According to Abbreviation Finder, Seattle is a city in the northwestern United States, located just 160 miles from the border with Canada. It is the fastest growing city in the whole country, and with its coastal location is the most important port city for importing and exporting goods to Asia. The town and the area have an ancient history, and played an important role during the gold rush in the Klondike in the early 20th century. There is definitely a lot to experience here that you do not get to see or learn about in the major tourist cities in the USA.
Seattle is a relatively small city by American standards, as there are “only” 720,000 people living in the city itself, which is the size of Oslo. If you count the areas around the city center, almost four million people live here. Seattle has a varied climate comparable to that of Europe. The winters are cold and with a lot of rainfall, while the summers are dry and hot. It is therefore recommended that you visit Seattle during the summer.
Travel to Seattle
Seattle is as far away from Norway as possible in the United States, and one must therefore expect a long journey there. It will take at least 15 hours by plane, where you have several options. We recommend flying directly to Los Angeles or San Francisco (with Norwegian) or to New York (with SAS). Then you can fly domestically in the US and manage with one flight change. It is relatively cheap to fly domestically in the United States, especially if you are a little flexible with the time of travel.
The price level in Seattle will be perceived as a good deal cheaper than, for example, New York, or the European equivalent in London . It is far from the main tourist town and consequently the prices will be much lower. If you travel while the krone is strong against the dollar, you can get a relatively cheap stay in Seattle. The city is otherwise considered safe to travel in as tourists, and is far less exposed to violence and pickpocketing compared to the largest cities in the United States.
Hotels and restaurants in Seattle
Getting hotels and accommodation in Seattle is rarely a problem. Here you can prioritize whether you want to stay expensive and nice (but still far cheaper than in Norway), or affordable and easy at the many motels and tourist class hotels. If you want to experience a lot on holiday, you can rather put the money in a rental car and stay for around 100-150 kroner a night at the cheapest motel chains.
As a port city, of course, there are plenty of restaurants serving seafood in Seattle. In addition, there are the traditional steakhouses (in English: Steakhouse) that serve all types of meat with delicious accessories in the form of garlic potatoes, mushroom stew and so on. Of course, there is plenty of fast food as well, at the same time as you will find both Indian and Chinese restaurants here. In general, it is cheap to eat, while the selection is good.
Attractions in Seattle
Seattle is a historic and beautiful city that will feel far more relaxed than, for example, Los Angeles, New York or Chicago. There is a lot to experience here, and museum goers will enjoy themselves a lot. In general, there is a lot to learn and be inspired by in Seattle.
Pike Place Market
The city’s famous marketplace has been an important part of Seattle since 1907, and is located in the middle of “Downtown”. Handmade products and souvenirs are sold here, as well as a lot of pure food, fruit and vegetables. There is also some entertainment here, as well as lots of eateries. You are hardly the only tourist who finds his way here.
Space Needle
The city’s most famous building is called “Space Needle”, and was erected in 1962. It is 185 meters high and offers a beautiful view of the city, while it looks like a spaceship on stilts. It is located above the Seattle Center, which is a cultural quarter with everything from a giant dining hall to a theater and some museums. Here you can spend half a day.
The Olympic Sculpture Park
Art lovers must see the Olympic Sculpture Park. Here you can walk for hours while enjoying the view of the city, the harbor and the mountains – and not least the many award-winning sculptures. There is no charge for entrance to the park, which is open every day from sunrise to sunset.
Museums in Seattle
If you’re still interested in art, then Seattle has a museum you should visit. It’s called the Seattle Art Museum and there are exhibitions from both European famous artists to Asian works of art. Also stop by the «Museum of History & Industry», which has a very rich exhibition with modern equipment. Here you can learn about both local and international history, and a little about the development of the industry.
Boeing factories
Want to learn how to make airplanes? Then you should visit the Boeing factory itself – the main factory of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer. It is located about 40 miles north of Seattle, in the small town of Everett. The factory is the largest single building in the world, and you can join a 90-minute guided tour through the creation of the aircraft.
