© Shutterstock 

Welcome to the "Emerald City" -

The largest city in the state of Washington, Seattle enjoys its reputation as the Pacific Northwest's capital of culture. The city is named for Native American Si'ahl (c. 1786–1866), a Suquamish and Duwamish chief. It's also nicknamed the "Emerald City," a reference to the verdant year-round evergreen trees that blanket Seattle and the surrounding area. 

© Shutterstock 

Space Needle -

The most obvious landmark to tick off is the city's iconic Space Needle. Built for the 1962 World's Fair, this impressive 184-m (605-ft) observation tower serves as the centerpiece of the Seattle Center, an arts, educational, tourism, and entertainment hub. 

© Shutterstock 

View from the Space Needle -

The tower's observation deck affords a grand panorama across downtown Seattle. On clear days you can pick out Mount Rainier in the distance, the highest mountain in Washington state. 

© Shutterstock 

Seattle Center Monorail -

Once you've absorbed the aerial perspective, take a ride on the monorail, also originally built for the World's Fair. The railway runs along 5th Avenue between Seattle Center and Westlake Center, in the downtown district. It's seen here exiting the Frank Gehry-designed Museum of Pop Culture. 

© Getty Images 

Museum of Pop -

Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture is home to the nation's most immersive contemporary pop culture experience. Numerous exhibits and interactive activity stations chronicle the history of popular culture. Standout exhibitions include the world's largest collection of memorabilia celebrating the music and history of Seattle musician Jimi Hendrix and the band Nirvana.

© Shutterstock 

Pike Place Market -

The city's most famous public market dates back to 1907 and is in fact one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers' markets in the United States. Located near the waterfront, the market stocks locally caught seafood and a countryside kitchen of fresh fruit and vegetables. Also found among the over 200 proprietor-operated shops are those selling antiques. collectibles, and handicrafts. 

© Shutterstock 

Gum Wall -

An Instagram favorite, the Gum Wall is a brick wall covered in used chewing gum under Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. A tourist attraction since the 1990s, the wall is cleaned regularly only to be be quickly plastered again by discarded gum. 

© Getty Images 

Seattle Art Museum -

The Seattle Art Museum, commonly known as SAM, features a permanent collection of over 2,500 pieces comprising mainly of notable modern and ethnic art. Traveling exhibitions have previously brought to the museum works by Van Gogh, Pissarro, and Leonardo da Vinci. Pictured is the 'Art Ladder,' the facility's main staircase decorated with Chinese Ming Dynasty funerary statues. 

© Getty Images 

Seattle Great Wheel -

Every visitor to the city should take a turn on the Seattle Great Wheel. The 53-m (174 ft) tall giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay is one of the biggest wheels of its kind in the country and so far one of only three to built over water. 

© Shutterstock 

Discovery Park -

Discovery Park is where urbanites flock to escape the city. This is Seattle's largest public green space and is blessed with a wonderful beach. The historic late 19th-century West Point Light on Puget Sound's Elliott Bay marks the park's westernmost vantage point.  

© Shutterstock 

Chihuly Garden and Glass -

Set within the Seattle Center is the imaginative Chihuly Garden and Glass, one of the city's most appealing museums. The fantastical and colorful collections and exhibits here display and explore the work of innovative glassblower and artist Dale Chihuly—a Tacoma native.

© Shutterstock 

Pioneer Square Historic District -

Seattle's modern steel and glass veneer is suitably tempered by the Pioneer Square Historic District. This is the city's beautifully preserved historic hub where visitors can admire several late 19th-century buildings, among them Pioneer Building (pictured) and Smith Tower. The Great Seattle Fire of June 6, 1889, took hold in this district after which the entire area was rebuilt 6 m (20 ft) above the original street level. 

© Shutterstock 

Seattle Underground Tour -

To get an idea of what this area of the city looked like before the 1889 blaze, join the Seattle Underground Tour, a fascinating subterranean walk amid ruins buried after the fire—the route of which takes in storefronts, sidewalks, and other charred and damaged landmarks. Tours operate from the Pioneer Building and adjacent buildings. 

© Shutterstock 

Smith Tower -

Along with the Space Needle, Smith Tower is the city's other skyscraping eye-opener. Located in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, the tower was completed in 1914 and is the tallest skyscraper in Seattle.  

© Getty Images

Smith Tower view -

Smith Tower is open to the public, who can take an elevator to the observation deck for jaw-dropping views of the vicinity. 

Image: Ivan Andreevich.

