See Seattle
Green light for the 'Emerald City'.
Downtown Seattle from the Space Needle
TUCKED IN the northwestern corner of Washington state less than a hundred miles from the Canadian border, Seattle still seems imbued by the pioneering spirit of its earliest European settlers, drawn first by the area's natural resources, primarily timber, then by its growth as a transport and supply centre for miners working the Yukon and Klondike claims in the Gold Rush of the 1890s.
Today, the “Emerald City” - so called because of the lush evergreen trees in the surrounding area, including a rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula across the Puget Sound - is still seen by many incomers as a refuge from the 'rat race' of more populous states such as California.
Many of Seattle's most popular attractions are clustered together at Seattle Center, a fairground, park and entertainment complex reached by a monorail which whisks passengers along over city streets from Downtown.
The Space Needle
Here you'll find Seattle's no.1 tourist magnet, the Space Needle, a still futuristiclooking tower built as the centrepiece of the 1962 World's Fair. A thrilling elevator ride takes you up 520 feet to the observation deck for spectacular 360° views of the city and surrounding area, including Mount Rainier looming at over 14,000 feet to the south. From the revolving Sky City restaurant you can gawk while you dine.
Back on the ground, music fans will want to head for the Experience Music Project in designer Frank Gehry's undulating, sheet metalskinned museum building. (The Seattle Center Monorail runs right through it.) A spectacular feature of the building is what appears to be a massive, melted guitar draped over much of its exterior. Interactive exhibitions include the Sound Lab, where you can learn the basics of playing various instruments, and On Stage, where you can be a rock star for a day in a simulated live experience.
The Roots and Branches sculpture in the Experience Music Project
One section is dedicated to the history of Seattle rock music (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Heart et al), while for many visitors the main attraction is the world's largest collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia, including the white Fender Stratocaster guitar on which he delighted and disgusted Americans in equal measure with his feedback-fuelled version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock.
In the Guitar Gallery, dedicated to the history of the guitar, is a huge sculpture entitled Roots and Branches, made from hundreds of musical instruments played by electronically controlled devices.
In the same building, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame bills itself as the world's premier science fiction museum. The brainchild of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the museum's collection includes Captain Kirk's command chair from Star Trek, the B9 robot from Lost in Space, the Death Star model from Star Wars and the T800 Terminator. There are also movie props, costumes, models and interactive displays.
For a taste of 'old' Seattle, head down to Pioneer Square, where 20 city blocks of art galleries, shops, coffee houses, restaurants and bars (including the Central Saloon, the city's oldest tavern, dating from 1895) form the country's largest surviving concentration of Victorian-era buildings on the site of Seattle's first permanent settlement.
Another 'must see' attraction is the historic, boardwalk-style Pike Place Market, the mother of all farmers' markets and fishmongers and a showcase for Pacific Northwest craftspeople - in all, over 200 businesses hawking their wares in a bustling atmosphere. The market's 'Meet the Producer' mandate makes it a great place to sample authentic local produce, pastries, handmade cheeses, honey and wine or pick up a one of a kind piece of jewellery, glassware, woodcraft, ceramic or fine art. One of the most popular vendors is the Pike Place Fish Market, where crowds gather to watch the famous 'flying fish'. When a customer orders a fish, which could be a three-foot salmon, an employee at the ice-covered fish table picks it up and hurls it over the countertop, where another employee catches it and preps it for sale. Hugely entertaining.
Across the street from Pike Street Market you'll see a constant queue outside 1912 Pike Place, the world's first ever Starbucks, which has traded there since 1977. (Actually it moved there from a previous location, but the myth endures, and it is now a fixture on the tourist trail.) The sign outside this branch, unlike others, features the original logo - a bare-breasted siren modelled after a 15th century Norse woodcut. The worldwide rise of the Starbucks chain has driven Seattle's reputation as the 'coffee capital of the world.'
No visit to Seattle is complete without taking to the water, and with the largest ferry fleet in the US, there's a big choice of vessels plying Elliott Bay from the piers along the Seattle Waterfront. A harbour tour will give you views of the Olympic and Cascade mountains, the Seattle cityscape and the green shorelines, while a ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island will give you a taste of a slower lifestyle within sight of the city. For a real treat, take the narrated cruise to Tillicum Village, where you'll feast on salmon cooked in the authentic Native American way, see a show of traditional dances and hear stories about the first people to inhabit the Northwest.
How to get there
British Airways flies from Heathrow to Seattle daily (twice on Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays) from £420.50 return including taxes. Visit www.ba.com or call 0844 4930787.
Where to stay
The boutique-style Inn at the Market overlooks the Pike Place Market and has beautiful views of Elliott Bay from its rooftop deck. Visit www.innatthemarket.com.
Further info
For a free visitors information guide to Seattle call 020 7978 5233 or visit www.visitseattle.org.
