Seattle, WA

Experience Music Project
DESCRIPTION: The brainchild of Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, this landmark Frank Gehry-designed venue explores creativity and innovation in Pop, Rock 'n Roll, Jazz, Soul, Gospel, Country, Blues, Hip-Hop, Punk and other music genres; the 140,000-square-foot museum features artifacts from a collection of more than 80,000 artifacts, including the world's largest collection of Jimi Hendrix memorabilia – its mesmerizing; you'll be struck by the massive video screen showing music legends and cutting edge musical artists of today; located within EMP, Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame presents thought provoking and entertaining experiences that promote science fiction and pays homage to its creators; see changing exhibits like Avatar, Alien, Star Wars, War of Worlds, ET and many more; one exhibit talked about the significance of Star Trek showing the first interracial kiss on TV and how the show opened many doors for Black TV actors; the venue includes a rather large a cafe on the lower level and a gift shop that is both remarkable for its many distinctive gifts and comprehensive for its volume

ADMISSION: Adults 18-64 $15, Seniors $12, Age 5-17 $12, age 4 and under enter Free; entitles access to the Science Fiction Museum as well

DAYS & HOURS: May 27-Sept 6 10a-7p; Sept 7-May 26 10a-5p; closed Christmas

ADDRESS: 325 5th Avenue North, Seattle Center  MAP

TRANSIT: next to Seattle Center Monorail Station

PARKING: lot at 5th Avenue North and Harrison Street

PHONE: Box Office 206-770-2702

WEBSITE: http://www.emplive.com

 
Pacific Science Center
DESCRIPTION: Designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the buildings served as the U.S. Science Pavilion during the 1962 Worlds Fair; consists of five buildings of hands-on exhibits for children of all ages; major exhibits include: SPACE: A Journey To Our Future where you can touch a piece of the Moon and Mars; a Tropical Butterfly House; Tech Zone lets you play virtual reality soccer; Colossal Fossils crawling with dinosaur fossils, eggs, nests, giant replicas and interactive exhibits; an IMAX Theater and a planetarium that has frequent a laser shows; located under the arches near the Space Needle

ADMISSION: Price begin at $14 Adults and $9 ages 6-15; add $4 for IMAX shows, though IMAX special engagements cost more

DAYS & HOURS: Fall-Winter Mon, Wed-Fri 9:45a-5p, Sat-Sun 9:45a-6p; longer spring-Summer hours

ADDRESS: 200 Second Avenue North  MAP

PARKING: James Albert Claypool Memorial Garage at the corner of Second Avenue North and Denny Way

PHONE: 206-443-2001 or 800-664-8775

WEBSITE: http://www.pacsci.org

Seattle Children's Theatre
DESCRIPTION: Theatre hosts a variety of productions; hosted world premiere of "When I Grow Up I'm Gonna Get Some Big Words" about the modern Civil Rights Movement through eyes of the young activists that Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired

ADMISSION: $16 for children and adults

DAYS & HOURS: check website for performance schedule

ADDRESS: 201 Thomas Street  MAP

PARKING: 1st Avenue North Garage between John Street and Thomas Street

PHONE: 206-441-3322

WEBSITE: http://www.sct.org

 

Key Arena
DESCRIPTION: First opened in 1962 as the Washington State Pavilion for the Century 21 Exposition of the World's Fair; current home of the Seattle Storm of the WNBA, Seattle University men's basketball, concerts and many family events; former home to the NBA Seattle Sonics; after renovation and expansion in 1995, it remains an architectural award-winning arena still popular with the locals; its unique design provides Storm and concert fans with an intimate entertainment experience featuring spectacular sightlines and acoustics; amenities include plenty concession and merchandise areas; basketball seating capacity 17,072

BOX OFFICE: Ticketmaster

ADDRESS: 305 Harrison Street  MAP

PARKING: many lots within walking distance

PHONE: 206-684-7200

WEBSITE: http://www.keyarena.com

 
Seattle Children’s Museum
DESCRIPTION: A fun, interactive learning environment for kids and families with a wealth of exhibits such: Global Village, Mountain Forest, Imagination Station, Discovery Bay for toddlers, The Neighborhood, Mindscape Technology Studio, Cog City and a traveling exhibit gallery

