[Athens]

Going to take a Week Vacation in Seattle and was wondering if any one from Seattle had some ideas what to see, do and stuff like that Going at the end of Augest, Start of Sept.

[budster101]

Here are a few things you can do:

The Emerald City: Seattle and Puget Sound

Beauty and brains have combined to make the Seattle region one of the nation's most dynamic centers of exploration and invention. The natural wonders of land, sea and sky invite outdoor discovery year-round. But all that fresh air also stimulates clear and original thinking. The result is a long tradition of entrepreneurial creativity in Seattle. From Boeing (1917) to the Space Needle (1962) to Microsoft (1975) to the Experience Music Project (2000), the Puget Sound region is known for being at the leading edge of corporate and cultural innovation.

Washington State Ferries (206) 464-6400
The Washington State Ferry System is the largest in the nation. While riding a ferry is part of the daily commute for many Washingtonians, it is also an excellent way for visitors to get out on the water and see some of Washington's beautiful scenery. To ride a ferry as a walk-on passenger, be at the ferry terminal 10-15 minutes before departure, buy a ticket and walk on when the ferry is ready. Passenger's pay only on the Seattle side. To go with a vehicle, allow more time (loading is first come, first serve). Call for departure times and costs.

Pike Place Market (206) 682-7453
The Pike Place Market has been a unique Seattle institution since it opened in 1907. It is the oldest continuously operating farmer's market in the United States. In addition to meat, fish and produce stalls, it has arts and crafts, flower shops, bakeries, entertainers, small restaurants, a movie theatre, and many shops on the lower floor. An information booth is located on the corner of Pike Place and First Avenue near the clock. They have maps and information about the Market. Hours: Mon-Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The Waterfront
Seattle has many waterfronts, but "The Waterfront" refers to a mile and a half stretch along Alaskan Way between Main Street and Broad Street. The piers, built at the turn of the century, are full of restaurants featuring fresh Northwest seafood, souvenir shops packed full of treasures, and many attractions. Tour boats, the Washington State ferries, and the Victorian Clipper docks are located along here.

The Waterfront Streetcar (206) 553-3000
These vintage Australian streetcars run along Alaskan Way on the South Main Street making several stops in between. A ticket is good for 1 1/2 hours allowing passengers to get off and on while sightseeing along the waterfront. Streetcars run about every 20 minutes.
Cost: $1.00 non-peak hours, $1.25 peak hours, reduced fare $0.25

Omnidome (206) 622-1869
Pier 59, Waterfront
This amazing Omnimax 70mm theatre combines the world's largest film projector and one of the largest film formats. Whether soaring through space, diving amount the sea creatures of the world's undersea depths or feeling the power of a volcanic eruption, the Omnidome adventure is an unparalleled cinematic experience with movies running every 30 minutes.
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Seattle Aquarium (206) 386-4320
Pier 59, Waterfront
Waterfront Park has the distinction of resting on the doorstep of one of the richest and most diverse aquatic habitats on Earth. Visit the touch tank, underwater dome, fish ladder, mammal tank, and hundreds of exciting exhibits.
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $8.50, Seniors $7.50, Youth $5.75, Children $3.75, Children under 2 are free.

Argosy Cruise Tours (206) 623-4252
The Argosy Locks Tour at Pier 57 is the most extensive of the water sightseeing tours. The tour begins with a brief cruise around Elliot Bay, then goes out into Puget Sound and heads north, up through the Locks, and docks at Chandlers Cove on Lake Union while Deli-type food and beverages are available on board. These two and a half hour tours leave at 12 noon, six days a week. Argosy also offers several other tours at varying prices. Three cruises daily. Call for more tour information.
Cost: Adults $30.00, Children $16.00, Senior $28.00

Pioneer Square
Pioneer Square, at the south end of the city, is "old Seattle" where Seattle grew and flourished in the late 1800's. The broad, tree-lined sidewalks make browsing along the shops delightful. Many art galleries, boutiques, antique shops, theatres, bookstores and restaurants are nestled in this area. There are also small parks and sidewalk cafes to enjoy in good weather. Brochures for self-guided walking tours are available at shops in the area.

Underground Tour (206) 682-4646
610 First Ave.
Experience some of the most entertaining historic moments of your life as you stroll above and below ground in Seattle's old Pioneer Square district. Hear about the colorful people and events that shaped a city which literally rebuilt itself atop its own ruins. Call for reservations and specific tour times. Tour is 90 minutes.
Cost: Adults $8.00, Seniors $7.00, Students $7.00, Children (7-12) $4.00, Children 6 and under are free.

