One Cheapskate's Favorite Free Attractions in Seattle

Pondering the sweeping view from the Space Needle. Cruising Seattle's harbor and Lake Union. Poking a star fish at the Seattle Aquarium, albeit gently and with only one finger. Just some of the fun stuff in Seattle that we did and paid an admission fee to enjoy.

Looking back at the 4 days we spent in the Emerald City, here are some FREE attractions in Seattle that I equally enjoyed, and not just because of their non-existent price tag.

Waterfall Garden Park in Pioneer Square

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer puts it best, "The landscaped oasis features a 22-foot waterfall that cascades over granite boulders into a beautiful Japanese pool. The corner park can refresh the weariest of city souls". I didn't care for much of the neighborhood (well, except for Zeitgeist Coffee), but the waterfalls were a pleasant surprise.

Also, something to file away in your brain for the next trivia night: The waterfall park is dedicated to employees of United Parcel Service (aka Brown), which was started on this site.

Garden Memorial Park @ Pioneer Square

Seattle Public Library by Rem Koolhaas

The Central Library building does look strange at first glance, but I soon grew to love the oddly-angled sharp edges, diagonal steel beams and glass exterior. I wish all libraries looked as amazing as this building. There's more to love inside - yes, there's musty shelves groaning with thick volumes, but also tons of computers and power outlets if you bring your own.

Central library in Seattle

Tired from all that sightseeing and weary of  the constant drizzle, I plopped down into a chair and spent a couple of hours reading magazines, the Journal, checking email on my phone (blazing fast free wi-fi), and observing everyone else around me doing the same. Plus, the bright neon green escalator handrails make this library quite a "cool house".

View from the 10th floor

Olympic Sculpture Park


I saved the best for last. Ever since I saw Serena Williams' "twin" at the Hakone Open Air Museum in Japan, outdoor sculpture parks have fascinated me. So, when I heard about the newish Olympic Sculpture Park by the Seattle waterfront, I insisted on walking down to the industrial site turned Seattle Art Museum outpost one early morning.

There are a number of installations, both permanent and temporary, spread throughout the 9-acre park, but I particularly liked the offbeat ones pictured below.

The first one is called "Typewriter Eraser, Scale X". Initially it appeared to be a pizza slicer, but then I realized I was looking at it upside down - after I refocused the bristles containing Liquid Paper correction fluid that are carefully applied to an errant letter became quite obvious. A remnant of a bygone era.

Typewriter Eraser, Scale X

The second one, "Love and Loss", is a bit harder to visualize (took me a few minutes to "get" it), so four pictures are necessary to do so. Going clockwise: (top left), note the white-colored outlines on the benches that spell out "l-o-v-e"; (top right), the letter "e" on the table top, which is hard to see in the previous pic; (bottom left), the retro red neon sign of a big ampersand, and (bottom right), the white-colored outlines spelling "l-o-s-s".  Quite nifty, really.

Hopefully each visitor to Seattle enjoys these free destinations as much as I did. Lastly, grab those coupon books at your hotel to shave a few bucks off sightseeing costs. Even availed of a "buy 1, get 1 free admission" deal at the Seattle Aquarium, which explains the star fish poking.

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A Funny Thing happened on the Gourmet Seattle Tour

After yesterday's mild weather, today's howling winds that knocked over newspaper bins and made pedestrians clutch their coats tighter made me think, "Ah, so this is what Seattle's weather is really like."  My fellow participants and myself on the Gourmet Seattle Tour were not to be deterred by such trifling things as rain, wind, and if present, snow, and pressed on with the tough task of sampling some of Seattle's best food on our 3-hour downtown gastronomic adventure.

One of the stops was Serious Pie, a renowned pizzeria owned by the acclaimed local chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas, where we would sample two varieties of artisanal pizzas. Although it was mid-afternoon, the place was packed with not a table available. So, the twelve of us formed a line against the wall while our tour guide Ezra went inside to grab hot slices of freshly-baked margherita pizza (buffalo mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes) from the coal-fired oven.

Ezra soon came out with the pizza, and not a moment too soon. The elements were not the only thing we had to endure. But add the pitying glances from passers-by as they see us patiently waiting outside Serious Pie, with some even shaking their heads, perhaps thinking how crazy we were.

