City Escape - Seattle

Sometimes you want a little more excitement for your quick escape and Seattle can be the perfect choice.  Just 225 miles north of Salem, Seattle is a quick drive up the interstate, or better yet, a leisurely couple of hours on the train.  Seattle offers the visitor many options for culture, dining, shopping and nightlife.  My suggestion is to check in to a centrally located hotel, park your car, and spend your time walking and exploring the downtown area.  Here are a few of my favorites.

The new Four Seasons Hotel located on Union Ave offers breathtaking views of Elliott Bay and the Puget Sound. This hotel has become a new favorite for travelers wanting luxury and service.  Be sure to request a room with water views and stop by Art Restaurant and sample a few of the regional wines on display at the wine wall.

Seattle Four Seasons

The Seattle Art Museum is located just a few minutes away on First Avenue.  The design of the building is striking and inside you will find permanent and temporary exhibits showcasing artists as varied as Michelangelo and Alexander Calder.  After a visit to the Art Museum I always enjoy stopping by the William Traver Gallery across the street, here you will find contemporary art and glass in a restored 1910 warehouse, and who knows you might find something to take back home.  Next take a short walk to the beautiful Olympic Sculpture Park.  The park has transformed a nine-acre industrial site into an open and vibrant green space for art. This new waterfront park gives Seattle residents and visitors the opportunity to experience a variety of sculptures in an outdoor setting while enjoying the incredible views and beauty of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. Admission to the park is free.

Seattle Art Museum

Olympic Sculpture Park

If shopping is on your agenda, just head down the street to Pike Place Market. 
Seattle's waterfront Pike Place Market is one of the most colorful and energetic shopping districts in the Pacific Northwest. The highlight is Pike Place Market's "flying fish," when fish merchants throw cuts of fish to each other across their stand to the delight of awestruck onlookers. A cobblestone street, lined with vendors selling handmade arts and crafts, a dazzling array of multicolored fresh flowers and photographs of scenic Seattle landscapes, winds through the Pike Place Market.

Pike Place Market

For dining try Tom Douglas’ Dahlia Lounge or Lola.  Douglas is Seattle’s own celebrity chef and dining at one of his restaurants is always a great experience. Want a great steak?  Then head to El Gaucho for true luxury steakhouse experience. Be prepared to spend a little time and a lot of money at El Gaucho, but it will be a great evening.