This beautiful bridge is located on Queen Anne Drive between 2nd Avenue N and Nob Hill Avenue N. I…read morepassed by recently while driving over Wolf Creek, and was impressed with the sturdy-looking steel arch type structure measuring 238 feet long. Greenery surrounds the bridge. "The simple concrete forms are embellished by regularly spaced groups of rectangular indentations and by tulip-shaped ornamental lighting fixtures mounted on projecting pier headings," said www.historylink.org. The Queen Anne Bridge is a beauty.Designated a Seattle Landmark on December 28, 1981, because of the unique engineering style, the Queen Anne Bridge is as pretty a bridge as Queen Anne is a neighborhood. 4 YELP STARS.

A fun and family-friendly activity to do in Seattle, WA...The Ballard Locks!! And, it's FREE!…read more It's a popular spot to watch boats pass between the saltwater of Puget Sound and the freshwater of the Lake Union/Lake Washington, using a system of chambers to raise or lower them. The locks help boats move between the higher freshwater lakes and the lower Puget Sound, adjusting the water levels to let them pass smoothly. Watching the water levels rise and fall to guide boats through is very cool to watch! There's a Fish Ladder with a subterranean viewing area that allows you to watch salmon and sometimes seals and sea lions as they migrate upstream. Best viewing times mid-June to September. Unfortunately, we were there too early but I saw a sea lion. Lots of green trees and beautiful botanical gardens. There's a small marina. There's paid self parking. I would definitely want to come back!

One of my favorite historical spots in Ballard. There are boats being lifted in the locks,…read moresometimes kayaks, sometimes tugboats, gardens, walking trails and more. Be sure and visit the fish ladder in season when the fish are jumping. Off season, check out the harbor seals bobbing around. The gift shop and small museum is worth a visit too. There are picnic spots, benches, and a blue heron rookery along the waterway.

I really enjoyed coming here, and I'm convinced that arriving right at sunset (aka golden hour)…read moremade the experience even better! The lighting truly added to the beauty of the scenery Parking was super easy to find in one of the nearby neighborhood streets. From there, it was just a short walk and quick street crossing to reach the tower. Even from the outside, it's so pretty, with lots of flowers, greenery, and plants surrounding it. Great photo spots already! Once you head inside, there are two staircases you can choose from, but both lead to the top. I won't lie, climbing them felt like quite the workout, so you might be a little out of breath once you reach the top lol. At the top, the inside itself is pretty plain, not much going on. But looking out the windows, completely different story!! The views are stunning. From the window closest to the stairs you can see Seattle's skyline and even the Space Needle. Another window gives you a beautiful view of all the greenery, trees, and the nearby park. Simple but still so pretty :) Overall, I'd definitely recommend visiting at least once, especially during golden hour!

Landmark in Seattle, Washington…read more.. The Volunteer Park Water Tower was 106 steps up... Inside the tower... It was chilly in the morning and I was by myself. Haha! It was quiet and deserted. I went quickly because I was getting scared... I don't remember how I found out about this free attraction. I do remember that it had a beautiful view of the city... Yes - through the metal gratings on the windows I could see the Space Needle and downtown Seattle! There were informative signs on the walls at the top floor of the Water Tower, including the history and the goals for Volunteer Park. I was happy to complete a Bucket List item! It was interesting, scenic, and helped me to burn off some calories!

