From Wikitravel

Space Needle

Queen Anne and Seattle Center are northwest of downtown Seattle. This article also incorporates the neighborhoods of South Lake Union, due north of downtown and slowly becoming Seattle's newest office district; Magnolia, the wealthy residential neighborhood on a peninsula west of Queen Anne; and Interbay, the unexpected strip of commerce and industry between the two.

Seattle Center, at the southern base of Queen Anne Hill, was originally built to host the 1962 World's Fair. The theme was 'Century 21' and it featured many corporate sponsored, science-based exhibits. The two most notable survivors were the Monorail and the Space Needle, both of which have become Icons of the city. Today, Seattle Center is a park-like facility surrounded by many of Seattle's finest venues and museums; Key Arena, McCaw Hall, Intiman Theater and the Experince Music Project. The Center becomes a venue in its own right when it hosts several of Seattle's premier events, including Northwest Folklife Festival, Bite of Seattle, Bumbershoot and several others.

South Lake Union was historically an industrial neighborhood. Nearby Cascade, now considered part of South Lake Union, is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Seattle. Today, South Lake Union is becoming a hub of biotech organizations, and there is a lot of gentrification in the neighborhood, with the construction of a new streetcar line, more housing, and new attractions.

Get in

Please note: Queen Anne Ave. is the dividing line between the "North" avenues and the "West" avenues. Don't be surprised if you cross 1st Ave. N and then 1st Ave. W without changing direction!

By foot

Seattle Center and South Lake Union lie within easy walking or bicycling distance of Downtown. Climbing up Queen Anne Hill is more of a workout!

By car

Due to its geography, Queen Anne Hill can be difficult to navigate, especially by car if you're unfamiliar. There are two simple ways to get to the center of the neighborhood. The first is via Queen Anne Ave. from the south (though take note: Queen Anne Avenue traffic is south-only when south of Roy St.). The second is by 3rd Ave. W from the north side, near Seattle Pacific University.

Approaching by Dexter Ave., Gilman Ave., W. Dravus St. or any of the numerous side-streets should not be attempted unless you have time to kill.

Denny Way runs along the south side of Seattle Center. Parking is plentiful, albeit often expensive.

Dexter, Westlake, Fairview, and Eastlake Avenues pass through South Lake Union. Mercer Street is the primary east-west route and most convenient access from I-5, although it's amongst the most traffic-congested streets in the city.

By Bus

The heart of Queen Anne is served mainly by Seattle Metro routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, and 45. Metro Transit maintains a list of Queen Anne routes [1].

South Lake Union is served by routes 2, 26, 28, 39, and 42 on Dexter Avenue, and route 70 on Fairview Avenue (replaced by equivalent service on the 71, 72, and 73 nights and weekends).

By Streetcar

Ride the new South Lake Union Streetcar [2] north up Westlake Avenue from the Westlake Center in Downtown. The streetcar runs at 15 minute intervals from 6AM-9PM Monday through Thursday, 6AM-11PM Fridays & Saturdays, and 10AM-7PM on Sundays. Fare is $2.00 for adults and $0.75 for seniors/youth.

The streetcar was initially announced as the "South Lake Union Trolley", until the developer realized the unfortunate acronym -- which is still used by many residents. Local coffee shop Kapow! sells T-shirts that say, "Ride the S.L.U.T.".

Experience Music Project

• Space Needle, 400 Broad St, [3]. The most expensive elevator ride in America. However, the view is spectacular on a clear day when the sun sets. Downtown Seattle contrasts beautifully with the ocean to the west and the snow-capped mountains in every other direction. You can get a comparably good view for free from Bhy Kracke Park (pronounced "By Crackie") atop Queen Anne Hill. If you are going to eat at the revolving restaurant near the top, called Sky City, the elevator ride is free. Sky City is surprisingly good given its touristy setting, and a three-course brunch only adds $29 to the cost of going up the tower...well worth it. The restaurant completes one revolution per 45 minutes as you eat.

Museums

• Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Ave N, ☎ +1 206 443-2001 (vs@pacsci.org, fax: +1 206 443-3631), [4]. Daily 10AM–6PM. An interactive science museum featuring permanent and temporary exhibits, a butterfly atrium, IMAX theater, planetarium, and laser shows. General exhibits: $10, aged 65+ $8.50, 3-12 $7; exhibits + IMAX: $15, 65+ $13.50, 3-12 $12.  edit

• Experience Music Project (EMP), 325 5th Ave N, ☎ +1 206 367-5483 (experience@emplive.org, fax: +1 206 443-3631), [5]. Open daily 10AM-7PM,. A rock 'n' roll museum, designed by Frank Gehry, and which has the Jimi Hendrix special exhibit. Do not expect to get your turn with the many interactive exhibits. $15, aged 65+ $12, 5–17 $12, student or military (with I.D.) $12, 5 and under free (Admission is free on the first Thursday of every month. This museum is tied to the Science Fiction Museum, the admission fee includes both).  edit

• Science Fiction Museum (SFM), 325 5th Ave N, ☎ +1 206 724-3428 (info@sfhomeworld.org, fax: +1 206 770-2727), [6]. Daily 10AM-7PM, closed Tu, except holidays. Denny Regrade and Seattle Center is home of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame as well as numerous exhibits. $15, aged 65+ $12, 5–17 $12, student or military (with I.D.) $12, 5 and under free (Admission is free on the first Thursday of every month. This museum is tied to the Experience Music Project, the admission fee includes both).  edit

Queen Anne

Perhaps the most obvious spectacle in Queen Anne is the quintessential view of the Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park. The park affords an excellent view of downtown Seattle, the Space Needle, West Seattle/Alki and across the Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island (depending on the weather).

