Downtown Seattle - Seattle, WA

Settlers first came to the Seattle area in 1851, and lumber and coal were the main industries by the mid-1800s. Soon after, the fishing and shipbuilding industries helped to explode the population by the end of the 1880s. A devastating fire in June 1889 destroyed the downtown business district, but the city promptly rebuilt the area within a year.

Today the financial district lies in the southern end of this downtown neighborhood, and residents have multiple restaurants, shops and attractions to explore. The Seattle Art Museum can be found downtown, featuring exhibits from around the world. The Northwest Flower and Garden Show, held every year in February, takes place downtown at the Convention Center.

Downtown Seattle hosts over 70 different festivals each year. One of the local, favorite festivals, the Seattle International Film Festival hosts filmmakers from around the world each year.

With a bustling food scene that rivals any metropolitan city in the country, the Central Business District of downtown Seattle has a wide variety of cuisines for residents and visitors to sample.

For authentic Jamaican cuisine, head to Taste of the Caribbean for dinner. Local favorites include the curry goat dish, goat marinated and simmered in golden West Indian curry and Caribbean spices, and the jerk pork, which cooks over an open fire with tasty Jamaican spices.

Large portions and a terrific brunch menu have the locals raving about Skillet Street Food. Fresh, locally sourced foods star in the creative dishes served up by the food truck vendor who opened this restaurant. For a filling breakfast sandwich, order The Chub, a delectable treat made with bacon jam, American and Brie cheeses, arugula, egg, bacon and jalapeno aioli served atop a brioche bun. If you have a sweet tooth, order the monstrous cinnamon roll, large enough to split between several people.

Residents head to Queen Bee for a taste of Britain and to help community nonprofit organizations. All profits from the restaurant help out a different organization each quarter. Traditional English crumpets comprise the menu in both sweet and savory offerings. Order a traditional crumpet served with English Devon butter and honey or preserves, or try a savory crumpet topped with local Dungeness crab, avocado mousse and roasted corn.

A favorite among tourists and locals, The Pink Door offers an intimate atmosphere and unusual live entertainment. Watch the trapeze artist soar above the tables while you share a plate of blistered asparagus or fresh Northwest oysters. For your entrée, try the celebrated pappardelle al ragù bolognese or indulge in the baby back lamb ribs. Be sure to make a reservation if you want to dine on the weekend, or pop in at lunch for a quieter atmosphere.

A downtown dive bar that makes a great place to meet friends for a drink, The Twilight Exit serves up cheap, strong drinks and has a food menu perfect with any beverage. The bar has daily food specials, and on a nice day, its patio makes a great place to kick back and relax.

A truly well-hidden bar lies above Tavern Law. Make a reservation by phone, and once inside Tavern Law, pick up the old-fashioned phone and state the password to be whisked away through the back vault to the upstairs bar known as Needle and Thread. With no available drink menu, bartenders create specialty cocktails based on your preferred style of drink and liquor choice.

Bicycle lanes and multiple bike racks throughout the Central Business District make it easy to commute to work from home. Walking through the neighborhood is the easiest way to get around, but for commuters who drive, ample public parking both on the street and in parking garages make affordable options.

The downtown monorail links the district to the Seattle Center, and the South Lake Union streetcar runs from the retail hub to outlying neighborhoods. The Metro bus service has many routes throughout the downtown district, including one that operates underground. Bus rides in the ride-free zone don’t cost residents a dime between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Both Lyft and Uber offer for-hire rides to residents and visitors to the downtown district, adding to the available travel options. Interstate 5 passes by the west side of the downtown district, and Interstate 90 borders the south side, allowing quick and easy commuting for residents.

Denny Park has an off-leash pet area as well as a play area for children. Beautiful flower gardens can be found throughout the park, with several walking paths for residents to use and enjoy the grounds.

Plenty of playground equipment and a basketball half-court can be found at Cascade Playground. The park also hosts a community garden and several areas perfect for a relaxing picnic.

For a quick break during the work day, Freeway Park has plenty of places to sit and eat lunch. The park has a beautiful water fountain and flowers to refresh downtown workers before heading back to work.

The cost of living in the business district of Seattle runs approximately 9.7 percent higher than other sections of Seattle and 51.9 percent higher than the national average. A one-bedroom apartment rents for approximately $1,000 per month, and a gallon of gas costs 9.2 percent more than the national average. The cost of a monthly bus pass for unlimited rides depends on where you travel, and it averages $90 per month. A beer in a local bar can set you back about $3 to $4 on average.

The downtown shopping scene can be found within a few square blocks, especially on Pike Street, offering shoppers a multitude of national retailers to choose from, such as Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom. For mall shopping, Westlake Center houses both department stores and regional shops such as Made in Washington, which offers locally made wines, glass art and jewelry made by local vendors.

A great bike shop that does repairs, 20/20 Cycle also sells used bicycles. If you need bike parts, the shop has a large inventory to choose from, and the customer service comes highly recommended by the locals.

The Seattle Farm Co-op features homemade soaps, organic livestock feed, and seasonal plants for vegetable and flower gardens. Vendors on site also help shoppers with tips and tricks for successful gardening and raising animals.

The original and best-known farmers' market in town, Pike Place Market sets the standard high for all others. From June through October, the market has a downtown site set up near City Hall where residents can find fresh, local produce.

For one-stop grocery shopping, the locals go to Kress IGA Supermarket. It stocks the usual household goods and produce, and for lunch it has a nice hot food and salad bar.