Safeco Field (206) 346-4000
Safeco Field, completed in 1999, is located on 1st Avenue on the south side of Pioneer Square. Home of the Seattle Mariners (baseball), Safeco Field features an 11-ton retractable roof which rolls closed in less than twenty minutes. Tours are offered on days that the Mariners are playing (home or away). Call the number listed to arrange for group tours.

The Locks (206) 783-7059
The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks are located on the west end of Lake Washington Ship Canal. Completed in 1916, the Locks are used by pleasure boaters and commercial vessels going between saltwater Puget Sound and freshwater Lake Union and Lake Washington. The present Salmon Ladder was built in 1976 to facilitate the salmon migration back to freshwater spawning groups. The visitor's center is located on the north side and has interesting displays and a narrated slide show. Snack carts and restaurants are located nearby and the Carl S. English, Jr. ornamental gardens the terraces of the north side are perfect for taking in the action or relaxing with a picnic lunch. Free tours are offered at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily from June 1 to September 30. Tours last approximately 1 hour and begin at the visitor's center.

Seattle Center (206) 684-7200
The Seattle Center is located just ten minutes from Seattle Pacific University's Campus. The Seattle Center features year-round entertainment and events including the Symphony, Ballet, Opera, theatres, Children's Museum, Pacific Science Center, Space Needle, Fun Forest Amusement Park, International Fountain and Seattle Center Monorail.

Seattle Children's Museum (206) 441-1768
305 Harrison (At the Seattle Center)
Hands-on exhibits and fun for the family.
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $5.00, Children under 1 are free.

Pacific Science Center (206) 443-2001
200 Second Ave. North
The Pacific Science Center located within the Seattle Center includes such exciting adventures as Body Works, Kid Works, Science Playground, the Salt Water Tide Pool, and Sea Monster House which all await your curious and adventurous exploration. It is a place where science isn't a subject, but an experience!
Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sat-Sun 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $8.00, Children 6-13 & Seniors $5.50

IMAX
Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. shows every hour on the hour.
Cost: Adults $6.75, Children $5.75, $4.50 with P.S.C. admission ticket.

Space Needle (206) 443-2100
Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Space Needle boasts an incredible view of the city and the Sound from the Observation Deck.
Hours: Sun-Thurs 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Fri-Sat. 8:00 a.m. - Midnight
Cost: Adults $11.00, Seniors $9.00, Children $5.00

The Monorail (206) 441-6038
The Monorail, also built for the 1962 World's Fair shuttles between downtown Seattle and the Seattle Center. It departs every 15 minutes from the Center House next to the Space Needle or from the Monorail station on the third floor of the Westlake Center in downtown Seattle. It takes 90 seconds to travel from Seattle Center to downtown Seattle.
http://www.seattlemonorail.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Sat-Sun 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Round trip fares are: $2.50 for adults, $1 for youth (ages 5-12), $1 for senior (65+) and disabled. Children 4 and under are FREE.

Seattle Funplex
1541 - 15th Ave. West
Seattle Funplex is Seattle's only year round family recreation and sports center. Indoor minigolf, jungle bouncer, laser tag, indoor air pistol shooting range, softball batting cage, video games, bumper cars, gravimetric motion theatre, and a full concession stand make for an exciting evening out. All games are priced individually. Group prices available.
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Fri 11:00 a.m. - Midnight, Sat 10:00 a.m. - Midnight

Woodland Park Zoo (206) 684-4800
5500 Phinney Ave. North
Escape to the wide open areas of the zoo designed to recreate the animals' natural habitat.
http://www.zoo.org/
Hours:
March 15 to April 30: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
May 1 to September 14: 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily
September 15 to October 14: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily
October 15 to March 14: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily

Admission: (*kc: king county resident; non: non-king county resident)
Adult (18-64) $8.00 (kc) $9.00 (non)
Senior (65+) $8.25 (kc) $7.25 (non)
Youth (6-17) and Disabled $6.50 (kc) $5.75 (non)
Preschool (3-5) $4.25 (kc) $3.75 (non)
Toddler (0-2) Free

Parking: $3.50

Henry Art Gallery (206) 546-2280
University of Washington Campus
Hours: Tues-Sun 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Thurs 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $5.00, Seniors $3.50, Children under 13 are free, with college/school ID free

Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (206) 543-5590
University of Washington Campus
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $5.50, Seniors $4.00, Students $2.50

Museum of Flight (206) 764-5720
Boeing Airfield, 9400 E. Marginal Way S.
Experience aviation history at the Museum of Flight. Look in the cockpit of the first US mail plane, walk right up to a Blue Angels jet, or examine the rivets on a B-47 bomber.
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Thurs 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $9.50, Seniors $8.50, Youth (5-17) $5.00

Frye Art Museum (206) 622-9250
704 Terry Ave.
Hours: Tues-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Thurs 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Sun 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., closed Mondays
Cost: free admission, free parking

Museum of History and Industry (206) 324-1126
2161 East Hamlin Street
Permanent Northwest history collection; Alaska and Puget Sound maritime history.
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $5.50, Children (6-12) & Seniors $3.00, Children (2-5) $1.00

Seattle Art Museum (206) 654-3100
100 University Street
Hours: Tues-Sun 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Thurs 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $7.00, Seniors & Students $5.00

Seattle Art Museum Pavilion (206) 625-8900
Volunteer Park
Hours: Tues-Sun 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Thurs 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Cost: Adults $6.00, Seniors & Students $4.00, Children under 12 are free

Greenlake Boat Rentals (206) 527-0171
7201 E. Green Lake Dr. North
Rent a rowboat, paddleboat or sailboard.

Northwest Outdoor Center on Lake Union (206) 281-9694
2100 Westlake North
Kayak rentals on Lake Union

University of Washington Water Activities Center (206) 543-9433
Rent canoes and rowboats and boat on Lake Washington.
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $6.50 / hour

Moss Bay Rowing and Kayaking Center (206) 682-2031
Rowing, kayaking and sailing for children and adults at south Lake Union. An unblemished 15 year safety record!
1001 Fairview Avenue North #1900

Interbay Family Golf Center (206) 285-2200
2501 15th Ave. West
Driving range and miniature golf coarse located five minutes from SPU.
Daily 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Greenlake Golf Course (206) 632-2280
5701 W. Green Lake Way North

Jackson Park Golf Club (206) 363-4747
1000 NE 135th Street

Ballard Swimming Pool (206) 684-4094
1471 NW 67th Street
Hours: Public Swim: Sun 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Wed. 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Fri 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Family Swim: Sun 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Tues 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Adults $2.50, Children (1-18) $1.75

Queen Anne Swimming Pool (206) 386-4282
1920 1st West Howe & Crocket
Hours: Public Swim: Tues, Fri & Sat 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Tues, Thurs & Fri 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Family Swim: Sat 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Cost: Adults $2.50, Youth $1.75

[Mr. Blur]

if you are into music you should go the EMP , and Bumbershoot will also be on while you are there.

[SVass]

What kind of things do you like to see or do? The Boeing Museum of Flight has many airplanes, indoors and out, there may be professional football or baseball games then, and the museums have the usual art. The Elliott Bay Bookstore near Pioneer Square is always worth a visit if you like to read. As I have lived twenty miles south of downtown for 30 years, I tend to stay away except for an occasional theater or main library visit. (The main library has a large genealogical reference section as does the University.)

Be more specific about your desires and I will try to answer. (The red light district is near the airport and the zoo is on the other side of town.) sam

[andi*pandi]

the aquarium and underground tour are great.

[paingold]

That's a nice list. I'm going to save that.
Anyway there's also a lot of outdoor type stuff to do like hiking. Seattle is nestled between two mountain ranges (Cascades and Olympics).

[SVass]

Originally Posted by paingold

That's a nice list. I'm going to save that.
Anyway there's also a lot of outdoor type stuff to do like hiking. Seattle is nestled between two mountain ranges (Cascades and Olympics).

http://www.nps.gov/mora/ is Mt Ranier National Park about 40 miles south with hiking
http://www.cascadeloop.com/ a scenic highway north of Seattle not too far from Vancouver and some ride bicycles on it
http://www.fortworden.org/ on the other side of Puget Sound where we had big guns protecting us from foreign invasion. It is now a park where you can rent rooms in the old BOQ.
sam

[Kenneth]

I encourage you to check out the first Starbucks store as well.

Make sure to check the weather. It rained all day yesterday.

I'm living on the Eastside... any chance you can take the 520 or I-90 bridge?

[cpt kangarooski]

The EMP is a good place to go, because you can't see the EMP from there. Damn but it's ugly.

