Directly across Elliot Bay from downtown Seattle is a finger of land called West Seattle that is the largest and oldest of Seattle's neighborhoods and a vibrant community that is worth a days visit.

Head toward the West Seattle Bridge and if you happen to be a passenger, enjoy the great views of the Port Of Seattle to the north and on a clear day, Mt. Rainier to the south while you cross the bridge and head toward the Admiral District.

Put on you comfortable walking shoes because downtown Seattle has 1800 retailers and once you start you will not want to stop. So what, you say, what makes Seattle special? First it's the density of the shopping. All these stores are located between 4th and 6th Avenues and Olive and Union, which is only four blocks. You can't take a step without finding some store you must stop in.

Seattle's most recognizable landmark, the Space Needle, is just one of many sights to visit at Seattle Center. This 28-acre site was the location of the 1962 Seattle's World's Fair and is still in use today as a cultural and tourist center for Seattle.

Seattle has many different neighborhoods with separate identities and cultures-none more unique than the International District. Home to a large Asian population and with them comes some unique shopping options and distinctive restaurants. No visit to Seattle is complete without a stop there.

If you want to learn about Seattle's history, find some of the best shopping, art galleries, bars and restaurants in town head to Pioneer Square. Located between the Alaskan Way Viaduct and 2nd Avenue, in the heart of downtown, Pioneer Square is where Seattle was founded and is a historical district featuring the country's largest concentration of Victorian Romanesque buildings.

If you ask the right person, any day in Seattle is a great day. They of course may add, "that is, if it's not raining." No matter how you get there, whether bus, car, ferry, or foot - downtown Seattle has everything you need for a grand day out in the Northwest - rain or shine.