Seattle

With growth comes headaches, of course, and Seattle has had its share. The city's infrastructure was not designed to hold so many people, and the same people who used to snicker at the traffic jams of New York and Los Angeles now find themselves in the same boat.

That's not to say that Seattle doesn't have a lot of other advantages. The city itself is positively beautiful, with lots of greenery. It's a perfect town for a walk, as long as it's not raining. Of course, Seattle also boasts of one of the more recognizable symbols in the world, the Space Needle. The view from the top is simply breathtaking.

Downtown Seattle is where you will probably spend most of your day. The area has undergone a renaissance, with new shops and restaurants opening up around every corner, seemingly every day. A gorgeous art museum and a new ballpark, Safeco Field, have helped to attract this sprawling city back inward. Pioneer Square, which used to be a ghost town, has become the hip place to be after hours.

Seattle has been able to combine a small-town neighborliness with all of the cultural advantages of a big city. This unique dichotomy has attracted more and more tourists, as well as more and more residents.

• Seattle Highlights, Pike Place Market & Airport Transfer
  Enjoy a brief informative introduction to downtown Seattle's highlights, viewing the charming beauty of the city's waterfront before catching a glimpse of its historic side in Pioneer Square, Seattle's 1852 birthplace. You'll see the new sports stadiums and shopping core en route to Pike Place Market, the oldest open-air farmers' market on the West Coast, where you'll have ample time to shop and explore on your own. Don't miss the original Starbucks store or the "flying" fish! Reboard your motorcoach for transfer to SeaTac Airport.
  
  
• Seattle Highlights, Space Needle & Airport Transfer
  Past and present thrive side by side in Seattle, and you'll see it all on this tour of the city's highlights. View Seattle's new sports stadiums, then discover the historic flavor of Pioneer Square, Seattle's birthplace dating back to 1852. Pass the International District and view Pike Place Market, which carries the distinction of being the oldest open-air farmers' market on the West Coast. Tour through the downtown core and shopping district and circle the Seattle Center campus on your way to the Space Needle, where you'll soar to the top by elevator for an unforgettable vista of the Emerald City. Your tour ends with a transfer to SeaTac International Airport or to the Sheraton and Fairmont Olympic hotels downtown.
  
  
• Seattle by Land & Sea
  This comprehensive tour begins at the pier with a narrated drive that will include Seattle's most famous sites. Journey through the International District and continue on Seattle's birthplace, historic Pioneer Square. A photo stop will be made north of the city at the Magnolia Bluff neighborhood for views of Elliott Bay and the Seattle skyline. Board your sightseeing vessel on Lake Union for a cruise through the Ship Canal and Hiram Chittenden Locks. The Locks, built in 1911, link saltwater Elliott Bay to Freshwater Lake Union and Lake Washington. Each year this gateway allows 80,000 to 100,000 pleasure and commercial boats to move between the Ship Canal, 16 feet above sea level, to the waters of Elliott Bay. During your narrated cruise, watch as the Seattle skyline is revealed and experience views of the islands of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
  
  
• Boeing Factory Tour
  Visit the birthplace of some of the greatest aircraft aloft. Touring the Boeing Plant in Everett reveals the inner workings of the manufacturing of some of the world's largest planes. The plant, located nearly 30 miles north of Seattle, has the largest cubic capacity of any building in the world; it is so lofty and long that even a 747 looks dwarfed. See the assembly steps of the 747's, 767's or 777's within the factory and the planes lined up next to the 9,500-foot runway at Paine Field. View a video presentation and join in a guided tour led by a Boeing representative.

• City of Seattle
  
  
• Seattle Times
  
  
• Seattle Aquarium
  
  
• Seattle Art Museum
  
  
• Pike Place Market