A few blocks southwest of Kerry Park is Kinnear Park, which stretches down to the lower Queen Anne/Mercer Avenue area and has a good view of the Olympic Mountains over the top of Magnolia Hill, if the weather is clear.

North of this area, along 8th Ave. West., the hill opens up to excellent views of the Olympic Mountains to the west and enormous homes on the east.

• Northwest Seaport/Maritime Heritage Center, 1002 Valley Street (in South Lake Union Park), ☎ +1 206 447-9800, [7]. Home to a number of historic ships, including a schooner, a tugboat, a fireboat, a lightship, and a steamer, along with several others. The Center for Wooden Boats  edit

• Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley Street, +1 206 382-2628, [8]. A intriguing museum where you can learn about Maritime culture and experience sailing traditional wooden boats. The center's programs allow you to get a hands-on feel, putting in control of crafting and sailing your own wooden craft.

• South Lake Union Discovery Center, 101 Westlake Avenue, +1 206 342-5900, [9]. Daily, 11AM-6PM. An introduction to the neighborhood, with displays explaining the history of South Lake Union. There is also a model of the whole neighborhood in the building.

• Discovery Park.  edit

• Monorail, [10]. Not as expensive ($2.00 one-way $4.00 round trip) as the trip to the top of the Space Needle. If you need to get between downtown and Seattle Center, the 1962 vintage Alweg monorail is perfectly good transportation and kind of cool, but it doesn't go anywhere else.
• South Lake Union Park, on the Lake Union Waterfront, is home to the Center for Wooden Boats. Much of the park is currently fenced off while redesign takes place.

• Northwest Folklife Festival [11]. A more low-key and global version of Bumbershoot, held in the Seattle Center on Memorial Day weekend (end of May). Even more important - it's free ($10 donation per person per day requested at the entries - but not required).
• Bite of Seattle [12]. Part of Seafair festivities. Held in mid/late-July in the Seattle Center. Eat till you explode.
• Bumbershoot [13]. A music and arts festival, held on Labor Day weekend (beginning of September) in the Seattle Center, featuring dozens of local and world-class musical acts.

• Easy Street Records, 20 Mercer St, ☎ +1 206 691-3279, [14]. M 9-midnight, Tu-Sa 9am-11pm, Su 10am-9pm. Large record store featuring many local artists and a large vinyl selection.  edit

Drink

True to Seattle form, you need never go more than a few blocks without stumbling into a coffee shop.

• Caffe Fiore An organic coffeeshop three blocks north of Kerry Park, offering a true experience of the Seattle coffee house culture: good local art on display that changes on the first day of every month, consistently excellent coffee, environmental consciousness to a fault (the straws are compostable), and neighborly vitality that's easy to witness but hard to describe. Handsome baristas remember the orders of regular patrons, and most everyone you see is a regular patron. The coffee is rich, aromatic, and consistently excellent. Outdoor seating for sunny summer days. The most common order: a short latte, for good reason. Open til 7pm everyday; W Galer Ave at 3rd Avenue W.

• Queen Anne Ave N at Boston St This single intersection, arguably the heart of Upper Queen Anne, boasts no less than three coffee shops and a tea shop. There's a Starbucks, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Caffe Ladro and independent tea purveyor The Teacup. Our pick: go with the small local espresso bar and bakery, Caffe Ladro, which offers excellent sweet treats to accompany your coffee.

• El Diablo Coffee Company Attached to an independent bookstore, this two-story perennial student favorite features interesting (if loud) murals that style the upper and lower sections into "Heaven" and "Hell". Different from the Seattle norm, they offer coffee in the Cuban style; the Cafe Cubano, a strong sugared espresso, is highly recommended and a good deal. The most important aspect of all Cuban espresso varieties is that they are sweetened while the espresso is being brewed. There is no such thing as unsweetened Cuban coffee. Also served are fresh lemonade drinks, beer in bottles, and excellent cakes. Courtyard seating allows for people-watching on nice days. 1811 Queen Anne Ave N, mid-block between Blaine and Howe.

