Seattle Staycation: 7 Fun Things to Do While Staying Close to Home

Seattle, Washington has a dynamic music and art scene and the city boasts a wide spectrum of outdoor activities, culinary delights, cultural events and educational opportunities. With over 1,840 cultural and recreational venues, families on vacation or staycation will find "The Emerald City" a great travel destination.

Here are seven places for families on vacation or staycation in Seattle to visit:

1. Pike Place Market: This nine-acre bustling scene of Seattle culture, great food, and shopping opportunities is an iconic experience for both tourists and locals in Seattle. The Market overlooks the Elliot Bay waterfront and is home to a year-round farmer's market, quality crafts, over 80 restaurants and more than 200 businesses. "Take time to wander. The Market will amaze, delight and inspire you."

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2. The Space Needle: A must-see on a families on vacation or staycation, this observation tower built for the 1962 World's Fair has become a landmark of the Pacific Northwest. In addition to visiting the observation deck, families can dine 500 feet above the ground at SkyCity. This world-famous revolving restaurant offers not only culinary delights but also astonishing views of the Seattle skyline and the surrounding mountains.

3. The Seattle Aquarium: Explorations of underwater life abound at the Aquarium and many of the exhibits are interactive. Six main exhibits include, "Window on Washington Waters, Life on the Edge, Pacific Coral Reef, Puget Sound Fish and Dome Room, Puget Sound Orcas Family Activity Center, and Marine Mammals."

4. Experience Music Project: The EMP Museum is "Dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary popular culture." EMP has interactive music booths and many impressive exhibits including, the Indie Game Revolution, Hear my Train a Comin': Hendrix Hits London, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame and many more. Rumor has it that every now and then famous musicians have been spotted at the EMP.

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5. The Pacific Science Center: Families on vacation or staycation will find all day entertainment at this six-acre interactive attraction. Activities include an IMAX theater, Exploratorium, a tropical butterfly area, a laser dome, and a live science stage where science is presented to the public "with all the grandeur of tricks, theatrics, and wonder Pacific Science Center is known for."

6. Steamers Seafood Café: With exceptional fish and chips and the consummate "steamers," this café is a Seattle culinary culture staple and a "true Pacific Northwest experience."

7. Seattle Cycling Tours: Families can travel urban Seattle by bicycle with guides who are "Seattleites who will share the insights and history of a city experiencing transition and change." Tour stops are interactive and the basic city tour includes the Convention Center, Freeway Park, the Seattle Public Library, the Waterfront, and the base of the Space Needle. Other tours include visits to the Ballard Locks, the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Theo's Chocolates and a Bainbridge Island Tour. New this year are themed tours such as "The Bio-tech tour, Public Park Tour, College Campus Tour, and Public Downtown Art Tour."

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