Rain falls in Seattle at least 50 percent of the time, and one of the heaviest rain periods is between January and May. If you're looking for things to do in Seattle in April, keep the focus on indoor activities and bring an umbrella. Spring in Seattle often means a consistent light drizzle. Layer your clothing, because the Seattle climate is unpredictable. You never know when a rain storm or sudden drop in temperature may happen, thanks to the area's convergence zones.
Located at First Avenue and Pike Street and overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront, the Pike Place Market consists of 9 acres of historic buildings containing an array of businesses. Built on the edge of a steep hill, the market has several lower levels below the main entrance. Local farmers and craftsmen sell their products year-round in a farmer's market environment on the street level. Hours and hours can be spent visiting antique stores, galleries, clothing and accessory stores, food vendors, stores with gifts and handmade crafts, and a variety of restaurants. The Pike Place Fish Market is a major attraction. Employees throw 3-foot salmon and other fish to each other, instead of passing them by hand. These "flying fish" have appeared in an episode of "Frasier" and in the opening credits of MTV's "The Real World: Seattle."
Pike Place Market
85 Pike Street, Room 500
Seattle, WA 98101
206-682-7453
pikeplacemarket.org
The Seattle Art Museum, known locally as SAM, collects and exhibits art and objects from numerous cultures. SAM is known for exploring connections between past and present as well as connections between cultures. As of fall 2010, the collection at SAM held approximately 23,000 art objects. The collections of modern art and ethnic art are especially notable. The museum also hosts traveling exhibitions.
Seattle Art Museum
1300 First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101-2003
206-654-3100
seattleartmuseum.org
Located on Pier 59 on the waterfront, the Seattle Aquarium features many different exhibits. The Window on Washington Waters is a 120,000 gallon exhibit featuring salmon, rockfish, sea anemones and other native Washington marine life. Divers enter the exhibit three times a day, wearing specialized masks that enable them to talk with visitors to the aquarium. The Life on the Edge exhibit shows visitors the tidepool life of Washington's coast. Two large pools contain touch zones staffed by naturalists. The Ring of Life exhibit allows visitors to stand at the center of a 12-foot-high glass "donut" filled with moon jellyfish. A giant Pacific octopus is on display in a multi-species tank. A 13-foot wet table gives visitors a hands-on look at rockfish, sea stars and plankton. The Ocean Oddities exhibit displays unusual animals from the sea, including the leaf scorpionfish, cowfish, spotted boxfish and convict blennies. One of the aquarium's largest exhibits is the underwater dome, a spherical undersea room with 360-degree views into a 400,000 gallon tank filled with fish. Scuba divers enter the underwater dome and feed the fish at 1:30 p.m. daily.
Seattle Aquarium
1483 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98101
206-386-4300
seattleaquarium.org
A well-known Seattle landmark located at the Seattle Center, the Space Needle was built for the 1962 World's Fair. It is 605 feet high and 138 feet wide at its widest point. The Space Needle has an observation deck at 520 feet, allowing views of the downtown Seattle skyline, the Olympic and Cascade mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, and Elliott Bay. The Space Needle also has a rotating restaurant.
Space Needle
400 Broad St.
Seattle, WA 98109
206-905-2100
spaceneedle.com
