Seattle, Washington Waterfront

The waterfront adjacent to downtown Seattle, Washington is lined with piers with gobs of stuff for you to do during your stay. Different piers offer different things, and are arranged numerically.

Right down the hill from the Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square, between Pier 57 and Pier 59, you will find the Seattle Aquarium, the iMax (I didn’t actually SEE that one, but it’s supposed to be there) and the “Waterfront Park.”

Why do I say “Waterfront Park?” Because when I think park, I think there will be some scrap of green, whether it be tree or bush or grass. It shows the area as a green space on the map in the Seattle Quick Guide, which is actually quite a good map of downtown. But there is no green. Unless you count the moss growing on the wood.

Tourist shops line the piers in the spaces that are absent of ferry boats or fire boats or day cruise docking stations. You can get everything from Mexican Jumping Beans to replica arrowheads and Doc Martens. It was hard NOT to make a joke about Seattle being stuck in the grunge era of the 1990’s when I saw the Doc Martens store.

Restaurants abound and range from fast food to seafood. Ivar’s is a legendary seafood joint between the fire station and the aquarium. It is definitely worth a stop.

There are quite a few homeless people on the waterfront, as there seem to be every place in Seattle. If that really bothers you, you may want to drive. There is parking across Alaskan Way from the shops. But honestly, if homeless people bother you, you’re going to have a hard time in this city.

There is a train station alongside Alaskan way or you can get off the bus at 2nd Street or 4th Street (depending on your direction of travel) and walk down the hill.