Kubota Garden
9817 55th Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98118
206-684-4584

This amazing 20 acre area combines Japanese gardens with native Northwest plants interlaced with streams, waterfalls, ponds, bridges, and more.

The Wing Luke Asian Museum
407 Seventh Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98104
206-623-5124

Explore the Asian Pacific American communities through art, culture, and history!

Pike Place Market
1531 Western Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
206-682-7453

Nine decades old, Pike Place is one of Seattle's most popular landmarks, as famous for the theatrics of its boisterous vendors as it is for its appealing wares. Its most popular buildings are the Main and North arcades, with their carefully arranged stacks of produce, and fresh fish, crabs and mollusks piled high with ice. The best time to visit the market is to go on a weekday morning. Wander slowly, sample frequently and remember to watch for flying fish! Over half of the market's open-air stalls are now devoted to locally made arts & crafts, and its lower levels are filled with small shops of all descriptions, from Indian spice stalls to magicians' supply shops. The streets surrounding Pike Place Market continue the maze of shops, with ethnic food stalls, plant shops, galleries and gift boutiques. Pike Place Market is in the northwestern corner of downtown, close to the waterfront.

Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109
206-684-7200

The 1962 World's Fair, also known as the 'Century 21 Exposition', brought in over 9 million visitors from around the world for a glimpse of Tomorrow, Seattle-style. What remains of the futuristic enclave of exhibition halls, arenas and public spaces is today called the Seattle Center. The grounds are home to dance, theater, opera, museums and Key Arena.

The U District
4710 University Way NE Suite 212
Seattle, WA 98105
206-547-4417

The U District is 3 miles (5km) northeast of downtown and accessible by bus.
The campus sits at the edge of a busy commercial area known as the U District. The main streets here University Way, commonly called the Ave, and NE 45th St are filled with affordable restaurants and cafes, arthouses, cinemas and student filled bars. 'U Dub', as most people refer to the university, is a lively place that's definitely worth touring, especially in spring, when pink and orange flowered azaleas paint the campus in brilliant hues.

Washington Park Arboretum
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
206-543-8800

The park features 5500 different plant species within 200 acres (80ha) of mature forest and gardens. At the southern edge of the arboretum is the Japanese Garden, a collection of koi pools, waterfalls and manicured plantings. Bird watching is popular at the northern end of the arboretum, as are canoing, fishing and swimming. free public tours are offered.

Experience Music Project
325 5th Ave North
Seattle, WA 98109
206-367-5483

Museum of Rock 'N' Roll combines exhibitions of artifacts with interactive displays that help people create and play music on their own. A tribute to the "Seattle Sound," the museum was financed by billionaire Paul Allen who was inspired by Jimi Hendrix, the legendary Seattle guitarist of the 1960's. Memorabilia from the bands Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden and many other local groups are displayed along with the history of the bands that sprang from Seattle and redefined the industry.

Seattle Art Museum
100 University Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206-654-3100

The mammoth Hammering Man sculpture guards the museum's entrance. Within are four floors of African, European and Northwest Coastal Native American art. Jonathan Barofsky's towering metal "Hammering Man" makes the museum at 100 University St. easy to spot. Visitors pass the gift shop and climb an impressive staircase to the main galleries. The Ebsworth Collection"opens Aug. 10 and runs through Nov. 12, with oil paintings, with some sculptures and works on paper by artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Alexander Calder and Willem de Kooning. Among the museum's most distinguished permanent collections are African, Northwest Coast Indian and Asian art. "The Russian Decorative Arts: The Plestcheeff Collection" offers visitors a look at Russian porcelain and decorative arts. And "The Northwest Art/Asian Affinities" exhibit explores the relationship between Asian aesthetics and recurring motifs in the work of Northwest artists.

Seattle Asian Art Museum
1400 East Prospect
Seattle, WA 98122
206-654-3100

This museum houses one of the nation's most important collections of Asian art. The building itself is a gorgeous example of art nouveau architecture. Ample free parking.

Museum of History and Industry
2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
206-324-1126

This is the place to get a sense of Seattle's distant and not-so-distant past. Exhibits of artifacts bring to life Seattle's roots (from the Klondike Gold Rush to Boeing's early days), and a new show, "See All About It," features 100 images of 20th-century Seattle taken by Seattle P-I photographers. The museum offers walking tours (to the Montlake Cut with a museum historian and the Washington Park Arboretum with a naturalist), on most weekends through September.

