Seattle Seattle attractions | Seattle driving route | How to play Seattle

Seattle | Introduction

Seattle, Washington, also known as The Emerald City, is a historic West Coast city that benefited from its proximity to Alaska during the Gold Rush. This historic West Coast city, once a center of commerce and shipbuilding during the Gold Rush era thanks to its proximity to Alaska, has evolved into a technological and cultural hub in the wake of the Great Depression. Compared to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Silicon Valley is located, Seattle has also experienced the takeoff of the technology industry, with a less technological feel and a more artistic flavor. The annual Seattle International Film Festival and the 100-year-old Seattle Symphony Orchestra are both very popular. In the summer, Seattle is also a favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Seattle is bordered by the Olympics on the west and Lake Washington on the east. A driving trip from Seattle to Washington State will take you to nearby national parks such asMount Rainier National Park,Olympic National ParkThe tour will take you to the following places.

Seattle | Suggested Itinerary

How do I organize my trip to downtown Seattle?

Seattle is a big city with a wealth of human and natural resources. If you're driving to Seattle like we are, and you'll probably only be in Seattle for a day or two, what are some of the best places to visit around the city?

If you only have one or two days, it is recommended to schedule your main trip around Seattle Center and Seattle Waterfront, where Seattle's famous Space Needle is located and many famous museums are located, so you can pick your favorite museums and schedule a half day to one day trip according to your preference. Seattle Waterfront is on the west side of the city on the waterfront highway, near Pike Place Market and other famous attractions, you can take an Argosy cruise to see the skyline, or visit the Seattle Aquarium, also can be arranged for half a day to a day trip. These two places are not far from each other, so even if you don't drive, you can still walk around and experience Seattle's cityscape from start to finish. For example, the first time we came to Seattle, we started from the Seattler center neighborhood, walked along the coastal highway through the Olympic Sculpture Park to the pier to take the Argosy Cruise, and then walked to the Pike Place Market across the street to have lunch, and then walked around Pioneer Square in the afternoon.

If you want to visit more museums and attractions, you can consider purchasing a Seattle CityPass, which includes the Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour, the Seattle Aquarium, the Space Needle for a nighttime view, and the freedom to choose two other museums to visit.

If you're driving around Seattle, I recommend taking an extra day to enjoy nature at attractions that are a little bit away from the city, such as the University of Washington, Gas Works Park, Green Lake Park, and so on.

Seattle One-Week Driving Itinerary

If you have a week to spare, you can organize a trip to Seattle and the National Parks in the suburbs. Spend the first two days at the downtown Seattle attractions mentioned in this post, and then go to theMount Rainier National ParkThree days of play, three days of play after that.Olympic National ParkThe itinerary of the three-day trip is a good way to organize a circular route. For a detailed itinerary of the 3-day tour, please refer to the link at the end of this article.

Seattle | Downtown Accommodations

If you are planning to visit downtown Seattle, it is recommended to stay near the city center. If you don't have a car, it's best to choose a location near the Seattle Center for the most convenient transportation, with popular attractions and many famous restaurants nearby. If you are driving, you should pay attention to whether the hotel parking is convenient or not, you can stay in South Lake Union or Capitol Hill near the city center but a little far away from the attractions, parking will be easier.

We've been to Seattle a few times, and our favorite place to stay is this Residence Inn Downtown. It's not too far from the attractions, and it's easy to get around by car, and it's also quieter, so we're pretty happy with the room and the price.

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Seattle | City Attractions

Seattle Center

Seattle CenterSeattle Center is a large public park and event center in downtown Seattle, located just north of downtown.Seattle Center Plaza is a 74-acre park that includes outdoor spaces, museums, concert halls, playgrounds, theaters, entertainment centers, and art galleries. There are many famous attractions including the Space Needle, Seattle Art Museum, Museum of Pop Culture and many other museums. I especially like the night view from the plaza. Even if you don't have time to visit the museums, if you have time in the evening in Seattle, you can at least come to see the Space Needle at night.

Space Needle

The Space Needle is an iconic building in Seattle Center. At 605 feet, it is one of the tallest buildings in the city. Its observation deck overlooking downtown Seattle and the Pigeon Mountain Range is a great place to see the city.

Museum of Pop Culture MOPOP

If you're a fan of music, movies, sci-fi and pop culture, then Seattle'sPop Culture Museum The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP, Museum of Pop Culture) is a must-see tourist attraction. Formerly known as the EMP Museum and founded by Microsoft founder Paul Allen, MOPOP has become one of Seattle's most popular museums with diverse and innovative displays that allow visitors to experience pop culture in all its forms, from music and movies to comics and games.

