9 things not to be missed in Seattle

Seattle is full of sights to see and the best things to do. As the largest city in the state of Washington, Seattle has many "must-see" attractions. While quite a few of these are located downtown, some of the best things in the area are a little further out. From art museums to zoological parks, from fabulous seafood restaurants to late-night cabaret acts, there is a bit of everything in this Pacific Northwest metropolis. Visitors to the city will certainly have a lot to choose from, no matter what kinds of sights they like to see. Here are nine things not to be missed when in Seattle!

Pike Place Market

Located on Pike Place, this easy to recognize landmark is one of the first things that appear when you do an internet search of Seattle. Home to the famous City Fish Co, there are also dozens of other shops and restaurants located in this sprawling shopping center. For artisan food, there is Beecher's Handmade Cheese and indi Chocolate. Coffee lovers can check out the original Pike Place location of Starbucks, while tea fans can visit the Perennial Tea Room. Other food shops include Pappardelle's Pasta, Bavarian Meat Products, and DeLaurenti Specialty Food and Wine. For art, literary, and shopping enthusiasts, there is also BLMF Literary Saloon, Golden Age Collectibles, Holy Cow Records, Benavi's Imports, and Market Magic & Novelty Shop. After a busy day of sight-seeing, visitors can eat at one of a multitude of restaurants. They can drink a beer brewed on-site at Pike Brewing Co, or take in dinner and a show at the Can Can Culinary Cafe.

Emerald City Comic-Con

One of the biggest pop culture and comic book conventions in the US, Emerald City Comic Con invades Seattle annually in the spring. It began in 2003 and has grown in size and attendance every year since, with nearly 100k ticket holders in 2019. The convention takes place over four days (Thursday to Sunday) at the WA State Convention Center. Live events, shopping, food trucks, off-site parties, and everything else that the fandom scene is looking for are found in one convenient spot downtown. Those who are interested in attending this event will find that the best time to buy tickets is as soon as they go on sale (usually in October). They've sold out of some passes well before the weekend of the convention in years past.

Seattle Center

Contrary to how it may look in movies and on TV, the Space Needle is not located downtown, but instead in Seattle Center. This complex is also home to the International Fountain, the Pacific Science Center, the Seattle Children's Museum, and MoPop (the Museum of Pop Culture). Art installations, public festivals, and theatrical productions all take place in Seattle Center. Shoppers can also find retailers such as Essentially Seattle, The Gallery at Pottery Northwest, Light in the Attic Record Store, and Seattle Shakespeare Company Store in this complex. And for a truly special meal, they can eat in the revolving restaurant located inside the Space Needle.

Pioneer Square

Considered Seattle's "original" neighborhood as it was established in 1852, Pioneer Square is home to a variety of art venues, retailers, restaurants, and activities. Gallery 110 and Glasshouse Studio are just a couple of the art galleries open to the public in the area. Retail shops include Agate Designs, Back Alley Bike Repair, and Brown Family Vineyards. Caffe D'Arte, Doc Maynard's Public House, and Box House Saloon are some of the restaurants. Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, the Last Resort Fire Department Museum, Waterfall Garden Park, and the Comedy Underground also call this neighborhood home and are unique Seattle places to visit.

The Seattle Great Wheel

The Great Wheel is basically a Ferris wheel dialed up to 11. Located at Pier 57-Miner's Landing, this Seattle attraction is open throughout the year, seven days a week, but has later hours in the summer than the fall, winter, and spring. During the day, riders can see the city on one side and Puget Sound on the other. At night they can catch the city lights as well as a light show display Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. While riding a giant Ferris wheel may not be enough of an activity for a whole day, its location along the waterfront makes it easy to access restaurants, shops, and other activities in the area as well.

The Museum of Flight

Located on East Marginal Way South, this aerospace museum is home to dozens of exhibits that airplane enthusiasts should not miss. It is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm, and includes three main 'campuses,' each with their own theme for exhibits and activities. Aside from the airplanes on sight, visitors can attend a 3D movie theater, try a NASA fuselage trainer, see a Lockheed M-21 Blackbird, go on restoration tours, see living history, and take sensory tours. Daily events include real-life tales from aerospace history as well as the latest news in astronomy, aviation, and space.

Seattle Orca Whale Watching

While whale-watching tours run year-round, from mid-April to mid-May is the best time to catch Orca whales. They are found in the Puget Sound mainly in the spring and summer. There are multiple tour companies operating off of the Seattle waterfront, as well as from nearby areas like Edmond. Orcas are not the only whales that can be viewed during one of these tours. Humpback, Minke, and Gray whales are also frequently found in Puget Sound.

Seattle Freeway Park

This unique 5.5-acre park opened in 1976 and utilizes the spaces over Interstate 5. It is made up of a series of plazas (Central, East, and West) that link together to form an irregular but highly interesting public park. Enclosed board-formed concrete planting containers, as well as walls, fountains, staircases, and paths, make this park fun to explore over and over again. Those who attend an event at the Washington Convention Center have easy access to Freeway Park from the convention center.

The Seattle Aquarium

Located at Pier 59 (1483 Alaskan Way), the Seattle Aquarium is open daily from 9:30 am-5 pm. Their exhibits include many fish and mammals from Pacific Northwest waters, such as River Otter, Salmon, Sturgeon, and Pacific Halibut. They also have Dogfish, Moon Jellies, Sea Stars, and birds such as the Black Oystercatcher. Aside from looking at the animals on exhibit, visitors can attend daily events. "Window on Washington Waters" is a popular attraction. Divers answer audience questions, and there are feeding attempts with the giant Pacific Octopus.

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