Top 25 Attractions in Seattle

Modern, dynamic and sparkling with glass skyscrapers, Seattle is pressed against Eliot Bay by the chain of the Cascade Mountains. Magnificent views of the bay and a bewitching panorama of the urban landscape against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks open from the numerous observation platforms of the city. Here you can spend long hours admiring the surroundings. At the service of lovers of sea walks is a developed ferry network, through which you can get to the most remote corners of the coast.

Almost all man-made sights belong to the modern era. Tourists can learn about the history of the city in one of the local museums. The charm of Seattle lives in numerous parks, hides among the night lights of skyscrapers and shows itself in all its glory during magnificent sunsets.

What to see and where to go in Seattle?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Space Needle

The tower was built in 1961 in the futuristic googie style that was popular in the US in the 1950s and 60s. The opening was timed to coincide with the start of the Seattle World's Fair. The length of the structure is 184 meters. At an altitude of 159 meters, there is an observation deck and the SkyCity restaurant. From here you can see the panorama of the city, Eliot Bay with islands, the Cascade Mountains. The Space Needle is capable of withstanding the most powerful hurricane and an earthquake of magnitude greater than 9.

Pike Place Market

The public market, which began its work in 1907. It sells seafood, farm products, crafts by local craftsmen, books, and antiques. The market has gained popularity among tourists due to the fact that it is an impromptu stage for performances by street singers, actors, comedians and clowns. Pike Place Market is home to an incredible number of small restaurants.

Fremont Troll

Sculpture located in one of the districts of Seattle under the J. Washington Bridge. The figure of a fabulous creature is made of concrete and reinforcement. A whole group of local sculptors worked on it. The reasons for its creation are quite trivial - before there was a garbage dump under the bridge. To finally get rid of it, it was necessary to take up space with something. So in 1990, the Fremont Troll was born.

wall of chewing gum

A kind of city landmark, which is a wall glued from top to bottom with chewing gum. It all started in 1993, when students standing in line at the box office of the theater out of boredom began to stick coins here with chewing gum. Until 1999, the authorities tried to fight this outrage, but then they gave up. Since then, the wall has been considered a tourist attraction.

safico field

Baseball arena equipped with a retractable roof. The stadium is home to the Seattle Mariners. Its stands can accommodate up to 55,000 spectators. The arena is suitable not only for baseball games, but sometimes it hosts American football competitions, as well as wrestlers' performances. The stadium was built in 1999 in the Art Nouveau architectural style.

Century Link Field

Another city stadium adapted for holding competitions in various sports. The Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Sounders play here. The arena was built in 2002 near the business district of Seattle. Century Link Field Park occasionally hosts concerts and exhibitions. The venue can accommodate up to 72,000 spectators, depending on the type of event being held.

Seattle Public Library

The city library consists of a whole network of book collections (27 branches in total). The main office is located in an eleven-story glass and steel structure in the style of destruction, built according to the design of R. Koolhaas in 2004. It can be called one of the most outstanding buildings in the city. The book collection was founded in 1890, today its funds contain more than 2.5 million copies.

Dale Chihuly's Garden

The American glassblowing artist D. Chihuly created a huge number of sculptures over the course of 40 years, which today are exhibited in several dozen museums around the world. The glass garden in Seattle is one of his most famous projects. It is located in the city center and is an open-air exhibition of the artist's works. Glass flowers and trees "grow" here, shimmering with all possible colors.

Aviation Museum in Seattle

Private museum dedicated to space and aviation. It is located on the territory of the very first Boeing plant. The exhibition includes more than 150 aircraft produced at different times, as well as a collection of parts and models of spacecraft. The museum was founded in 1956. There are several interactive exhibits here, including an air traffic control center where you can learn about what's going on in the airport's control room.

Museum of Pop Culture

The museum exposition will interest lovers of music and cinema. It is divided into thematic sections: musical, costume and fantastic. The latter is dedicated to such legendary films as Alien, Star Trek, The Fifth Element, Star Wars, Terminator. The museum has a lot of interactive exhibits. For example, visitors are invited to play the guitar themselves or make a musical arrangement.

Museum of History and Industry

The collection will tell visitors about the history of Seattle, starting from the end of the 18th century. The museum is divided into 10 rooms, each of which is dedicated to some historical event or process: the industrial boom of the 19th century, the great fire of 1989 and other important incidents. There is a small park next to the museum where you can take a walk after the tour.

Seattle Art Museum

The museum was founded on the basis of the Fine Arts Society of Seattle and the Washington Art Association. In 1933, a monumental Art Deco building designed by C. F. Gould was erected for the collection. Now there is a branch of the museum, and in 1991 the main exposition moved to Park Avenue. In 2007, another division, the Olympic Sculpture Park, opened to the public.

