I'm going to be in Seattle for a couple of days and was wondering what are some must sees?

pike's place of course...a mariners baseball game if they're in town and I the underground tour through the tunnels

Smith Tower (observation deck)
Pioneer Square historic district
Chinatown/International district
Pike Place Market
the Waterfront
Seattle Center/Space Needle

second string must do's...
ferry ride to Bainbridge Island
Volunteer Park
Japanese Garden in the Arboretum
Woodland Park Zoo
the Aquarium
Seattle Public Library downtown
Seattle Art Museum
Paramount/Moore/5th Avenue theaters

if you want to get out of the city
Snoqualmie Falls
Whidbey Island

2nd Woodland Park Zoo and library

I think Space Needle and Pike's Place are overrated

but I live here

Maybe the Experience Music Project? I haven't been there yet but it might be cool

I think the Olympic Sculpture Park is a must see. Absolutley amazing.

http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visi...SP/default.asp

EMP is ok. If you are a diehard music fan, it would be a must see. I enjoyed the Science Fiction museum next door more. Maybe do a day trip to Snoqualmie Falls to hike / see the waterfalls.

Looking at the dates, the OP may already be back from Seattle but doesnt hurt to post this info.

Well I live here too and think the Pike Place Market is the BEST (haha)!

I hate being an apostrophe cop, but if you live here you should know that there's no such place as Pike's Market.

(Actually I once googled one in northern Maine, but now can't find it.)

I love Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, and the waterfront. A personal must do is a stop a the bakery in West Seattle, Bakery Nouveau....sublime.

Hi skibum,

I visited Seattle for the second time last summer as part of a northwest trip and we really only stopped downtown to visit the Experience Music Project.

I really enjoyed it as I am a huge Hendrix fan! If you are too, I would highly recommend it.

It may seem touristy to many, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Underground tour. I found the whole history fascinating, and some of the below ground building facades amazing.

What time of year will you be there?

If you're the sporty type, you can rent a kayak or canoe and go out on one of the lakes within the city.

My "must see" list is topped by sights visible only on clear days--Mt. Rainier, the Olympic Mountains, the Cascades, and Mt. Baker.

My favorite viewing point--a ferry between Seattle and Bainbridge Island. Favorite time of day--sunset.

How large is Seattle's Chinatown? Would I appreciate it after being in San Francisco and New York City's Chinatowns?

We are too PC here in the Pacific NW to call it Chinatown - it is the International District, which is just as well, considering there are many stores from other parts of Asia. There is a fantastic Japanese supermarket called Uwajimaya that you should check out if you are in the neighborhood.

In answer to your question though, Seattle's International District is far smaller and generally less impressive than SF's or NYC's Chinatowns. I'm not sure that it is necessarily a must-do if you are on a tight schedule. Still, it is short walking distance from Safeco Field and Pioneer Square, and longer walking distance from Pike Place Market and the waterfront - so you could go there for lunch as part of seeing the rest of the city.

My favorite lunch place is House of Hong, for dim sum.

Actually I say that's up for debate, I have heard a resurgence of people calling it "Chinatown" again recently (I agree the term wasn't used in the 80's). And this is by local Asian folks.

As to the size, I'm sure it is smaller than NY or SF, but it's still an interesting neighborhood to poke around imo.

(Posting from Buenos Aires where we've declared it to be siesta time.)

It was called the International District because at one point it was about equally Japanese and Chinese; now I imagine Southeast Asian commerce outnumbers both in terms of ownership. However it's still referred to as the "ID" by most locals.

In terms of size, Vancouver BC's Chinatown is, I believe, the second largest in N. America after SF's. Way, way bigger than Seattle's.