The Troll is also worth seeing, especially if you're bringing kids. Also Mt. St. Helens, if you don't mind a bit of a drive.

[DarwinX]

I visited this time last year.

I'm a big fan of The Underground Tour and Mount Rainier.

Then there is the obvious, Waterfront, Space Needle, Pikes Market and the like. Go check out the new public library down town too. I only got to see the outside but it was sweet. There was a thread about it here a long time ago.

And onf course, how could we forget...head up to Redmond and piss on the lawn of Microsoft. Results may vary on that :-)

[Athens]

Originally Posted by paingold

That's a nice list. I'm going to save that.
Anyway there's also a lot of outdoor type stuff to do like hiking. Seattle is nestled between two mountain ranges (Cascades and Olympics).

Im from Vancouver, 2 hours north lol might check out Lake Union or Washington but for the hiking and the mountain stuff, its the same as what we have so i'll pass on that

[Spliff]

Originally Posted by Athens

Going to take a Week Vacation in Seattle and was wondering if any one from Seattle had some ideas what to see, do and stuff like that Going at the end of Augest, Start of Sept.

Seattle Public Market
Boeing Museum
The Apple Store

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Spliff

Seattle Public Market
Boeing Museum
The Apple Store

THERES A APPLE STORE IN SEATTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where is it!!!!

[Spliff]

Originally Posted by Athens

THERES A APPLE STORE IN SEATTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where is it!!!!

You have your pick:

University Village

Alderwood Mall

Bellevue Square

[Stogieman]

Are any of those nearby the Microsoft campus?

[SVass]

Originally Posted by Spliff

You have your pick:

University Village

Alderwood Mall

Bellevue Square

Actually, there is a fourth in Southcenter (now Westwood) mall in Tukwila.
None are close to Microsoft. They are not worth visiting as far as I can tell. I've been in two, one to get a free replacement power book adaptor under warranty and the other because it was right next to a kitchen store I shopped in. (I got a Le Creuset "Square Skillet Grill".)
The Bellevue Square Mall has enclosed free parking on the west side and the Southcenter Mall has outdoor parking all around. The University Village store must be close to the University Book Store which is what you would think it is.

PS If you are into antiques, there is a large collection of antique stores in Snohomish.

sam

[Kenneth]

Originally Posted by Stogieman

Are any of those nearby the Microsoft campus?

The Bellevue Square one is pretty close indeed. I'm gonna visit the Apple Store later today. Apple sent me a malfunctioning combo drive. sorry for OT.

[Mithras]

Yeah, go to the new public library -- it's a really cool building, with things a mac geek geek can appreciate like a continuous looping spiral, open conveyor belts carting books around, and a glossy aqua look. Plus my mom helped design the gift shop so that's cool.


As kangarooski briefly mentioned, Fremont is a fun neighborhood, artsy, once hippie now more yuppie, but a great place to walk around. And home of the Troll, a statue of Lenin, a rocket, and lots of other great public art. Yes that's a Volkswagen Beetle.



And as Mr. Blur mentioned, you should DEFINITELY go to the wonderful Bumbershoot festival, a once-a-year shindig that will be in full swing during your visit. For $15/day, you can see hundreds of bands (and other stuff too), including The Decemberists, Son Volt, Ani DiFranco, Digable Planets, etc. etc.

[Mithras]

There's a NYTimes travel piece on Seattle today that pretty much sums it up, though it's written for rich New Yorkers who can't go two days without shopping for $1,000 blouses. Ignore those bits and stick to the outdoor stuff it mentions; the Tamarind Tree restaurant is cheap and delicious, also. Quoted in case the article disappears:
[quote]WHY GO NOW
When summer comes to Seattle, blinking residents emerge from bookstores and coffeehouses, shrug off their rubberized rain jackets, chrysalis-like, and change into cycling shorts, then rock-climbing shoes, and finally strappy sandals for a night on the town. (Call it the Seattle triathlon.) From July through September - the dry months in this notoriously wet city - Seattle hums with a manic energy as residents try to shoehorn as much outdoor fun as possible into those precious, long-lingering summer days.

The best way to enjoy Seattle in summer is to follow their lead: chase a peloton of road cyclists, join the flotilla of boats on Lake Washington or simply spread a picnic blanket on the beach at Golden Gardens and watch the Japan-bound sun torch the sky over Puget Sound.

