Seattle Meeting Plan Guide Fall/Winter 2008-2009 - (Page 139) 8 MUST-SEE SEATTLE SIGHTS Need ideas for your attendees’ free time? Start with these eight iconic Seattle-area experiences. Then suggest they delve deeper into Seattle with the other attractions, museums and activities listed in this section. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Seattle Public Library; coffee sign by Pike Place Market; Seattle Art Museum. ©iStockphoto, ©Richard Cummins, ©Denise Chambers/Weaver Connecting growers with consumers since 1907, this premier farmers’ market is often called the “Soul of Seattle.” What began with eight farmers and a street corner has blossomed into nearly 200 year-round businesses, 190 craftspeople, 120 farmers and 240 street performers. Fishmongers hurl fresh catches overhead, weighing and wrapping seafood purchases, and special events, such as Organic Wednesdays, keep the marketplace innovative. The original Starbucks, renowned live music and underground mezzanines round out the experience. 1. PIKE PLACE MARKET 5. SEATTLE CENTRAL LIBRARY Making it one of the architectural gems of Seattle, the library’s recent glass-and-steel redesign made quite a splash on the downtown scene. Award-winning Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas led the $196.4 million project, and the structure is now a highlight on any visit to Seattle. 6. SEATTLE ART MUSEUM Created for the 1962 World’s Fair, this arts and entertainment hub is home to the Space Needle, Experience Music Project, Monorail, Pacific Science Center, Seattle Opera and a host of theaters and cultural institutions. The 41-second ride to the top of the Space Needle, which affords a bird’s-eye view of the city from 520 feet, is a definite highlight. 2. SEATTLE CENTER After completing a major expansion in 2007, the Seattle Art Museum reinforced its presence as one of the best spots for exploring the city’s ubiquitous creativity. From the “Hammering Man” sculpture outside to Cai Guo-Qiang’s installation of nine full-size cars in the lobby, this is art on an impressive scale. The permanent collections continually wow visitors, as do the changing special exhibitions. 7. PIONEER SQUARE 3. PUGET SOUND FERRY EXCURSION Visitors inhale saltwater sea breeze, cruise along the sound and take in Olympic and Cascade Mountain vistas on one of the area’s many ferries. The world’s largest ferry fleet, the Washington State Ferry system is one of the most cherished experiences for visitors to Seattle. Privately operated ferries and charter tours also offer customized tours with prime opportunities for seal, sea lion and whale watching. The city’s first neighborhood intertwines charming nostalgia and progressive living. Pioneer Square is 20 blocks of Victorian architecture, parks, brick-lined pedestrian paths and countless independently run shops and energized nightlife hot spots. The centrally located area is also home to the city’s most popular bookstores, enchanting underground tours and a serene waterfall garden. The creative spirit of the 1990s loft arts scene continues to thrive with art-in-the-park events and the highly buzzed-about first Thursdays gallery art walks. 4. OLYMPIC SCULPTURE PARK The Seattle Art Museums’ Olympic Sculpture Park is a source of great pride for Seattle citizens, perhaps because it combines two of the city’s most prized attributes: artistic expression and outdoor splendor. One can spend hours strolling through the park’s vibrantly green open space, wandering from one thought-provoking sculpture to the next, all with views of the Olympic Mountains in one direction and Seattle’s skyline in the other. Amazingly, entrance to this wonderland of artistic and natural inspiration is free. With generations of winemaking perfection under its belt and more than 400 winemakers comprising the industry today, Washington has earned bragging rights as the nation’s second largest wine producer. Most of the state’s wineries are located east of the Cascade Mountains where cool nights and moderate sunlight make for full-flavored, well-balanced wines. Wine lovers can sample creations from 35 vineyards in the Puget Sound region and often find themselves in Woodinville, just 30 minutes northeast of Seattle and home to more than 20 wineries. 8. WASHINGTON WINE COUNTRY PRE/POST & FREE TIME 139
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.