If You Like

Arts and Culture

The Great Outdoors gets so much attention it's easy to overlook Seattle's Great Indoors—its myriad galleries, museums, and cinemas. The city teems with visual artists and sculptors; several excellent film festivals attest to the number of resident cinephiles. Nearly every local coffee shop (and many restaurants, bars, and stores) serves as an impromptu art gallery; some even hold official openings with food, drinks, and music when exhibits change.

A great way to get an overview of Seattle's art scene—and do some socializing in the process—is to participate in one of the city's many art walks, which include stops at galleries, coffeehouses that have rotating art exhibits, restaurants, shops, and public works of art in all their quirky glory. The biggest walk is the First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square (first Thursday of every month from noon to 8 pm www.firstthursdayseattle.com), which starts at Main Street and Occidental and takes you through the city's gallery district, as well as to some Downtown spots. There are also smaller, though no less interesting, walks in Capitol Hill (second Thursdays from 5 pm to 8 pm www.blitzcapitolhill.com), Fremont (first Fridays from 6 pm to 9 pm www.fremontfirstfriday.blogspot.com), and Ballard (second Saturdays from 6 pm to 9 pm www.ballardchamber.com).

Check out what local writers are up to at readings at the Richard Hugo House, Open Books, and Pilot Books.

The grande dame of the art scene, the Seattle Art Museum has rotating exhibitions and a lovely permanent collection; SAM's outdoor branch, Olympic Sculpture Park, is where striking sculptures compete with views of the Puget Sound. Other favorite museums include the Wing Luke Asian Museum and the Frye Art Museum, among others.

A nonprofit that aids Seattle's budding filmmakers, the Northwest Film Forum (www.nwfilmforum.org) has the scoop on independent film in the Northwest and worldwide. At NWFF's hip screening room, film geeks can catch hard-to-find documentaries and feature films or just revisit classic films from masters like Jean Renoir and Akira Kurosawa.

Water

No, not the kind of water that falls from the winter sky. Seattle is bounded and sliced by impressive stretches of blue. Even longtime residents can be found gawking at the mountain-backed Puget Sound and its bays.

A must-see on any itinerary, the Seattle Aquarium shows you what's going on underneath the surface, with special exhibits concerning the marine and river ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. Get an up-close look at all sorts of craft, from research boats to posh yachts as they navigate the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Hiram M. Chittenden (aka "Ballard") Locks.

If you're not content with views alone, rent a canoe or kayak from Agua Verde Paddle Club and tool around the ship canal; head into Lake Union to see Seattle's famous houseboats.

On hot days, the swimming rafts in Lake Washington beckon. Several beaches along the western shore of this massive lake have lifeguards and other amenities. The eastern shore of Green Lake also has a beach and swimming raft and offers a more subdued dip—a good way to cool off after you join Seattleites in a jog around the lake's nearly-3-mi pedestrian path.

To experience a little taste of California in Seattle, take the West Seattle water taxi (www.kingcounty.gov) across Elliott Bay. Stroll or bike along Alki Beach, dip a toe or a kayak in the water, and enjoy a great panorama of city skyline, mountains, and sea. Riding a Washington State ferry —such as the trip from Downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island—is a true joy.

Lazy Days

Despite all the activities they enjoy, Seattleites appreciate the beauty of slowing the pace and spending a few quiet hours away from distractions.

Grab a few books, find a coffee shop, and spend a couple of hours reading and writing postcards. The porch of Fremont Coffee Company is particularly conducive to chilling out, as are Caffé Vita and Victrola on Capitol Hill, and the Panama Hotel Tea and Coffee House in the International District.

Instead of jostling with joggers around Green Lake or power walking in Discovery Park, head to Gasworks Park and stake out a piece of green. From the park's hill you can idly watch the boats in Lake Union or even fly a kite—the Gasworks Park Kite Shop is right around the corner at Stone Way and N. 34th Street.

Take the ferry to nearby islands Vashon or Bainbridge. Rent a bike and tool around past parkland, farmland, and orchards; then pop into galleries and crafts shops if you feel so inclined. Or just find a piece of beach and relax for a few hours.

Wining and Dining

It's no secret that Seattle has excellent restaurants as well as an obsession with wine (both Northwest and international varieties) that is second only to its obsession with coffee. A wine list is never an afterthought at the city's best restaurants, and it's never difficult to find a place that does food and drink equally well.

Purple Café and Wine Bar is the first stop for the indecisive. You can get anything from baked Brie with apricot preserves to short rib sandwich. You can also order flights of three or four different wines, paired with cheeses, if you have trouble choosing from the wine list, which is so long it has a table of contents. 106 Pine, a wine shop with a tasting bar run by a very knowledgeable staff, will also provide crash courses in notable Northwest wines.

Out of all of the city's current favorite restaurants, Café Juanita, Joule, Poppy, Spring Hill, Anchovies & Olives, Matt's in the Market, and Lark are just a few that get a special nod for excellent food and wine choices that never disappoint. The Herbfarm, in the city's eastern suburbs, and the Corson Building, in the southern city limits, both take special-occasion dining to a whole new level. At the Herbfarm you'll get no fewer than nine courses and five or six paired wines, along with commentary from the chef and owners. The Corson Building serves Saturday family-style meals determined by the seasonal bounty of local producers.

To indulge during daylight hours, create the perfect picnic with food from Salumi in Pioneer Square or DeLaurenti's at Pike Place Market (be sure to grab a few choice bottles from the Pike & Western Wine Shop nearby).