|
During your Seattle vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Center for Wooden Boats
This unusual little museum, located adjacent to the Northwest Seaport/Maritime Heritage Center, is basically a collection of wooden boats of all kinds. Most of the boats are tied up to the docks surrounding the museum's floating boathouse, but some are stored in dry dock (on the dock itself). Dedicated to the preservation of historic wooden boats, the center is unique in that many exhibits can be rented and taken out on the waters of Lake Union. There are both rowboats and sailboats; rates range from $13 to $46 per hour (call for hours of availability). Free classic boat rides are held on Sunday from 2 to 3pm, and individual sailing instruction is also available.
Seattle Central Library
It isn't often that the library is considered one of the coolest joints in town, but Seattle's new downtown library, opened in summer 2004, is such an architectural wonder that it has been the talk of the town. Now, not all that talk has been positive -- but I'll leave it to you to decide whether you love it or hate it. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground with this giant glass cube and its diamond-patterned steel girders and strange angles. Regardless of your reaction to architect Rem Koolhaas's design, you can't help but notice that in a town known for its gray skies, this library abounds in natural light. There are also colorful spongy chairs, floors of bamboo and brushed metal, carpets printed to look like plants, and a garden designed to meld with the carpets. Oh, and if you need to use the Internet, this place has hundreds of computer terminals, too.
Chapel of St. Ignatius
Lest you think subtlety is a concept unknown to architects commissioned to design contemporary buildings in Seattle, pay a visit to this tasteful little chapel on the campus of Seattle University, a Catholic institution. Designed by architect Steven Holl, the chapel was conceived as "seven bottles of light in a stone box," with each of those bottles of light reflecting an aspect of Catholic worship. The "bottles" are basically ways of channeling light into the chapel, and though the exterior seems rather stark and angular, on the inside, soft light in different colors suffuses the rooms. The chapel is something of an exercise in the ways natural light can be used to illuminate a building, and the overall effect is positively enchanting.
Hilton Seattle
The Hilton Seattle is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Seattle's financial and retail district. It is connected by an underground concourse to Washington State Convention Center, 5th Avenue Theatre and Rainier Square retail ...
Renaissance Seattle Hotel
The Renaissance Seattle Hotel is set on a tree-lined hill at the top of Madison Street one block from the dramatic Seattle Public Library: a prime location away from the hustle and bustle, yet with excellent freeway access and walking-distance proximity to the Seattle stadiums, shopping and sightseeing. You will be delighted by the spacious high-ceilinged lobby newly renovated with colorful furnishings and walls graced with paintings depicting colorful city scenes by a young local artist. ...
|
|
