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Seattle, United States
Photo: I am a cat, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Northwest of Downtown Seattle, Queen Anne is a hilly residential neighborhood with marvelous views of the city's skyline. Magnolia, a wealthy residential neighborhood, sits on a peninsula west of Queen Anne, separated from Queen Anne by Interbay, an unexpected commercial and industrial strip in the valley between the two hilly neighborhoods. Seattle Center, at the southern base of Queen Anne Hill, was built to host the 1962 World's Fair. Today, Seattle Center is a park-like facility surrounded by many of Seattle's finest event venues and museums, as well as two iconic relics from the World's Fair: the Monorail and the Space Needle. The restaurants and bars of Uptown, also called Lower Queen Anne, surround Seattle Center.
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The largest park in the city can be thought of as Seattle's unofficial central park given its huge, somewhat secluded nature, with a number of trails that meander through the green forests down to the lighthouse at the beach. Discovery Park used to be an army installation called Fort Lawton, and several of the fort's buildings remain. The park features the highest point in the city and wildlife you don't typically find in a large city. A visitors' center with information about the wildlife living in the park and the best trails to hike are in the center of the park. The visitor center is closed until summer 2027.
A photographer's paradise, this is perhaps the most obvious spectacle in Queen Anne. This park affords the quintessential view of Downtown Seattle with the Space Needle in the foreground, and (depending on the weather) Mount Rainier and the Cascades, as well as across the Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island.
Pronounced "By Crackie". You can get a view comparable to that from the Space Needle for free.
Carefully wander the docks (avoiding stepping on ropes or nets) and look at the boats. Many of them sell fresh crab or fish right off of the boat in season. Much of the Alaska crab fishing fleet moors here (or elsewhere in Lake Union) during the off-season, including vessels featured in the long-running Deadliest Catch television series. Visit the Fishermen's Memorial dedicated to all of those who have lost their lives at sea while engaged in commercial fishing.
A symbol of Seattle, built for the 1962 World's Fair and still a wildly popular attraction. The view is spectacular on a clear day when the sun sets, when Downtown Seattle contrasts beautifully with the ocean to the west and the snow-capped mountains in every other direction. There are floor-to-ceiling windows on both levels, a rotating glass floor ("The Loupe") on the lower level that completes one revolution every 45 minutes, and open-air glass walls where you can lean backwards and take a selfie. The revolving Sky City restaurant has been closed due to renovations, but the wine bar is still open.
An interactive science museum featuring permanent and temporary exhibits, a butterfly atrium, IMAX theater, planetarium, and laser shows.
MoPOP
An excellent pop culture museum housed inside a visually striking building designed by Frank Gehry to "evoke the rock 'n' roll experience", with exhibits on all manner of popular culture: film, television, music, video games, fashion, etc. There's a particular focus on science fiction and Seattle musicians, with a sci-fi hall of fame and exhibits dedicated to Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. Top-notch special exhibits have included the likes of David Bowie, Star Trek, the Marvel comic and movie universe, and Minecraft. There are many interactive exhibits, but don't expect to get a turn without a long wait. Outside, the large playground is a big hit with kids.
An independent non-profit museum which hosts popular traveling exhibits and features permanent exhibits and programs geared towards children.
This museum provides a look at the inspiration and influences that inform the career of artist Dale Chihuly. The on-site exhibition hall contains eight galleries and three drawing walls, offering visitors a comprehensive look at Chihuly’s significant series of work. The centerpiece of the museum is a glasshouse with a suspended 1,400-piece, 100-foot-long sculpture. Also on the grounds is a lush garden, which serves as a backdrop for four monumental sculptures and other installations.
Home to the Center for Wooden Boats and the Museum of History and Industry. Spray park open Memorial Day to Labor Day.
An intriguing museum where you can learn about maritime culture and experience sailing traditional wooden boats. The center's programs allow you to get a hands-on feel, putting in control of crafting and sailing your own wooden craft. On Sundays, rain or shine, you can get a free boat ride on a classic wooden boat around the lake for an hour. At times artist-in-residence Saaduuts leads programs.
MOHAI
The museum focuses on the history of Seattle and the greater Puget Sound region, with exhibitions focusing on the maritime history of the city and the rise of the region's technology industry, as well as a set of changing exhibits.
Home to a number of historic ships, including a schooner, a tugboat, a fireboat, a lightship, a steamer, and several others.
An introduction to the neighborhood, with displays explaining the history of South Lake Union. There is also a model of the whole neighborhood in the building.
90-minute tour of Amazon's urban campus including Doppler, Day 1, and the Spheres. There is also a self-guided audio tour; you can even get a free pair of headphones to keep from the receptionists at Day 1 (2121 7th Ave; M-F 7AM-6PM).
A building made of three glass domes filled with lush plants. Take an unguided stroll through the tropical heart of the Spheres.
Visitor center about Amazon and the Spheres' flora and design. It's in the bottom floor of the Spheres and doesn't get you access to the upper floors where the plants live, but it's available 5 days a week unlike public access to the building.
