Seattle Official Visitors Guide 2008 - (Page 9) and the Seattle skyline, hop aboard a Washington State Ferry. A popular route is to Bainbridge Island, where upon arrival you can shop the charming village and then take a short drive or taxi ride to the Bloedel Reserve’s quiet gardens (be sure to make reservations for your visit to the reserve). Seattle Public Library One of the architectural gems of Seattle, the library features a steel-and-glass design that has made quite a splash on the downtown scene. Award-winning Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas led the $196.4 million project. Gaze through the geometric lines of its translucent exterior and go inside to explore the library’s notable collection of books and materials. Olympic Sculpture Park A project of the Seattle Art Museum, the Olympic Sculpture Park opened in 2007 to rave reviews. With backdrops of the Space Needle and downtown in one direction and Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains in the other, the park’s contemporary sculptures take on an entirely new light. Wine Country About 45 minutes northeast of Seattle is the Woodinville area, where more than 35 wineries who source their grapes from Washington’s vineyards produce a host of delicious wines. Wine taste, tour and wander gorgeous winery grounds. For more information on this and other Washington appellations, see page 84. Aviation Museums This is actually two distinct experiences. At the jaw-dropping Museum of Flight (about 20 minutes south of Seattle), visitors can sit inside Air Force One or the Concorde and gaze up at dozens of fullsize aircraft. At the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour (about 30 minutes north of Seattle) visitors have the chance to digitally design and test their own jet, ride the XJ5 Flight Simulator and watch the world’s largest jets being assembled at warp speed in the world’s largest building. Ballard Locks Feel like part of a maritime crew by watching up close as boats large and small make their way through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in the Ballard neighborhood. Be sure to also watch the natural show at the fish ladder or peer through the underground viewing windows to witness the salmon’s unstoppable instinct to swim upstream. WWW.VISITSEATTLE.ORG 9 http://WWW.VISITSEATTLE.ORG
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