Husky Stadium and the Montlake Bridge.
Argosy Cruises
1101 Alaskan Way #201
Seattle, WA 98101
206-623-1445

1-hour narrated trips along the waterfront and past the shipyards or a 2.5-hour tour through the Hiram Chittenden Locks to Lake Union. A 2-hour cruise of Lake Washington departs from AGC Marina on South Lake Union.

Future of Flight Aviation Center 7 Boeing Tour
8415 Paine Field Boulevard
Mukiteo, WA 98275
800-464-1476

Tours are available of the Everett plant that manufactures the Boeing 747, 767 and 777 airplanes. No tours on major holidays or the second half of December. Rules: No reservations; no still photography; and no video cameras, cell phones, purses or bags allowed (all these must be stowed in your car). Be prepared for a bit of a walk and steep stairs (wheelchair accessible). Visitors must be at least 50 in/127 cm tall. Tours last one hour.

Pioneer Square Historic District
202 Yesler Way
Seattle, WA 98104
206-667-0687

The original Seattle downtown, Pioneer Square is made up of six city blocks of restored century-old buildings. They now house shops, restaurants, offices, nightclubs and galleries. On Fridays and Saturdays, the area is awash with music lovers going to taverns and clubs. Pioneer Square is just south of the current city center, bounded by 1st and 3rd Avenues and Yesler Way and S. Jackson Street.

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
206-543-7907

Contains exhibits about dinosaurs, fossils and cultures of the Pacific Rim, as well as the bones of the Kennewick man. The museum keeps a good collection of dinosaur skeletons, but its real treasures are its Indian artifacts, especially the collection of cedar canoes and totem poles. It is also the school's fine art show space. Have coffee and biscotti in the Boiserie Cafe, charming with its 19th-century paneled walls

Frye Art Museum
704 Terry Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206-622-9250

Handsomely renovated and has a permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century Russian and other European art. Other eclectic exhibits include comic strip art and works by Melville Holmes.

Henry Art Gallery
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195
206-543-2280

The newly renovated and expanded Henry Gallery, at the edge of the University of Washington campus, includes beautifully curated exhibits of modern painting, sculpture and photographs. Noontime and evening lectures are offered. Café opens onto a small sculpture courtyard. Gift shop has a fine selection of note cards, handmade jewelry and books.

Klondike Gold Rush Museum
117 South Main Street
Seattle, WA 98104
206-220-4240

Located in Pioneer Square, this national historic park is more a building than a parkland, but it's worth a visit for its exhibits that commemorate the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s. Seattle was a major gateway for the Klondike prospectors, who boarded ships there on the way to gold fields in Alaska and the Yukon Territory. In addition to photographs, artifacts and slide shows, the park staff presents interesting demonstrations of gold panning and discussions of the harsh conditions faced by the miners.

The Museum of Flight
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle, WA 98108
206-764-5720

Glass-walled gallery is several stories high to display authentic historic aircraft suspended from the ceiling. In the steel-and-glass Great Gallery, visitors can experience the history of aviation with dozens of full-size authentic historic aircraft suspended six stories above. A new section focuses on early air mail planes. You can board the original Air Force One, the only presidential jet open to the public. Special events and films are offered throughout the year. The Blue Angels make the museum their base annually when they are in town to perform at Seafair, the city's summer celebration. The museum's core is the "Red Barn,"the original Boeing Airplane Co. factory. Fans of aviation will enjoy the extensive collection of planes and aviation and aerospace artifacts.

Discovery Park
3801 West Government Way
Seattle, WA 98199
206-386-4236

Located 15 minutes north of downtown in the Magnolia neighborhood, Discovery Park is on a high bluff with panoramic views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula. Rare birds and other wildlife may be sighted in and around its cliffs, beaches, meadows and thick forest.

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
3015 NW 54th Street
Seattle, WA 98107
206-783-7059

Often known as the Ballard Locks (being located in the Ballard area), these locks funnel boats between Puget Sound's Shilshole Bay and Lake Washington. Boat traffic ranges from day sailors to million-dollar yachts to North Pacific fishing boats. Next to the canals is the largest salmon fish ladder in the Pacific Northwest. Underwater viewing windows let you look at the fish-sockeye late June through August, coho in September. A botanical garden and a regional visitor's center and bookstore are also located at the locks.

Seattle Mariners Baseball Club
Safeco Field
1250 First Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
206-346-4001

Enjoy a great game or take a tour of the facilities.

Seattle Seahawks
800 Occidental Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
888-635-4295 x7816

Football at its finest!

Seattle SuperSonics & Storm
KeyArena 305
Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109
206-281-5800

Basketball at its best!