Why come to Seattle?

Elliot Bay, Seattle - from The Edgeware Hotel
Elliot Bay, Seattle – from The Edgeware Hotel

Seattle is known for so many good things like the famous Space Needle, Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon and it’s amazing outdoors. There are a lot of things to do and see and enjoy, you will end your tour before seeing all the good stuff. Even if you have toured around the world, your trip won’t be complete till you visit Seattle and experience what it has to offer. Here are just a few of them reasons to visit Seattle and enjoy the entire time you are there.

The Space Needle

This 1962-built landmark is the postcard symbol for this City. You cannot see a picture or a movie about Seattle without this signature structure. At the restaurant atop this structure, you will have a 360 view of the city as you eat since it rotates slowly.

Enjoy local and international cuisine

You will get some of the best coffee shops in Seattle. And talking about coffee, you will get the chance to visit the very first Starbucks inside the Pike Place Market. Visit Belltown’s, the local, sustainable restaurant at the heart of the city with most of its ingredients sourced from inside the 360-mile radius of the city, hence its name Local 360. If you are the types who prefer gluten-free and dairy-free snacks, Thrive is just the restaurant to visit for organic, salads, juices and smoothies. At Chaco Canyon, all vegetarians are welcomed, their food is certified organic. Seattle is not only about organic and local food, come and savor some of the best-cooked flavors from around the world. Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Indian cultures are ripe in Seattle foods.

Summer festivals

Seattle is known to blossom in the summer with lots of events and festivals. Enjoy the Northwest Folklore Festivals which includes Irish cloggers. Others are the West African drummers and Middle Eastern dancers. In June, film producers, actors, directors, and critics come to Seattle for the international film festival. The Independence Day celebration is celebrated with plenty of fireworks over the Lake Union. Apart from these, Seattle sees so many festivals throughout the year in varying degrees.

Enjoy the neighborhoods

Wherever you plant your fingers on the map of Seattle, you will find some place worth visiting. Every neighborhood has a distinct character and a reason to visit Seattle. Every part of the city reveals something different about this great place. Take a ride to Downtown and the Waterfront and you will think you are in New York only that you will be on the Western coast. It features big shops, cafes, markets and not forgetting the big city all crammed into a very manageable area. For your entertainment, go to Capitol Hill to the east of the city. And if you want to taste some incredible foods, go south to Chinatown. Beacon Hill is one diverse neighborhood with a large park to ease your stress.

The museums

Seattle has so many museums you will be spoilt for choices. The Seattle Art Museum that focuses on Japanese, Northwest and Pacific Island art, the Experience Project Museum showcasing artifacts from the Matrix and Star Trek. Along the water-front for nine acres, there is the Olympic Sculpture Park. They are set in scenic places with lots of history, to begin with, for example, the Nordic Heritage Museum in an old schoolhouse and the Museum of History and Industry set in the old naval Reserve Armory.

Easily hop between the Islands

Seattle is surrounded by water between Lake Washington and Elliot Bay and is set between Puget Sound. Take a ride in the Washington State Ferries and enjoy the relaxing and affordable scenic journey around the islands. The Olympic Peninsula and the Bainbridge Island are only a short ride away where you can get your peek into history at the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. The first Japanese to be interred in the camps in WWII came from this island. Visit Vashon, a 20-minute ferry ride, to pick berries in the summer from the local farms, watch whales in the winter or hike whenever in a lazy afternoon or a long weekend. And to the North in Squamish just across Puget Sound, you can pay your respects to Chief Seattle’s grave from where you can view the city he was named after. If you have the time, you can visit San Juan Island by ferry and explore the outdoor scenery that is out of this world. This archipelago is well known for its diverse population of animals, making it a popular destination for tourists. Charter a sailboat, enjoy the hike or go whale watching in the Lime Kiln Park. However, if you are short of time to visit San Juan, you can see some marine life at the Seattle Aquarium, featuring an underwater dome to give visitors a perfect experience away from the water.

The music

Everyone knows Seattle for its great music. The Grunge was born here in the 90s when Pearl Jam and Nirvana tore the local venues. It is here that KEXP, the 24/7 radio station broke Macklemore and the Grandmaster Flash. There is so much history here when we begin talking music. The Paramount Theatre and Crocodile Café have continued to host live shows from as early as the beginning of the 90s. Visit Seattle in summer and experience a wide serving of culture, festivals, and fun. The Experience Music Project, located next to the Space Needle will give you a walk through the music history of Seattle.

If you have a healthy budget you could stay at The Edgewater Hotel which is right on the edge of Elliot Bay. Many celebrities and musicians have stayed here. It’s expensive, but the attention to detail is wonderful. Even the pillows they use are state-of-the-art ones like these featured on BestMattress-Brand. The hotel has hosted many famous bands from The Beatles to Led Zeppelin. You can even stay in The Beatles Suite where the band once stayed.

The wild side

Seattle is not only about food, culture, and museums, there is the wild side like Mt. Ranier National Park, which is just a couple of hours featuring 93 miles of hiking trail along the Wonderland Trail around the mountain. Feed your eyes with the glaciers, vistas of meadows, and snow-capped peaks. If you are the hiking enthusiast, you can try the 11-mile Kendall Katwalk that trails along the Red Mountain and the Kendall Peak. At the Olympic Peninsula to the west of Seattle, you can view some more glaciers; a lovely sight. Outside Forks is the Hot Rainforest through which you can hike along the Hall of Moses trail. To see some sea lions, you can visit the Third Beach as one of the reasons to visit Seattle.