Seattle Official Visitors Guide 2008-2009 - (Page 18) AT T R AC T I O N S & TO U R S URBAN ESCAPES n Erickso onald Photo/D ©iStock W ith so much excitement in Seattle, you’re likely to find yourself looking for a secluded spot to relax. Luckily, there’s no shortage of urban retreats in the Emerald City, which earned its nickname because of its abundance of green land and trees. In fact, the city boasts more than 400 parks and open spaces. The largest, Discovery Park, sits on 534 acres encompassing numerous hiking trails, two miles of protected beaches and breathtaking views of the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. Some of the best scenery in the park can be found on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound. From there, adventurous visitors can hike down to the beach and check out the picturesque, red-roofed West Point Lighthouse on the westernmost tip of the beach. Another striking vista is easily accessible on Queen Anne Hill at Kerry Park. Clockwise from above: Washington Park Arboretum; Japanese Garden; peacock at the Woodland Park Zoo; city skyline as seen from Kerry Park; joggers and cyclists in Green Lake Park; Discovery Park Lighthouse. Credits: ©Shutterstock/Hiep Nguyen, ©Denise Chambers/Weaver, ©Shutterstock, ©Anna Zoromski/ Weaver, ©Aurora Photos/Paul Souders, ©Aurora Photos/ Chuck Pefley Bring your camera to snap the ultimate Seattle skyline shot — Space Needle and all. Or head to Volunteer Park, in the Capitol Hill area, to frolic in 45 green acres. Be sure to climb the 106 steps to the top of the historic water tower to get a 360-degree view of the sound, mountains and downtown. Then make your way to the granite “Black Sun” sculpture situated next to a serene reflection pool and overlooking the Space Needle. If it’s a rainy day, duck into the Seattle Asian Art Museum, a true gem among Seattle’s museums. Or take refuge among the plantlife inside the Volunteer Park Conservatory, an elegant glass structure built 18 WWW.VISITSEATTLE.ORG http://WWW.VISITSEATTLE.ORG
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