OK, here's what I got...
This list is by no means exhaustive, and I'm probably missing a lot of stuff, but this is what I liked or wanted to do when I lived closer.
DO Go see the
Space Needle (even if it's ridiculously priced) and visit all the stuff at
Seattle Center.
Once people learn you went to Seattle, that's the first thing they'll ask if you did and you might as well have something to say.
If you're in that area later in the evening, you can catch an
IMAX movie or
Laser show.
You can even get there riding the
Monorail from
Westlake Center if you've a liking.
The
EMP/SFM often has some cool things going on as well.
Take a walk down the waterfront.
From the Victoria ferry terminal, just head south.
Stop in at all the curio shops for souvenirs, especially
this one.
Go eat at any one of the seafood restaurants there, the Crab Pot, Fisherman's, or Elliott's Oyster House (it's seafood, so it can get a little expensive, but they all serve VERY fresh food and mostly hearty portions).
Stop in at the
Aquarium if you're into that sort of thing, it's a nice tourist diversion, not great, but I can't say it's not worth it.
Go to the
International District (in less PC times, they called it Chinatown) and visit any one of the hole-in-the-wall bakeries for fresh Hum Bow... *drool*, and have dim sum at
House of Hong or
Four Seas; it's a decidedly
different dining experience.
Visit the
Uwajimaya store down there (it's huge, they have Pocky!) before you leave.
Take a day (or most of it) to troll the
Pike Place Market.
Another Seattle classic, there's so many levels and twisting hallways you'll get the sense you haven't seen everything you wanted to, seen things you never have before (
flying fish mongers!) and the street musicians can be a hoot.
Excellent hole-in-the-wall restaurants for some adventurous eating as well.
Since you're going in the spring, look up where the
Maximus/Minimus sandwich truck will be for lunch.
I hear it's the best damn BBQ sandwich you'll ever have, and the truck looks like a giant iron pig.
Go to
Gasworks Park, just because it's a cool place to visit, and check the time with your own shadow on the giant sundial.
DON'T Eat in the
Space Needle restaurant, it isn't worth it.
Go on the
Seattle Underground tour.
Well, if you're a history buff, it's somewhat interesting, but it's been compared to touring somebody's dusty basement.
Eat at the
Old Spaghetti Factory.
There are better italian places, and you could make better lasagna at home.
MAYBERide
the Duck.I've heard good and bad things about it, but to me it just looks ridiculous
Visit Capitol Hill, the U-District, Ballard, etc.
All neighborhoods that have gotten recognition for some reason or other, but at the end of the day, they're just like any other city's "quirky" neighborhoods.
Athough that's usually where you go for the most interesting shopping...
If there's anything else you want to know about, have heard about or wanted to do that's not on this list, please ask and I'll get whatever info I can from folks who've been there and done it.
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