The Emerald City Exploring The Best Of Seattle Real Estate

By Author: Eric Badgley
Total Articles: 8
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Truly the crown jewel of the northwest United States, Seattle has all the amenities of a big city, but still maintains its small-town heart. Upon arrival, visitors to Seattle often feel overwhelmed at the many attractions, dining opportunities, stores, parks, and recreational activities that this city offers, unsure of where to begin! But never fear, compiled here is a list of the very best that Seattle has to offer.

Downtown Seattle boasts a wide variety of shopping opportunities, including the Westlake Center and Pacific Place, the latter of which also contains a movie theater and a number of excellent restaurants. Though it’s easy to get swept up in the high-end stores of downtown’s retail district, the savvy Seattle visitor would be remiss to pass up the opportunity to spend the morning at the world-renowned Pike Place Market.

Located just along the waterfront, it’s difficult not to get in the spirit of this hustle-and-bustle food and crafts market. Seafood is the specialty here, just be sure to watch out when the fish start flying! When you’ve had your fill of the fun, (and after you’ve had a cup ...
... of coffee at the original Starbucks Coffee shop, located just across the street!) be sure to head down to Seattle’s historic waterfront area. With available ferries to Bainbridge Island, Victoria, and many more locations, this gorgeous area can take you to just about anywhere in the area you want to go. It is also home to the infamous Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, a store that contains both one-of-a-kind Seattle souvenirs and, for those looking for something a bit more exotic, a museum display that includes shrunken heads, mummies, two-headed pigs, and giant crabs!

For lunch, there’s no better place to go than Seattle’s International District. One of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, the International District contains a number of different restaurants, specialty, and curio shops. The first-time visitor should be sure to make a stop at Uwajimaya, the largest Asian grocery and gift emporium in the area. Alongside aisles and aisles of every type of Asian food imaginable, (be sure and take home some Mochi ice cream!) are beautiful dolls, artful boxes, home décor, and health and beauty projects, not to mention Sanrio toys for the kids! Uwajimaya also contains both a bookstore, (Kinokuniyo Books), and a cafeteria, where you can get a sample of the excellent Asian cuisine available in Seattle. For the adventurous visitor, however, the only place to go for a bite to eat is the Ocean City Restaurant for a sample of their excellent dim sum.

When you’ve had your fill of everything downtown, stop by the Capitol Hill neighborhood. This diverse and exuberant area contains trendy shops, bars, and restaurants, the like of which you won’t be able to find in any other Seattle neighborhood! Make sure to check out the shops on Broadway, the main street in the neighborhood. If you’re lucky enough to be around during summertime, make sure you stop by the neighborhood’s block party and Pride Parade!

The next stop for any informed Seattle visitor should be the University of Washington’s campus. Located only a ten-minute drive from downtown Seattle, UW, (as it is known by the locals), boasts greenery and an old-world vibe, making you feel miles away from the bustle of downtown life. If you have the time, be sure and check out one of the University’s many libraries, take a stroll around the campus’ “Red Square”, and perhaps even take in a show at the UW theatre!

With all this and more to do, the ‘Emerald City’ is sure to win anyone’s heart. You would be hard-pressed to find such a diverse range of sights and activities, combined with easy-going and friendly nature, in any other city.

This article was produced by Eric Badgley; specializing in Seattle Real Estate and Alki Beach Real Estate. For more details visit us at http://www.seattlehomeowners.com