Seattle
Discover Seattle
Seattle, Washington sits at one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. Occupying a narrow isthmus between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it is the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest, with 780,000 people in Seattle and over four million people in the metro area. Seen from above, carpets of evergreen trees, pristine blue waters, and snowy white mountains surround the downtown's metallic skyscrapers, earning the city its nickname The Emerald City. On the ground, you will find a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Next to the progressive downtown and the freewheeling feel of Capitol Hill, you can find a laid-back atmosphere in the districts to the north and ethnically diverse neighborhoods to the south. The many restaurants, coffee shops and microbreweries are worth indulging in after a day spent strolling through the city's many parks and beaches or admiring the arts and architecture. At the same time, around the shores of Lake Union and out east in Bellevue, are some of the most competitive megacorporations in modern American Society, as the city is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing. And just outside the hectic city are snow-covered mountains, evergreen forests, and stunning coastline to explore. Even for the bold and the adventurous, it's hard to get enough of Seattle.
What to Experience in Seattle
Taste of Seattle...
Typical of a big city, Seattle has a diverse range of fare representative of cuisines from around the world. Local chains and hole-in-the-wall restaurants dominate the city's dining atmosphere, and hearty, inexpensive meals can be found all over the city. Seattle's proximity to Alaska and the waters of the Pacific Ocean make it an excellent place to enjoy seafood. Look for salmon during the late summer months as options are abundant and the prices are among the cheapest on the West Coast, especially the red (sockeye) salmon. Shellfish are a prized resource of the Puget Sound, where the cool, clean waters provide an optimal habitat. Clams, mussels and oysters can be found easily, but other specialties like geoducks (pronounced GOO-ey-ducks) are sometimes available for the more adventurous. The Dungeness crab, named for a nearby town on the Sound, is a popular seafood prized for its sweet, tender flesh and high ratio of meat. The Dungeness is a commercially important crab in Washington's waters but other crab species are also common. The Alaskan king crab, caught from the deep cold waters of the Pacific Ocean near Alaska, has a more frequent presence here than the rest of the lower 48. The mild climate also supports many types of fresh produce. Farmers' markets are a normal occurrence on the weekends, especially in residential areas, and they usually have better quality produce than what you can get at supermarkets.
Culture & Religion
Culture
Multiculturalism is seen as a virtue. White people make up about 70% of the population, while more than a tenth of Seattlelites are of Asian descent. English is spoken virtually everywhere in the city but there are ethnic areas in South Seattle where Vietnamese and Tagalog are also commonly spoken, as well as Chinese and Japanese in the International District. In particular, Seattle has long been known for its large Taiwanese community. The ZIP code 98118 in South Seattle is one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the entire United States! Being a very politically left-wing part of the country, Seattle has one of the most sprawling LGBTQ+ communities in the U.S., second only to San Francisco. While the vast majority of Seattle businesses are LGBTQ+-friendly, the Capitol Hill area, east of downtown, is the main place for LGBTQ+-focused business and bars, as well as a resource center.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Seattle into what it is today.
The first humans are believed to have entered the region nearly 4,000 years ago. Englishman George Vancouver mapped the area in the 1790s, but the first white settlers didn't arrive until 1851. Luther Collins led a party of settlers to the mouth of the Duwamish River (in what is today southern Seattle), followed shortly by a party led by the more notable Arthur A. Denny of Chicago, who settled at Alki Point in West Seattle. Confrontations between the original settlers initially flared, only to die out as the groups settled together on the Elliott Bay. The area was then named Seattle by David Maynard, in honor of Chief Si'ahl of the Duwamish & Suquamish tribes, and later officially established as a city in 1869. By the 1880s, development of a modern city came to life with the erection of buildings, a streetcar system, and a lumber mill at the end of a timber skid row (what is now Yesler Way), only to be destroyed by fire in 1889. The city came alive again in 1897 during the Klondike Gold Rush, when Seattle served as the departure city for miners bound for Alaska and the Yukon. Entire hills were sluiced into Elliott Bay to make flat land for development, and the Lake Washington Ship Canal was dug to connect Lake Washington to the Puget Sound. Beyond the gold rush alone, Seattle became a transshipment point in this era, for instance for the Alaskan salmon trade, a role it still plays to this day....
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Seattle.
Most of Seattle's festivals take place in the summer, the only season when Seattle has reliably sunny weather. Seattle Center hosts smaller events almost every weekend throughout the year. There are dozens of neighborhood street fairs, most of them on weekends between mid-May and late July, with a few in August, September, or even early October. These range from a classic car show in Greenwood to a seafood festival in Ballard; nearly all feature a vast array of food trucks and booths, and some (especially those in Ballard, West Seattle, and Georgetown) often have genuinely first-rate music, especially toward evening. A few churches and other religious congregations host festivals that also draw many thousands of people, the two biggest probably being Bon Odori at the Seattle Buddhist Church just west of the International District, and St.
