I spent a few days in Seattle recently, and while exploring downtown, a plan for a comprehensive walking loop began to materialize. The walk I’ve created covers most of what I think is worth seeing in that city in just one day.
Included sights: Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, Freeway Park, Seattle Public Library, Columbia Tower Sky Deck, Pioneer Square, Seattle Waterfront, Pike Place Market, Olympic Sculpture Park, Queen Anne Hill, Seattle Center and the Space Needle
Getting There
Personally, I think there is no better way to arrive in Seattle than by train. Whether you’re coming from Vancouver BC or Portland, you’ll spend the last hour of your trip winding along the shoreline of Puget Sound, watching islands stream by as you enjoy beer, wine or a cocktail. Why people drive to this city known for its traffic is beyond me. The train trip from Portland to Seattle takes exactly the same amount of time as driving, and in the case of the train, you can sleep, read a book, work on your computer, or as I mentioned, enjoy your drink in front of an ever changing picture window.
Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel
Your first Seattle experience begins just minutes after you get off the train, and it’s something that neither visitors nor most Seattleites even know exists. It is the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. In 1990, Seattle had the foresight to put a transit tunnel beneath the city, bypassing all of the surface traffic that gridlocks the surface streets around rush hour.
You’ll exit the Amtrak station, turn left out the door and climb the stairs to the pedestrian overpass. Then cross 4th Ave S to the International district plaza, which takes you by no fewer than 3 coffee shops, so if you need a jumpstart on your day, this is where to get it. Take a picture of the Chinatown gate, head downstairs to the tunnel to purchase your ticket, and take the train to Westlake Center. Getting to the surface street at Westlake Center can be a little confusing since you have to walk through a shopping mall to get out of the transit tunnel.
Freeway Park
Once you get to the surface street, make your way to the Pine street. Turn left, and walk to 7th Ave. Turn right, and walk to Union street. Look up to your left and ascend the stairs to Freeway Park, another Seattle sight that most people are unaware of. Freeway park, which opened in 1976, made use of the empty space above interstate 5 to rejoin downtown with the First Hill neighborhood after being initially fractured by the freeway in 1956.
Walk to the giant bell and then up the stairs. Come on, you know me, and this is exactly how I found this place; I was walking down the sidewalk and saw a set of stairs. There was only one option.
Climb to the top, turn left, and begin to follow the path through the park in a clockwise direction. If you’re like me, you’ll explore every last dead end, looking for surprises, of which I found a few. You’ll want to continue to explore the park crossing underneath 8th avenue, and you’ll continue to head west until you spill out at the corner of 6th Ave and Seneca St.
Seattle Public Library
From there, head left on 6th, and then take a right on Spring street. Out of the blue you’ll come across a multi faceted glass building. Welcome to the Seattle Public library. Built in 2004, it is the third central library to be built at this location. An obvious opinion divider, it is unquestionably just as complex on the inside as it is on the outside.
Enter on 5th Avenue and follow these directions exactly. I’m going to take you on the best route through this unusual three dimensional polygon You can start by exploring the books for sale on your left contained in the accordion style shelving. Or grab a coffee at the only coffee store I’ve ever seen inside a library. Well, that’s not entirely true; there’s a Starbucks inside the University of Washington library, but still, Seattle has got to be the only, or at least the first city to have a coffee shop inside a library.
Once you’ve explored the sale books or grabbed a coffee, head to the escalator at your right. It will take you up to the 5th floor. Be sure to look back over your left shoulder to the opening in the wall as you’re conveyed upwards. Notice the creepy faces watching you. This will be your face watching others later.
Turn left at the top of the escalator and head towards the wall of the internet browsing room. You’ll see a narrow diagonal labeled, “escalator” crossing over your head. Take that to the very top of the building. As you pass through the transparent floors of the library, note the angled floor. The whole library is designed so that the Dewey decimal systems descends in numeric order as you walk in spirals around the library.
At the top of the escalator, turn right, and head to the railing. Take a right there and pass by the rare book room before reaching the highest point in the library. If you walk past the elevator doors and look down, you will see you are perched from an overhang with nothing between you and the sidewalk 12 stories below. To repeat this vertigo experience, turn left and walk to the end of the catwalk where you get a bird’s eye view into the core of the library.
