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TIME
Pacific Standard Time



STATE
Washington

REGION
Pacific States





From Duwamps to Seattle

• Seattle’s original settlement was named Duwamps, but changed to Seattle in honor of Chief Sealth, a chief of the Suquamish tribe when the first white settlers arrived in 1851.

• The S. Mark Taper Auditorium in Benaroya Hall, the concert hall for the Seattle Symphony, is paneled with wood from a single African Macaray tree. The tree had fallen and was cut into panels one-fortieth of an inch thick.

• Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood boasts some of Seattle’s most unusual displays of public art, including a 53-foot tall rocket complete with neon lasers, a giant VW Bug-eating troll and an authentic statue of Vladimir Lenin.

• The 9-block historic Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle is one of the oldest continuously-operated farmers market in the US, dating back to 1907.

• Seattle is the undisputed espresso capital of America, leading the gourmet coffee trend. The original Starbucks store still exists and is located in the Pike Place Market.

Seattle attracts more than eight-and-a-half million visitors a year and has grown into one of the world’s most desirable leisure travel destinations. Travelers are drawn by the stunning setting – a thriving city center on the edge of pristine wilderness and abundant recreation.

The crown jewel of Seattle’s attractions is the Seattle Center, the 74-acre legacy of the 1962 World’s Fair. Its distinctive 605-foot Space Needle is the city’s leading landmark and symbol. From its observation deck, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the city and Puget Sound, back-dropped by the snowcapped Cascade Range to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the west.

Additional popular attractions include Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, the waterfront, the Seattle Art Museum, the Pacific Science Center, the Woodland Park Zoo, the Seattle Aquarium, and the Museum of Flight.

A stroll through the famous Pike Place Market reveals Seattle’s culinary bounty: Wild salmon, Dungeness crab, oysters, mussels, fresh produce, strong coffee, craft beers and ales and, of course, a wide selection of internationally-acclaimed Washington wines. Add an array of sophisticated restaurants run by creative and sometimes daring chefs, and it’s easy to understand why Seattle is considered a connoisseur’s mecca.

Pioneer Square, Seattle’s historic district, located on the southern fringe of the downtown business core, features some 20 square blocks of Victorian Romanesque architecture, museums, the city’s highest concentration of art galleries, many restaurants – and a rip-roaring nightlife. 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. And antique-hunters, gallery-walkers and bar-hoppers keep the neighborhood bustling.

Greater Seattle’s rich cultural scene, including more than 25 professional theatre companies, 11 noteworthy museums, 15 symphony orchestras, world class festivals and hundreds of music venues, has been bolstered by new cultural facilities built in recent years.

The new Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, the expansion of the Museum of Flight, the architecturally-significant new Seattle Public Library Central Branch, and projects including Seattle Art Museum’s expansion plans and Olympic Sculpture Park will keep Seattle in the cultural forefront.

Seattle is the gateway to the Pacific Northwest. Day trips via Catamaran and sea plane are available to British Columbia, the Olympic Peninsula and the popular San Juan Islands. May through September, the Port of Seattle offers a growing numbers of luxury cruises to Alaska. From just six cruise ship visits in 1990, the port is expected to host 170 sailings and approximately 350,000 passengers, with service by Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises.

In-city recreation abounds just steps from downtown Seattle and the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Spend an afternoon “flightseeing” by floatplane; take a guided sightseeing tour by sea kayak; or scale the world’s largest indoor climbing pinnacle at the REI flagship store.

Three national parks lie within a two-hour drive of Seattle. Mt. Rainier National Park features the snow-capped 14,000-foot mountain which backdrops the city’s skyline. The Olympic National Park features the only temperate rain forests in the continental US and the North Cascades National Park offers winter downhill and cross-country skiing and summer hiking amid stunning views of jagged peaks and glacial lakes.

SEATTLE HOTELS


Photo courtesy Tim Thompson

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