Start with a morning at Gas Works Park. The site of a former gas plant on a Lake Union promontory is now a unique green space and a children’s play barn packed with brightly painted machinery.
For a rainy-day diversion, try the Seattle Aquarium located along the waterfront. The Window on Washington Waters features a 120,000-gallon tank filled with sea creatures—and divers who can talk with onlookers thanks to special masks.
Nearby, the renowned Seattle Center hosts everything from ballets to Whirligig!, a kidtastic festival of giant inflatable bounce houses. Just steps away the iconic Space Needle awaits. The new Olympic Sculpture Park also boosts downtown’s appeal.
But be sure to head north of the city center to the Fremont neighborhood. Once you’ve said hello to the eclectic mix of galleries, shops, and eateries, don’t forget to meet the area’s most beloved resident—the Fremont Troll, a whimsical two-ton concrete sculpture tucked beneath the Aurora Bridge.
—Amanda Castleman