 As Ezra went down the line handing a slice to each person, a passer-by tried to partake of some of the goodies. Informed that the pizza was only for the paying customers of the Gourmet Seattle tour, the woman said she mistakenly thought free tastings were offered to entice patrons to come inside the restaurant. As if Serious Pie needed or had space for any more. We all got a laugh out of this incident, and momentarily forgot our rapidly freezing extremities.

A bite into the pizza moments later, and everything was okay in the world once more. A second variety was brought out, topped with yellow foot chanterelle mushrooms and truffle cheese, that further buoyed our spirits and satisfied our stomachs. So, we shuffled off to the next stop on the gourmet food tour, hoping to get indoors this time.

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Space Needle, Seattle - Christmas in the Emerald City

The Space Needle was about a ten minute walk from the hotel, and despite my general skepticism about taking the high-speed elevator to yet another skyscraper for sweeping views of yet another city, we decided to do it anyway. Partly because it was Christmas Day, with not much else going on. Oh, and the coupon that knocked $2 off the fairly larcenous $18 admission fee definitely helped.

Space Needle

On a clear day like this (which is rare in these parts, or so I heard), the views are amazing. We went outside to the open area for some photos and to marvel at Puget Sound, Lake Union, and the downtown skyline, and to enjoy the cool weather. A concession stand was selling local beers and wines, so a Scuttlebutt Amber ale made lingering more enjoyable.

downtown skyline

Despite my initial skepticism, I had to admit going up the Space Needle was a great idea, and even the rapid 40-second elevator ride in the glass elevator didn't faze me. The trip to the Emerald City is off to a good start, hopefully the same will be true for the next couple of days.

Lake Union

Bonus pic below of the Space Needle as seen from our hotel room window. Lucked out on this one - we could have been looking out into the highway. Notice the Christmas Tree on top - pretty neat.

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Can't afford Europe? Quebec City is a hop, skip and jump away

If you're bemoaning the weakness of the US dollar vis-a-vis the Euro, unwilling to endure the enhanced TSA "pat down" molestation, or your inner Francophile is itching to parler Francais, then consider a quick getaway to the walled, UNESCO World Heritage site of Quebec City.

 The cradle of French civilization in the New World (i.e. North America), Quebec City's center is compact, easily walkable, quite photogenic, and full of nice little shops and restaurants. And yes, the language. Most Quebecois' first language is French (though most speak decent English as well), so first-time visitors could be forgiven if they think they've actually crossed the Atlantic.

Let it snow, let it snow...

My first trip to Quebec City was five years ago on a day-trip from Montreal. Who can forget the towering Chateau de Frontenac, walking along the Terrasse Dufferin promenade, and browsing the shops at Quartier Petit Champlain? Alas, an afternoon was too short to fully appreciate the charms of Quebec City, so I vowed to make it back someday.

That someday turned out to be the 4-day long Thanksgiving weekend here in the US. As you can see from the snow, perhaps it wasn't quite the most ideal time to visit, but with familiar sights like the majestic Chateau Frontenac perched on top of the cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence river, and the huge colorful mural depicting Quebec City's history, it felt like visiting an old friend's home.

Chateau de Frontenac

Exploring the Quartier Petit Champlain area in the Lower Town is always a pleasure, especially with all the holiday lights on display. Some new experiences for this repeat visitor include taking the ten-minute ride by ferry to Levis, situated on the other side of the St. Lawrence River, for a few drinks at the Corsaire microbrewery, and venturing outside the walls of Vieux Quebec to explore the food shops and restaurants in the St. Jean Baptiste neighborhood. One particularly great find was Le Billig, a creperie-bistro serving Breton cuisine where I had a sumptuous lunch.

Mural depicting Quebec City's history

If you're worried about the language barrier, suffice it to say that all the Quebecois locals and service industry staff whom I encountered spoke English well, suffered through my valiant attempts (somewhat successfully, I hope) to render basic greetings and phrases in their native tongue, and displayed none of the snobbery towards non-French speakers that I had been advised about.

festive Quartier Petit Champlain

Overall, I was quite pleased with my quick getaway to Quebec City, despite the frigid temps and occasional snow, and extremely delighted at my choice of accommodations, the Hosteling International Quebec City hostel (aka Auberge Internationale Quebec City). Not only was the hostel's location central, but it was kept quite clean (a must!) at all times, and offered activities that provided travelers opportunities to mingle. Surely a traipse across the pond could not have proved equally memorable.