By Becky Ohlsen, Cooking Light Magazine1. Savor the city's flavor: Everything great about Seattle is distilled in Pike Place Market. Tucked between a vibrant downtown core and the Puget Sound's Elliott Bay, the lively market offers fresh breezes off the water, locally grown foods, quirky shops, a diverse crowd, and, of course, the famous fishmongers of Pike Place Fish, who fling fresh salmon to one another through the air. Those in the know do as the locals: Shop the market early in the morning before it becomes crowded. Seek out an on-the-go breakfast or the makings for a picnic lunch at the market's numerous ethnic food shops, where you'll find everything from dim sum to Turkish delight.
2. Park it: While north Seattle's Green Lake is popular with joggers and walkers, Discovery Park, a 534-acre wilderness area just northwest of downtown, offers real treks. Formerly a U.S. Army fort, it's now the largest park in the city and home to an extensive trail network, tidal beaches along Puget Sound, and a lighthouse.
3. Experience the city: The exterior of the Experience Music Project was designed by architect Frank Gehry to resemble a smashed guitar. Inside, you'll find a museum that pays homage to popular music with memorabilia, exhibits on the evolution of the Seattle music scene, and video interviews with hundreds of influential musicians, from Randy Newman to native daughters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. Musicians or those who aspire to be are equally at home here: The museum's 12 soundproof studios can be reserved for everything from jam sessions for experienced players to step-by-step instruction for beginners. An added bonus: Visit on the first Thursday evening of the month, and admission is free.
4. Catch it fresh: Chef-owner Christine Keff changes the menu daily at Belltown's Flying Fish, which has consistently been regarded as one of Seattle's top seafood spots since it opened. "You can find great seafood all over the city," says Cynthia Nims, Seattle-based cookbook author and contributor to Cooking Light. "But Flying Fish elevates ocean fare to the more exotic with a broader culinary influence over the array of unique regional seafood." Make sure to try the small plates of seared scallops with pineapple hollandaise or Thai crab cakes, or share a large family-style platter of oysters and pickled ginger sorbet.
5. Walk on the wild side: Woodland Park Zoo, near Green Lake, is rated as one of the top zoos in the country. It initiated the now-common method of building exhibits that mimic natural ecosystems, rather than restrictive cages. A self-guided Rainy Day Tour means you can explore the zoo's many covered exhibits and interactive indoor displays without having to wait for the weather to cooperate.
6. Enjoy a room with a view: Perched over the water in Elliott Bay, the Edgewater (800-624-0670) has a storied past as a refuge for touring rock bands, including the Beatles, who famously fished out the window; you can stay in their suite. The hotel's theme is pure Pacific Northwest, with stone fireplaces and rough-hewn pine furniture. Half of the 223 rooms have water views; the rest overlook the Seattle skyline.
7. Take a day trip: Ferry boats are one of Seattleites' favorite modes of transportation. Visit
www.wsdot.wa.gov for schedules and terminal locations. Catch a ferry to Bainbridge Island to enjoy the beauty of Puget Sound. Find a spot on the upper deck, where views are best. From downtown, the ride takes about 35 minutes to reach quaint Bainbridge, where you can rent a bicycle and easily explore the island's winding roads and hills.
8. Eat green: Nearly everything about Tilth (206-633-0801) is green, including the space it occupies: a little green bungalow in residential Wallingford. Organic growers and farmers provide at least 95 percent of the ingredients served here, such as chilled truffled asparagus or duck raised in Washington State. All main dish items on the menu are available as a small plate or a large, so you can order tapas-style and share your partner's selections.
9. See the city up close: The informative, in-depth See Seattle Walking Tours make the most of Seattle's noted walkability. These tours draw nearly as many locals as visitors, thanks to their emphasis on the city's history and oft-overlooked architectural details in its signature art deco buildings. You'll begin at Westlake Plaza in the downtown business district and end at Pioneer Square near the waterfront. It's a full day of walking, with stops for lunch and rest breaks. Tours leave daily Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m., as long as at least six walkers have made reservations, which are strongly recommended.
10. Splurge on a great meal: The cuisine at Rover's is led by James Beard Award-winning Chef Thierry Rautureau (known as "the Chef in the Hat" for his ever-present fedora). Rautureau serves a prix fixe dinner menu daily (including an eight-course feast and a five-course vegetarian option), as well as à la carte items at lunch for the budget-minded. The food is French meets Pacific Northwest: You'll see anything from Oregon quail with roasted beets and wild boar prosciutto to Rautureau's signature scrambled eggs with lime crème fraîche and caviar.
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