Seattle

The urban buzz is palpable, yet lush greenery, towering mountains and Puget Sound make for a peaceful easy stopover

- RAMSEY QUBEIN

1 Space Needle

The best deal if you plan to visit multiple sites is a CityPASS ticket ($99 for adults), which can shave nearly half the cost off admission plus offers expedited access to many attractions including the Space Needle, the Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Pop Culture, Chihuly Garden & Glass, Pacific Science Center or the Woodland Park Zoo. The passes are valid for nine consecutive days if you plan to stay longer.

CityPASS in hand, your first stop probably should be the iconic Space Needle. Visible from all corners of the city, the landmark was built for the 1962 World’s Fair. Fresh from a $100 million renovation, the Space Needle has unveiled a new revolving glass floor and glass walls giving visitors a jaw-dropping peak at the city below their feet. Open daily 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM, admission $32.50 till 6:00 PM, $37.50 6:00 to 8:00 PM. 400 Broad St. spaceneedle.com

2 The Museum of Pop

Culture Museum lovers can decide between the Museum of Pop Culture close to the Space Needle or the Seattle Art Museum with its Olympic Sculpture Park near Pike Place Market. But if time permits, why not choose both? Inside its undulating, steel-skinned Frank Gehry-designed building, the Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPOP, is filled with carefully-curated, handson exhibits from science fiction and rock music; among them, Infinite