2 Best Sights in Seattle, Washington

KEXP, Seattle’s beloved and fiercely eclectic indie radio station, broadcasts from a public gathering space at Seattle Center that doubles as one of the city’s coolest hangouts. The large, light-filled venue houses an outpost of local favorite Caffe Vita, a small record shop at one end, a stage at the other, and rotating music-themed art along the walls. Beyond the stage, visible through a glass panel, you can watch the on-air DJ spinning the tracks that fill the room.

Bands occasionally perform live on the main stage—usually around midday, always free—and more intimate shows take place in the interior studio, which fits about 70 people. Free tickets for those performances are handed out 90 minutes before airtime.

First Hill's renovated cultural center hosts scores of events in its spacious yet intimate Great Hall. Chief among them are talks and panel discussions with leading politicians, authors, scientists, and academics. Book launches, drag and musical performances, and documentary screenings are among the other events on previous line-ups.