Know Before You Go: About Seattle
With the blue waters of the Puget Sound lapping at its toes and magnificent Mount Rainier cracking open the sky behind the city, Seattle’s natural splendor is a main attraction
Urban delights—from a climb up the Space Needle to a shopping adventure in colorful Pike Place Market—combined with kayaking, biking and hiking opportunities make this a fantastic place for your clan to gather. Discover all that the state of Washington has to offer, from fresh local fare at the Farmer’s market and a coffee at the first ever Starbucks to a trek through the state’s natural wonders when you visit Seattle.
Seattle Pleasures
Explore the jostling neighborhoods; savor the artsy downtown with its bookstores, cafes and craft beer; shop Pike Place Market—the people's pantry, and adventure out to the city's misty islands. Seattle's vibrant kaleidoscope of entertainment will delight your family from the moment you arrive. Looking to people watch at a park? Dive into water-side sculpture parks or bike the massive green spaces like Discovery, Magnuson, and Washington Park Arboretum. Family fun? Hit the Museum of Flight or ride the largest Ferris wheel in the West. Culture? Tour the sleek Seattle Art Museum or catch a concert. Stay a weekend or a week. In Seattle, enchantment is guaranteed.
Summer Sun and Winter Rain
It's supposed to rain in Seattle, so you shouldn't be too surprised when it does—and it will. Raindrops fall almost every day between mid-October through June, but that doesn't mean the sky won't smile from time to time. Your best bets for avoiding a daily downpour is to visit in July, August or September, when clear days move the entire city outdoors. But spring has its appeal when the town bursts with colorful leaves, and Mount Rainier looks great dressed in winter's snow, especially to the skiers and snowboarders in your group.
From Boeing to Microsoft
Strolling the Seattle waterfront, you'll guess that fishing and shipping are big players in commerce here, and you'll be right. The Port of Seattle moves much cargo to Asia, as well as Alaska and the East Coast. Boeing's aerospace business was the first big benefactor of Seattle's economy, but Microsoft and other computer software, biotechnology and electronics firms have joined the party. You help too, since tourism is high on the list of what keeps Seattle happening.
Zipping Around the Neighborhood
Seattle's public transport is as wonderful as its traffic jams are awful, so your gang may not need a car to explore. Feet and bikes work well in the compact downtown, and buses and ferries whoosh you away to distant neighborhoods and island communities. Take the bus or electric trolley almost anywhere in Seattle, or—if you're heading between downtown and Lake Union—jump on the light rail. This elevated monorail ride is entertainment in and of itself--zipping you from Westlake Center to the Space Needle.
Ready to travel? Find hotels in Seattle, WA.
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