What makes Seattle unique? These neighborhoods, stores, museums and landmarks are must-sees if you're staying in Seattle for a day or a lifetime. Get a strong coffee, put on some good walking shoes and start exploring.

Discovery Park (Magnolia / Interbay)
This 534-acre park is the biggest area of preserved wilderness for miles. Visitors can hike through breathtakingly beautiful wooded areas or beach, picnic on a vast grassy knoll and see spectacular views of Puget Sound.

Downtown / Waterfront
Downtown is the center of Seattle's shopping scene, and Seattle's waterfront is always abuzz with activity. The piers stretching out onto Elliott Bay are loaded with shops, restaurants and even stages where bands play during the summer months.

Experience Music Project (Seattle Center)
A museum like no other, EMP endeavors to present the entire history of rock 'n' roll with hands-on exhibits.

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Ballard)
There's a daily parade of boats of all sizes that move between the Puget Sound and its ship canal to Lake Union. Here, visitors can see the fish-ladder where salmon swim between these bodies of water.

Museum of Flight (Georgetown)
The magic of flight is reality in this broad collection of early airplanes and nearly 40 other special aircraft in a multilevel steel and glass gallery. The museum's newest addition is the British Airways Concorde supersonic jetliner.

Pacific Science Center (Seattle Center)
Enjoy five buildings jam-packed with science exhibits, a planetarium, two IMAX theaters and a giant greenhouse filled with butterflies from all over the world.

Pike Place Market (Downtown)
This historical landmark is the one Seattle attraction you don't want to miss. Here, you'll find fresh produce, artisans, the very first Starbucks store and world-famous salmon-tossing fishmongers.

Pioneer Square
The oldest neighborhood in Seattle, Pioneer Square is beautiful and squalid by turns. You'll find perfectly preserved structures and rampant decay, though restoration is slowly winning out. The popular Underground Tour provides a history of the area, above and below ground.

Science Fiction Museum (Seattle Center)
The entire history (and future) of science fiction, from "War of the Worlds" to "The Matrix," can be seen and touched in this museum, the first of its kind in the United States.

Seattle Aquarium (Belltown)
Fresh and saltwater marine life can be seen here, as well as fur seals and river otters. Its octopus and seahorse exhibits, and 400,000 gallon fish tank are highlights.

Seattle Art Museum (Downtown)
The largest museum in the city, SAM features multiple stories of art exhibitions in a variety of styles and disciplines, including Northwest Coast Native American works and traditional European paintings, as well as contemporary art.

Seattle Center
The former site of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair is host to KeyArena, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Mercer Arts Arena and a number of other venues. Most of Seattle's major festivals, including Bumbershoot, happen here. See our Seattle Center visitors' guide for more information.

Space Needle (Seattle Center)
This observation tower, built for the World's Fair of 1962, has come to symbolize Seattle to the rest of the world. It has a restaurant and observation deck, and not surprisingly, the view from the top is amazing.

Woodland Park Zoo (Wallingford)
One of the oldest zoos on the West Coast, Woodland Park has garnered major awards for its Tropical Rain Forest, Northern Trail, Elephant Forest, Trail of Vines and African Savanna exhibits.