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Emerald City
A laid-back city with a cosmopolitan flair, Seattle is the gem of the Pacific Northwest
Consider the cities where something’s always happening. The world-class destinations known for fashion or music or dining or nightlife. For some reason, Seattle doesn’t immediately come to mind. That’s too bad, because this sparkling gem — known as the Emerald City — is a real treasure of the Pacific Northwest.Seattle is like the little sister of the most popular girl in high school. She knows she’s cool, but she doesn’t have to flaunt it. She’s down-to-earth and confident — and just spontaneous enough to be appealingly unpredictable. Seattle offers an eclectic mix of culture and nature, sporting events and sophisticated nightlife, healthy lifestyle adventure and hedonistic pleasure. Within two hours of downtown Seattle, you can whale-watch off the Pacific coast, sip a hot toddy in a mountain lodge, or watch for cougars in the only rain forest in the United States.
All this and it’s a booming business destination, too.
Boasting about 6,000 guestrooms and a multitude of dining venues and retail outlets, downtown Seattle provides a powerful punch in a relatively compact package. On top of that, the Washington State Convention and Trade Center (www.wsctc.com), set in the heart of Seattle, is convenient to some of the city’s finest hotels and restaurants, plus it’s just 20 minutes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (sea).
A relatively recent addition to the convention center, Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Citywide Concierge Center, opened in July 2003. Located on the Galleria level adjacent to the escalators, the full-service facility staffed by informed personnel is an invaluable resource for visitors seeking assistance with restaurant reservations, ground transportation, tour bookings, even sports and concert tickets.
Heading north (but well within walking distance of the city center), the historic Seattle Center (www.seattlecenter.com) is the ultimate urban park and entertainment center. The 74-acre complex that served as the site of the 1962 World’s Fair now boasts a seemingly endless array of amusements. Spin the giant gyroscope at the Pacific Science Center (www.pacsci.org). The science center that began life as the u.s. Science Pavilion during the fair has evolved into an independent, not-for-profit educational foundation dedicated to increasing the public’s understanding and appreciation of science, mathematics and technology through interactive exhibits and programs. Discover the music scene in a unique way at the Experience Music Project (www.emplive.com). Dedicated to exploring creativity and innovation in American popular music, emp is a new kind of museum that strives to capture and reflect the essence of rock ’n’ roll, its roots in jazz, soul, gospel, country and the blues, as well as rock music’s influence on hip-hop, punk and other recent genres. A total sensory experience awaits visitors inside emp’s dynamic structure. Patrons can make their own music, see and learn about rare artifacts and memorabilia from emp’s collection of more than 80,000 items, explore various musical milestones within unique interpretive exhibits, and discover the power and joy of music in all its forms. Other options? Take in a concert or Supersonics game at KeyArena. Learn something new or soak up some culture at the Seattle Children’s Theatre, the Seattle Opera House or the Civic Auditorium. Clearly, the city took seriously its 1889 promise to pioneer couple David and Louisa Denny who donated much of the land where the Seattle Center now stands with the stipulation that it be reserved for “public use forever.”
Getting from downtown to the Seattle Center can be fun, too, thanks to the Seattle Monorail. Another “leftover” from the World’s Fair, the sky-high shuttle that whisks visitors from downtown to the center in a mere 90 seconds was actually the inspiration for the now-famous monorail used at Disney properties worldwide. Two years ago, voters approved the Seattle Monorail Project, ending a long debate about the best way to expand the local public transportation system. The first segment of the expansion is set to open in 2007. The project is slated for completion in 2009.
Intended as a major transportation system, the expanded monorail promises to be faster, more efficient and reach more areas than other options that were considered. When completed, the network will have two elements: A convenient light-rail system primarily for eastern access to the city and a supplemental above-ground monorail serving destinations north and south of the center.
