66 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE its sheer size, consider a professional tour that includes copious samples if visiting for the first time. Savor Seattle Tours offers several guided adventures, seamlessly combining culture with everything that’s cooking on every floor. Beyond the Market, the bustling downtown is also home to the Seattle Center, the 74-acre urban park that serves as the homebase for the famed Space Needle but also the Chihuly Garden and Glass , Pacific Science Center , Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP ), Seattle Opera , Pacific Northwest Ballet , Seattle Repertory Theatre , and more. Chihuly Garden and Glass and MoPOP are particularly fun if visiting with friends or on a romantic getaway. Chihuly Garden and Glass is located below the Space Needle and boasts the most comprehensive collection of Washington native Dale Chihuly’s artwork ever assembled, including a ceiling installation that covers 4,500 square feet. MoPOP is just as colorful, especially when it comes to its exhibits. The 140,000-square-foot museum is dedicated to all things pop, from American popular music to popular culture. There are artifacts, costumes and memorabilia, as well as interactive stations to immerse oneself in the creative process of musicians, filmmakers, game developers and authors. It is also home to the MoPOP Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, which boasts items like Luke Skywalker’s severed hand from “The Empire Strikes Back” and Spock’s original uniform from “Star Trek.” Culinary Delights Seattle also happens to be one of the top food cities in the world. In addition to Pike Place Market, the area’s fertile soils and access to oceans, rivers, lakes and the Puget Sound make it one of the best places in the world for produce and seafood. Its diverse population also makes Pike Place Market boasts some of the best seafood in the country. MoPOP explores all things pop music and pop culture. Just a taste of what awaits at the Chihuly Garden and Glass. The legendary Pike Place Market sign over the Puget Sound.

FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 67 it one of the best places for food from faraway cultures ranging from Korean to African. B est bets: Driftwood , The Walrus and the Carpenter , Un Bien, Mustang , Hamdi , and Canlis , which has been serving guests since 1950. Wonderful Waterfront Of course, there is also all of the stunning blue water surrounding the lushly green city, an attraction in and of itself. To simply take in the view, there is an extensive waterfront with multiple piers, some playing host to giant cruise liners and others teeming with entertainment. Pier 59, for example, is home to the Seattle Aquarium , which boasts a 40-foot viewing window into a 120,000-gallon aquarium filled with salmon, rockfish, vibrant sea anemones, other native Washington marine life and interactive divers. Other exhibits include two pools filled with sea anemones and sunflower sea stars, a Pacific coral reef exhibit, marine mammals and an underwater dome, the aquarium’s largest exhibit. The pier also offers daily tours from Argosy Cruises , Seattle’s largest water sightseeing tour operator offering daily excursions of Seattle’s harbor, Lake Union, Lake Washington, the Hiram Chittenden Locks and Puget Sound. Pier 57 is another popular outpost thanks to its arcade, carousel and the Seattle Great Wheel , which extends 175 feet into the air and comes to life at night with more than 500,000 LED lights. Going Up … and Down Certainly, Seattle is breathtaking on foot and by water. But from high in the sky, the Emerald City sparkles on a Seattle’s Great Wheel comes alive with 500,000 LED lights at night. The curious otters at the Seattle Aquarium. Fresh bouquets at Pike Place Market. Courtesy Rachael-Jones-Media Seattle from above. FROM THE ROAD