What to See and Do in Seattle – a guide to notable attractions and landmarks

Cultured, laid back, and effortlessly hip: Seattle has many unique and exciting attractions that'll leave you with fond vacation memories. With a relatively small downtown area that's easy to navigate by foot or streetcar, you can pack in plenty of galleries, museums, and family-friendly hotspots in a short visit. Seattle has always embraced the new and challenging, and this is reflected in the sheer range of sights to see.Chihuly Garden and Glass

 

 

Wander round the Chihuly Garden and Glass during the day, and you'll appreciate the beautifully kept flowerbeds and green spaces, with colorful glass sculptures that almost look like plant species from alien worlds. It’s the handiwork of Dale Chihuly, a pioneer in the artform of blown glass. Visiting when the sun starts to set is a whole different kind of experience, with the twilight making the sculptures glow. At the center of it all is the breathtaking glasshouse, with its hanging red, orange, and yellow flowers that give off a dramatic, fiery warmth in the dark nights.

 

Experience Music Project Museum

 

 

It's easy to spot the exterior of the Experience Music Project Museum, with its classic Frank Gehry shapes made from awesome sheets of metal. The rich history of music in Seattle is honored here, from Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana, and you'll find interactive exhibits, memorabilia, and movie screenings where you can learn more about the pop culture of the city. The museum also dedicates some of its ample space to science fiction, fantasy, and other popular genres, exhibiting props and showing you the secrets of some of the world's most famous movies and TV shows.

 

Woodland Park Zoo

 

 

With 92 acres of habitats, all created to help keep the animals as comfortable as possible, at the Woodland Park Zoo you can see creatures as they live in the wild, with many conservation efforts for the rarest of species. Animals are arranged by continent, so you can admire the zebras and giraffes in the African Savanna, see monkeys swinging through the trees in the Asian Tropical Forest, or watch playful wallabies in Australasia, all without having to take a flight. On the zoo grounds you can also enjoy Seattle Rose Garden, a calm and serene park that's scented by well over 100 varieties of roses.

 

Museum of Flight

 

 

Made up of several aviation themed buildings, including the original manufacturing plant for Boeing, the Museum of Flight has over 150 aircraft in its collection, as well as facilities to restore the many rare models that make their way to the team. Take a walk through the first presidential jet, or appreciate the luxury of the interior of Concorde, and there's even an exhibit dedicated to space exploration for those whose dreams of flight break through the stratosphere.