 seniors, US$23.89 children
Purchase tickets on Pier 56, at Seneca, one hour before departure
Located on Blake Island, Tillicum Village is a re-creation of a Native American settlement. Rain or shine, tours are four hours long, including a one-hour boat ride each way, a buffet-style salmon meal prepared in the traditional native style and a Native American dance presentation. One or two tours daily in winter, more frequently in summer.

Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
(206) 684-7240
Seattle Center general information: 206-684-7200
The 1962 World's Fair, also known as the 'Century 21 Exposition', brought in over 9 million visitors from around the world for a glimpse of Tomorrow, Seattle-style. What remains of the futuristic enclave of exhibition halls, arenas and public spaces is today called the Seattle Center. The center hosts more than 1,500 events every year, including summer festivals celebrating the cultures of the Philippines (June 10-11), China (June 16-18), Brazil (Aug. 20) and Tibet (Aug. 26-27). The grounds are home to dance, theater, opera, museums and Key Arena. More info

Space Needle
219 4th Avenue North
206-443-2100
Elevator hours are Sunday 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight. Tickets are $9 adults, $8 seniors, $4 children 5-12, free for 4 and under. There is no elevator fee for restaurant patrons. (206-443-2111)
The Space Needle is a 600ft (180m) rocket styled observation station and restaurant. After the 41 second zip up its elevators to the top, visitors are treated to breathtaking 360° views. The top of the 605-foot Space Needle is the best place to orient yourself to the city and its surroundings. More info

Observation Towers
Bank of America Tower (formerly Columbia Seafirst Tower)
701 Fifth Ave.
206-386-5151
The observation tower offers a dramatic view from the 73rd floor. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays; the cost is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and children. However, the best free view in the city may be from the 108-step climb to the top of the old water tower in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill. Open daily.

Monorail
206-441-6038
A 1.5 mile (2.5km) experiment in mass transit, is another signature piece of the 1962 fair. Today, it provides fun and frequent transport between downtown and Seattle Center, covering the distance in only two minutes. It runs at least every 15 minutes daily, 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, between Seattle Center and Westlake Center. Tickets are $1.25 for adults, 50 cents for children 5-12 and seniors, free for children under 4. More info

Pacific Science Center
Seattle Center
200 Second Avenue North
For general information, call 206-443-2001
Laser Light Show:206-443-2850
Planetarium: 206-443-2920
IMAX Theater: 206-443-4629
The Pacific Science Center has hands-on exhibits for children, an impressive new Boeing IMAX Theater and a gift shop. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and to 6 p.m. weekends and holidays. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and children 3-13, free for kids under 3.
It houses the Willard W. Smith Planetarium, with ever-changing shows on such subjects as dinosaurs, space exploration and Alaska. Monday-Friday 10 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-6 pm. US$7.50 adults, US$5.50 seniors and children ages 3-13.
In the museum's Science Playground, you can play tic-tac-toe with a robot or virtual basketball. US$12 adults, US$10 children.
The IMAX theater has hourly screenings 10 am-8 pm. Film tickets cost US$10 adults, US$9 seniors and children.
Laser light shows at the Boeing Spacearium feature music from artists ranging from Sinatra to Hendrix. Shows run throughout the day (midnight show on Saturdays. US$12 adults, US$10 children. More info