:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/WFG6CBWIWNGDZJT7RCIBPFHTDY.jpg?ssl=1 "Seattle offers much more than a connection hub for Alaska flyers")
Lately I’ve spent too much time at the Seattle airport and not enough time exploring the Emerald City.
It’s not just about downtown Seattle, either. I’ve been catching up with friends in the area and we shared stories about visiting the nearby San Juan Islands or taking the Victoria Clipper up to Vancouver Island (bring your passport).
There are some seasonal events, though, that make a trip to Seattle more compelling.
First on the list is Seattle Museum Month. Every February, area museums team up with local hotels to offer half-price admission.
There is a catch. To get the half-price admission, stay at a downtown hotel. There are 70 hotels from which to choose. Even if you just stay for one night, you can get a pass which offers up to four people half-price admission.
It’s very difficult to visit all of the museums on the list. Just visiting the Seattle Art Museum, right downtown near Pike Place Market, can take all day. There’s a special exhibit now featuring the mobiles of Alexander Calder and giant wood sculptures of artist Thaddeus Mosley.
But there are many ongoing exhibits at SAM, as the museum is affectionately known. Rembrandt’s etchings, an exhibit from northern Australia, an intricate porcelain sculpture from Italian artist Diego Cibelli, African art, Native American art and so much more is on display.
It’s worth the long walk to the north of Pike Place Market to visit the Olympic Sculpture Park, a free outdoor exhibition by SAM featuring oversized works, including a giant Calder sculpture. The sweeping views of Elliott Bay and the mountains on the Olympic Peninsula are part of the package.
My other favorite art museum is the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. What I remember most about the Burke Museum is its rich collection of Northwest Native art.
But the term “museum” covers an incredible array of collections. A visit to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum is a chance to see the most fanciful creations of renowned glass blower Dale Chihuly. It’s right next to the Space Needle.
You have to go up to the top and see the new renovations.
“They took out most of the restaurant,” said Sydney Martinez, public relations manager for Visit Seattle.
“Then they replaced the floor with glass. Plus, they took the protective wires off from around the Observation Deck and put up clear glass for an uninterrupted view,” she said.
If you visit the Space Needle in February, there’s hardly ever a line!
Getting from the airport to downtown is easy with the light rail system. There’s a terminal adjacent to the parking garage in the airport. The one-way fare for the 38-minute train ride is $3. From downtown, there are streetcars that go up Capitol Hill and down to Lake Union.
Martinez encourages travelers to check out the Transit Go app.
“All of the buses require exact change and sometimes that’s a hassle,” she said. “Just add finds to your app using a credit card and show the driver when you get on.”
Pike Place Market is a downtown landmark in Seattle. Fresh produce, the famous fish market, specialty retailers and restaurants — there’s always something going on. Now there’s even more to see.
Following the destruction of the waterfront freeway and the building of the tunnel, the Seattle Waterfront project has made great strides on its revitalization plan. The latest milestone is the opening of the Overlook Walk.
The Seattle Waterfront project encompasses much more than the new waterfront steps. Landscaping, pedestrian crossings and parks still are being constructed. But you cannot miss the beautiful staircase that comes down from Pike Place Market to the waterfront.
“There’s a really large patio at the top overlooking Elliott Bay,” said Martinez. “The stairs go down to the waterfront from there, but there also are elevators.”
Tucked under one wall is a completely new exhibit from the Seattle Aquarium, which is right across the street on the water. The Ocean Pavilion features an exhibit on the “Indo-Pacific ecosystem in the Coral Triangle.” I want to see this for myself!
Wine lovers love Washington wines. And Seattle shows up to showcase the increasing variety of wines available around the state. Taste Washington brings the region’s food and wines together for an event in mid-March.
Hosted by the WAMU Center near the big sports stadiums, Taste Washington features 200 wineries and 75 restaurants for tastings, pairings and demonstrations. There are special tastings, special dinners (plus a Sunday brunch) and special demonstrations between March 13 and 17.
There’s another regionwide feasting event called Seattle Restaurant Week, where participating restaurants offer a selected dinner for a set price. No dates are set yet, but Martinez said it usually happens both in the spring and the fall.
It’s not downtown, but it’s worth going to Boeing Field to see the Museum of Flight. This ever-expanding museum features exhibits on World War I and II, in addition to the giant main hall where there are dozens of planes displayed. I love getting up close to the world’s fastest plane, the black SR-71 Blackbird. But take the elevated walkway across the street to see the Concorde SST, an older version of Air Force 1 (a Boeing 707) and a Lockheed Constellation.
One of the most interesting exhibits is the Space Shuttle Trainer — used to train the astronauts here on the ground. There’s an amazing array of space-related exhibits. Don’t miss it.
Some travelers come to Seattle for sports. Take in home games from the Seattle Kraken hockey team or the Seattle Sounders soccer team this winter.
Other travelers come to see shows. Moore Theatre is hosting Lyle Lovett on Feb. 19 and Anoushka Shankar on March 13. Joe Bonamassa is playing at the Climate Pledge Area on Feb. 16. There are dozens of live music venues throughout the area.
It’s easy to get out of town to go on a bigger adventure. The Victoria Clipper leaves from the Seattle Waterfront for Victoria’s Inner Harbour each day, starting Feb. 16. If you want faster passage, fly back on Kenmore Air to Lake Union.
The Washington State Ferries offer great service from downtown Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula. Or, drive north to Anacortes and take the ferry to the San Juan Islands. Or, just drive north to Mukilteo and catch a short ferry over to Whidbey Island.
There are fun events all year in Seattle. But I’m circling February on the calendar for Museum Month. Plus, I need to see that grand staircase from Pike Place Market down to the water!
