Places to Explore

• Ballard

  Ballard is Seattle's sweetheart. Locals of all stripes can't help but hold some affection for this neighborhood, even as it gets farther away from its humble beginnings. Ballard doesn't have many sights... (more)

• Capitol Hill

  With its mix of theaters and churches, quiet parks and nightclubs, stately homes and student apartments, Capitol Hill still deserves its reputation as Seattle's most eclectic neighborhood. Old brick buildings... (more)

• Downtown and Belltown

  Downtown Seattle may not be the soul of the city, but it's certainly the heart. There's big-city skyline, as well as plenty of marvelous things to see and do in the Downtown area: the city's premier art... (more)

• The Eastside

  The suburbs east of Lake Washington can easily supplement any Seattle itinerary. The center of East King County is Bellevue, a fast-growing city with its own downtown core, high-end shopping, and a notable... (more)

• First Hill and the Central District

  The little-visited neighborhoods of First Hill and the Central District are nonetheless important pieces of the city's fabric. First Hill is an eastern extension of Downtown, and one tree-lined street... (more)

• Fremont and Phinney Ridge

  If you ever wondered where the center of the universe is, look no further—the self-styled "Republic of Fremont" was declared just this by its residents in the 1960s. This pretty neighborhood isn't... (more)

• International District

  Bright welcome banners, 12-foot fiberglass dragons clinging to lamp posts, and a traditional Chinese gate confirm you're in the International District. The I.D., as it's locally known, is synonymous with... (more)

• Pioneer Square

  The Pioneer Square district, directly south of Downtown, is Seattle's oldest neighborhood. It attracts visitors for its elegantly renovated (or in some cases replica) turn-of-the-20th-century redbrick... (more)

• Seattle Center, South Lake Union, and Queen Anne

  Seattle Center is the home to Seattle's version of the Eiffel Tower—the Space Needle—and is anchored by Frank Gehry's wild Experience Music Project building. Almost all visitors make their... (more)

• University District

  The U-District, as everyone calls it, is the neighborhood surrounding the University of Washington (UW or "U-Dub" to locals). The campus is extraordinarily beautiful (especially in springtime, when the... (more)

• Wallingford and Green Lake

  Wallingford's even more laid-back and low-profile than Fremont or Ballard, and outside of a few parks it has no sights per se. But 45th Street NW has an eclectic group of shops, from a gourmet beer store... (more)

• West Seattle

  Cross the bridge to West Seattle and it's another world altogether. Jutting out into Elliott Bay and Puget Sound, separated from the city by the Duwamish waterway, this out-of-the-way neighborhood covers... (more)