If you are looking for a destination for the perfect short break consider Seattle.
Seattle is synonymous with a number of major sights and attractions and these are the ones you typically see in profiles of the city. As such, these attractions draw in huge visitor numbers but with good reason because they are well worth a visit.
First on the list for any visitor to Seattle is finding somewhere to stay. Check out vacation apartments for short stay in Seattle for convenience and comfort. Renting an apartment for a short stay means you have the freedom to come and go. It also means flexible accommodation arrangements, whether you are traveling solo or as part of a group.
The Space Needle is an icon of the city. Constructed in time for the World’s Fair held in 1962, the Needle stands at 605 feet tall and resembles a type of space ship on stilts. There is a certain kitsch value to the Needle, then, but the elevator ride to the observation desk at 520 feet is a must-do. The Needle is easily accessible using the Seattle Centre Monorail, which runs from the Westlake Centre in the downtown area. The journey takes just a few minutes. The Seattle Centre itself, which the Needle towers over, is a cultural complex with a food court, a giant outdoor fountain and the Pacific Science Centre.
Another site indelibly associated with Seattle is the Pike Place Market, a public space in the downtown area that serves as a farmer’s market all-year round. Watch as the fish vendors toss salmon over and back at the main entrance at First Avenue and Pike Street. The “flying fish” always attracts a large crowd but you can escape to a quieter setting down a stairs to “Down Under,” the name given to a collection of small shops. Across the street is the original Starbucks. It is actually in a different location to the one it was housed in when it opened its doors in 1971, but the new location has a vintage look sure to please the eye.
The Olympic Sculpture Park combines wonderful sculptures with a fantastic outdoors walk against the backdrop of city, harbor, and mountain views. Set out over nine acres, the Sculpture Park features such artwork as the “Eagle,” by Alexander Calder, which is red-painted steel sculpted to resemble a soaring bird.
Museum lovers will appreciate Seattle’s many institutions. These range from the Washington State Museum of Natural History and Culture, the EMP Museum, with its focus on contemporary pop culture; and the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park depicting the area’s role in the 19th-century Gold Rush.
The Washington State Ferries are a great option for getting out of the city. Take the Seattle-Bainbridge Island ferry from the downtown waterfront and enjoy the 35-minute trip. If it is a clear day you might get to see Mount Rainier, which stands at 14,410 feet. Once on Bainbridge Island, a quick ten-minute walk from the ferry will bring you to Winslow, a friendly town filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops. The journey back affords a fantastic view of Seattle’s skyline.
All of that sightseeing is bound to leave you with an appetite and Seattle has no shortage of dining options. The abundance of local produce is a boon to the city’s dining scene and Pacific Northwest cuisine features such local ingredients as freshly foraged mushrooms; berries and applies grown by farmers across Washington State; and the fantastic range of seafood drawn from the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, including wild salmon and delicious oysters. A local revival in American comfort food and a surge in gastropub fare are other dining trends to have hit Seattle in recent times.
You will find a vibrant nightlife in the city. There is a strong music scene to suit a number of tastes, from classical and jazz to rock, not forgetting of course that Seattle is the city that gave us grunge. The Seattle Opera is one of the leading such companies in the U.S. and the Seattle Symphony is also well known. The Columbia City Theater is an ex-vaudeville theatre first built in 1917 that has hosted a variety of music acts through the years, from jazz in the 1940s, to the DIY Punk Movement of the 1980s. Much of the city’s entertainment scene after dark, as far as bars and nightclubs are concerned, is centered on the Pioneer Square area.
From memorable sights and attractions to a buzzing nightlife and top class amenities Seattle makes for an awesome travel destination.