I don’t know about you, but when I travel to a new city I tend to prioritize my sightseeing according to interest. On day one I visit the attractions that I have the most interest in and have done the most research on. Then, on subsequent days, I fan out across the rest of the city visiting sites that I am not as familiar with. Interestingly, there have been cases where the lesser known attractions turn out to be real gems and I end up wondering why I hadn’t put them on the top of my list.
This happened to me while I was visiting Seattle, Washington. Sure, the Space Needle, the Museum of Flight and Pike Place Market are incredible venues. But, I found the following attractions to be just as family-friendly and well worth adding to any sightseeing list.
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Walk around Seattle and you can easily see how heavily influenced it is by the Asian culture (and I’m not just talking about the food). The city is infused by Japanese, Chinese and Korean touches and nowhere is this more apparent than at Seattle’s Asian Art Museum. The museum is currently featuring an ongoing exhibition: “Discovering Buddhist Art — Seeking the Sublime.” In addition, the museum boasts a variety of other exhibits and displays that illustrate the contributions Asian artists have made to the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Asian Art Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (open until 9 p.m. Thursday). If your schedule allows I would suggest visiting on the first Thursday and Saturday of each month—that’s when all visitors get in free.
Seattle Underground Tour
This is a great tour for families with older children who are interested in history. Even if you aren’t a history buff, you end up walking away having learned some interesting facts about the city. The Underground Tour takes you through the subterranean neighborhood created after an 1889 fire destroyed much of the downtown area. The tour starts with a short introductory history lesson inside a restored 1890s saloon, which sits directly above the offices of the Underground Tour. From there it winds through three blocks of historic underground Pioneer Square. Tours run daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for seniors (60+) and students 13-17 with ID, $5 for kids 7-12. Tour operators warn that the tour is not suitable for children under 6-years-old.
Columbia Center
If you loved the view from the Space Needle then you don’t want to miss the chance to see the city from the Columbia Center. It’s considered the tallest building by number of floors west of the Mississippi River (it has 76 floors). And the observation deck on the 73rd floor is a real crowd pleaser. The deck doesn’t go all the way around the building, but it’s still a great place to snap a bunch of souvenir photos. The observation deck is open weekdays only, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $5 adults, $3 for seniors and students.
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