Seattle Web sites
Main attractions:
www.undergroundtour.com www.argosycruises.com
www.spaceneedle.com
www.seattleaquarium.org
www.pikeplacemarket.org
www.pacsci.org
www.boeing.com
Sports sites:
www.nba.com/
www.nfl.com
www.mariners.org
General:
www.seeseattle.org
www.seattleinsider.com
mountain ranges surrounding the city provide breathtaking views from just about any vantage point. The snow-capped Mount Rainier towers over the city, an ever-watchful guard.
Seattle, nicknamed The Emerald City, has its roots in the fishing and lumber industries, but is now the home of Boeing, Microsoft, Nordstrom and Starbucks.
But it’s not all big business here. The birthplace of grunge music and saturated with coffee houses, Seattle is a youthful city where creativity flourishes.
Top tourist attractions include the Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle – a 518-foot futuristic tower which gives a 360-degree view of the city. In downtown Seattle you will also find a world-class aquarium and art museum. Also on offer are an underground tour of Old Seattle and harbour cruises.
If the sightseeing hasn’t worn you out, there is excellent shopping to be found. Nestled among the giant retailers such as Nike, Nordstrom and REI, you will find antique shops, galleries and craft stalls. Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market are definite musts for the serious shopaholic.
Pioneer Square is home for many of Seattle’s fine restaurants, jewellers, fashion boutiques, crafts people and importers. It also plays host to the bulk of Seattle’s nightlife.
The Pike Place Market sits right on the waterfront. It was founded in 1907 as an experiment to bring farmers and consumers together and cut out the money-grabbing middlemen. It was a success and today you will find all kinds of produce including fresh seafood, flowers and crafts.
If you really want to see Seattlites at their most enthusiastic, attend a sporting event. Seattle has American football, baseball, basketball and hockey teams.
The best thing about Seattle is that if you get tired of the city scene there are lots of outdoor things to do, too. You can climb Mount Rainier, explore the San Juan Islands or hop over to Vancouver, Canada for a change of scene.
There are a few drawbacks to Seattle, however. As with most US cities, public transport is not as comprehensive as that found in Europe, so you will probably need to rent a car if you are not staying in the downtown area. If you do, you need to be a confident driver and are best off avoiding the rush hours which fall between 7am-9am and 4pm-7pm. Bear in mind that parking downtown is difficult. So park wherever you can find a spot and take advantage of the free bus service in the downtown district.
To avoid transport problems, you may simply want to stay in the downtown district.
SEATTLE is a great choice of destination for people who want more from their holiday than two weeks sunbathing on a beach.
There is a wide variety of sights to see, excellent shopping facilities, a myriad of restaurants and a lively nightlife. It also has some of the most breathtaking surroundings of any city in the US.
This lush, rolling city in the Pacific Northwest hugs the Puget Sound, the nation’s second largest estuary, while the majestic Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges surrounding the city provide breathtaking views from just about any vantage point. The snow-capped Mount Rainier towers over the city, an ever-watchful guard.
Seattle, nicknamed The Emerald City, has its roots in the fishing and lumber industries, but is now the home of Boeing, Microsoft, Nordstrom and Starbucks.
But it’s not all big business here. The birthplace of grunge music and saturated with coffee houses, Seattle is a youthful city where creativity flourishes.
Top tourist attractions include the Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle – a 518-foot futuristic tower which gives a 360-degree view of the city. In downtown Seattle you will also find a world-class aquarium and art museum. Also on offer are an underground tour of Old Seattle and harbour cruises.
If the sightseeing hasn’t worn you out, there is excellent shopping to be found. Nestled among the giant retailers such as Nike, Nordstrom and REI, you will find antique shops, galleries and craft stalls. Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market are definite musts for the serious shopaholic.
Pioneer Square is home for many of Seattle’s fine restaurants, jewellers, fashion boutiques, crafts people and importers. It also plays host to the bulk of Seattle’s nightlife.
The Pike Place Market sits right on the waterfront. It was founded in 1907 as an experiment to bring farmers and consumers together and cut out the money-grabbing middlemen. It was a success and today you will find all kinds of produce including fresh seafood, flowers and crafts.
If you really want to see Seattlites at their most enthusiastic, attend a sporting event. Seattle has American football, baseball, basketball and hockey teams.
The best thing about Seattle is that if you get tired of the city scene there are lots of outdoor things to do, too. You can climb Mount Rainier, explore the San Juan Islands or hop over to Vancouver, Canada for a change of scene.
There are a few drawbacks to Seattle, however. As with most US cities, public transport is not as comprehensive as that found in Europe, so you will probably need to rent a car if you are not staying in the downtown area. If you do, you need to be a confident driver and are best off avoiding the rush hours which fall between 7am-9am and 4pm-7pm. Bear in mind that parking downtown is difficult. So park wherever you can find a spot and take advantage of the free bus service in the downtown district.
To avoid transport problems, you may simply want to stay in the downtown district.
SEATTLE
Getting there: British Airways has one non-stop flight each day from London Heathrow to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Other airlines have indirect flights from London to Sea-Tac airport, including American Airlines, United Airlines and KLM.
Main attractions: start your visit at the Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle where you will get the best views in town (observation deck tickets are $9 for adults, $4 for children). Then make your way to the waterfront where you will find the Seattle Aquarium (adult $8.25/child $3.50), harbour cruises (adult $13.00/child $7.00) and Pike Place Market (free). Add to that The Underground Tour of Seattle (adult $8.00/child $4.00), the Seattle Art Museum (adult $7.00/child free) and a stroll around Pioneer Square, a neighbourhood bustling night and day with shops, art galleries, restaurants and bars.
Eating out: the fresh seafood stands down on the waterfront and the coffee houses you will find scattered throughout the city are not to be missed. For an upmarket eaterie with an amazing view of the city, try The Emerald Suite in the Space Needle.
Nightlife: Pioneer Square is the centre of Seattle’s nightlife, featuring, bars, clubs, live music and comedians. For alternative live theatre, video presentations and jazz, try the Velvet Elvis Arts Lounge Theatre.
Getting around: take the city bus from the airport to downtown. It costs $2 and takes about half an hour. The Gray Line Airport Express will cost $7.50 and a taxi will set you back around $35.00. The most convenient way to get around is by car. You can, however, avoid this by staying in the downtown area and taking advantage of the free buses in that district.