DAY 3
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Statue Outside the Seattle Art Museum |
Boats are everywhere in Seattle. Seattle-ites live on houseboats (Remember Sleepless in Seattle?), commute on ferry boats, and water ski on Lake Washington in summer as well as the middle of winter. Plan a water outing today—and don’t let the rain stop you! Stroll down to the waterfront via the Harbor Steps, on University Street across from the Seattle Art Museum. To fuel your trip, you may want to stop in for salted caramels or dark smoky truffles at Fran’s, the flagship store of Seattle's premier chocolatier, and just across the street from the Museum.
At the busy waterfront, there are numerous options for boat excursions, from short hops to longer cruises. Washington State Ferries leave from Pier 52, taking both walk-on passengers and cars with drivers to numerous destinations around Puget Sound. Take the half-hour trip to Bainbridge, disembark and stroll around its historic downtown, perhaps dropping into Café Nola, which is always a good lunch or brunch choice. From Pier 55, Argosy Cruises offers a number of water tours, from short circuits around Puget Sound to longer trips through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, a scenic journey between the saltwater Sound and freshwater Lake Union and Lake Washington. From May-September, enjoy a beautiful 12-minute water taxi ride from Pier 55 to West Seattle. Once you arrive it’s a short walk to the sidewalk cafés at Alki Beach.
Along Seattle's waterfront, Anthony’s Bell Street Diner and Fish Bar offers a lunch menu featuring casual seafood favorites from chowders to sandwiches. Best of all, there's no charge for the gorgeous water and mountain views. In nearby Belltown, Macrina Bakery is where award-winning pastry chef and baker Leslie Mackie and her staff craft handmade panini, pizzas, sandwiches and desserts to eat-in or carry-out. Wind up your visit with some shopping. Downtown Seattle has several upscale shopping centers, including Pacific Place at Sixth Avenue and Pine Street, and Westlake Center at 400 Pine St. Outdoor enthusiasts shouldn’t miss the REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) flagship store at 222 Yale Ave. North, where you can test your skills at rock climbing, bike a dirt trail, and engage in other hands-on checking of gear. If shopping is not on your agenda, stroll through the Olympic Sculpture Park. A 2,500-foot-long path zigzags through the nine-acre park adorned with monolithic sculptures by seminal American artists such as Richard Serra and Claes Oldenburg, connecting it to a beach
and Myrtle Edwards Park stretching north
along the waterfront.
To wind down in the evening, head to sexy BOKA Bar + Bar for dinner or a nightcap.
For more information, contact the Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau,
206-461-5840, www.visitseattle.org
*Photos courtesy of Tim Thompson at the Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau
(Updated: 05/05/10 SG)
