Winter in Seattle: Enjoy the Elbow Room

A post-holiday slowdown – not to mention wintry grey skies – diverts many visitors to places other than the Pacific Northwest. Those who do venture to our corner of the world at this time of year, however, benefit by having a lot more room to roam, and a chance to spot interesting features that might be hidden by the rush of tourist feet at the height of summer.

Take Pike Place Market. No need to string family members together lest you lose one another. You can wander the aisles freely and spot your spouse several stalls away. You can even read the names engraved on every floor tile – thank these folks for donating money in the 1980s to replace the floor that was crumbling away.

January’s also a great time to do the Coffee Crawl offered by Seattle By Foot tours. In addition to hearing all about Seattle’s coffee connections, you get to warm up frequently by visiting a variety of local watering holes of the caffeinated kind, samples included, of course.

Outside the market and on nearby Seattle streets, check out the hatch cover art. Formerly known as man-hole covers, these hatch lids to the city sewer system not only bear a relief map of downtown and major city landmarks; each map also sports a stainless steel button that tells you, “you are here.”

December Sights and Sounds for the Season

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style is what Seattle is all about these days with tiny white lights wrapped around the many trees of downtown and nearby neighborhoods with great eats and holiday decor. Shop pretty storefronts or take in some music or theater productions like the Pacific Northwest Ballet's "The Nutcracker" www.pnb.org, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" www.seattlepublictheater.org, "A Christmas Carol" www.acttheater.org, or board one of the Christmas Ships that lead a parade of decorated boats around Puget Sound waters throughout December. Experience "Seattle Center Winterfest" www.seattlecenter.com with an ice rink, winter train, and entertainment. And, Christmas is not complete without a visit to the Pike Place Market www.pikeplacemarket.org. Come join the spirit of the holidays in the Pacific Northwest.

October in Seattle

October is still a transition month in Seattle. We can have beautiful warm days and blue skies as well as windy blustery days. So what can visitors do that is indoors?

We have many museums, including the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Frye Art Museum (which is free), Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Northwest African American Museum, and the Wing Luke Museum. At Seattle Center, home of the famous Space Needle, you can find the Experience Music Project, the Science Fiction Museum and the Pacific Science Center with interactive projects and the Imax Theaters.

In Pioneer Square there is the Gold Rush Museum and also the famous Underground Tours.

Book Stores: The Elliott Bay Book Company has relocated to Capitol Hill and is within walking distance to many of our Capitol Hill Bed and Breakfast accommodations. The downtown Seattle Public Library is a treasure not only for its collection, but also for its futuristic architecture.

Seattle is a music town with many venues, and also the host of the Earshot Jazz Festival running from October 14 to November 6th. There are many events through the city, from small intimate spaces to museums, and some events are free. A list of events and spaces can be found at: earshotjazz.org.

Restaurant Week is also a popular event running for 2 weeks, Sunday to Thursday, October 16th-20th and 23rd-27th. Many restaurants are located within walking distance of Seattle bed and breakfasts.

Whatever the reason you find yourself in Seattle in October you are sure to find something to do indoors and out. Ask your innkeeper!