Travel + Leisure - India & South Asia
Fish and Microchips
THE LAST MAJOR CITY ON THE US WEST COAST BEFORE CANADA TAKES UP THE SLACK, SEATTLE IS ONE HELL OF A NOTE FOR A COUNTRY TO GO OUT ON.
NICKNAMED THE Emerald City due to the eternal greenery of its surroundings, it is sandwiched between ocean, lakes and two major mountain ranges—the Cascades to the east and the Olympics to the west.
Yet while its spectacular setting couldn’t help but work in its favor, Seattle is the kind of city that most amply rewards those who like to delve a little beneath the surface. Indeed, with a plethora of eclectic neighborhoods and a multitude of personas that range from thrusting tech hub to grungy beatnik, Seattle can be as tricky to pinpoint as its famous Space Needle (spaceneedle. com) on one of the city’s famously murky winter days.
In fact, it is partly this longstanding diversity—a source of immense civic pride to Seattleites— that make the city such a thrill.
EXPLORE BY NEIGHBORHOOD
And there are few better bases in the city than the Sheraton Grand Seattle. Handily situated in the thick of the action, a short walk in any
direction from the hotel takes you to some of the city’s most compelling areas. You can strike out northeast to Capitol Hill, a hip, edgy hood that is laden with bars, clubs and restaurants, northwest to affluent Queen Anne, or head directly west to Pike Place Market (pikeplacemarket. org), one of the best and oldest farmer’s markets in the country.
While many classic markets have lost at least part of their soul due to gentrification, Pike Place has largely retained its bawdy charisma. Vendors clamor for attention amidst a riot of noise and smells that spans nine acres. With everything from fine dining and specialty foods to markets offering fresh seafood from Pacific Northwest and Alaskan waters, many come just for the cuisine.
Just as compelling though are the handcrafted items, small shops where visitors can peruse comics, collectables, vinyl records, books and rare treasures. Special mention to the talented buskers who provide an ever-changing soundtrack along the historic arcades and winding alleys of the market.
From the market, it’s just a short walk north to another of Seattle’s most recognizable icons, the unmistakable Space Needle. Built for the 1962 World’s Fair, the structure is that rarest of things: something that was built to look futuristic more than 50 years ago that is still otherworldly today.
Indeed, the attraction is even more “space-age” following a two-year $100-million renovation. The new design offers plenty of bells and whistles. One highlight is a rotating glass floor that offers views of the turning mechanism and, beyond that, the ground below.
DROP SOME BRAND NAMES
While the Space Needle certainly helped put Seattle on the map back in the 1960s, these days the city is known as the birthplace of some of the world’s biggest brands. One of these, Starbucks, was founded here by two teachers and a writer in 1971.
As of 2018, the company operates nearly 30,000 locations worldwide. The jewel in its crown though is the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, which is a magnet for lovers of the brand. As you might imagine, the attraction is far more than just an oversized Starbucks. There’s a coffee-centric cocktail bar, multiple food counters and, naturally, a roasting area with tours available.
FEEL THE CREATIVE BUZZ
Starbucks may have long since traded in its roots in the counterculture for globe-straddling success, but Seattle is still known as a place that thrums with creative energy.
This vitality can be easily tapped at a number of spots around the city, one of which is the Seattle Art Museum (seattleartmuseum.org). Worth a visit for its exhibitions alone, the museum also offers film screenings and periodic parties called SAM Remix that turn the museum into a nightclub.
Another area in which Seattle shines is the culinary arts. For those with limited time, there are few better ways to experience one of the best food scenes in the US than on a tour run by acclaimed operator Savor Seattle (savorseattletours.com). Foodie expeditions run the gamut from an insider’s guide to Pike Place Market to a gourmet itinerary that takes in tastings six of the city’s hotspots paired with Washington State wines and craft beers.
For a more prolonged culinary experience, secure a table at one of the city’s plethora of fine dining spots. With Puget Sound lapping on one side of the city and Lake Washington on the other, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with fish and seafood. Nevertheless, few venues nail things quite as impeccably as Rock Creek (rockcreekseattle.com) where chef Eric Donnelly’s expertly seasoned and prepared dishes sing with the siren song of the sea and killer cocktails deliver a knock-out blow.