Sailing Into Seattle There are many great things about Seattle, all of which we’ll explore here, but perhaps one of the best things about the land in Seattle is its location along the Salish Sea (its Indigenous name), or the inland ocean waters now known as the Puget Sound. When the Denny Party landed at Alki Point in the dead of winter in 1851, they found a thriving Indigenous community. The land that was to become Seattle was first stewarded by the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes whose deep knowledge of the land, climate, and flora and fauna are what helped the settlers survive that first winter. The party was met by David Denny, one of the Denny brothers who traveled overland scouting ahead of the party who arrived via schooner from Portland, Oregon. They all had come an incredibly long way from the east coast via covered wagon along the Oregon Trail, and though their trek was arduous and their settlement continued to be so, dreams of free land in Seattle, and all of Oregon Territory for that matter, will possess families to do extraordinary things. Across Elliot Bay By the following spring, most of the party had relocated across Elliot Bay to the eastern shore of the Seattle land that is now the historic Pioneer Square. The location offered a better harbor, and since overland travel in the dense conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest was nearly impassible by wagon, waterways were the lifeblood of the region (and still are to this day). The new village was called Duwamps, but was swiftly changed to Seattle to honor the Duwamish Indian leader, Chief Sealth. (Seattle is the anglicized version of Sealth, a Chinook Jargon word.) In 1853, the new area had been platted and filed, recording the “Town of Seattle” on May 23, 1853, (even though the Indigenous tribes had not ceded their land). The Great Seattle Fire Henry Yesler was also hard at work during this time building the region’s first steam-powered sawmill, a business vital to regional development and one of the most important businesses in the region’s history that helped transform the raw land in Seattle into the bustling metropolis it is today. By the 1880s, the railroad had arrived, and a second one was en route. This virtually unlocked the region that was once thought to be remote wilderness and Seattle’s population exploded. The area grew steadily, population estimates suggest that in the first half of 1889, the city was adding 1,000 new residents a month—until one fateful day—June 6, 1889, when a massive fire leveled 116 acres of the city’s business district. The fire burned hot and fast because of the steady supply of fuel it was charring. It gutted nearly every building in the area—all of them made from Henry Yesler's timber. Seattle built back better and more grandiose than before. The new buildings were made from brick or steel for fire resistance, and a professional fire department was created too. The city also benefited from the discovery of gold in 1897 along the Klondike River in Alaska, and savvy entrepreneurs and marketers capitalized on the messaging that Seattle land was the “Gateway to Alaska.” Word of how wonderful the land in Seattle is has long been touted far and wide, and people are still moving here from all over the globe for an opportunity to live in this fine city.

The problem with things to do in Seattle is that there are likely more than you have time for. But if you’d like to experience some not-to-miss local favorites, explore the list below:

Visit Pike Place Market for a true Pacific Northwest shopping experience. The fishmongers are tossing fish, flower sellers are brightening days, artists are decorating homes and bodies with their creations, and even Beecher’s Handmade Cheese delights the senses with authentic cheese curds that give a little squeak when you bite them.

Grab a burger, hand-cut fries, or individually made milkshakes from Dick’s Drive-In. The beloved burger joint has been slinging all-American fast food since 1955. In an Esquire poll, Dick’s was voted “most life-changing hamburger joint in America” due to the massive benefits they provide like a $22,000 college scholarship after six months of employment.

Get out on Seattle’s waterways and take a ride on one of Seattle’s ferries. On the Washington State ferry system, the largest in the country, you can reach places like Bainbridge Island, Vashon Island, and Bremerton. Then there’s the King County Water Taxi that will ferry you over to West Seattle, or take a ride on the Victoria Clipper, a privately-owned company that shuttles up into the San Juan Islands or into Victoria, Canada.

For a bird’s eye view of the city, head to the top of Smith Tower, or take a spin on the Great Wheel along the waterfront.

Shop Capitol Hill for its counter-culture vibe and super funky second-hand stores, or head to Belltown for the opposite experience and peruse the high-end shops and fine dining options there.