© Public Domain 

Seattle Aquarium -

Among the permanent residents of the Seattle Aquarium is this odd-looking fellow, a decorated warbonnet. It can be admired at the Puget Sound Fish exhibit, one of several dedicated habitats housing various Pacific Ocean sealife. 

© Shutterstock 

Woodland Park Zoo -

Complementing the aquarium facility is Woodland Park Zoo. Renowned as a haven for numerous threatened and endangered species, among them the regal western lowland gorilla (pictured), the zoo operates as an important wildlife conservation institution as well as one of the city's most popular visitor attractions. 

© Shutterstock 

Museum of History & Industry -

Seattle's enviable reputation as one of America's most innovative and industrious cities is celebrated at this engaging museum. It maintains a comprehensive collection of artifacts, photographs, and archival materials that chronicle Seattle's rise as an important port city, including its role in the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1800s. 

© Shutterstock 

Alki Beach Park -

Photographers as well as beachcombers are among those who regularly take a water taxi over to Alki Beach in West Seattle. Besides the awesome city skyline views presented from Alki Beach Park, the location offers up a little bit of history: it was here in 1851 where white settlers first landed, to be greeted by Chief Si'ahl and his tribe. 

© Shutterstock 

Museum of Flight -

Located at the southern end of King County International Airport immediately south of the city, the Museum of Flight is a veritable treasure trove of airplanes and flight-related historic artifacts. Among the must-sees is a Concorde, a Caproni Ca.20—the world's first fighter plane from the First World War—and the first air-worthy Boeing 747 (the Boeing company was founded by William Boeing in Seattle on July 15, 1916). 

© Shutterstock 

Puget Sound -

Puget Sound is a magnet for killer whales and other outstanding marine life. The summer is considered the best time to see orcas, specifically between mid-June and early September, when fleets of whale-watching boats carefully ply the inlet. It's also possible to spot these majestic mammals from the shore, at Alki Beach and Golden Gardens. 

© Shutterstock 

Amazon Spheres -

Seattle is home to tech and e-commerce giant Amazon. Part of the Amazon headquarters campus comprises three spherical conservatories known as the Amazon Spheres. While reserved mainly for Amazon employees, this remarkable building is open to the public through weekly HQ tours and an exhibit on the ground floor.

© Shutterstock 

Asian Art Museum -

The city's Asian Art Museum is part of the SAM and it's here that rare historic and contemporary artworks from China, Korea, Japan, India, the Himalayas, and other Southeast Asian countries can be admired. The museum's façade is seen through the well-known Black Sun sculpture by Isamu Noguchi at Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill. 

© Getty Images 

Olympic Sculpture Park -

Speaking of sculpture, those with an appreciation for this particular art form should head over to Olympic Sculpture Park, a free and year-round green space also operated by the SAM that serves as a platform for a remarkable collection of permanent outdoor sculpture, temporary works, and site-specific installations. 

© Shutterstock 

Washington Park Arboretum -

One of the great joys of exploring Washington Park Arboretum is getting lost on purpose and stumbling upon botanical wonders like the Japanese Garden (pictured in in the fall). You can also join a guided walking tour for a detailed explanation of the flora on show.  

© Shutterstock 

Gas Works Park -

The unlikely sounding Gas Works Park is the result of a thoughtful repurposing of a former industrial coal gasification plant. Some of the historic structures have been left in place and serve as public art pieces. The park, seen here from Union Lake, is a favorite summer music concert venue. 

© Getty Images 

Green Lake -

Seattle and its environs are blessed with several sparkling lakes. Green Lake is set north of downtown and is the central attraction of East Green Lake Park. A multi-use paved trail allows for a leisurely walk or bike ride round its shores.   

© Shutterstock 

Lake Washington -

The larger Lake Washington provides a host of watersports opportunities, including fishing, canoeing, and sailing. 

© Shutterstock 

Benaroya Hall -

Seattle's vibrant music scene extends to Benaroya Hall, a premier arts venue and home to Seattle Symphony concerts. The hall also hosts contemporary music shows including folk performances. Check their website for upcoming programs. 

© Getty Images 

Greenwood Memorial Park -

Legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix was a Seattle native, born in the city in 1942. He died in London in 1970. His final resting place is Greenwood Memorial Park in Renton, a suburb southeast of Seattle.  

Sources (Seattle City Archives) (Boeing) (Far Out Magazine)

See also: Spectacular gravesites of famous people

© Shutterstock