So-called cinematic insomnia aside, there is so much to do in the Washington state’s principal city it’s a wonder everyone isn’t sleepless in Seattle. Home to 3.5 million people, greater Seattle is one of the nation’s major business centers, home base to Costco, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Boeing, Starbucks and dozens of international companies. Nature lovers thrive on its streetside views of snowcapped mountains, harborside glimpses of whales, and hiking and skiing trails within an hour’s drive. Modern malls and boutiques and art galleries housed in historic buildings offer choices for shopping and dining. And then there’s culture — major sports teams, symphony and opera, and museums designed by some of the most notable modern architects.

Built on a foundation of entrepreneurial spirit, the city traces its roots to pioneer Arthur Denny who set out to make a fortune in real estate. Drawn to opportunity in Puget Sound, Denny teamed with the Terry family out from New York and, in 1851, they established a site for shipping lumber — first on Alki Point in West Seattle and later to a better harbor location near present-day Pioneer Square. Originally dubbed New York (seriously!), the city’s current name, adopted when the city was founded in 1869, is derived from Sealth, the Squamish chief whose tribe greeted the settlers.

The harbor still plays a role in the city’s commerce. Fisherman’s Terminal is homeport for the U.S. North Pacific fishing fleet. The year 2005 saw record cruise ship growth with four large-ship cruise lines bringing more than 350,000 passengers into Seattle. Though still among the country’s top 10 container ports, the shipping industry has long since been superseded by other economic activity as Seattle has become a leader in key industries of the future — software, telecommunications and biotechnology.

Generating more than $25 billion in annual revenue, software is one of the region’s most important industries, with 70,000 employees earning a total of $10 billion in wages. Microsoft alone, in outlying Redmond, Wash., generates $20 billion in annual revenue, playing a major role in the state’s economy. Also centered here are Attachmate, Cray, Expedia, Getty Images, Nintendo of America — overall 3,000 software firms are located in the region.

It was local-firm-made-good McCaw Cellular, now AT&T Wireless, that established the industry that flourished into related telecommunications companies. Intel, a division of Hewlett-Packard, Qwest, Teledesic, and even aerospace pioneer Boeing are among the firms with telecom presences in Seattle.

Backed by resources of the University of Washington, Washington State University, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Pacific Northwest National Library, Seattle has become one of America’s top biotechnology centers. Most of the state’s 160 biotech firms operate in and around the city, among them Optiva, Zymogenetics, and Immunex (now Amgen).

Seattle offers a variety of lifestyle opportunities for its diverse population, transforming itself within the last decade by adding two stadiums (Qwest Field, home of the NFL Seahawks and the retractable-roof Safeco Field, Seattle Mariners baseball team), modern shopping malls and a new City Hall.

Easily accessible, and best negotiated by foot to avoid traffic complications, central Downtown is bracketed by two historic districts. Perched above the waterfront, bustling Pike Place, the city’s original farmer’s market and now designated a National Historic District, is crowded with food stalls and craft stands. At the other end, the original 19th century center of the city, Pioneer Square — actually a triangle — is home to historic buildings converted into art galleries, bookstores, restaurants and shops. Waterfront piers linking the two are lined with restaurants and shops of particular interest to children and tourists.

LODGING

HOTEL 1000

Opened in summer 2006, this new luxury destination blends Asian sensuality and the warmth of the Pacific Northwest in soothingly sophisticated spaces decorated in the natural palate of organic dyes and contemporary artwork. Appropriate for a high-tech city, guestrooms offer ultra high-speed Internet access, infrared room temperature controls and electronic do not disturb signs. $$$
Hotel 1000
1000 First Ave.
tel 206 957 1000
www.hotel1000seattle.com

FAIRMONT OLYMPIC HOTEL

This Italian Renaissance structure, convenient to Pike Place Market, the waterfront, and the Space Needle, is the city’s classic grand hotel. In addition to 450 guestrooms and suites, the hotel also offers more than 26,000 square feet of meeting space. There’s a fitness center, a spa, and an indoor swimming pool. $$$$
FAIRMONT OLYMPIC HOTEL
411 University St.
tel 206 621 1700, fax 206 682 9633
www.fairmont.com/seattle

