Seattle
 

HI-I'll be going to Seattle on business in a couple of weeks. I will have a bit of free time. Can anyone suggest things to see and do? Also-names of good restauratns would be appreciated. Thanks.

Krystyna

There is so much to do in Seattle you will feel like your head is spinning. If you are renting a car and you love mountains you should definitely go to Mt. Rainier National Forest. It is like being in a different world. Ferns and moss and HUGE trees in some of the "rainforest" areas are my favorite. Also you definitely shouldn't miss Pike Street Market if you like shopping and people watching. Watch out for flying fish! We always eat at one of the seafood restaurants along the waterway and take a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. Last August we ate quarter size blackberries along the roadside as we walking to the quaint downtown village of Bainbridge from the dock. The view of Seattle and Mt. Rainier and 2 mountain ranges (if you can find a sunny day to go) is so wonderful from the water. There are thousands of coffee shops, even McDonald's has espresso! There are lots of guide books and friendly people to give you suggestions. Restaurants are glorious but fill up on FRESH seafood!

As the previous post said.. so much..so little time...in the city take a tour bus to aquaint yourself..Make sure you take a ferry ride.. so cheap. Good restaurants down by the wharfs. You can take the Underground Tour for a few laughs and history.
A boat trip to the San Juan Islands is another great ride for Nature -out of Everett.You are making me want to go back soon...

Lucky you! Seattle is wonderful. I enjoy the area around Pikes Market for browsing, people watching and shopping. One of the best bookstores in the world is in Seattle -- The Elliott Bay Book Company. If the Pacific Northwest Ballet is performing, don't miss 'em. They're excellent and performances tend to be imaginative. Plus, performances are given in the Opear House in the shadow of the space needle. The neighborhood known as Queen Anne is lots of fun -- lovely old wooden homes and pretty flowers and gardens. I know you'll enjoy yourself!

The best seafood advice I've heard for Seattle is that you don't need to go to a seafood restaurant to get great seafood. Everyone serves it, and most do a decent job at the preparation. The Public Market is THE attraction not to miss. If you are in Seattle in early April take a day trip up to Skagit County to see the Tulip fields in bloom. They will make you cry.