I grew up in Seattle before Microsoft and Amazon showed up, when it was a quirky, crazy part of the world, a place that was all about water and mountains and airplanes. Seattle had an arts festival, the Bumbershoot, appropriately named for an umbrella. We enjoyed silly Rainier Beer commercials with ribbiting frogs and Ivar’s ads with talking shellfish that told us to “Keep clam.”
But the Emerald City also is home to a century-old, vibrant public market that’s the heart of Seattle’s downtown. It has amazing views of Elliott Bay and Puget Sound. It has flying fish, fresh flowers and fruit, including “Oh My God peaches.” It has peppers. Spices. Art. Restaurants. This bustling market is a must-see for tourists but also a regular stop for thousands of residents.
From the market, you can watch the ferries to Bainbridge and Bremerton, shoo away seagulls from your clam chowder and crackers, marvel at 14,411-foot-tall Mount Rainier, and watch the work of this special place, one of my favorites on the planet.