W SEATTLE

The 26-story W is a contemporary refuge convenient to Seattle’s art and music venues, financial and retail centers and the Pike Place Market. This ultra-hip 417-room (plus nine suite) hotel features Bliss Spa toiletries, CD players, goose-down comforters and a stylish lobby that transforms at night into a trendy lounge. $$$$
W SEATTLE
1112 Fourth St.
tel 206 264 6000, fax 206 264 6100
www.whotels.com/seattle

DINING

ETTA’S SEAFOOD

Tom Douglas is one of Seattle’s celebrity chefs with four local restaurants. This is his seafood showplace. You have to try salmon in Seattle, and this is a sure bet. Be sure not to miss Douglas’ signature crab cakes — creamy insides with a crackly coating. Right in the middle of the Pike Place Market section, the stylish modern decor suits both locals and tourists. $$
ETTA’S SEAFOOD
2020 Western Ave.
tel 206 443 6000
www.tomdouglas.com

CANLIS

There are good reasons this is the city’s acknowledged “special occasion” restaurant, a tradition for Northwest international cuisine since the 1950s. Asian antiques accent the traditional formal dining room which serves up popular copper grill steaks, specialty prawns and a legendary Grand Marnier soufflé. $$$
CANLIS
2576 Aurora Ave. North
tel 206 283 3313, fax 206 283 1766
www.canlis.com

CRUSH

Named to commemorate the love-at-first-sight encounter of the owners, Chef Jason Wilson and his wife, Nicole, this renovated early 20th century Tudor house manages to be at once romantic, trendy and totally comfortable. In original takes on Northwest cuisine, Wilson enhances salmon with olives and preserved lemons, pairs crab cakes with apple and celery root salad and dresses chicken with ricotta stuffing. There’s apt to be a rich apple tart to finish. Small plates are served in the bar late on weekend nights. $$$
CRUSH
2319 E. Madison St.
tel 206 302 7874
www.chefjasonwilson.com

DIVERSIONS

Floating like a flying saucer perched on a tripod, now nearly half a century old, the Space Needle (www.spaceneedle.com), built for the 1964 World’s Fair, continues to attract crowds. Anchoring a cultural and entertainment park and festival ground, it offers 360-degree views from its observation deck, and the admission fee is waived for patrons of its 500-foot-high restaurant.

Boasting more arts-related businesses and organizations per capita than any other U.S. metropolitan area, Seattle’s 14 museums, 28 historical sites, 25 public libraries and 27 performing arts centers offer rich cultural advantages. Highlights include the Seattle Asian Art Museum (tel 206 654 100, www.seattleartmuseum.org) and Boeing’s Future of Flight Aviation Center (tel 800 756 0086, www.futureofflight.org).

A multicolored structure designed by Frank Gehry, Paul Allen’s Experience Music Project (tel 206-EMP-LIVE, www.emplive.org) showcases a museum of rock ’n’ roll and blues, with special exhibits devoted to Seattle native Jimi Hendrix. The EMP shares its space with the props, costumes, and videos of “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” “Alien” and the like in the companion Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (tel 877 367 5483, www.sfhomeworld.org). A few blocks away, one of the coolest buildings in town is Rem Koolhaas’ giant diamond-laced glass cube Seattle Central Library (tel 206 386 4636, www.spl.org), a cutting-edge $165 million project completed two years ago.

Jonathon Borofsky’s three-story steel sculpture, “Hammering Man,” pounds away in front of Robert Venturi’s showy post-modern Seattle Art Museum (tel 206 654 3100, www.seattleartmuseum.org). The newly expanded museum is scheduled to reopen in 2007. Also anticipated is next year’s opening of the Olympic Sculpture Park (www.seattleartmuseum.org). A transformed industrial waterfront site, the nine-acre park will showcase sculpture against backdrop views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

If sightseeing is part of your plan, the Go Seattle Card (www.goseattlecard.com), available for about $50, provides admission to all the participating institutions you can visit in a single day.

INFO TO GO

With 28 airlines flying in and out, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, nicknamed Sea-Tac (SEA), is a major gateway connecting Asia and Europe with the United States. Located 13 miles south of the central city, it is serviced by a network of buses, shuttles, metro transit and taxis. Average drive time between the airport and downtown Seattle is 30 to 45 minutes.