Make your way back to the elevators, and push the button for the 4th floor. I love getting off at this floor. Inevitably, there is someone riding the elevator who has never had a reason to push the button for the 4th floor, and they are just as shocked as you will be when the doors open. Get off here and turn right, as if you know where you’re going. Don’t be surprised if the other person on the elevator at least pokes their head out to see where you’ve gone.
This is a good opportunity to use some clean restrooms, as the homeless population is not aware of this floor either. If you don’t need to go, just continue on around the floor to the right of the women’s restroom. You’ll come across a hole in the wall that will seem familiar from your first trip up the escalator. From here you can head back down to the entrance or see if you can find any other goodies I haven’t mentioned.
Columbia Tower Sky Deck
Exit the building through the same door in which you entered and turn right. Walk down 5th Avenue just two blocks and enter the Columbia tower. Be sure to use the correct elevator bay to get to the 40th floor. If you’re traveling on the cheap, head into Starbucks and enjoy the view for free. If you’re willing to dish out the 12 bucks to go to the top, head to the other elevator bay on the 40th floor and continue up to the sky deck. In my opinion, it’s absolutely worth it, with a 360 degree of the Puget Sound, the Olympic and Cascade mountain peaks, and the city below. You’re in the tallest building in Seattle looking DOWN on the Space Needle. In fact there’s a joke that the Columbia Tower is the gift box that the Space Needle came in.
At this point, you’re a quarter of the way through the tour and have already seen things that most tourists and locals never hear about.
Pioneer Square
Once you’ve taken in the view, go back down to street level and head for Old Town. I recommend turning right on 5th Avenue and walking to the middle of the next block where you’ll enter city hall. Walk straight through the lobby and out the doors on the other side. There is a nice outdoor space overlooking Puget Sound. Descend the staircase to your left, and make your way to the corner of 4th Avenue and James street. Walk down James street until you get to Yesler way. This is the heart of the Pioneer Square district. You can check out the huge totem pole or go on a Seattle Underground tour to find out the story behind it.
Turn around to look at the intersection of James street and Yesler way. You’ll see the parking garage designed to look like the bow of a ship entering a harbor. Walk up Yesler and turn right down Occidental. This will take you to Occidental Square, an energetic gathering place for locals. You’ll find public ping pong tables among the games that encourage you to interact with others, or you can just sit back and people watch.
Once you’ve taken in the scene, continue another block on Occidental, and turn left on Jackson street. On the next corner, you’ll want to pop into the Klondike Gold Rush Museum, easily the smallest National Park I’ve ever visited. This free museum is filled with history on the plight of those hoping to get rich quickly, only to find out that the strategy is never successful. The movie is particularly interesting and sums up all the exhibits if you want to take a load off and sit for a little.
Seattle Waterfront
Exit the museum and head the other direction on Jackson, towards the waterfront. If you’re interested in riding a ferry during your visit, you can catch one here to West Seattle or Bainbridge Island. Seattle boasts the third largest ferry network in the world.
The West Seattle ferry only takes about 40 minutes round trip so it won’t be too much of an interruption of your walking tour. It’s cheap, and when you get to the other side, you are rewarded with a wonderful view of the Seattle skyline. At the terminal in West Seattle, you can stand in line for a Loco Moco or Shoyu Chicken at Marination Ma Kai if you’re hungry.
The other ferry option is Bainbridge Island. This one takes a bit longer. The highlight is enjoying a boat excursion on the sound for a lot cheaper than taking a tourist boat. You’ll enjoy great views of the Seattle skyline and Alki Beach. There’s not a lot to do at the terminal on Bainbridge. You can walk the 3 blocks through a quaint downtown and grab an ice cream cone at Mora Iced Creamery.
If you choose not to do a ferry ride today, turn right on Alaskan Way and walk along the on the waterfront until you reach Ye Olde Curiosity shop. There are several options for fresh seafood here with The Crab Pot being one of the most popular. There, you can get a bucket full of seafood tossed on your table for family style dining. A more formal option is Ivar’s, which is known for its delicious seafood entrees.
Once you reach Ye Olde Curiosity shop, duck in to see shrunken heads, mummified bodies, a two headed calf and other oddities which have been collected here since the time of the Klondike Gold Rush. The shop was originally founded in 1899, and the owner would buy oddities brought by sailors heading to the Klondike. He also specialized in native American handicrafts, often made specifically for his shop.
