Seattle (Mostly) Gets Its Planning Right
In the summer months, Seattle, Washington
can be one of the most pleasant spots in the U.S. to visit. During our
recent stop there, our only limitation was time. We had only a few
days to see the sights and get the flavor of local cuisine, architecture
and culture. The fact that Lake Union and Puget Sound bisect the
metropolitan area, north and south, does not make a short-term tourist’s
visit any easier.
On our first day, we opted for a visit to Snoqualmie Falls, located north of Interstate I-90 and the town of North Bend, Washington. Speaking of North Bend, be sure not to confuse this city with either North Bend, Oregon or Bend, Oregon,
both of which are many miles to the south. Although having all the
frills of a tourist trap, even in July, the waterfall itself was running
high and was a spectacular sight.The next day, we headed for the City of Seattle, but rather than being caught in the traffic and parking jams around the Pike Place Fish Market,
we opted to take the ferry to Bainbridge Island, which is only a short
trip west from Seattle. As with much of suburban Seattle, Bainbridge’s
architecture features a mixture of “woodsy” and contemporary that is
unique in the U.S.
Bainbridge Island has a down-home feeling to it, despite real estate prices
that would amaze most people. According to the local newspaper, it can
be a curmudgeonly place, where locals have fought for ten years to
avoid building a public restroom in the downtown area. Apparently, they
are happy to relieve you of your money so long as you do not try to
relieve yourself anywhere in their shopping area.
On the afternoon ferry trip back to Seattle we were
treated to harbor and city views. Large cargo craft were dockside while
a cruise ship left port. Pleasure craft mixed it up with ferry traffic
in a slow-motion water ballet. All of this activity took place with
the Seattle skyline as a backdrop. From the ubiquitous Space Needle to the glass-sheathed skyscrapers of Downtown Seattle, a trip across Puget Sound offers clear views of a great American city.
On the afternoon ferry trip back to Seattle we were treated to harbor and city views. Large
cargo craft were dockside while a cruise ship left port. Pleasure
craft mixed it up with ferry traffic in a slow-motion water ballet. All
of this activity took place with the Seattle skyline as a backdrop.
From the ubiquitous
Much has changed in Seattle since its Skid Row days and most of it for the better. Best of all, it has 
avoided the pitfall of too much self-referential kitsch. With property prices as high as they are, infill development
has kept its core areas vital and alive. In terms of keeping their
older neighborhoods up to date and relevant to citizens and visitors
alike, other Western cities, like Phoenix and Los Angeles could learn a lot from Seattle.
avoided the pitfall of too much self-referential kitsch. With property prices as high as they are, infill development
has kept its core areas vital and alive. In terms of keeping their
older neighborhoods up to date and relevant to citizens and visitors
alike, other Western cities, like Phoenix and Los Angeles could learn a lot from Seattle.
By James McGillis at 01:13 PM | Environment | Comments (0) | Link
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