Hi all. I'm taking my boyfriend home to meet the family for Christmas and want to know what Seattle activities/sites he shouldn't miss. Yes, I just said 'home to meet the family' and yet am asking for advice on tourism. I lived there until 13. So I have no experience with the place as an adult. We are both early thirty somethings without a penchant for museums or haute cuisine. We won't have a rental car but will be staying in Seattle and will use public transportation. Any suggestions on where we should go, what/where we should eat, and what we ABSOLUTELY must see? I have the Seattle Aquarium on my list, Seattle Center/Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Arboretum, and a shopping trip on Broadway. I remember certain foods fondly Dick's Burgers and Ivar's fish. But I'm sure you guys could come up with better. Thanks!

Also on Capitol Hill 15th Avenue East (just a bit further up the hill) is hopping lately. Loads of small interesting shops, restaurants, coffee and tea houses, etc. Volunteer Park is also nearby which is always beautiful. There's a gorgeous plant conservatory there too. The #10 Metro bus will get you here (my neighborhood -haha).

Broadway is OK but a little past it's prime imo and currently under revitalization so lots of construction. I think better shopping is along Pike/Pine Corridor nearby or a few places along 15th depending what you are looking for.

Madison Park is also a fun area to walk around. It's right on Lake Washington (nearby when you mention Arboretum). Have a meal at Cactus, great restaurant.

Thanks Suze. 15th Ave sounds great. Just a little more about us. We like traditional 'big tourism' --hence the Space Needle-- but also like the kind of tourism that really gives us an insight into the culture of the people of a certain place. Not the 'Pacific Northwest historically'. But 'the nitty gritty of seattle people'. Where THEY hang out. What THEY eat. What THEY do for fun. We like to come away from a town after all of two days with the sense that we 'get' the people. If this sounds arrogant and foolish, keep in mind that he's a native new yorker and i'm approaching a decade here. So we specialize in condescenion and arrogance.

Oy Vey. Which is one reason I'm glad to have escaped from Manhattan after thriry years and to be back in Seattle.

You might like the shopping area in up-scale Madison Park (take the #11 bus). There are some cute shops, several hang-outs, and a couple good restaurants (have lunch at Cactus!).

Fremont is another popular neighborhood. I will probably be chided for saying its appeal is mostly to old hippies.

We are currently hosting an exhibit of "the dead sea Scrolls", but don't know if it will be here by Xmas. Go down to 4th and Pike/or Pine and see the Xmas festifities, or if you can arrange it, the Xmas boats...

There are lots of places to "hang out" in Belltown. Or you could ride a ferry over to Bainbridge island, walk along the waterside path into "town" to cruise the shops, and have lunch at the Harbor House pub.

Well since I live on 15th Avenue East, I guess that's as good as place as any to "get the people" imo. There's lots of street activity there... a few gift and consignment shops, a dozen+ restaurants, 3 coffeehouses, 1 new tea house, 1 great bakery, Sonic Boom records, Rainbow natural remedies, etc. etc.

Another good concentrated area of 'hip' is Belltown (as mentioned above). It is geographically conveniently located between the Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. It has loads of good bars & restaurants, and boutique-ish (for lack of a better word) type independent shops.

PMS- Why would I chide you? Fremont DOES appeal mostly to old hippies -lol!

Suze's Capitol Hill suggestions are good. Volunteer Park is nice even in winter because you can duck into the Conservatory for warmth. The views from Lakeview Cemetery are amazing. 15th has lots of good stuff. A little west toward Broadway, Cal Anderson Park is neat and you can get coffee and hang out at Vivace Roasteria on Denny just east of Broadway (that is a true locals thing to do). Then theres all the boutiques of Pike/Pine.

Fremont and Ballard (esp. Ballard Ave) are good places to walk around, eat (lots of good restaurants), or have a drink in the evening. Weekend brunch at the 35th St Bistro in Fremont is great. You could walk along the Burke Gilman trail to Gas Works after-a park for locals that most tourists miss, but has such great views of the city.

The Aquarium is being remodeled-it's open but I don't think it's at its best. And unless you are going to a particular event at the Seattle Center, there's really nothing there to see. The Needle...eh...you did say you liked the big sights, but remember, if it's cloudy/rainy, you won't be able to see much. If it's the rare clear December day, go for it-the mountains will be amazing.

The Pike Place Market is always wonderful. Eat salmon sandwiches at the Market Grill or watch the sun set over Elliot Bay from the bar at Maximilien in the Market (great happy hour deals).

The Arboretum is nice but it's winter-the leaves are gone and nothing is blooming. Also, I think that would be a bit of a trek by public transport.

Don't forget a ferry ride to Bainbridge or Bremerton - nice even if it's drippy. Also, it's...

Just a fine and fancy ramble to the zoo. But you can take the [Metro] bus
If it's raining or it's cold,
And the animals will love it
If you do...

The Arboretum doesn't really work very well without a car. It's a HUGE park covering a lot of acreage with no real center hub, and no bus line runs thru it. I think the closest might be the #11 already mentioned heading down towards Madison Park, but get off sooner.

Check out who is appearing at Jazz Alley and The Triple Door while you are in town--they are two adult venues.

The Woodland Park Zoo is a great place for a walk and the Klondike National Park (in Pioneer Square) in an often overlooked treasure.

Here is a useful site for what's happening in Seattle: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/wh/

I went to Seattle Pacific and spent lots of time in Fremont. I highly reccomend Costas Opa restaurant.

I would also suggest taking the boat out to the island where they do the Native American Salmon dinner.

Hey, go see The Dead Sea Scrolls (at the Pacific Science Center) if you are interested in history. Went yesterday, Riveting!!! There is a huge teddy bear collection exhibited somewhere down town (one of the hotels), that's fun for kids, and the Pike Street Market is always a hoot. Another fun day is to take the walk on ferry to Winslow...walk about, and settled for a nice salmon dinner in one of the nice restaurants there. Can part under the viaduct if you are lucky, and/or lots of parking lots in the vicinity of Pioneer Square...That's a fun place too, altho somewhat run over by bums of late...but they are harmless. Also, the SAM has one of the most extensive and wonderful collections of Jade in the world...and don't forget Beneroya Hall, there is usually something going on there at Xmas. The Seattle Symphony is doing the Messiah (get dates on line). You should have a wonderful time. Or, as an alternative to doing city stuff, drive up to Snoqualmie pass, have breakfast (or lunch at the Falls) and then continue up to Snow Park for some fun in the snow (or ski, if that's your thing).

hi samting- they won't have a car

Oh, I love transit friendly places! I really want to get up to Seattle next year (Portland too). Sigh!

No car is no problem. Just that the going out to Snoqualmie idea doesn't work. Btw there's been 'bums' in Pioneer Square a lot longer than "of late" -lol!

Yer right Suze, (I have lived here for over 50 years, and everyone who lives around here knows that the bums are usually harmless, just poor folks down on their luck, or with serious addictions, but getting approached by them can be pretty 'off putting' when you are not used to it. So if you are trying to sell Seattle to the 'boyfriend', might skip Pioneer square. That being said, there seems to be some real 'pearls' hidden down some of those alleys; we went to a fantastic Italian restaurant just a block from the viaduct last month. Wish I could remember the name? Do you know of such a place...

AL Boccalino?

Believe me, I know there are homeless, sadly there are loads of street people living all around downtown. My point was that this was nothing new in Pioneer Square especially.