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Pike St. & First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
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Pike Place was a true farmers market from the very start. It was begun by city councilman Thomas Revelle in response to consumer complaints about being gouged on produce by local vendors. In the years since then, it has grown to fill nearly nine acres of downtown real estate, and it easily attracts over 10,000 visitors a day. All together, there are over 200 shops and restaurants crammed into this expansive market, selling everything from bell peppers to belt buckles and back again. Plus, the people-watching here is almost as good as the shopping. Among the perennial favorites at the market is the raucous Pike Place Fish Market, with its boisterous fishmongers. And, believe it or not, there was once a time in our nation’s history when the phrase “I’ll meet you at Starbucks” needed no further explanation. That place was right here at the market, where the world’s most ubiquitous coffee’s been brewing since the first store moved here in 1976.
Westlake Center
Near 5th and Pine
Seattle, WA 98101
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Anchoring the entire area around 5th & Pine is the Westlake Center, This four story shopping mall has over eighty stores and restaurants, and is always abuzz with activity. And perhaps more importantly for visitors, it’s one of the stops on the city’s famous monorail.
Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe
1001 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-682-5844
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Located right along the waterfront is the famous Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe, which has been a Northwest institution of sorts for over a century. This lively store is crammed full of some of the most delightfully tacky merchandise that you’ll find anywhere. It's not exactly a high-end shopping experience but it's definitely worth a look inside while you're waiting for the ferry to Blake Island or an Argosy Cruise. For the laughs if for nothing else.
Around Fremont & 35th Avenue
Seattle, WA, 91809
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In a city that is already slightly off center, this quirky shopping district is surely the off-centerest of the bunch. Almost everywhere you turn, there’s something that’s sure to tickle your fancy. There’s the huge statue of a troll crushing a Volkswagen under the bridge at Aurora and 35th, And, there’s the sign in the middle of the neighborhood declaring Fremont the center of the universe. Then, there’s “Waiting for the Interurban,” a sculpture of some forlorn streetcar passengers that folks around here always seem to gussy up for one occasion or another. It's one of the most fun walks in all of Seattle.
International District
Near Pioneer Square
Seattle, WA, 98104
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Not far from Safeco Field is the International District, which is full of Asian shops and restaurants. This lively neighborhood has been around since the city’s early days when it was known simply as Chinatown. These days, however, you can find a broad mix of ethnicities here, with Japanese, Korean, and Filipino merchants all doing business in the district, just to name a few.
5th & Pine
Downtown
Seattle, WA, 98101
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Probably the epicenter of shopping in the city is the area right around the corner of Fifth and Pine. Within a two-block radius, there are two huge department stores, including the corporate headquarters and flagship store of Nordstrom. In addition numerous high-end boutiques and specialty shops fill the area, and there are enough retail and entertainment choices to keep you and your credit card busy for hours.