Climate
The stereotype of Seattle weather is that it is Rain City, where the sky is always grey, rainy, and depressing. Despite the reputation, the main challenge of Seattle's weather is more the overcast skies than the rain, and in fact Seattle has less annual rainfall than most cities east of the Rocky Mountains. Seattle's rain usually comes in a drizzle that lingers for days, which only occasionally strengthens to a full-blown torrent that rarely lasts long. Many residents call this period of overcast "the season of grey" as it lasts from late October to early March every year. The season is also accompanied by the short daylight hours of the winter, where its only light out from 7:45AM to 4:30PM. It may surprise you that rain is virtually absent from July through September, making Seattle an excellent place to spend summer. It's warm and comfortable a decent amount of the time, with little to moderate humidity, with average summer highs of 79 °F (26 °C) and lows of 59 °F (15 °C).
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple Options47.443599-122.3026181 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), 17801 International Blvd, SeaTac, ☏ +1 206-787-5388, toll-free: +1-800-544-1965. Nicknamed "Sea-Tac", is in the city's southern suburbs 14 mi (23 km) south of downtown Seattle. It's a major domestic hub for Alaska, Northwest and West Coast destinations, and also handles many international trans-Pacific routes, as well as some flights to major European and Middle East airports. In addition, the airport is well-connected to virtually every part of the US, with multiple daily flights to many major US cities, as well as to Alaska and Hawaii. (updated Oct 2023) Alaska Airlines uses this airport as its primary hub and is by far the biggest carrier here, with Delta catching up with an international hub here and an increasing number of domestic destinations....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Seattle's public transportation system, while no rival for Chicago or New York City, is the most convenient and simple way to get around most of the city. While public transportation is also good in suburbs such as Bothell and Everett, if you plan on visiting those areas you may wish to use a car. Driving a car in Seattle is possible, but the frequent and awful traffic congestion can leave you frustrated. Parking for free in Downtown and many of the adjacent neighborhoods, such as Capitol Hill, is all but impossible. Seattle is also one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, although you should be aware of the hilly terrain of the city that often makes cycling difficult. Carsharing services such as Zipcar, and ridesharing services such as Lyft and Uber, are also convenient and safe transportation options. Seattle's street designations are generally easy to remember once you understand them.
Where to Stay
For such a large city, there is a surprising lack of accommodation options available, thus rooms in Seattle are more on the expensive side. Most sleeping options are in Downtown and consist mostly of mid-range or high-end hotels. Other options, especially budget hotels and hostels can be found near the Seattle Center, the University District, the International District, and in North Seattle. There are also bed and breakfast options in Fremont, Ballard, and Capitol Hill. Some low-priced motels along Aurora Ave N are notoriously associated with prostitution, drug dealing, and other crimes; travelers primarily interested in sightseeing should look elsewhere. Alternatives to Seattle accommodations are a train ride away south in Tukwila and SeaTac, especially the areas surrounding the airport.
Money & Budget
If you want it, you can most likely get it in Seattle. Residents joke about "shopping local" or "supporting local business" at Amazon, Costco, and Starbucks, headquartered in or near the city. Despite the presence of these corporate giants (or as a reaction to them), Seattleites take pride in the many small, locally-owned businesses also operating here. Major chains and box stores do not tend to thrive in the city or its inner suburbs (with the notable exception of Starbucks, which has eighty-nine locations in the city). A sales tax of 10.25% applies for most purchases, except for groceries, newspapers, and prescription drugs, which are tax-free. Purchases of hard liquor, soft drinks, cannabis, rental cars, and hotel rooms are subject to higher taxes.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Statistically, the crime in Seattle is similar to what you would expect in any major city in the United States. As long as you use some common sense, you are unlikely to be the target of a crime. Auto break-ins and theft are a notable problem, so never leave your valuables visible in a car and always lock your car doors. Downtown Seattle has a sizable population of homeless people (many neighborhoods have forced their homeless into Seattle's downtown core). While many beg for change or seem unstable, only a few are actually dangerous. Some places to be careful near major tourist areas include 3rd Ave downtown (especially between Pine St. and Pike St.), around Pioneer Square, and the International District (especially near 12th Ave and Jackson St). The rough parts of Seattle are fairly safe compared to the worst parts of other American cities, and you are unlikely to get into trouble by being in the wrong neighborhood during the day.
Glimpses of Seattle
For personal or editorial use only
Kerry Park, Seattle
Seattle in Love. https://www.weshoot.it/viaggi-fotografici/
city buildings during night time
Seattle
The Seattle Space Needle against Elliot Bay. Olympic National Park can be seen in the distance. This photo authorized via LAANC link to air traffic control, and operated under the FAA's Part 107 licensure.
Mountain near the city
The view from Kerry Park is just spectacular. Especially if you’ve watched Grey’s Anatomy in your life 😛
Public Market Farmers Market LED sign
Seattle's Smith tower seen from yesler terrace
For personal or editorial use only
Kerry Park, Seattle
Seattle in Love. https://www.weshoot.it/viaggi-fotografici/