Innis Arden is not a gated community, something the abundant non-resident walkers, runners,…read morecyclists, and drivers passing through can attest to. It is a community with covenants and by-laws that seek to protect and preserve the land and nature of Innis Arden, yes there are even rules about cutting down/not cutting down trees. My family moved to Innis Arden in 1994, I lived here full-time until 2010, then intermittently 2010-2012, briefly again in 2015, returned full-time in October/November 2019 and am still living here. In total this comes out to a total of approximately 18 years of my almost 28.5 years of being alive that I have lived here in Innis Arden. Zoomed out, Innis Arden is a neighborhood in the City of Shoreline. This is not to be confused with the City of Seattle because as a registered voter living here in Innis Arden I am not given the right to vote for City of Seattle ballot items such as the Mayor of Seattle. The Innis Arden community has a pool that serves the residents of Innis Arden and their guests as well as people who live outside the community and attain membership. The waitlist to be a member at the pool can be long, something to keep in mind if interested in getting a pool membership. There is also a Tennis Club and a Clubhouse. The Clubhouse is the venue for the annual Rummage Sale. There is a trail system for residents of the Innis Arden community and their guests as well as a nature reserve. I love living here and the nature-centric lifestyle it entails. It brings joy to my life getting to be a steward to the Earth and its inhabitants, both human and non-human alike, especially when I can do so in the yard. The natural landscapes and wildlife Innis Arden has worked hard for decades to preserve is becoming scarcer in the City of Seattle. Living here for me provides a chance to fight for the little critters and big trees and everything in between as Seattle's urban sprawl continues to threaten much of the greenery in the eastern Puget Sound area.

The International Fountain is a place to take kids in the summer and let them run around screaming…read moreand playing with the water as it takes different forms and cycles through how much water comes out. Giant circle around it with a low concrete wall to sit and watch the kids or passers-by. Don't come here just for this, but maybe something fun to check out if in Seattle Center for another event or festival.

This is an awesome fountain at the Seattle Center Park near…read morethe Space Needle. I was amazed at the water pressure and rhythm with musical accompaniment! Kids and adults were playing in it like it was a summer day. What's not to love about watching people have fun frolicking for free?!?

Beautiful art deco of a building. With the posh Steinway and Sons piano store and Pegasus coffee,…read moreit's worth grabbing your java and walking the halls of this tower. It is really an older, well preserved building with tons of bronze details. I love passing by here and reminiscing what buildings in downtowns used to once look like!

Cool neighborhood you got here. I was staying across the 5 but I came up here every night. I'll…read moretell what I got to check out. The Pine Box Happy hour pizza was just OK, but the draft beer selection was great, I loved listening to the old-school punk, and the atmosphere was sui generis. Cool bartenders, too. I wish that I lived near a place like this. Donna's Great happy hour deals in this little bar. I could see coming back here. My friends in the area had never heard of Donna's. Stoup I got to drink a Jimothy beer! Bartender was nice. Very spacious, and I appreciated the food truck. Noodle Cart Thank you for the vegan options. Spicy peanut noodles with tofu, please! Yeah, that hit the spot. Elysian My cat is named Zephyrus, and I got to drink the Zephyrus Pilsner here! I think that she would approve. BTW, I used to be a brewer, so you can trust me. My colleague calls Seattle "Millennial Paradise". Well, I declare that Cap Hill is safe for Gen Xers as well. Thank you for your hospitality. "This Is Shangrila"

