MAYBE IT HAS happened to you. Friends or relatives arrive in Seattle for a short visit. They want you to show them around.
You should know this town, right? I mean, you arrived here three years ago. Of course, they ask about “ Pikes Market ,” the one where the fish get tossed . Maybe they think grunge is still around, even though it’s been almost 33 years since Nirvana released “ Smells Like Teen Spirit .
” No worries. Here it is: a half-day driving tour of Seattle that lasts about six hours, with quick stops but plenty of photo-ops. It even includes your suggestions.
Thank you. On this tour, you’ll get a sampling of the history, memorable sights and quirkiness that make this city special. Remember: This is a sampling.
And please: If you have a better half-day tour, send it to me. All I ask is that you actually drive and time it. I recommend using a navigation app.
I drove the routes myself and ended up trimming the original list considerably to keep it around six hours. We start at the Space Needle Loop, an actual ministreet encircling a fountain right below this 605-foot structural marvel . It was the symbol of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair , and still dominates our skyline.
As your guests pose and point upward for pictures, explain how the Space Needle’s original design was done on a napkin , based on a TV tower in Stuttgart, Germany, that has a restaurant at the top. Tell them it sits on a foundation made of 6,000 tons of concrete and steel. When built, it .