ADMISSION: $7.50 Adults and Children, $6.50 Grandparents

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri 10-5p, Sat-Sun 10a-6p

ADDRESS: 305 Harrison Street  MAP

PARKING: 2-hour metered and un-metered street parking is available around Seattle Center; paid parking is available in lots surrounding Seattle Center

PHONE: 206-441-1768

WEBSITE: http://www.thechildrensmuseum.org

Seattle Aquarium
DESCRIPTION: What a perfect location next to Puget Sound and its surrounding views; exhibits include Seahorses, Octopus, Sharks, Tropical Fish, Eels, Touch Pools, Sea Otters and Seals, Puget Sound Fish and a Family Activity Center for kids; the fantastic new $41 million expansion created America's 7th largest aquarium and includes a 120,000 gallon Window on Washington Waters exhibit that is breathtaking
ADMISSION: $17 age 13 +, $11 ages 4-12, FREE age 3 and under; you can also pay an upcharge to combine your visit with an Argosy Harbor Cruise
DAYS & HOURS: daily 9:30a-5p
ADDRESS: 1483 Alaskan Way  MAP
PARKING: Metered parking available underneath the Alaskan Way; Republic Parking Hillclimb Garage is located across the street
PHONE: 206-386-4300

WEBSITE: http://www.seattleaquarium.org

Seattle Waterfront
DESCRIPTION: In 1897, the steamship Portland arrived at Schwabacher’s Wharf – now Waterfront Park; The crew on board claimed they carried more than a ton of solid gold from Canada’s Yukon Territory through this port, marking the two-year Klondike Gold Rush that made Seattle the Gateway to Alaska; today the waterfront is home to Argosy Cruises, Washington State Ferries, Bell Harbor Marina and Cruise Terminal, Emerald City Charters, Olympic Sculpture Park, Piers 62 and 63, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Waterfront Arcade, and Tillicum Village Native American cultural center, so there's plenty of fun to go around
ADMISSION: Free, specific venues and cruise ships assess their own fees
DAYS & HOURS: daily
ADDRESS: Alaskan Way  MAP
PARKING: Metered parking available underneath Alaskan Way
PHONE: Pier 62 and 63 206-684-4075; Waterfront Arcade 206-903-1081
WEBSITE: http://www.seattlewaterfront.org

Woodland Park Zoo
DESCRIPTION: Spanning 92 acres, the zoo manages 1,100 specimens representing 300 species plus 34 groups of arthropods, one group of fish and one group of Partula snails; also provides a home for endangered animal species; the botanical collection includes 7,000 trees and herbs representing more than 1,000 species; opens daily at 9:30a, closing times vary between 4, 5 and 6pm depending on season; observe a group of gorillas foraging for food, come eye-to-eye with orangutans living atop trees in an open forest canopy, enjoy a herd of elephants meandering rolling terrain in a Thai village – all in Safari to Africa; the zoo helped pioneer naturalistic exhibits that mimic the rich diversity of the world’s bio-climatic zones; Take a ride on a lovingly restored, vintage 1918 carousel; rose enthusiasts can stroll through one of only 24 All-America Rose Selections test sites in the US
ADMISSION: Age 13-64 $16.50, Age 3-12- $11, babies enter Free; prices reduce during the winter
DAYS & HOURS: daily Oct 1-April 30, 9:30a-4p; May 1-Sept 30, 9:30a-6p
ADDRESS: 5500 Phinney Ave North  MAP
PARKING: $5 per day for cars
PHONE: 206-684-4800

