traveldk.com

Ballard’s largest park, and one of Seattle’s true urban escapes, includes 87 acres of forested trails, beaches, picnic areas, and great views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Originally, the gardens stood at the end of the line for electric streetcars which were funded by realtors, who wanted Seattle residents to get away from the city’s noise and grit. Cool summer nights along the shore bring groups to huddle around bonfires, while sunny days see hundreds of revelers getting tans or playing volleyball in the sand. There is also an off-leash area for dogs, and a boat ramp at the marina.

In Ballard’s far northwestern edge along Puget Sound, the wide sandy beaches of Golden Gardens take on the characteristics of a cherished vacation spot. The Olympic Mountains stand to the west, a marina lies adjacent, and Lake Washington Ship Canal is nearby so pleasure crafts are always in view. There are two wetlands, a wooded area, a stream, and a loop trail.

Formerly known as the Off Ramp, Graceland proudly flaunts its roots as a crusty, smoky rock club. It’s a mecca for those seeking strong drinks and a favorite venue for many of the area’s hard-working rock bands.

This elegant hotel’s deluxe rooms feature cordless, two-line phones and free Internet access. Guests have free use of the sprawling health club, which has an exercise room, sauna, Jacuzzi, steam bath, lockers, circuit machines, and cardio machines with flat-screen televisions.

They show the best of independent and avant-garde films.

Mounds of gravel, asphalt, and conveyor belts make stark contrast with the solemnity and serenity of the water and parkland nearby.

It’s a major destination for health-minded patrons, who take their wheat grass-infused beverages with plain brown rice and steamed vegetable dishes.

Natural resources created a boomtown whose rapid growth drew more than 1,000 new residents every month. Seattleites learned the impermanence of wooden structures in 1889, after a catastrophic fire destroyed much of the downtown area.

The Seattle area lived under a dark shadow of brutal serial killings as dozens of women became victims of the Green River Killer. Twenty years of intense investigation led to the capture of Gary Ridgeway in 2001. He was convicted in 2003.

Backpackers, students, and US travelers on the cheap frequent this hostel as its rates include free breakfast, Internet access, and retail discount card.