Seattle

Seattle is the largest U.S. city named after a Native American. Our namesake Chief Sealth was a leader and member of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes.

Despite our constant gray sky, Seattle's official nickname is the Emerald City. This is either due to our large population of evergreen trees, or perhaps just a fascination with the Wizard of Oz. Unofficially, we are sometimes called the Rainy City, although any Seattle native will tell you that it almost never rains here (Drizzling and sprinkling, however, are entirely different matters...). Seattle is built on an active fault line, and our horizon is decorated by Mt. Rainier - an active volcano and the highest peak in the contiguous U.S.

Space Needle

When it was built for the World's Fair in 1962, the Space Needle was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Although it has since lost this title, it remains a popular attraction in Seattle, and the best view of the city (when the clouds aren't in your way).

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market, founded in 1907, is a marketplace where you can purchase food and flowers directly from the farmers, or crafts from the craftsmakers. Check out the stacks of fresh fish and lobster that pile up on the vendors' tables, and listen to the many street performers who gather there.

International District

Be sure to swing by the International District, known affectionately as the ID. It's within walking distance from downtown and consists of four distinct sections: Chinatown, Manilatown, Little Tokyo, and Little Saigon. Dim sum and bubble tea are great here! Depending on the time of year, you may be able to catch a community pig roast, the Bonadori festival, or the Northwest Asian American film festival.

My Home, the Westside

I am proud to come from the border of two neighborhoods in Seattle-- West Seattle and White Center. Neither spot is a popular attraction for out-of-town visitors, but of course I think this is the greatest place to be. West Seattle-White Center is home to a large immigrant population and ethnic minority community. Try the pho restaurants or taco stands when you come.

Get out on the Water

Sea-town is connected to the Washington State Ferry system, the largest ferry system in the U.S., which links us to cities located on the islands of Puget Sound. During the summer, commuters in the city also take advantage of the public water taxi. We celebrate our seaside location each year by holding SeaFair events including hydroplane races on Lake Union and a parade of milk carton boats on Green Lake.

Drink the Coffee

Latte anyone? Seattle is known for its addiction to coffee. Starbuck's and Seattle's Best (SB) both got their start here. Seattle-ites take our espresso lingo seriously, so be sure to brush up on your java jargon before ordering at the nearest expresso stand.

Watch a Baseball Game

I-CHI-RO! Seattle is home to the Mariners baseball team. Look for them soon in the World Series...

Skid Row

Rumor has it Seattle's Yesler Avenue is the original skid row. ("Skid row" is an old logging term that now refers to any rundown area.) We can't verify this information, but that doesn't stop us from telling the tourists.

Our Languages

21.7% of Seattleites speak a language other than English at home.

The city recently issued a weather-related press release in English, Tagalog, Spanish, Somali, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese to accommodate several Seattle speaker communities.

My recent visit to the Seattle Public School district website found information available to parents in English, Amharic, Cambodian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrigna, and Vietnamese.