The Pop Culture Museum building itself has a peculiar shape, with an abstract exterior made up of 3,000 pieces of stainless steel.

Inside, there are various exhibits, including horror, sci-fi, and pop music related exhibits. The bigger ones when we were here were Prince, and another one by Pearl Jam, a band that started in Seattle. I especially liked "Scared to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film", an exhibition about horror films, which introduces the history, culture and influence of horror films, and you can also see props used in movies on display, such as props used in the Jaws movie and so on. There is also a music lab on the third floor where you can play a variety of musical instruments and arrange music.

The most eye-catching feature of the museum is the musical swirl of guitars on the first floor.

The gaming section was also very interesting, showcasing independently produced games from 1983 onwards.

Olympics Sculpture Park

The Olympic Sculpture Park is a public art space located in downtown Seattle, featuring an extensive collection of artwork, trails, observation decks, and natural settings, making it a unique cultural attraction. Located on the shores of Elliott Bay, the park offers breathtaking views of the ocean and a large collection of outdoor sculpture, including works by renowned artists such as Mark di Suvero, Alexander Calder, Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois, Roy McMakin, and Tony Smith. artists.

In fact, before 1970, this was an industrial area, and now there is still a railroad running through it. Later, after a period of abandonment due to toxic substances remaining underground, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) decided to use it as a park for exhibiting sculptures and providing the public with recreation and sports activities. The Olympic Sculpture Park is now part of the SAM and was named one of the world's top ten architectural wonders by Time in 2007. The park's paths meander past various artifacts and attractions, making it ideal for walking and jogging.

Pike Market

Pike Place Market is one of the most popular tourist attractions in downtown Seattle and one of the most iconic places in Seattle, probably the most famous attraction in Seattle besides the Space Needle. Founded in 1907, it is the oldest market in the United States.

Entering the Pike Place Market, the upper floor is mainly for fresh food and seafood, with florists and fresh fish, king crab legs and jumbo crabs, fresh fish, shrimps, crabs, shellfish, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables, attracting many tourists from all over the world. There are also many stalls selling handicrafts, souvenirs, gifts and restaurants.

Outside the market is also very busy. There is a golden pig named Rachel at the entrance of the market, and if you look closely, you will see that it is a pumper. It turns out that it is a golden pig that is specially designed for charity donations, and it is said that it can receive more than $6,000 in donations a year. If you come on weekends, there are also street piano performances at the entrance.

The world's first Starbucks

For those of you who don't know, the world's first Starbucks is located right across the street from the entrance to Pike Place Market, and most tourists, whether they are fans or not, make the pilgrimage. The official name of the store is "Pike Place Store". The exterior of this Starbucks store is quite different from other Starbucks stores, with a simple, rustic decor and no large signage, just a simple wooden sign. Inside the store, you can see some vintage coffee equipment and other decorations, as well as some signature boards and photographs showing the history and development of the store. The store sells a lot of limited edition souvenir cups, which are only available at Pike Place Market. However, if you just want to have a cup of coffee, you don't need to queue up here, as the coffee is the same at every branch.

Post Alley

Post Alley is an alley outside of Pike Place Market that has a long history and is an extension of Pike Place Market as it is right next to it.

Inside the alley are many cafes, restaurants and small stores, the most famous of which is the pike place chowder's chowder, which always has a long line.

If you're looking for a take-away gift, Beecher's Cheese is a great place to try a few types of cheese and we loved them all.

Gum Wall

Another famous attraction in Post Alley is the famous wall of chewing gum. The 50-foot long wall on the Post Alley building is covered with chewing gum, which is so disgusting that it was voted by tripadvisor as the second dirtiest spot in the world, and it's full of real chewing gum that has been eaten by real people!

Why is there a wall of chewing gum? There's really no reason why it shouldn't be dirty. This building was originally a small theater, it is said that in 1993, I do not know why the queuing college students began to stick chewing gum on the wall, and then more and more people sticking more and more people, and also began to give play to the creativity of sticking different things on it, and so it became like this. Of course, the theater could not stand to clean it up, but after a few times, people still kept sticking gum on the wall, so they finally gave up and it became a tourist attraction.

Seattle Waterfront

The Seattle Waterfront is one of Seattle's iconic attractions on the waterfront across from Pike Place Market. It is located west of downtown and faces the Pacific Ocean. This 2.5 kilometers long waterfront route is a must-see for visitors to Seattle. After strolling through Pike Place Market, you can walk down to the pier and find a restaurant to have a meal with a beautiful view of the ocean. The landmark building here is the Seattle Great Wheel, a 53-meter-tall Ferris wheel that offers a great panoramic view of downtown Seattle and the waterfront. The Seattle Aquarium is also located here.

Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour | Sightseeing Cruise Tips

If it's your first time here and the weather is good, you can take the Argosy Cruise for a harbor tour of Seattle. The boat is located on the pier across from Pike Place Market, and the tour will take us out to sea from here, where we can see the famous Seattle skyline.

After boarding the ship, the tour guide introduced the history of Seattle and each building on the skyline. Seattle's weather is notorious for being cold and humid, and it was cloudy on this day on the ship, so we had to take care of ourselves when we were out on the water.

If you're lucky, you'll be able to see it from a distance.Mount RainierIf you are in Seattle, you should take the opportunity to visit Mount Rainier National Park. If you are in Seattle and have time to spare, we recommend that you take the opportunity to visit Mount Rainier National Park, which is one of the top five beautiful national parks in the United States.

On the way back, you will pass Safeco field, the home of the Seattle Mariners.

Pioneer Square

Pioneer Square is one of Seattle's oldest and most historic neighborhoods, located just south of downtown, and is an arts and culture hub with many art galleries, cultural centers, and performance venues such as the Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Symphony, and the Paramount Theatre, to name a few. There are some very fine public artworks and sculptures to admire as you stroll around, as well as numerous restaurants and cafes and small stores, making it a great place to shop and browse.

Another popular activity at Pioneer Square is the Underground City Tour. In the late 19th century, local businessmen built underground tunnels to solve drainage problems, and these tunnels have now become a very interesting tourist destination. Visitors can join the Underground City Tour and go deep into the tunnels to learn more about the history and culture of that time.

Seattle | Suburban Attractions

Gas Works Park

Gas works park is located at the north end of Lake Union, not too far from the city center, but you still have to drive to get there. The former gas works park was closed down more than 50 years ago due to the importation of natural gas, and was abandoned for 20 years before it was turned into a park. The abandoned factory building has now been redesigned and has become a recreational area for the public and tourists.

Gas Works Park is a 19-hectare park on a hill by the lake, with a beautiful view of downtown Seattle along the trail up to the top, and another view of the Seattle skyline from north to south. Local residents enjoy sitting on the hillside for picnics and conversation, jogging, walking, kite-flying, and other activities.

University of Washington

The University of Washington is a public research university located in Seattle. Founded in 1861, it is one of the oldest and largest universities in the state of Washington. The University of Washington's campus is beautiful, with an abundance of architecture and landscaping, including the Oval Lawn, the Ceylon Red Bridge, churches, and concert halls. There are also many museums, art exhibits, and performance venues on campus that offer a wealth of cultural activities. If you're in Seattle in the spring, don't miss the cherry blossoms at the University of Washington. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom on campus and you can see them everywhere.

Green Lake Park

Green Lake Park is one of the largest and most popular city parks in Seattle, located about 5 kilometers north of downtown Seattle. Green Lake Park's Green Lake is a natural lake formed during the Ice Age, and the park was built around this large lake, making it a very large park. The circular trail around Green Lake is about 3.2 kilometers long, and it is a flat trail around the lake, which is very suitable for activities such as running, biking, and walking. The park is at its best in the fall when the leaves are in full bloom.

Seattle | More Driving Attractions

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National ParkIt is the fifth national park in the United States and the highest volcano in the American continent, with canyons, waterfalls and also glaciers. It is about 87 kilometers from downtown Seattle, and the drive takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Exploring Mt. Rainier National Park: A 3-Day Itinerary Guide

Olympic National Park

Olympic National ParkLocated in northwestern Washington, almost three hours from Seattle, the main scenery includes snow-capped mountains, temperate rainforests, and seashores and hot springs. The temperate rainforests are quite special, and the Hoh Rainforest is the most humid place on the North American continent, with its rich ecological landscape.

Olympic National Park 3 Days Attractions Itinerary Tips

Skagit Valley

Skagit ValleyLocated in the small town of Mt Vernon, about an hour or so north of Seattle, the Skagit Valley hosts an annual tulip festival in April, and the fields of flowers are spectacular.

Seattle Attractions 】 Mt Vernon Half Day Tour | Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Seattle | Food Records

Downtown Seattle is also home to quite a few fine dining restaurants, and the must-try, tasty ones I've eaten will all be on themy other post herein and share it with you.

Seattle's Gourmet Chronicles: What and Where to Eat in the City

Seattle Seattle attractions | Seattle Driving | Seattle driving | How to play the Seattle city center

Seattle | Introduction

Seattle | Suggested Itinerary