WHERE TO STAY
For those tired of the same bland hotel experience Acadia Houseboat Rentals, (1) 2040 Westlake Avenue North, (206) 200-8636 and www.seattlehouseboatrentals.com, rents five houseboats on the west side of Lake Union, about five minutes from the heart of downtown. The boats, which sleep four to six, are not hugely roomy. But the pleasure in staying on one is to sit on deck with a cup of strong Seattle coffee and watch floatplanes take off for their morning run to the San Juan Islands. Rates are $140 to $220 a night.

You can use the free bikes provided by the 100-room Watertown, (2) 4242 Roosevelt Way NE, (866) 944-4242 and www.watertownseattle.com, to ride around the nearby tree-lined University of Washington campus or pedal about two miles to the Washington Park Arboretum. Back at the Watertown, a three-year-old Scandinavian-design hotel, you can order free "themed" carts - a computer, say, or relaxation CD's and aromatherapy diffusers. Doubles start at $155, including Continental breakfast, parking and high-speed Internet access.

The five-year-old Ace Hotel, (3) 2423 First Avenue, (206) 448-4721, www.acehotel.com, is a 28-room hotel in a renovated former flophouse for seamen in the heart of busy, trendy Belltown. The aesthetic at the Ace is quirkiness-meets-white-walled-minimalism - yes, that's a copy of the Kama Sutra next to the room's camouflage-jacketed Holy Bible. Doubles range from $85 (for rooms with the nicest shared bath you'll probably ever see) and from $140 for private bath.

WHERE TO EAT
Good restaurants seem to feed off Seattle's winter rains like forest mushrooms, and new ones pop up with the same delightful frequency. Tamarind Tree, (4) 1036 South Jackson Street, (206) 860-1404, a new Vietnamese restaurant in the Little Saigon neighborhood, has mango-colored walls, moody lighting and artfully presented food, including "seven courses of beef," a nonstop parade of cow dressed in every element of Vietnamese cooking - sweet, salty, sour, bitter and hot. At $16.95 for two, it may be the best deal in all of Seattle.

Volterra, (5) 5411 Ballard Avenue NW, (206) 789-5100, www.volterrarestaurant.com, a three-month-old contemporary Italian restaurant in the Ballard neighborhood a few miles north of downtown, already has a dedicated following. They go for savory appetizers like fontina-filled polenta with ragù of wild mushrooms ($9) and entrees like wide homemade egg noodles with duck sauce and grana Padano cheese ($16).

Another new place worthy of its buzz is Crush, (6) 2319 East Madison Street, (206) 302-7874, www.crushonmadison.com, which has been carved out of a century-old Tudorish house just east of downtown's skyscrapers. Yes, Crush's space is too small for its 41 seats and yes, it's loud and yes, the mod furniture seems incongruous, but the service is smart and the slow-braised short ribs enhanced with truffle oil ($21) dissolve in your mouth and make a sauce that's perfect for mooshing around the potato gnocchi. Dinner for two, with alcohol, about $120. Dinner served Tuesday through Saturday.

WHAT TO DO DURING THE DAY
The Center for Wooden Boats, (7) 1010 Valley Street, at the south end of Lake Union, (206) 382-2628, www.cwb.org, has a livery fleet of vintage small craft for rent, for $12.50 to $46. You can rent a sailboat up to 20 feet long, or rowboats, canoes and kayaks (skills of would-be sailboat skippers are vetted, for $10). Don't feel at ease trimming a jib? Every Sunday at 2 p.m., the center offers a free sail on the Puffin, its 1906 steam launch, or another classic boat.

Seattleites like their veggies - and like them even more when they can shake hands with the farmer. There are at least six weekly farmers' markets in Seattle, not counting the august Pike Place Market - which, while always worth a visit, can be oppressively crowded in midsummer. The oldest, biggest and still the best of the neighborhood markets - and worth strolling through even if you don't have a place to sauté that organic rutabaga - is the University District Farmers Market, (8) (206) 547-2278, www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org, held Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Dec. 17 at University Way Northeast and Northeast 50th Street. Sixty farmers, bread- and cheesemakers, fishmongers and other vendors sell fresh produce (much of it organic), pastries and other goods.

An experiment in alternative commuting, the Elliott Bay Water Taxi, (9) (206) 684-1753, online at transit.metrokc.gov/tops/oto/water_taxi.html, runs every day through Sept. 30 between Pier 55 at the foot of Spring Street downtown and the Seacrest dock in West Seattle. The 12-minute ride ($3 one way, free with various bus passes) across Elliott Bay affords great views of the skyline and one of the nation's busiest ports.

