DK Travel : Seattle : Downtown

What strikes many visitors to downtown Seattle is how easy it is to see the sights, since key attractions lie within walking distance of one another. Bookended by Belltown to the north and Pioneer Square to the south, downtown can be seen on foot or by city bus at no cost – since all of it lies in the Ride Free Zone. Alternatively, for a small fare, the waterfront streetcar stops at several key points between the Market and the International District. In addition to being a business district full of skyscrapers, downtown offers a wide range of options – such as gourmet restaurants, attractive shopping centers, and a perfect place to begin exploring the city.

Many seafood vendors at Pike Place Market package fish for long-distance travel. Head inside the Koolhaas Library for a visual treat as spectacular as the glass and steel exterior shell. Be sure to leave the bus while still in the Ride Free Zone; if you stay on beyond the boundary, you’ll have to pay upon exiting.

Page
1
2
3
4
5
6

Harbor Steps

If you happen to be near the Seattle Art Museum on First Avenue and need to get down to the waterfront, try the Harbor Steps. A street’s abrupt end has been turned into a wide-open stairway landscaped with water sculpture and planters. The steps are spacious and an ideal urban meeting place, located below a nouveau luxury apartment complex in the heart of an ever-changing downtown Seattle. Countless restaurant and nightlife options abound in the vicinity.
Isadora’s

New, designer, vintage, and private label, Isadora’s collection of imaginative clothing and estate jewelry has been a hit for more than 30 years. Lots of incredible and ultra luxe finds.
Jeri Rice

Bargain shoppers may need to wait for the annual sale of women’s clothes in January. Otherwise, bask in luxurious threads from designers such as Dusan, Sonia Rykiel, Yves St. Laurent, Clara Cottman, and Gaultier.
Karen Dannenberg Couture

Offers original and elegant wear for the sophisticated shopper, but expect the silk suits and lace-trimmed casual items to be expensive.
Koolhaas Library

Completed in 2004, the new downtown library is a work of art. Nearly 8,000 patrons per day benefit from more than 1.45 million books and reference materials, Internet access, spacious areas for children, and over 400 public computers. The art collection alone is worth $1 million.
Lenora Street Bridge

This elegant footbridge leads from Western Avenue to the Elliott Bay piers, providing stellar views of West Seattle and the Olympic Mountains.
Macrina Bakery

A cherished bakery café famous for bread pudding with fresh cream and berries, soups, salads, and sandwiches.
Mariners Team Store

Here’s where to purchase official team jerseys and t-shirts, baseball caps, and other gift items emblazoned with the Seattle’s winning professional league team logo.
Metro Bus Tunnel/Ride Free Zone

Sightseeing between Belltown and Pioneer Square is a piece of cake, thanks to the Bus Tunnel and the Ride Free Zone (see Metro Bus Tunnel). A 1.3-mile (2-km) long tunnel reserved for buses serves thousands of riders daily. If you choose not to walk, either hop on a street level bus within the Zone (checking in with the driver, of course) or look for entrances to the five stations of the Bus Tunnel.
Millionaire’s Club

This social service agency helps potential laborers find temporary work.

Jump to top

Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with two glasses of wine (or equivalent) and tax.
- under $20
- $20–$40
- $40–$55
- $55–$80
- over $80