building with its white terra-cotta façade and at the time the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. An elevator zips me up to the 35th floor observation deck and restaurant for sweeping views of downtown and Puget Sound. A small museum highlights how the tower was the inspiration and namesake of New York typewriter and firearm industrialist Lyman Cornelius Smith who purchased the lot on which it was built. My next stop downtown is one of the city’s best known meeting places—Pike Place Market. Yes, vendors still hurl whole fish over counters filled with iced King Salmon, cod, and Alaskan King crabs amid a bit of shouting and theatrics when customers buy them. Flower kiosks add a panorama of color alongside seafood restaurants and shops selling books and arts and crafts. From downtown, I hop on the Monorail for the two- minute, mile-long trip to the Seattle Center, the city’s predominant tourism development with multiple attractions—a must see for any visitor. An attraction itself, the Monorail was built for the 1962 World’s Fair and at the time was thought to be part of future transportation. It’s the easiest way to reach the Seattle Center. The city’s most recognized and iconic landmark, the 605-foot Space Needle dominates the development. Also built for the 1962 World’s Fair, the tower’s flying saucer-like observation deck offers roundabout views—on a clear day—all the way to the Cascades and Olympic Mmountain ranges, and to Mount Rainier and beyond.
Seattle’s iconic 605-foot Space Needle
the Ballard Locks for entry into the Lake Washington Ship Canal and onward to Lake Union. To the east are Union Bay and Lake Washington. To the west, locals and tourists alike take the many ferries for excursions to surrounding islands including Bainbridge and Whidbey to visit their seaside villages and shops. Popular weekend getaways include visits to the outlying San Juan Islands, Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, and the Cascade Mountains. “The natural setting of Seattle is extraordinary and shapes everything we do,” says Leonard Garfield, Executive Director of the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) with its collection of four million artifacts, photographs, documents, and other items that highlight the region’s past. “It provides the lure of outdoor adventure that keeps the city a place of adventurers. It has been the foundation of our economy, the key factor in attracting new residents, and keeping folks here.” Seattle is also home to innovation and world-renowned companies including Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks.
The Seattle Center’s Chihuly Garden and Glass attraction features the exotic and colorful glassworks
Chihuly glass creations in the Mille Fiori gallery in Seattle Center’s Chihuly Garden and Glass attraction
Just a block or so from Pioneer Square stands Seattle’s first skyscraper, the 1914 Smith Tower, a 38-story
SEATTLE
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SPRING 2025 | 23
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