The dynamic city of Seattle was voted in the top ten favorite cities to visit by readers of "Travel + Leisure" and "Condé Nast Traveler." It's no wonder with the endless ways to experience to the creativity of the city with its rich heritage and natural beauty.
Spring Festivals
Seattle and the surrounding areas like to celebrate the end of winter with a festival or two. Seattle has the annual Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival at Seattle Center in mid-April with booths, exhibits, traditional food and performances. The Daffodil Festival takes place the second Saturday in April. The Grand Floral Parade is the main attraction of the festival and it follows a parade route through Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting. Whirligig takes place at the Seattle Center during two weeks of spring break. This is an event for pre-teens and under and the perfect way to unleash the winter blahs. Wirligig features inflatable rides and bouncy houses, clowns and face-painting.
Performing Arts
Enjoy the ballet at beautiful McCaw Hall with the spring performance from acclaimed Pacific Northwest Ballet. PNB also has their annual one-night only Choreographers' Showcase in April. The showcase premieres new ballets that are are choreographed by PNB dancers and performed by the Professional Division students of Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Seattle has many music venues and theaters and every weekend there is a new artist or show to enjoy.
Walking Tours
Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks and so it is only right that there be a weekly "coffee crawl." Thursday through Monday, the Seattle by Foot Tours take paying visitors on Seattle's Original Coffee Crawl where your tour guides will explain all things coffee along with tastings from some of the city's best coffeehouses. Seattle by Foot has four different walking tours. The others are the City Tour, the Pub Crawl and the Funky Fremont. The City Tour is a tour of all things Seattle, past, present and future. The Pub Crawl celebrates Seattle's other favorite drink. The Funky Fremont takes you to the distinct and eclectic Fremont neighborhood on a Sunday morning.
On the Water
Take an Easter Sunday brunch cruise on Puget Sound for an amazing view of the city and the mountains while dining on a delicious meal. There are also activities to keep the kids entertained. April through September is whale-watching season near Seattle. The most popular place to see whales is the San Juan Islands. You can catch a boat in Seattle for an unforgettable tour.
Fun for Kids
The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle is open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in April. Check out the fun things for kids to see and experience at one of the Northwest's best zoos. The Ballard Locks, located at 3015 NW 54th Street, is one of Seattle's sights that kids find entertaining. The locks separate the saltwater of Puget Sound from freshwater Lake Washington and Lake Union. Kids will enjoy watching the water levels rise and fall to allow the boats passage to and from the lakes to the sound. The fish ladder at the locks is also something else kids find amusing. Cheer the fish on as you watch them jump up the ladder from the saltwater to the freshwater.
Olivia Benson - Olivia Benson has been writing full-time since 2010, though it’s a craft she’s been passionate about since she figured out how ...
