Seattle

One of the greenest (by share of trees and parks) and most tech-obsessed cities in the United States — around 750,000 residents in the city proper and 4 million in the greater metro area, in the state of Washington. The main technology hub of the Pacific Northwest: Amazon, Starbucks and Nordstrom are headquartered in the city itself, Microsoft sits next door in Redmond and Costco in Issaquah, while Boeing's plants are at Renton and Everett (its corporate headquarters moved to Arlington, Virginia, in 2022). The nickname "Emerald City" comes from the evergreen conifer forests that surround it. Wedged between the Pacific Ocean (technically Puget Sound) and the Cascade Range, on a clear day you can see the volcano Mount Rainier (4,392 m).

Top sights

• Space Needle — 184-metre tower and symbol of the city, built for the 1962 World's Fair. Observation deck with a rotating glass floor; the restaurant at the top closed in 2017.
• Pike Place Market — the oldest continuously operating farmers' market in the US (1907); famous for the flying fish and the Gum Wall.
• The Pike Place Starbucks — the chain was founded in 1971, and this shop has traded here since 1976, when the original outlet moved from Western Avenue. Expect a queue of 30 minutes or more.
• Chihuly Garden and Glass — the main museum dedicated to glass artist Dale Chihuly, at the foot of the Space Needle.
• Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) — Frank Gehry building with exhibitions on Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, and science fiction.
• Future of Flight and the Boeing factory tour — at Everett, about 40 minutes away: the assembly halls for the 767 and the 777/777X (747 production ended in 2023 and the 787 line moved to South Carolina).
• The Gum Wall — an alley wall plastered in chewing gum, off Pike Place.
• Underground Tour — a guided walk through Seattle's subterranean old city, preserved after the city was raised roughly 6 m following the Great Fire of 1889.
• Pioneer Square — Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, with restored 19th-century architecture.
• Capitol Hill — the main bohemian and LGBTQ+ district.
• Fremont — the self-declared "Republic of Fremont," home to the famous Troll under the bridge.
• Seattle Art Museum (SAM) — the state's principal art museum.
• Discovery Park — the city's largest park, on a former military base.
• San Juan Islands — an archipelago of roughly 170 islands and the best place nearby for orca watching; ferries sail from Anacortes, about two hours' drive from Seattle.
• Mount Rainier National Park — national park two hours away, centred on the state's dominant volcano.

Food and prices

The local cuisine is Pacific Northwest: salmon (the region's culinary emblem), oysters, Dungeness crab, geoduck (a giant clam), and clam chowder from Pike Place Chowder. The coffee scene is exceptional. A café lunch runs $18–25, dinner at a restaurant $40–80. Public transport on the ORCA card costs $2.75 per ride; ride-shares run $15–30. Prices are as of 2026.

Getting around

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is a hub for Alaska Airlines and is also served by Delta, with direct flights from London, Paris, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Seoul. The light rail into downtown costs $3.50 and takes 38 minutes. Within the city: Sound Transit Light Rail, buses, Puget Sound ferries, and ride-shares. Vancouver, BC is about 3 hours by car across the border.

When to go

June–September brings temperatures of 18–26 °C and clear skies — the best time to visit. December–March is 4–10 °C and rainy. The Bumbershoot Festival takes place over Labor Day weekend in September; Seafair runs July–August. Views of Mount Rainier depend on clear days, which are never guaranteed.