Attractions in Seattle

A visit to Seattle creates a mosaic of colorful impressions that shimmer in the imagination long after the visit ends. Seattle is the Emerald City. Its greenness stems from its abundant rainfall, which encourages the growth of lush vegetation, and also from its reflection in the clear blue/green waters of the Puget Sound.

If you are going to a number of places in a short period of time, consider buying a City Pass. It covers admission to six attractions (Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, Museum of Flight, Seattle Art Museum) for a fixed rate for each age group. Purchase the pass at any of the six sites. It is valid for one week.

Pike Place Market
First Avenue and Pike Street
Nine decades old, Pike Place is one of Seattle's most popular landmarks, as famous for the antics of its vendors as it is for its merchandise. Its most popular buildings are the Main and North arcades, with the carefully arranged stacks of produce, fresh fish, crabs and mollusks piled high with ice. The best time to visit the market is on a weekday morning. Over half of the market's open-air stalls are now devoted to locally made arts & crafts, and its lower levels are filled with small shops, from Indian spice stalls to magicians' supply shops. The streets surrounding Pike Place Market continue the maze of shops, with ethnic food stalls, plant shops, galleries and gift boutiques. Pike Place Market is in the northwestern corner of downtown, close to the waterfront.

Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
The 1962 World's Fair, also known as the 'Century 21 Exposition', brought in over 9 million visitors from around the world for a glimpse of Tomorrow, Seattle-style. What remains of the futuristic groupings of exhibition halls, arenas and public spaces is today called the Seattle Center.
The grounds are home to dance, theater, opera, museums and Key Arena.

Space Needle
219 4th Avenue North
Elevator hours are Sunday 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight. There is no elevator fee for restaurant patrons. The Space Needle is a 600ft (180m) rocket styled observation station and restaurant. After the 41 second ride up its elevators to the top, visitors are treated to breathtaking 360° views. The top of the 605-foot Space Needle is the best place to orient oneself to the city and its surroundings.

Observation Towers
Bank of America Tower (formerly Columbia Seafirst Tower), 701 Fifth Ave., offers a dramatic but less panoramic view from the 73rd floor because its observation deck doesn't go completely around the building.

Monorail
A 1.5 mile experiment in mass transit, is another signature piece of the 1962 fair. Today, it provides fun and frequent transport between downtown and Seattle Center, covering the distance in only two minutes. It runs at least every 15 minutes daily, 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, between Seattle Center and Westlake Center.

Flag Pavilion & Plaza

International Fountain
with jets of water that pulse to the beat of music point to the cosmopolitan sympathies of the fair.

Seattle Opera House
home of the opera, symphony and ballet

Pacific Science Center
200 Second Avenue North
Has hands-on exhibits for children, an impressive new Boeing IMAX Theater and a gift shop.