Post #38207 by BongoTiki on Mon, Jun 9, 2003 9:30 PM

OK - good places to go in Seattle (not tiki- but fun nonetheless)

1. Pike Place Market - great place to wander and a Great old fashioned bar - Lowell's is worth a visit - also my favorite pub on 1st and Virginia - the virginia inn (and next door a cool french place named le pichet).
2. Art museum is OK downtown, but the cool one is the Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park on Capital Hill - incredible art deco building and great collection in a park designed by the Olmstead Brothers in 1904.
3. Capital Hill/Broadway- fun neighborhood -shops, restaurants, theaters, and Pike and Pine heading back towards downtown has a number of good bars and fun furniture shops.
4. Pioneer Sq. - going through a downturn now - but has the oldest continuous bar in Seattle. Just wander around - fun place and is where all the art galleries. First Thursday is like a carnival so check it out if you are here then.
5. International districk/Chinatown - also a bit dirtier than others on the west coast but one of my favorite neighborhoods to wander. Great food everywhere here.
6. West Seattle - includes Alki Beach which on a nice day is like a California beach town - great views from here, also California Ave. has some fun places - it spans from the "admiral district" to the "Junction" is a fun little street- good bars and pubs - try "West 5" and "Circa". Check out Schmitz Park on Admiral on the way down to Alki - the last remaining old growth forest in Seattle.
7. Seattle Center/Queen Anne - you have to check out the space needle. It is worth going to the top no matter how touristy it is. And there is a bar up there that rotates! The Center itself is fun - including the Experience Music Project.. and it is the Queen Anne neighborhood - again, shops, restaurants, etc. Go to the top of Queen Anne too - more of the same on the Ave.
   I could keep going - Ballard, the University District, Wallingford, Columbia City - Seattle like many places is made up of great little neighborhoods - all have nice places, shops, bars, barber shops, etc. The "downtown" retail core has about what you'd expect but isn't bad - if you like department stores, you can't beat the Nordstrom's flagship store.
   And of course if you can get out of town a bit to explore some of the other places nearby - that's fun too - Mt. Rainier, Snoqualmie Falls, towns like Port Townsend, La Conner etc. All worth the trip and all within an hour or two of Seattle.
   Again - long post - enjoy your visit here. Seattle is a fun place to explore... let me know if you want more (or less :) info.