It was Tuesday morning and it had just rained. Dark clouds already passed through…read more Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam songs fit my mood. I walked along Broadway. The asphalt and sidewalks were damp. Metal hatch covers, slippery. The grass and trees were watered. It's about time. Coffee shops were open. Bars were closed. The streets were quiet. People were still sleeping or just waking up. I wanted to reminisce. Contemplate. Recharge. Dream. Find inspiration. It always works when I'm here. ----- Cookie cutter mixed-use developments have taken over Broadway. They lack character and personality. I love old buildings, Beaux-Arts style buildings. Sign up for a Seattle Architecture Foundation tour if you're interested in Craftsman, Queen Anne, and Tudor homes. They're hiding around the residential areas. Old money. Capitol Hill is a historically LGBTQ+ neighborhood. You'll see rainbow-painted sidewalks. Flags on windows and walls. Pride festivals are held here in the summer. Nightlife is quite the experience. "When I was 21, it was a very good year." ;) Makeup on. Nails done. High heels. Looking cute. Dancing, laughing, drinking, staying up late. How did I get home? Smartphones weren't mainstream yet...Thank you very much, Universe! The music scene. Macklemore and Sir Mix-a-Lot filmed their music videos up here. The Jimi Hendrix statue. Neumos. Kpop Nara. Spin Cycle. Live music in bars and lounges. Public art is sprinkled everywhere: Dance Steps, tile patterns along storefronts, murals on buildings. Portland has Powell's. We have Elliott Bay Bookstore Co., my favorite bookstore. The first Starbucks Reserve Roastery is here. I forget which street they're on--Shall we play the Pike or Pine game? :p I'd rather go to a local mom-and-pop coffee shop though. Plenty of restaurants to choose from. Seattle Central College students must be fed. Dick's and Tacos Chukis are my cheap eats. M2M and QFC are grocery stores off Broadway. Trader Joe's and Safeway are further out. Cal Anderson Park. The Waterworks fountain is here as well as a baseball field, a tennis court, and a basketball court. The Capitol Hill Farmers Market pops up just north of the park on Denny Way. Volunteer Park. It has the conservatory, an amphitheater, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Isamu Noguchi's "Black Sun", The Water Tower, and a reservoir (love those sunsets). The park was named in commemoration of the volunteer soldiers of the Spanish-American War. Not sure if a name change is in the works but a controversial plaque was quietly removed in 2021. Lake View Cemetery is north of Volunteer Park. Pay your respects to Bruce and Brandon Lee. Kikisoblu (Princess Angeline), daughter of Chief Sealth, is here. John Nordstrom (Flagship store is off Pine between 5th & 6th. I love Nordy's!). Madame Lou Graham (Take Bill Speidel's Underground Tour if you want to learn more about her). The Denny Party. Doc Maynard. Thomas Mercer. Henry Yesler. Carson Boren. Do these names sound familiar to you? Yep, street names in Seattle. Transportation options include the Sound Transit light rail, the First Hill Streetcar, and Metro buses. I don't recommend driving here unless you absolutely have to. This is a high density area and not vehicle-friendly. You'll spend much of your time driving in circles trying to find a parking spot and when you do, you'll have to pay a pretty penny. I keep my head on a swivel. Earbuds out. On Capitol Hill you're dealing with bikes, scooters, vehicles, uneven sidewalks, buses, garbage, ambulance, construction, street cars, delivery trucks, escalators, stairs, dog poop. I've been yelled at, unprovoked, by druggies and homeless people so many times I can't even keep count. It's an unfortunate reality but I won't stop going to Capitol Hill though. The good outweighs the bad.

Historic bridge that takes you from 520 to the U-Dub area. The bridge isn't very long, but it's…read morememorable because of how distinctive it is from others in the area, as it's made with iron and steel. It's also a drawbridge for the ship canal. Because of its unique design, easy flow and convenience to getting to U-Dub from 520 and the other side of Montlake, I'm a fan of this bridge. I've never experienced any issues crossing over, nor have been unlucky enough to have to wait when the drawbridge lifts, for ships to pass through. *Knock on wood*

This iconic bridge separates one of the more affluent, conservative parts of town and the raucous…read morelife of UW on the other side of the water. Despite the fact that most PNW bridges terrify me, this one has been a therapeutic crossing for me. It is seemingly safe and secure, even when there are dozens of bicyclists, walkers, and drivers using it. Whenever a large boat sails underneath they will actually raise the bridge, but most of the time only smaller craft are moving. When the bridge does go up it can cause significant driving delays, so once again people, stop trying to drive downtown. It isn't worth it. There are trails nearby and nice parks that give you continued views of the bridge and boats going by, but other than that, this is just something pretty to look at while you get to point B. The old world charm of this bridge is probably rarely appreciated, but I recommend you taking five minutes here to learn more about the history of Washington bridges before an ineffective government allows them all to crumble into disrepair. This one is worth saving.