Benaroya Hall

Concert hall where the city symphony orchestra performs. It is considered one of the best venues in the world due to its excellent acoustic properties and luxurious finishes. Benaroya Hall was built in 1998. Most of the funds for its construction were donated by the philanthropist D. Benaroya. The hall consists of two auditoriums. The large one can accommodate up to 2.5 thousand people, the small one is designed for 500 spectators.

Washington University

The educational institution was founded in 1861. Today it is one of the largest in the northwestern United States. Among its alumni, eight are Nobel Prize winners. The university is housed in several buildings. The Suzallo Library, which is located in a neo-Gothic mansion, deserves special attention. The structure of the university includes the Burke Museum of Natural History and the Henry Art Gallery.

Columbia Center

The most grandiose urban skyscraper, designed by Ch.L. Lindsey in 1985 (nearly 300 meters tall). From the outside it looks like it consists of three towers, but in fact it is a single structure. On the 73rd floor of the Columbia Center is an observation deck where you can take spectacular photos. Restaurants, conference rooms and a library are located on the 74th and 75th floors.

Seattle Aquarium

An oceanarium and at the same time a research center located on the embankment of Eliot Bay. It opened in 1977 and is visited by about 900,000 people every year. In the aquarium you can see many representatives of the marine fauna: exotic fish, seals, sea beavers, seals, sharks, as well as birds that live on the shore. There is a souvenir shop and a cafe on the territory of the aquarium.

"The Big Wheel of Seattle"

The ferris wheel was built in 2012. Its height reaches 53 meters, which makes the attraction the largest among its kind on the northwest coast. 300 people are placed in 42 cabins of the wheel. One trip includes three full turns. This is enough time to take panoramic photos of Seattle and Eliot Bay. A ride on a wheel greatly diversifies the leisure of a tourist.

Gateways Ballard

The locks were created to maintain the level of fresh water in Lakes Union and Washington. They were built from the middle of the 19th century to the 20-30s of the 20th century. Tourists come to see how ships pass through the locks, as well as take a walk in the nearby parks and look at the sea lions that have chosen the embankments. During weekends, there are quite a lot of people here and it is difficult to find a parking space.

Woodland Park Zoo

The menagerie is located on the territory of the park of the same name. It occupies an impressive area of ​​37 hectares. In total, the zoo is home to several hundred species, of which 5 are endangered and 35 are endangered. The inhabitants live in thematic zones with "talking" names: "African Savannah", "Vine Trail", "Forest of Elephants", "Rainforest". Sometimes, due to the large size of the enclosure, the animal is not so easy to see.

kerry park

A small park with an area of ​​​​0.5 hectares, which in 1927 was presented to Seattle by the Kerry spouses. One of the main attractions of the place is the observation deck. It has long been chosen by photographers who come here to shoot stunning sunrises and sunsets, as well as a bewitching night panorama of the city. The park is no less popular among couples in love and romantic singles.

Gus Works Park

A city park where imposing industrial structures stand among green lawns and trees. This is a former gasification plant from the beginning of the 20th century. Instead of dismantling their decommissioned enterprise, the authorities decided to lay out a park around it, and leave the buildings as a keepsake for posterity. Today, the plant can be seen not only from the outside, but also take a fascinating tour through its empty corridors.

Green Lake Park

Green Lake is located on the shore of a large lake. Here you can take a walk in good weather, have a picnic on the green lawn, barbecue in a special area or take a boat ride. At any time of the year, the park is full of joggers, cyclists and just walking people. Near Green Lake is a residential area built up with small picturesque houses.

discovery park

The largest urban park with a vast green area adjacent to the shores of the bay, and 20 km of footpaths. Despite the magnificent views and the opportunity to observe marine life and birds, reviews about this place are quite contradictory. Some tourists complain about the smell of sewage and suspicious people who roam this park in the evenings.

Alki beach

The beach is located in the west of Seattle on the territory of the peninsula of the same name, just in the very place where the first Europeans landed and founded a settlement in the middle of the 19th century. The water here is quite cool, so swimming is not always comfortable, but visitors are provided with an excellent tan and fresh sea air. On the beach there are restaurants with interesting cuisine and bungalows where you can stay for a few days.

Washington State Ferries

Washington state has the largest ferry fleet in the United States. A network of routes covers the coast like a huge cobweb. Interestingly, most of the ferries are named after Indian names. One of the main tourist attractions in Seattle is a boat trip on one of these ships. You can go on a trip from one of the many terminals located in the city.