Seattle

Downtown

Seattle's downtown is nestled inbetween the waterfront of Elliott Bay, old city at Pioneer Square and the neighbourhood of Capitol Hill. As the commercial heart of the city, downtown is the hub for business, shopping, tourists and the most famous of Seattle activities; drinking coffee! The downtown area is also home to government buildings, the Seattle Art Museum and the Pike Street Market.

Fremont and Wallingford

The district of Fremont has been named 'The Center of the Universe' (by locals) and is renowned for its bohemian atmosphere. Wallingford lies just to the east of Fremont and is awash with craft shops and quirky cafes. Gas Works Park in Wallingford is based around the remains of an old industrial site and has become a popular hotspot in Seattle due to its brilliant views. Fremont is littered with pieces of public art and there are fabulous craft markets at the weekends.

SoDo Georgetown

SoDo stands for south of downtown and leads on to Georgetown. The area is home to the cooler crowds living in converted warehouses and drinking in the trendy bars. Western Bridge, an international, contemporary art gallery housed underneath the bridge is worth checking out and admission is free. This is also where you'll find Safeco Field, rated as one of the best baseball venues in the USA! So if you are tempted to watch a game, this is the place.

West Seattle

The west is the largest neighbourhood in Seattle, separated from the rest of the city by the Duwamish River. Largely this is a residential area and there is less here for tourists. However the shoreline of Puget Sound is best from the west and there is a busy central area based around Alaska Junction. Yet more great parks are situated in West Seattle - Alki Beach Park and Lincoln Park are two of the best. Alki Beach Park lives up to its name with a stretch of sand that goes for miles. Lincoln park is more rugged with proper walking trails.

Pioneer Square International District

Pioneer Square is a small district in the south-west of Seattle. Here you'll discover an area with a rich history dating back to Seattle's founders in 1852. Today this part of the city is home to art galleries, cafes and the popular visitors centre component of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (the other part of which is in Alaska!) which provides information regarding the Gold Rush of 1897.

Queen Anne South Lake Union

Northwest of SoDo, Queen Anne is home to Kerry Park and Kinnear Park, two more hot spots with great views of the Seattle sky line, the Olympic Mountains and the large houses of the wealthy Magnolia neighbourhood. South Lake Union received its name for its location - at the tip of South Lake. It is connected to Seattle centre by tram (also known as streetcar) and is popular for those wishing to try out various watersports on the lake.