While the Amazon buildings are not open to the public, there are several signed outdoor art pieces around the complex and other nearby buildings, and you can hob-nob with "blue badges" at local restaurants and coffee shops. Seattle Architecture Foundation also leads guided walking tours.
A more low-key and global version of Bumbershoot.
Part of the Seafair festivities.
A music and arts festival featuring dozens of local and world-class musical acts.
Various activities/events during the holidays such as the WinterFest Ice rink (skate rental available for fee), Winter Train & Village, ice sculpting displays.
Celebrate the world with festivals from about 25 countries represented, one country nearly every 2 weeks.
The region's largest sports arena is home to the NHL's Seattle Kraken, the WNBA's Seattle Storm, and college men's basketball games of the Seattle Redhawks (Seattle University), as well as a major concert venue. It was built for the 1962 World's Fair. The arena's interior was completely gutted and rebuilt for the Kraken, but its original exterior remains intact, maintaining its historic listing. Tours not available; if you want to see the inside, you have to attend an event.
Home of the Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet, each considered among the best in the United States.
The largest nonprofit resident theatre in the Pacific Northwest.
One of the largest film festivals in North America. Screenings are at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Film Center, and at venues in adjacent districts.
Three-screen theater showing art, indie, and foreign films and documentaries.
A club boathouse for the local rowing community. If you have no rowing experience, classes are offered.
Kayak and paddleboard rentals.
Electric boat rentals for up to 12 passengers. Offers enclosed and heated vessels for year-round appeal. No prior experience needed.
A fruit stand offering free bananas to passersby, operated by Amazon from its headquarters. The stand gives away thousands of bananas each weekday, as a cheap and convenient way to give a little boost to employees and the general public alike.
American cuisine and prime sports viewing. Large game room with free arcade games, billiards, giant Jenga, cornhole, bocce ball, and more.
A good and inexpensive Korean restaurant with good bibimbap and good lunch specials that also serves alcohol.
Molly Moon's offers 14 flavors of ice cream, homemade on the premises within sight of the customers. One vegan option is usually offered. Many staff have learned some basic American Sign Language.
Seattle's longstanding fine dining restaurant, with a wonderful view overlooking Lake Union and Queen Anne Hill. Live piano music. Make reservations well in advance (a week or two ahead) and dress well; it's one of the few Seattle establishments with a strict dress code.
An organic coffeeshop three blocks north of Kerry Park, offering a true experience of Seattle coffee house culture: good local art on display that changes on the first day of every month, consistently excellent coffee, environmental consciousness to a fault (the straws are compostable), and neighborly vitality that's easy to witness but hard to describe. Handsome baristas remember the orders of regular patrons, and most everyone you see is a regular patron. The coffee is rich, aromatic, and consistently excellent. Outdoor seating for sunny summer days. The most common order is a short latte, and for good reason.
Lodged in a former neighborhood grocery, this place offers "hand-forged" doughnuts, coffee, juice, and the like. Free wireless available.
McGraw Cafe
A premier local bakery whose chef was a finalist for a 2007 James Beard Award. Selection changes seasonally and daily, but there's always something delicious on offer. An excellent choice for a breakfast or light lunch; cafe-style seating encourages you to sit down and stay a while. Espresso can be inconsistent, if you're picky, grab food to go and walk elsewhere for coffee.
Karaoke is the name of the game at Ozzie's and is available every night starting at 9PM.
Excellent restaurant and lounge featuring New Orleans-style food and drink that was listed as a 2012 Travelers Choice Awards winner for one of America's best restaurants and one of the best happy hours in the USA by CNBC survey (great beignets). Happy hour every day from 4PM to 6PM and 10PM to 1AM with a breakfast happy hour from Monday to Friday from 8AM to 11AM.
All-suite hotel with views of Elliott Bay, 4 blocks from Seattle Center and the Space Needle, 6 blocks from the Olympic Sculpture Park.
Boutique lodging accommodations.
Unique dog and earth-friendly lodging with a business center, free parking, and views of the Space Needle.
Two blocks east of the Space Needle and monorail terminal, adjacent to Belltown. About a mile's walk (or a few minutes on the monorail) from the downtown core.
Farmers market with food booths and vendors selling crafts up on Queen Anne Hill
Farmers market with food booths and vendors selling crafts.
New and secondhand sports equipment, usually in excellent condition. Skis and snowboards, bikes, and a small assortment of other sporting goods.
Recreation Equipment Inc., the large outdoors equipment retailer, was founded in Seattle in 1938. REI's sprawling flagship store has an outdoor trail for test-driving mountain bikes, a climbing wall, and a small "mountain" in the shoe section for trying hiking boots. It also has a clearance section where you can often find boots, down sleeping bags, tents, etc. with easily repairable damage at a fraction of the cost.
By car
Queen Anne Hill can be difficult to navigate due to its geography, especially by car. There are two simple ways to get to the center of the neighborhood:
By public transit
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Seattle · International · SEA
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