Seattle, the Northwest's largest city, has often been ranked most livable in national polls. With Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east, the city is rich in marine views. The juxtaposition of sky and mountains, the Olympics to the west and the Cascade Mountain Range to the east and southeast, reinforces the view that this "Emerald City" is indeed a gem.

Seattle Special Features

Pioneer Square/Old Seattle

Here the town of Seattle, settled in 1852, had its first center. A city ordinance created the Pioneer Square Historic District in 1970, preserving the old buildings, classic pergola, and flavor of a time gone by. Streetscapes found in the area are rare in a modern metropolis. Now a gentrified retail district noted for art galleries, restaurants, and nightlife, it continues to be a popular area for filmmakers.

Pike Place Market/Open Air Market

Built in 1907, this is the oldest, continually active, open air market in the US. Downtown Seattle's most popular focal point is one of the few farmer's markets found in the country. With its assemblage of merchants, people, spaces, smells, visual delights, and general clamor, the market is a popular, but expensive, film location.

International District

Commonly called the I.D., it is the third largest "Chinatown" in the USA. It has a rich and intriguing history and offers small shops and grocery stores filled with exotic merchandise. The I.D. maintains an authentic ethnic character and is not dedicated to tourism.

Fisherman's Terminal

The largest commercial fishing moorage on the west coast is in Seattle. It is home base for over one-half the Alaskan fishing fleet.

Underground Seattle

This maze of old, underground passageways and openings is located in Pioneer Square. When the business district of Seattle was destroyed by fire in 1889, brick buildings were erected to replace the burned wooden structures. Later, the city raised the streets in the area to the second story level. Consequently, the lower story or stories of many of the buildings were abandoned and remained that way for years until a Seattle public relations man uncovered the entrances and started offering underground tours. Some of the underground areas were formerly saloons, opium dens, etc.

SEATTLE SPORTS

SEATTLE RESIDENTIAL

A charming metropolis that sprouted from the middle of a forest, Seattle is culturally diverse, with a population of over 500,000 and more than 100 neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are gritty, some quaint and charming, others offer imposing mansions with spectacular views, while others are floating communities of houseboats. There are exotic neighborhoods such as the Asian neighborhood in the International District and the austere Scandinavian look of Ballard. Neighborhoods play a key role in the Seattle lifestyle. From Midwest bungalows to lavish estates, Seattle offers an amazing diversity of looks that could pass for almost any neighborhood in America.