Best Things to Do in Seattle

If you're ever going to visit a venue dedicated to the magic of music, Seattle is THE place to do so. This intriguing museum celebrates the history of rock and roll. With more than 100,000 items, MoPOP has one of the biggest collections of contemporary pop culture historical objects, showcased in the ultra-modern Frank Gehry-designed building (which resembles a smashed guitar). Among the displays are Janis Joplin's floral bell-bottoms and a leather jacket once worn by Elvis Presley. At 5,384 square feet, Sky Church, a performance arena erected to host concerts by world-renowned musicians, is also part of the complex. Recent exhibits celebrate talents ranging from Pearl Jam to Prince.

West of Ballard, visitors find one of Seattle's best treasures in any season: Golden Gardens beach. Located on Puget Sound, this popular public park offers extraordinary views of the water and the nearby Olympic Mountains. The park includes wetlands, beaches, hiking trails, as well as picnic and playground areas. The park is bisected by the BNSF Scenic Subdivision railway line. Golden Gardens offers strolls along a rugged coastline, hikes through forest trails, sunbathing on sandy beaches, fishing from a pier and a boat launch. In summer months, sandy volleyball courts fill with active folks, while the waters fill with swimmers, kite-surfers, kayakers, sailors and other nautically-inclined guests. Nighttime brings beach bonfires and the occasional impromptu concert. The park is also home to an off-leash area for dogs in the upper northern portion of the park.

Woodland Park, known for its exceptional non-profit zoo "dedicated to saving animals and habitat," has a lot of other things going for it. Located on approximately 90 acres, the multipurpose park and recreation space is just southwest of Green Lake and north of the Fremont district. Separated into two parts by Aurora Avenue, the part on the west of Aurora is largely occupied by the Woodland Park Zoo, but it also has picnic space, a formal rose garden, an open space, and a play area for children. Summertime visitors will want to check out the alluring lineup of talented musicians who take over the Zoo Tunes calendar. (To visit the zoo, the advanced purchase of timed tickets is highly recommended.)

The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), located in vibrant South Lake Union, is a "must" for any first-time Seattle visitor. As the largest private heritage organization in Washington state, the venue is devoted to teaching and preserving the diverse history of Seattle, the Puget Sound region and the country. If you count historic photos and artifacts as art, MOHAI's permanent exhibit "Essential Seattle" is a must-see on any Emerald City art tour â€" from both a photographic and historical perspective. A fun and informative way to learn about Seattle, the display documents the city's history from the day Captain George Vancouver's ship first sailed into Elliott Bay in 1792 to the present, taking visitors through key events that shaped the modern city, with a focus on the fascinating and diverse people and characters that helped shape this unique region. (Currently, advanced time tickets are recommended.)

Situated on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound, this expansive urban park--the largest in Seattle --offers two miles of beach trails and nine miles of winding footpaths. Ostensibly a bluff-top reserve, Discovery Park protects a remarkable urban wilderness and is a great place for nature-watching. The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center (check online for current closures), which features art and cultural exhibits, is also located at the park, as is a marine reserve. An 1881 lighthouse, the oldest in the area, can also be found here. Offering breathtaking views of both the Cascade and the Olympic mountain ranges, the park's remote site includes protected tidal beaches as well as open meadow lands, dramatic sea cliffs, forest groves, active sand dunes, thickets and streams.

Starting up again at the start of May, Seattle's Tall Ship takes passengers out on the city's twinkling waterways aboard the Bay Lady, an 85-foot-long traditional, gaff-rigged schooner. The family-friendly ship can accommodate up to 87 passengers and has two onboard bathrooms, an onboard drink and snack bar, plenty of outdoor seating and a cannon, too. Choose between the two-hour Seattle Harbor Sailing Tour around the Puget Sound (that departs from their downtown dock at Pier 66 Bell Harbor Marina), two-hour sunset sails that show off this city in all her glory (for 21-plus patrons) or the Brews Cruise (21+) that pushes off on select Thursdays.

In May of 2018, Seattle's fascinating Nordic Museum found a beautiful, newly expanded home in the Ballard neighborhood. The Nordic Heritage Museum is an internationally recognized venue dedicated to the heritage of the country's (and Seattle's) Nordic immigrants, including Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish Americans. It was founded in 1980 and can be found in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. The museum has plenty of artifacts and genealogy-focused literature for one to trace back to their Scandinavian ancestry. The Ballard neighborhood is also home to a couple of Nordic shops and bakeries, for those who care to continue their cultural tour.

This cultural icon and architectural wonder boasts a storied past that helps tell the history of downtown Seattle. The Pioneer Square venue, which will be celebrating its 108th anniversary this July 4, boasts a small museum and shop downstairs, and exquisite 360-degree panoramas from its 35th-floor Observatory Bar. This art deco, speakeasy-inspired space features ornate decor, incredible views, light bites and seasonal cocktails. A new springtime menu spotlights dishes like Taiwanese Beef Noodles and Kaffir Lime Pie, plus creative cocktails like the Leschi Lychee (Haku Japanese vodka, lychee syrup, yuzu) and the Yesler Old Fashioned (barrel-aged Woodinville rye, vanilla simple, black walnut bitters).

Those looking for a quintessential Pacific Northwest excursion should book an FRS Clipper adventure, with boats leaving from its downtown Seattle dock. Hop on a sleek, high-speed catamaran for a relaxing cruise to Victoria, British Columbia. (This is the only service transporting passengers between the two cities' downtown docks.) Other options include fast ferry service between Seattle and San Juan Island's Friday Harbor (ideal for day or overnight trips); this 3-hour-and-45 minute ride cruises through the Salish Sea and takes passengers past Whidbey Island and underneath Deception Pass bridge, before arriving in Friday Harbor. Magic-tinged whale-watching tours, launching this season on April 29, also leave from the downtown Seattle pier.

The sights, smells and sounds have always made Pike Place a head-spinning whirlwind for first-time visitors. (Newest bonus: A couple of summers ago revealed the results of the site's $74 million MarketFront expansion project.) Yet most things here haven't changed. Fishmongers near the main entrance still entice buyers with loud hawking and dexterous salmon-throwing antics, the briny smell of fresh seafood filling the air. Countering that attraction are the rows of vibrantly colorful and aromatic flower stalls. Farm-fresh produce lines the aisles, and local artisans display their art and wares unique to the Northwest. Restaurants, breweries and specialty shops offer countless more reasons to stay.