A Day in Seattle

The best way to visit downtown Seattle from our "home" in Chimacum, on the Olympic Peninsula, is to take the ferry. On Tuesday, we drove 38 miles southeast over two bridges to Bainbridge Island. From here we caught a 35 minute ride on the Washington State Ferry to the heart of the downtown district. Parking and driving can be very difficult in Seattle, so we chose to leave the car behind and walk onto the ferry. A boat ride was a lot more fun than driving anyway.

 

While downtown, we went to Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, Seattle Waterfront, Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle Public Library and Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center.

Washington State Ferry

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour

Seattle burned down in 1889. This gave the city planners the opportunity to rebuild the city properly. Prior to 1889 the city was tormented by flooding problems due to high tides. When the city was rebuilt it was also raised, which left the first floor of the older structures entombed below the new street grade. We took a 75 minute Underground Tour of this historic district and Pioneer Square.

Underground Seattle reminded us of an old basement.

After our Underground Tour we walked about five miles around the city taking in the sites and wearing out our feet.

Seattle Great Wheel

Space Needle

The Public Library looked like a piece of modern art.

View from the 73rd floor of Sky View Observatory
at the Columbia Center

Tall building in center is the Columbia Center.
At 967 feet, one of the tallest buildings on the west coast.

Our lunch spot at Ivar's Acres of Clams on Pier 54

We boarded the ferry at 8:00 a.m. and returned
to Bainbridge Island at 8:00 p.m.

After a long day in Seattle, we are making
plans to return for another day of fun.
Too much to do and not enough time.