Pike Place Suites

You can't go to Paris without stopping by the Eiffel Tower. And you can't visit Seattle without checking out the view from the world-famous Space Needle. Here's a handy "must do" list for first-time visitors and those who want to be sure they've done everything (it may take more than one trip).

 

Washington State Convention Center

800 Convention Place, Seattle, WA 98101

Tel: 206 447 5000

http://www.wsctc.com

Whether you are coming to Seattle for work or play, there is plenty to do. The downtown area offers shopping, arts and culture, and restaurants. Leave the city for a more Northwest experience, into the mountains or on the water. Enjoy your stay!

 

Pioneer Square

Pioneer Square features over 20 city blocks of Victorian Romanesque architecture, more than 30 fine art galleries, over 200 unique and independently-owned shops, and the entertainment epicenter of Seattle's nightlife.

 

Capitol Hill

There is no state capitol on Capitol Hill despite the dreams of early Seattle leaders. However, no neighborhood in the city has a more active sidewalk scene, day or night, than Broadway, Capitol Hill's believe-it-or-not version of Main Street. And no neighborhood in the city has a more diverse population.

 

Paramount Theater

911 Pine Street Seattle, WA 98101
Located on the corner of 9th Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle, one block North of the Washington State Convention Center.The Paramount is a fabulous restored theatre with a variety of shows, ranging from rock to soul music and Broadway musicals. The auditorium (also turns into a ballroom) is very ornate with a lot of beautiful lighting and gold touches with plush velvet everywhere.

 

The Space Needle
Seattle Center, 400 Broad St.; 206.905.2100;
Seattle Center / www.spaceneedle.com
A 41-second elevator ride takes you up 520 feet to the observation deck of the Space Needle, built for the 1962 World's Fair. Enjoy a meal at SkyCity, the restaurant at the top that revolves 360° while you dine.

Pike Place Market
Between First Ave. and Western, from Pike to Virginia streets www.pikeplacemarket.org
Born in 1907, Seattle's Pike Place Market is the granddaddy of farmers' markets. Today, it's a major tourist attraction with 200 businesses operating year-round, 190 craftspeople and 120 farmer booths - plus street performers and musicians. Flowers by the bucketful, flying fish, fresh pastries and fruit, handmade cheeses, local honey, wine, an assortment of restaurants, import goods, antiques, collectibles and lots of surprises are around every corner.

Ferries
www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries
Traveling by ferry is a state of mind as much as a means of transportation to some of the Puget Sound's most historic and scenic sites. Views of the Olympic and Cascade mountains, the Seattle cityscape and the green shorelines will draw you out onto the deck to feel the salt breeze on your face. The state ferry system takes passengers and their vehicles from Seattle and nearby departure points to Vashon Island, the Kitsap Peninsula, the San Juan Islands and Canada. For privately operated ferries, see the Sightseeing & Tours (page 35) and Visitors Services/Travel & Transportation (page 120) listings in this guide.

Seattle Aquarium
Pier 59
206.386.4300
www.seattleaquarium.org
Meet Alki, the sea otter pup born at the Aquarium. Walk under the water in a glass dome as bluntnose sixgill sharks and other Elliott Bay creatures swim all around you. Touch a sea anemone. Learn about the lives of salmon at the world's first aquarium-based salmon ladder. Marvel at the impossibly bright-colored coral reef fish. And don't forget to wave to the giant Pacific octopus.

The Seattle Waterfront
Piers 52 to 70 on Alaskan Way
ci.seattle.wa.us/tour/water.htm
A bustling collection of attractions, restaurants and shopping, as well as starting points for ferries, cruise ships, the Victoria Clipper and Argosy boat tours are located here. Feed the seagulls at the statue of Ivar Haglund in front of Ivar's Acres of Clams, stroll by the fountains on the wooden piers of Waterfront Park, admire the view or shop for souvenirs.

Woodland Park Zoo
South Gate: 750 N. 50th St
206.684.4800
www.zoo.org
See more than 1,000 animals of 300 different species, from elephants and gorillas to piranhas and penguins, in naturalistic exhibits at the Woodland Park Zoo. Drop by at scheduled feeding times and talk with the people who care for the animals.

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour
608 First Ave.
206.682.4646
www.undergroundtour.com
After the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, the city was rebuilt over the top of the ruins. This guided tour takes visitors through the hidden subterranean passages that once were the main roadways and storefronts of old downtown Seattle and tells stories of the frontier people who lived and worked there.

The Seattle Public Library
1000 Fourth Ave.
206.386.4636
www.spl.org
Designed by world-renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, the award-winning glass and steel structure of the new Central Library makes the building seem a little off-kilter and translucent - allowing passersby on the street to look in.