Pike Place Market
Curiosities in hand, head back into the city by crossing Alaskan Way just two blocks until you reach Post Avenue. Turn left and head up the street until you’re swallowed up by the giddy tourists snapping photos of one of the world’s most unhygienic tourist attractions, the Gum Wall. It was started by a bunch of bored kids waiting in line for a music concert, and though it has been power washed several times, the gum always seems to make a comeback.
Post alley makes a turn just past the gum wall, and you can either follow the street up or take the stairs to Pike Place Market. If you take the stairs, you will end up at the Pike Place Fish Market, home of the flying fish. Once you’ve enjoyed the aerial spectacle, continue on to explore the market.
There are several stories of shops, but the ones at street level are the most significant. Purchase something from a local artist or vendor, then head across the street to the original Starbucks and Beecher’s Cheese where you can watch cheese being made through the storefront window.
Though most people know Pike Place for its famous market, few people notice the residences above. Pike Market is a significant provider of low-income housing and social services. The Market Foundation supports the Pike Market Medical Clinic, Pike Market Senior Center, Downtown Food Bank, and Pike Market Childcare and Preschool (all within the Market). About 500 people live in the market, and approximately 90% are low-income seniors with subsidized rents. Market Fresh coupons are provided to the low-income tenants, redeemable for Market produce.
Olympic Sculpture Park
When you’ve finished your sampling and shopping, continue down Pike street until it merges with Western Avenue. A block later, you’ll turn let at Lenora street. Descend back to the waterfront and turn right until you reach the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park, an outdoor sculpture museum. Walk through the entire garden before heading back to the waterfront and continuing on the bike/pedestrian path north.
Queen Anne Hill
If you’re running out of time, you can skip the pedestrian path and head up Broad street directly to the Space Needle. Otherwise, take the pedestrian path following the signs to the Helix Pedestrian Bridge. Just a head’s up: it is not the first pedestrian bridge. You’ll walk about 20 minutes to get to the Helix bridge, a great bridge for photographraphy.
The bridge dumps you onto the heavily trafficked Elliot Avenue, but there is a dedicated pedestrian crossing with a stop light. Once you cross, turn right and walk a couple blocks. Mercer place branches off to the left, and you will follow that about one block until you see the entrance to Kinnear Park. Take the footpath and zig zag your way to the top of the park until you get to Olympic place. Depending on where you come out of the park, you will walk a block or two until you get to 8th Avenue West.
Walk about a block on 8th, and look for a staircase to your right. It will be just opposite W Prospect street to your left. Another short block and 7th heads up to your left. At the top of the hill you are treated to a sweeping view of Puget sound from Marshall park. This is just a preview of what’s ahead as you traverse the Queen Anne neighborhood.
Turn your back on the view and walk down Highland drive to Kerry Park. If the weather is clear, you will recognize this vista from photos. Sometimes you can even see Mount Rainier in the background.
When you are finished your touristic obligations, continue on Highland and cross Queen Anne street. The road forks, and you should go right following Prospect street. Continue to admire the beautiful mansions and sneak peaks of downtown Seattle until you get to a little street called Comstock place. Turn right and head to Bhy Kracke park to take in a view of Lake Washington and the downtown skyline. This is a place that neither tourists nor Seattleites will likely stumble upon.
It is your final vista, overlooking Lake Union and the largest houseboat community outside of Asia. This was also the setting for Tom Hank’s place in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. Below you’ll see a footpath. Descend it to reach 5th Avenue. Turn right on 5th, and follow it through the quiet neighborhood until you arrive at the Space needle.
Seattle Center and the Space Needle
There are several things to do in this area. If you must, pay the exorbitant price to ride to the top of the Space Needle. You should certainly visit the Chihuly glass museum below it, which is open late in the summertime. The Space needle at night makes a great background for your pictures in the Chihuly garden. Two other places of interest are the Museum of Pop Culture and the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. The latter is free, a good price for a museum that will inspire you to change your life.
Once you’ve completed your museum tour, walk up to the monorail station and catch it to Westlake Center. Follow the signs down to the transit tunnel, and catch that back to Union Station.
At this point, you can rest assured that you have seen most of the tourist sights in Seattle, and all in one day! If you’ve got more than a day, be sure to head over to the Fremont neighborhood, the Ballard Locks, the University of Washington, and the Washington Park Arboretum. Perhaps I’ll write those up in a future tour, but now it’s time for a break.