After being outside under Seattle's pleasant but unbroken summer sunshine, duck into the cool (in more ways than one) Seattle Central Library, (10) 1000 Fourth Avenue, (206) 386-4636, www.spl.org. In a city of notoriously blah architecture, Rem Koolhaas's cantilevered glass and meshlike temple to the written word has been a major attraction since it opened in May 2004. Free tours daily.

WHAT TO DO AT NIGHT
Residents are loath to go inside on summer evenings - so the entertainment often goes to them. The local troupe Theater Schmeater is again performing a free classic in Capitol Hill's 48-acre Volunteer Park, (11) 1247 15th Avenue East. This summer features the clashing swords and conniving cardinals of Alexandre Dumas's "Three Musketeers," Friday to Sunday nights until Aug. 6. There are afternoon and evening performances at varying times. Information: (206) 324-5801, www.schmeater.org.

Seattle's young creative types are good at turning random little nooks into eclectic hangouts. Exhibit A: The Hideout, (12) 1005 Boren Avenue, (206) 903-8480, wwwvital5productions.com, a new, easily overlooked lounge on First Hill that opened in March and that its owners describe as "a five-year performance art installation with a full bar." Local artwork lines the walls. On nails hang clipboards with paper that patrons can take back to their tables and scribble deep and/or alcohol-fueled thoughts. On a recent night, the crowd of twenty- and thirtysomethings sat along the bar's room-length settee, exhibiting classic Seattle cool - that is to say they appeared unconcerned whether they were cool or not. You can order an Andy Warhol ($9) - a cosmopolitan and a Polaroid snapshot of yourself - from the goofy drink menu and flip through the juke box, which is actually filled with 45-sized drawings.

On the other end of the see-and-be-seen spectrum is Ibiza Dinner Club, (13) 528 Second Avenue, (206) 381-9090, www.ibizadinnerclub.com, a restaurant that is also a late-night hot spot. With gauzy curtains and a glam-sexy feel, Ibiza couldn't be less like the Seattle of yore. Image is everything there. The food, fittingly, looks as pretty as the clientele and costs as much as the women's teetering heels, but disappoints for the price. Better to come after 10 p.m. Saturday, when bongo players (and sometimes a sax man) entertain as the peacock crowd struts in all its plumage. Closed Sunday.

WHERE TO SHOP
Seattle was long a town of sensibly dressed (O.K., frumpily dressed) citizens, and one still senses a balkiness at paying New York prices for fashion, which is good news for betty blue, (14) 608 Second Avenue, (206) 442-6888, www.shopbettyblue.com. The owner, Betty Lin, sells clothes by designers that aren't easy to find elsewhere in Seattle (Dolce & Gabbana, Chloe, Stella McCartney) at 60 to 75 percent off, by buying last season's offerings from specialty boutiques. A $1,200 Jil Sander jacket, for example, was $475. Closed Sunday.

The Pike and Pine Street corridors in Capitol Hill are home to many hip shops, including Area 51, (15) 401 East Pine Street, (206) 568-4782. This old automobile dealership is filled with new, retro-feeling furniture like acrylic-seat barstools and just plain fun stuff like a ladder that holds CD's and rolls along the wall on in-line skate wheels.

HOW TO STAY WIRED
Most Seattle cafes offer WiFi service (some free, some for a fee), and some have computers, particularly in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. One popular choice is Aurafice Internet Cafe and Coffee Bar, (16) 616 East Pine Street, (206) 860-9977, www.aurafice.com, where going online costs $6 an hour. But you get 30 minutes free before noon with a $2 drink.

YOUR FIRST TIME OR YOUR 10TH
Yes, the ride on a Washington State Ferry across Puget Sound is a tourist chestnut, but even the most jaundiced Seattleite can't steam across the sound at sunset, when the water is the color of quicksilver and alpenglow has turned Mount Rainier into a 14, 411-foot cone of raspberry gelato, without getting a little pinched in the throat. Catch the ferry at Colman Dock (Pier 52) (17) at sunset for the 35-minute cruise to Bainbridge Island ($6.10 round trip for walk-ons), (206) 464-6400, www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.

HOW TO GET AROUND
You can get to or from the airport on the Downtown Airporter Service, (206) 626-6088 and www.graylineseattle.com. It is $10.25 one way, and runs every 30 minutes between the airport and eight downtown hotels.

Seattle has one of the nation's most walkable downtowns. Bus service is also free in the central core, and pretty frequent and reliable elsewhere.