Tillicum Village
Blake Island
206.933.8600
www.tillicumvillage.com
A short, narrated cruise takes you to an island village, where you'll feast on salmon cooked in the authentic Native American way. A stage show of traditional dances and stories entertains and teaches you about the people who lived in the Northwest first.

Spirit of Washington Dinner Train
625 S Fourth St., Renton
425.227.7245
www.spiritofwashingtondinnertrain.com
Passenger train travel is reborn on this excursion from Renton to Woodinville in vintage rail cars. The train travels along the shores of Lake Washington and over a historic trestle as you dine in style.

Argosy Cruises

In addition to lunch and dinner cruises on Elliott Bay, as well as cruises through the Chittenden Locks in Ballard, on the lakes (including a cruise by Bill Gates' estate,) and to Tillicum Village, Argosy offers some theme cruises. One of the most popular is the annual Beatles cruise, where fans of all ages gather to twist and shout to the songs of local cover band The Nowhere Men. Special cruises for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Fourth of July fireworks, live jazz and other excuses to float around on the water are listed on Argosy's website.
argosycruises.com

Ride the Ducks of Seattle - Tour Seattle by land and sea in an amphibious World War II vehicle. The popular tour includes downtown attractions and then takes to the waters of Lake Union for a look at those famous houseboats, yachts and the city skyline.
ridetheducksofseattle.com

Private Eye on Seattle - "Jake" (probably an alias) reveals all the gory details for true-crime fans on her two tours of Seattle crime scenes. She revisits the peculiar cases of Ted Bundy, Bruce Lee and Jimi Hendrix. Her Haunted Happenings Tour makes the rounds of Seattle's creepiest places, including an elegant hotel, the mortuary and a haunted theater, in search of the city's resident ghosts.
privateeyetours.com

5th Avenue Theatre Tour - Take a free tour of this Seattle landmark, built in 1926 for vaudeville and silent movies and restored to its former splendor in 1980. The theater's opulent design was inspired by the Forbidden City and other palaces of Imperial China.
5thavenuetheatre.org

Kenmore Air Scenic Flights - See Seattle from a new angle - 1,000 feet up. Daily scenic flights by seaplane from Lake Union carry you past the Space Needle, the downtown waterfront, Green Lake and more.
kenmoreair.com

Qwest Field Tours - Sports fans, don't miss this behind-the-scenes look at the home of the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks. The tour takes you through the open-air stadium, including a luxury suite, the visitors' locker room and the field.
qwestfield.com

Safeco Field Tours - For baseball fans, a visit to Seattle would not be complete without a tour of Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners, where you can get a look at the famous retractable roof. You'll visit the press box and luxury suites, the dugout, the field and visitors' clubhouse.
seattle.mariners.mlb.com

Chinatown Discovery Tours - Customize your tour of one of Seattle's most fascinating neighborhoods to focus on music, art, herbal medicine, acupuncture or shopping. Be sure to sign up for a tour that includes dim sum at lunchtime, or choose "Nibble Your Way Through Chinatown."
seattlechinatowntour.com

Classic Biplane from Olde Thyme Aviation - Suit up in old-fashioned barnstorming regalia, including a leather jacket and goggles, for your flight in a restored, open-cockpit biplane over Seattle and the region. You'll take off from the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in South Seattle.
oldethymeaviation.com

Seattle Architecture Tours - The nonprofit Seattle Architecture Foundation offers a number of guided tours, exploring downtown buildings, skyscrapers, historic theaters, public art and other fascinating aspects of Seattle's architecture.
seattlearchitecture.org

Seattle City Tours - Orient yourself on a three-hour premier city tour. Local guides share their knowledge on this scenic narrated drive to Seattle's most popular attractions and neighborhoods. Small groups with stops along the way. Pick up from most hotels.
seattlecitytours.com

 

 

 

 

Our Favorite Walking distance links:

Sorrento’s Fireside room:  Just a fantastic room.  Great music nightly.
http://www.hotelsorrento.com/

 

Palomino:

Nice restaurant, nice bar, Great meeting place.
http://www.palomino.com/

 

Dragonfish Asian Café:

Best happy hour.  Open late, open early.
http://www.dragonfishcafe.com/
http://travel.yahoo.com/

 

Tango Restaurant:

The closest restaurant to the Elektra, turns out to be great.
http://tangorestaurant.com/

 

Bauhaus Coffee:

Ultimate Seattle, free wifi
http://www.travelblogs.com

http://seattle.citysearch.com

 

Uncle Elizabeth’s: Closest internet café, bring your own computer or use theirs.  Café d’Arte coffee
http://www.travelblogs.com/

http://www.nwsource.com/

QFC:

Nearest full service grocery.
www.qfc.com