• Top Pot Doughnuts, 325 W. Galer (at 4th Ave. W.), ☎ 206-631-2120. Lodged in a previous neighborhood grocery, "hand-forged" doughnuts, coffee, juice, and the like are available here while you read the daily news with your laptop using their free wireless.  edit

• Macrina Bakery A premier local bakery whose chef was a finalist for a 2007 James Beard Award. Selection changes seasonally and daily, but there's always something delicious on offer. An excellent choice for a breakfast or light lunch; cafe-style seating encourages you to sit down and stay awhile. Espresso can be inconsistent, if you're picky, grab food to go and walk elsewhere for coffee. 615 W Mcgraw St, at 6th Ave W

If you're looking for something to balance out all that caffeine as a stimulant, Lower Queen Anne fits the bill.

• Chopstix, 11 Roy Street Seattle, WA 98109, ☎ (206) 270-4444, [15]. Tu/We 5PM=12AM Th/Fr 5PM-2AM Sat 6PM-2AM. A 'dueling piano' bar on lower Queen Anne. Chopstix is fun, lively place where two grand pianos occupy center stage. There are plenty of sing-along opportunities and requests are taken(tipping helps). Dinner available until 10PM. $7 cover charge Fri/Sat.  edit
• Ozzie's, 105 W Mercer St Seattle, WA 98119, ☎ (206) 284-4618, [16]. 8AM - 2AM Daily. Karaoke is the name of the game at Ozzie's and is available every night starting at 9PM.  edit

• Blue Moon Burgers 920 Republican St.
• Mad Pizza, 1263 Thomas St, +1 206 587-6800, [17]. 11AM-10PM.

• The 5-Spot, 1502 Queen Anne Ave N, ☎ +1 206 285-7768, [18]. Daily 8:30AM—midnight, closed Sa-Su 3PM-5PM. A busy diner with an ever-changing theme based menu and decor to match. Sometimes it's New York City, sometimes Hawaii. The food good for a reasonable price, but be prepared to wait during busy periods, especially weekend brunch.  edit

• Bamboo Garden, 364 Roy St, [19]. Serves up delicious food from the rich tradition of Chinese vegetarian cooking. With a menu that boasts over 120 items, there's a lot to choose from, and the servings are generous. Also one of the few certified Kosher restaurants in Seattle.

• Laadla Cuisine of India 234 Fairview Ave, +1 206 223-1980.

• Phuket, 517 Queen Anne Ave N, ☎ +1 206 284-3700. M-Th 11:30AM-9:30PM, F 11:30AM-10:30PM, Sa 12:30PM-10:30PM, Su 12:30PM-9:30PM. A cozy and well-appointed Thai restaurant across from Dick's, Phuket is a neighborhood restaurant in a downtown location. It can get very crowded, especially during events at Key Arena. The menu is not as extensive as in some other Thai restaurants, but has ample selections to choose from. Try the Green Papaya Salad or the Panang Curry with Salmon.  edit

• Southlake Bar and Grill, 1253 Thomas St (across from REI), [20]. Sister restaurant to Greenlake Bar and Grill and Eastlake Bar and Grill.  edit

• Teapot Vegetarian House [21] is an all-vegan restaurant serving delicious, exotic Pan-Asian vegetarian dishes.

Splurge

Queen Anne is a relatively upper-scale neighborhood, and generally the restaurants rise to the occasion.

• Canlis, 2576 Aurora Ave, ☎ +1 206 283-3313, [22]. Dinner only 5:30PM-close. Great, high-end restaurant , with a wonderful view overlooking Lake Union and Queen Ann Hill. Live piano music. Best to make a reservations well in advance (a week or two ahead) and dress well. $150.  edit

Much of this area is residential or light commercial, with lodgings few and far between; downtown offers far more options. However, the Seattle Center area hosts several smaller hotels.

• Comfort Suites Downtown -- Seattle Center, 601 Roy St, [23].  edit

• Holiday Inn, 211 Dexter Ave N, ☎ +1 206 728-8123 (fax: +1 206-728-2779).  edit

• Homewood Suites by Hilton Seattle, 206 Western Ave W, ☎ +1 206 281-9393, [24]. All suite hotel with views of Elliott Bay, 4 blocks from Seattle Center and the Space Needle, 6 blocks from the Olympic Sculpture Park.  edit

• Inn at Queen Anne, 505 First Ave N, ☎ +1 206 282-7357.  edit

• MarQueen Hotel, 600 Queen Anne Ave N, [25]. Boutique lodging accommodations near the Space Needle and local tourist attractions.  edit

• The Mediterranean, 425 Queen Anne Ave N, ☎ +1 206 428-4700 (toll free: +1 866 525-4700, fax: +1 206 428-4699).  edit

Contact

Nearly all coffee shops offer wi-fi.

Seattle Public Library branches have wi-fi and Internet terminals. Unless you have a SPL library card, ask at the desk for a one-day login.

• Queen Anne Branch, 400 W. Garfield St. (at 4th Ave. W.). M-Tu 1-8 PM, W-Th 10 AM-8 PM, F-Sa 10 AM-6 PM, closed Su.  edit
• Magnolia Branch, 2801 34th Ave. W. (at W. Armour St.). M-Tu 1-8 PM, W-Th 10 AM-8 PM, F-Sa 10 AM-6 PM, closed Su.  edit