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Built in 1914 by typewriter tycoon L.C. Smith, at 42 stories this skyscraper was once the tallest edifice west of New York. Ride the hand-operated elevator to the observation deck for great views.

A bibliophile’s dream destination, this is one of Seattle’s best booksellers. Expect an erudite and informed staff, an incredible selection, a large café, and a notable series of author’s readings.

Deliberately unusual in name and nature, this outfit presents a remarkable look at Pioneer Square’s underground history. The Great Fire, tidal patterns, and poor sewage design forced citizens to convert second stories into first, shown through this subterranean 90-minute walk starting from Pioneer Building.

On the first Thursday of each month, from 6pm to 8pm, galleries sponsor a well-attended art walk. Patrons can talk directly to the artists about their displayed works. An ideal starting point is Occidental Way between Main and Jackson Street, where you can find many of the galleries and upscale shops.

This cobblestone triangle of land bordered by Yesler Way and First Avenue is notable for a Tlingit totem pole, and a statue of Seattle’s namesake, Chief Sealth. It also features an iron-and-glass pergola built in 1909 that once marked the entrance to the “finest underground restroom in the United States”.

This is the artisinal bakery and café that helped make hand-rolled European-style bread a mainstay in Seattle.

In the Northwest, water is everywhere. Step inside this tiny private park to meditate on a man-made paean to tumbling water.

Popular and still prospering after 100 years, Merchant’s Café is Seattle’s oldest restaurant with Victorian decor and hearty meals.

A versatile display of exhibits, films, and photographs emphasize Seattle’s role as the closest US city to Alaskan gold, and as a crucial supply post for claim stakers (see Klondike Gold Rush).

Henry Yesler’s logging mill sat at the foot of what is now Yesler Way, a hill as long and steep as any in San Francisco. He used it to slide timber down to the wharf. When Pioneer Square’s economy tumbled, Skid Road came to signify desolation and despair.