7 Best Sights in Downtown, Seattle

One of the nation's largest and oldest public markets dates from 1907, when the city issued permits allowing farmers to sell produce from parked wagons. At one time the market was a madhouse of vendors hawking their produce and haggling with customers over prices; now you might find fishmongers engaging in frenzied banter and hilarious antics, but chances are you won't get them to waver on prices. There are many restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops (including the flagship Starbucks), lunch counters, and ethnic eateries. Go to Pike Place hungry and you won't be disappointed. The flower market is also a must-see—gigantic fresh arrangements can be found for around $10. It's well worth wading through dense crowds to enjoy the market's many corridors, where you'll find specialty-food items, quirky gift shops, tea, honey, jams, comic books, beads, eclectic crafts, and cookware. In spring 2017, Pike Place Market debuted a significant expansion, fulfilling a decades-long vision for Seattle's Market Historic District. The market's new digs feature artisanal-food purveyors, an on-site brewery, four public art installations, and a 30,000-square-foot open public space with a plaza and a viewing deck overlooking Elliott Bay.

One of the nation's largest and oldest public markets dates from 1907, when the city issued permits allowing farmers to sell produce from parked wagons. At one time the market was a madhouse of vendors hawking produce and haggling with customers over prices; now you might find fishmongers engaging in frenzied banter and hilarious antics, but chances are you won't get them to waver on prices. There are many restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops (including the flagship Starbucks, which usually has a long line), and lunch counters—go to Pike Place hungry and you won't be disappointed. The flower market is also a must-see—gigantic fresh arrangements can be found for around $12. It's well worth wading through dense crowds to enjoy the market's many corridors, where you'll find specialty-food items, quirky gift shops, tea, honey, jams, comic books, beads, eclectic crafts, and cookware.

In recent years, Pike Place Market debuted a significant expansion, fulfilling a decades-long vision for Seattle's Market Historic District. The market's newer digs feature artisanal-food purveyors, an on-site brewery, four public art installations, seasonal pop-up vendors, and a 30,000-square-foot open public space with a plaza and a viewing deck overlooking Elliott Bay and the Seattle waterfront.  The famous "flying fish" fishmonger is located at the main entrance on Pike Street. Just be patient and eventually someone will toss a big fish through the air. Nearby you'll also find Rachel the Piggy Bank, a life-size bronze pig that helps bring home the bacon for local social services; she's a favorite spot for Pike Place pics.

Located right at the water's edge, the Seattle Aquarium is one of the nation's premier aquariums. Among its most engaging residents are the sea otters—kids, especially, seem able to spend hours watching the delightful antics of these creatures and their river cousins. In the Puget Sound Great Hall, "Window on Washington Waters," a slice of Neah Bay life is presented in a 20-foot-tall tank holding 120,000 gallons of water. The aquarium's darkened rooms and large, lighted tanks brilliantly display Pacific Northwest marine life, including clever octopuses and translucent jellyfish. The "Life on the Edge" tide pools re-create Washington's rocky coast and sandy beaches—kids can touch the starfish, sea urchins, and sponges. Huge glass windows provide underwater views of the harbor seal exhibit; go up top to watch them play in their pools. If you're visiting in fall or winter, dress warmly—the Marine Mammal area is outside on the waterfront and catches all of those chilly Puget Sound breezes. The café serves Ivar's chowder and kid-friendly food like burgers and chicken fingers.  As of this writing, the aquarium is undergoing a major expansion. The new Ocean Pavilion will feature a massive 325,000-gallon tank with coral reefs, rays, sharks, and tropical fish.

Sculptor Jonathan Borofsky's several-stories-high “Hammering Man” greets visitors to SAM, as locals call this pride of the city’s art scene. SAM's permanent collection surveys American, Asian, Native American, African, Oceanic, and pre-Columbian art. Collections of African dance masks and Native American carvings are particularly strong. SAM's free floors have the best attractions for kids, including an installation of a massive tree-like sculpture hanging from the ceiling and the Chase Open Studio. If you're interested in checking a special exhibition, consider buying tickets in advance as they can sell out.  The listed admission price to see the museum's general collections and installations is suggested pricing, though the museum charges fixed pricing for tickets that include special exhibitions.

The hub of Seattle's 26-branch library system is a stunning jewel of a building that stands out against the concrete jungle of Downtown. Designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Ramus, this 11-story structure houses more than one million books, a language center, terrific areas for kids and teens, hundreds of computers, an auditorium, a "mixing chamber" floor of information desks, and a café. The building's floor plan is anything but simple; stand outside the beveled glass-and-metal facade of the building and you can see the library's floors zigzagging upward. Tours are self-guided via a laminated sheet you can pick up at the information desk; there's also a number you can call on your cell phone for an audio tour. The reading room on the 10th floor has unbeatable views of the city and the water, and the building has Wi-Fi throughout (look for the network "spl-public"). Readings and free film screenings happen on a regular basis.

Want to hitch a ride to a soaring Seattle vantage point above the water? At the end of Pier 57, just steps from Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium, the Seattle Great Wheel is a 175-foot (about 17 stories tall) Ferris wheel. As you round the top, enjoy views of the city skyline, Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and Mt. Rainier (on a clear day, of course). Rides are slow and smooth, lasting 15 to 20 minutes, with three revolutions total. Each climate-controlled gondola can hold six people (up to eight if some are children) and, generally speaking, parties will be able to sit together. The Seattle Great Wheel is also clad in more than 500,000 LED lights that put on an after-dark light show on summer weekends until 10 pm. Advance tickets are recommended—you'll still have to wait in line, but the line is a lot shorter.

One block north of the Seattle Art Museum, Traver Gallery is like a little slice of SoHo in Seattle, with large picture windows and uneven wood floors. The focus is on contemporary studio glass, paintings, sculpture, and installation art from local and international artists. Pieces are exquisite—never whimsical or gaudy—and the staff is extremely courteous. After you're done tiptoeing around the gallery, head back downstairs and around the corner to Vetri ( 1404 1st Ave.), which sells smaller-scale glass art and home objects from emerging artists at reasonable prices.