WEBSITE: http://www.zoo.org

Museum of Flight
DESCRIPTION: Enjoy the wonder of flight viewing more than 150 historically significant aircraft and spacecraft in the original Boeing Aircraft factory, and dozens of interactive exhibits and family activities; the largest museum of its type on the West Coast, stroll inside the West Coast’s only supersonic Concorde; walk in the footsteps of presidents aboard the first Air Force One jet; fly airplane and spacecraft flight simulators; launch into orbit with rare spacecraft; World War II gallery features a uniform and flight gear exhibit honoring Tuskegee Airman, Lt. Colonel Bill Holloman III -- a fighter pilot during World War II, Korean War and Vietnam, and the first black helicopter pilot in the Air Force; the Holloman display is next to a P-51 Mustang fighter flown by Tuskegee Airmen in the 332^nd Fighter Group during World War II; Education Office offers weekend family programs, programs for students and educators, and overnight camps
ADMISSION: Adults $16, Age 65+ $14, $13 Military, $9 age 5-17; Age 4 and under enter Free; first Thursday of the month enters Free from 5p-9p
DAYS & HOURS: daily 10a-5p
ADDRESS: 9404 East Marginal Way South  MAP
PARKING: $5 per day for cars
PHONE: 206-764-5720
WEBSITE: http://www.museumofflight.org

 

Tillicum Village

DESCRIPTION: enjoy a 4-hour  experience culminated at the longhouse styled in the fashion of the ancient dwellings of the Northwest Coast Native Americans; your experience includes a 45-minute narrated Argosy cruise to Blake Island, which is a mere 8 miles from downtown; once ashore, staff in authentic native regalia greet the boat; delicious clams steamed in nectar with a touch of butter and onions are served; as is tradition at Tillicum, used shells are tossed to the ground and crushed under foot, creating the path up to the longhouse; once inside you will see an authentic dance representative of Native Americans, centuries before anyone else arrived with handmade regalia worn by the tribal elders, as each element of the show is true to the Coast Salish Tribes; the experience includes salmon bakeed in the Native American tradition on a wood frame before an open fire; Dessert is a moist and decadent chocolate brownie with a Marionberry swirl topping this sweet creation; of course time to dine on your wonderful salmon feast with salad; after dinner, guests are treated to a 25‐minute show in the spirit of Northwest Coastal Tribes; when the lights are raised, guests participate in guided tours about this beautiful region

ADMISSION: Adults $46 for 1 day, Kids $29 for day; book early for savings; AAA members receive a discount

DAYS & HOURS: 4 times daily beginning at 8:30a

ADDRESS: depart from Argosy Cruises at Pier 55/56 to Blake Island  MAP

PARKING: paid lots under Alaskan Way across from the pier

PHONE: 206-623-1445

WEBSITE: http://www.tillicumvillage.com

Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture
DESCRIPTION: One of the foremost natural history museums in the region, The Burke features both natural and cultural artifacts from the Pacific Northwest and the Pacific Rim ranging from Native American totem poles and hand-carved cedar canoes to dinosaur skeletons, fossils, gems, minerals
ADMISSION: $9.50 general, $7.50 seniors, $6 students and age 5-18; Free on First Thursdays of the month
DAYS & HOURS: daily 10a-5p, Thu 10a-8p
ADDRESS: 45th Street NE and 17th Avenue NE  MAP
PARKING: $15 daily, but pro-rate
PHONE: 206-543-5590
WEBSITE: http://www.burkemuseum.org

Safeco Field
DESCRIPTION: Home for the Seattle Mariners baseball team, this retractable roof venue is considered one of the premier baseball parks in America; some seats have sweeping views of the downtown skyline and sunsets over Puget Sound to combined with excellent views of the game; tour it to see areas not normally open to the public: press box, luxury suites, field, visitors clubhouse; cameras are welcome; seats 46,621
BOX OFFICE: see website for pricing matrix, book online
ADDRESS: 1250 First Avenue South  MAP
PARKING: $20-40 on premises, plus different rates at many surrounding lots
PHONE: 206-346-4000
WEBSITE: http://www.mariners.org

Quest Field
DESCRIPTION: Home for the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team; features natural turf and seats 67,000; the most distinguishing feature is the a 13-story tower with a scoreboard at the top and bleacher seating for up to 3,000 fans in its base; located next to Safeco Field, but closer to downtown
BOX OFFICE: see website for pricing matrix, book online
ADDRESS: 800 Occidental Avenue South  MAP
PARKING: $20-40 on premises, plus different rates at many surrounding lots
PHONE: 206-381-7555
WEBSITE: http://www.nfl-football-tickets.net/ss/stadium.htm