Bellevue - Eastside
Seattle's Eastside is one of America's most affluent areas. Multimillion-dollar estates on Lake Washington are home to a few billionaires, including Bill Gates. With its concentration of finance and tech firms, downtown Bellevue's skyline rivals that of Seattle. The Eastside has several corporate headquarters, including Microsoft, Nintendo of America, and Eddie Bauer.
Bothell - Woodinville
Bothell-Woodinville is Puget Sound's answer to the Napa Valley. Wineries coexist with suburban homes, office parks, and small farms. Most wineries here are open to the public for touring and wine tasting. Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington's oldest winery, is based here on property once owned by a timber baron. Peacocks stroll the chateau's well-manicured grounds, which also host summer concerts.
Downtown Seattle
Downtown Seattle stretches along Puget Sound from historic Pioneer Square in the south to trendy Belltown in the north. In between, office towers, shopping gallerias, and brick condos line the leafy avenues. The convention center is here, as is Pike Place Market, where salmon fly. Don't miss the futuristic main library. Seattle's twin stadiums and the International District lie south of downtown.
Lynnwood
Located in Seattle's northern suburbs, the city of Lynnwood is about 25 minutes by car from downtown Seattle. Although best known as a bedroom community, Lynnwood is home to one of the Seattle area's better shopping centers, the upscale Alderwood. Nearby, Boeing dominates the city of Everett. Marysville, about 30 minutes north of Lynnwood, has a large casino and outlet mall complex.
North Seattle
Stretching from Greenlake to Shoreline, North Seattle is home to Northgate Mall, a popular shopping destination with more than 125 stores. The neighborhood of Greenlake is also home to Green Lake, which has a 2.9-mile running/walking path encircling it. The streets along the lake are also home to trendy bars and restaurants. Shoreline is a suburb of Seattle and is mainly residential.
Seattle Center
The iconic Space Needle is at Seattle Center, a two-minute monorail ride from downtown. Both train and tower were built for the 1962 World's Fair. The Seattle Center offers opera, ballet, and theater, as well as the Key Arena, the Pacific Science Center, and Experience Music Project. Nearby, the nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park offers respite amid a waterfront view of the Olympic Mountains.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Located in the city of SeaTac, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is about 30 minutes from both downtown Seattle and downtown Tacoma. This neighborhood is near several office parks and Seattle's booming southern suburbs, including Kent, Federal Way, and Renton. Boeing Field and the Museum of Flight are directly north of the airport.
Snoqualmie
Locals make the short trek to The Summit at Snoqualmie for seasonal skiing. The melting snow makes for its own tourist draw via Snoqualmie Falls. The 268-foot waterfall is one of Washington's most popular natural attractions. Snoqualmie offers a variety of antique shops and family-owned restaurants. Snoqualmie and nearby North Bend were used as backdrops in the cult TV classic Twin Peaks.
University District
With about 40,000 students, the University of Washington is the area's lifeblood. The campus includes a world-class medical center, the Burke Museum, and Henry Art Gallery. UW's main square offers a clear view of Mount Rainier. West of UW, a Lenin statue watches over Fremont, which bills itself as ôThe Center of the Universe.ö Fremont's low-rise shops and cafTs resemble Berkeley and Old New York.
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