Seattle, WA

Seattle Center
DESCRIPTION: More than an iconic holdover from the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, this 74-acre urban park and home to the landmark Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Experience Music Project, Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame, Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Children’s Museum and other attractions; the center also hosts two large art festivals, International Children’s Festival, the Bite of Seattle; from downtown at the Westlake Center at Fifth Avenue and Pine Street, take the Seattle Center Monorail from Westlake Station or take a five-minute taxi ride; sports fans revel in the many games at Sport mega-sports bar & grill across the street

ADMISSION: free, but specific attractions require a fee

DAYS & HOURS: daily, attraction hours vary

ADDRESS: 305 Harrison Street  MAP

PARKING: Mercer Garage at Third Avenue N. & Roy Street, 1st Avenue North Garage at  between John and Thomas Street, 5th Ave N Garage at  Fifth Avenue N. & Republican Street

PHONE: 206-441-7200

WEBSITE: http://www.seattlecenter.com

Space Needle
DESCRIPTION: Make this 605 foot iconic tower your first destination in Seattle; anticipation begins on the ground as floor-to-ceiling-window elevators rise to the Observation Deck in a scant 41 seconds; at 520 feet above the city, O Deck gives a commanding 360º view of man-made and natural wonders of the Puget Sound region; see a panorama of snow-capped Mt. Rainier to the south. Cascade Mountains to the east, and majestic Olympic Mountains to the west; watch bi-planes take-off and gently land on Lake Union; Washington State Ferries, cruise ships and cargo ships in the sound look like moving toys on a game board; see why Seattle has one of the world great downtown skylines; powerful complimentary Swarovski Telescopes bring distant objects into sharp focus; you can also enjoy the excellent seafood menu in the revolving Sky City Restaurant, reservations recommended; on the way down you’ll travel at the gentle speed of a parachutist – a nice sensation; includes a substantial gift shop and SkyCity Restaurant with a view

ADMISSION: Ages 14-64 $18, Ages 65+ and Miltary $16, Ages 4-13 $11, Age 3 & under enter Free

DAYS & HOURS: Observation Deck & Retail Store Mon–Thu 10a–11p, Fri & Sat 9:30a–11:30p, Sun 9:30a–11p

ADDRESS: 400 Broad Street, Seattle Center  MAP

PARKING: Mercer Garage at Third Avenue N. & Roy Street, 1st Avenue North Garage at  between John and Thomas Street, 5th Ave N Garage at  Fifth Avenue N. & Republican Street

PHONE: 206-905-2100 or 800-937-9582

WEBSITE: http://www.spaceneedle.com

Westlake Center
DESCRIPTION: A popular shopping, entertainment and people watching place in the heart of downtown, this four-story retail pavilion offers a mix of national retailers, a unique selection of the fine regional merchandise, good dining options and a monorail station that leads to Seattle Center;  Dilettante Mocha Cafe, Bronco BBQ, and Food Court, P.F. Chang's China Bistro are at street level, while Cajun & Grill and the Food Court are on the Third Level

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Thu 10a-8p, Fri-Sat 10a-9p, Sun 11a-6p

ADDRESS: 400 Pine Street at Fifth Avenue  MAP

PARKING: located between 4th & 5th Streets on Olive Way

PHONE: 206-467-1600

WEBSITE: http://www.westlakecenter.com

Pike Place Market

DESCRIPTION: One of the oldest farmer’s markets in the U.S, Pike Place presides over a 9-acre historic district in downtown; features fresh fish and produce stands, arts and crafts, ethnic groceries and gift stores, vintage clothing, antiques and collectibles, and international restaurants; paid street musicians entertain at designated sections of the market

ADMISSION: free

DAYS & HOURS: daily 10a-6p Mon-Sat 11a-5p Sun

ADDRESS: bound by First Ave, Western Ave, Union Street and Stewart Street; visitor information booth at 1st & Pike Street  MAP

PARKING: Public Market Garage at 1531 Western Avenue; Free parking after 5p with restaurant dining validation

PHONE: 206-682-7453

WEBSITE: http://www.pikeplacemarket.org
 

Seattle Cinerama

DESCRIPTION: Opened in 1963, this landmark movie theater that is one of only three movie theaters in the world still capable of showing three-panel, curved Cinerama films, that means it uses three film projectors simultaneously to present Cinerame movies - it blows away IMAX projection; but the economics of Cinerama film succumbed to regular widescreen and 70 MM movies, the only types Hollywood released from 1960-ish onwards; Paul Allen of Microsoft purchased the movie palace, renovated it and reopened it as 808 seats in 1999; since then it plays classic 70 MM film prints and occsionally 3-strip Cinerama films like How The West Was Won; received another renovation in 2010 to support 3D Digital movies; for more infor about the Cinerama process click here

DAYS & HOURS: daily

ADDRESS: 2100 4th Avenue

PARKING: metered parking and lots nearby

PHONE: 206-441-3653

WEBSITE: http://www.cinerama.com

Pioneer Square
DESCRIPTION: Seattle’s historic district rescued from the wrecking ball in the 1960s, is located on the southern fringe of the downtown; it features some 20 square blocks of Victorian Romanesque architecture, museums, the city’s highest concentration of art galleries, many restaurants and nightclubs; the Underground Tour offers a look at the remnants of the old town below street level; The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park interprets Seattle’s role critical role in the gold rush; antique-hunters, gallery-walkers and bar-hoppers keep the district bustling day and night

ADMISSION: free

DAYS & HOURS: daily

ADDRESS: Bounded by King Street, Alaskan way, 4th Avenue, Yesler Way  MAP

PARKING: metered parking on streets

PHONE: Bohemian Cafe (Reggae/African, 206-447-1514), New Orleans Creole Restaurant (Ragtime/Jazz/R&B, 206-622-2563), Central (R&B/Jazz/Reggae, 206-622-0209), Larry's Greenfront Cafe (Blues, 206-624-7665), Old Timers Cafe (Jazz/Blues, 206-623-9800)

WEBSITE: http://www.pioneersquare.org

Chinatown-International District

DESCRIPTION: Spans 44-blocks south of downtown, bound by Yesler Way and Dearborn Street on the north and south, and Interstate-5 and Fourth Avenue on the east and west; sizable populations of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Samoan, Laotian, Native Hawaiian and other groups coexist in the Chinatown-International District; Chinatown Discovery Tour offers a guided walk through the district; also visit the Wing Luke Asian Museum at Seventh Avenue and South Jackson Street and Uwajimaya, one of the largest Asian grocery and gift stores in the U.S. at Sixth & Weller

ADMISSION: free

DAYS & HOURS: daily

ADDRESS: visitor center 409 Maynard Street  MAP

PARKING: Paid parking is available on the street and nearby lots

PHONE: 206-382-1197

WEBSITE: http://www.cidbia.org

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks

DESCRIPTION: Often called the Ballard Locks, they lie at the western end of the Lake Washington Ship Canal; they were constructed to raise and lower ships 6 and 26 feet, depending on the tides, to allow them to pass between fresh water (Lakes Union and Washington) and salt water (Puget Sound); see the fish ladder for salmon and other fish and a botanical garden

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: visitor center Thu-Mon 10a-4p, October-April, locks open daily 10a-6p May-Sept

ADDRESS: 3015 NW 54th Street  MAP

PARKING: Free on premises

PHONE: 206-783-7059

WEBSITE: http://www.nws.usac.army.mil/opdiv/lwsc