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A recent trip to Seattle, Washington marked my third time to the area and proved that there's more to the city than the Space Needle, although the city's famous tower is pretty cool. This first part of a two-part blog series will cover some attractions that the city has to offer, and the second will outline some of the area's famous natural features.
Getting Around
I visited Seattle for a lean workshop and stayed in SeaTac, which is located just outside the airport and is only a 30-minute light rail ride into downtown. The light rail is great; a round-trip ticket costs $5.00 and the scenery is an added bonus. The track boosts you up high as you cross highways, and on a clear day Mount Rainier looms in the distance. There are some free busses and trolleys downtown, but since the weather was surprisingly rain-free during my visit, I chose to walk.
 Space Needle
The Space Needle is a 605-foot tower built in 1962 for the World's Fair. At the time, it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
The Space Needle's three elevators travel at 10 mph. Because the tower sways an inch for every 10mph of wind, the elevators slow to 5 mph when wind speeds are 35 mph or higher. The view from the caged-in, glass-walled observation deck is incredible. You can see the city, Mount Rainier, and the bay all at the same time.
The Space Needle has a revolving restaurant at the top that utilizes railroad track technology with a 1.5 hp motor. There is also a private room for parties about halfway up the tower, which remains stationary.
Pike Place Market
 Unfortunately, I only had time to go through the market quickly, but it's quite the place to visit. It was originally called a sanitary market because horses weren't allowed! At Pike Place I came across the original Starbucks, flying fish, and the best macaroni and cheese I've ever eaten.
Pioneer Square
This National Historic District has some of the prettiest architecture. When the original and mostly-wooden city burned down in 1889, it was rebuilt with brick and stone. Many of the storefronts seen at ground level are actually the second or third stories because the lower floors were often underwater with the tides.
 Pioneer Square boomed during the Klondike Gold Rush when it sold supplies to miners heading to Alaska. The original "Skid Road" is located in the area. Logs were skidded down the steep hill into Puget Sound to a steam-powered lumber mill.
Today there is a mining museum and a wide variety of unique shops. The glass blowing store is particularly unique and carries many large pieces. Unfortunately, I was afraid to pack one home on the plane!
Lakes, Canals, and Famous Fisherman
 The Seattle area of Washington is nearly surrounded by water. The Puget Sound and Elliot Bay are on the western side and Lake Washington is on the eastern border; the Lake Washington Ship Canal runs along the northern side of the city.
In the Fishermen's Terminal at the Port of Seattle, we saw two ships from the famous show Deadliest Catch – the Cornelia Marie and the Northwestern. The crab traps look much larger and heavier in person that one would think!
Resources:
http://www.ismrm.org/06/about.htm
http://www.pioneersquaredistrict.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Washington_Ship_Canal
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Re: Seeing Seattle – City Sights (Part 1)
