ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS Imagine yourself sitting in a park on the Seattle waterfront, a double-tall latte and an almond croissant close at hand. The snowy peaks of the Olympic Mountains are shimmering on the far side of Puget Sound, and the ferryboats are coming and going across Elliott Bay. It's a summer day, and the sun is shining. It just doesn't get much better than this unless, of course, you swap the latte for a microbrew and catch a 9:30pm summer sunset. No wonder people love this town so much! Seattle is a city of views, and the must-see panorama is, of course, the view from the top of the Space Needle. With the 21st century in full swing, this image of the future looks decidedly mid-20th-century modern but still it's hard to resist an expensive elevator ride in any city. You can even take a monorail straight out of The Jetson’s to get there (and pass right through the Frank Gehry-designed Experience Music Project en route). EMP, as the Experience Music Project has come to be known, is one of Seattle's latest architectural oddities. Its swooping, multicolored, metal-skinned bulk rises at the foot of the Space Needle, proof that real 21st-century architecture looks nothing like the vision of the future people dreamed of when the Space Needle was built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. EMP is the brainchild of Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who built this rock 'n' roll cathedral to house his vast collection of Northwest rock memorabilia. Paul Allen's money has also been hard at work changing the architectural face of the South end of downtown Seattle where, in March 2000, the Kingdome stadium came crashing down, imploded to make way for the new, state-of-the-art Qwest Field - home to Allen's Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. Together with the Seattle Mariners Safeco Field, Qwest Field has created an impressive sports district at the South end of downtown Seattle. Though the times may be a-changing for Seattle, one thing has stayed the same -- the beautiful and wild landscape that surrounds the city. The sparkling waters of Elliott Bay, Lake Union, and Lake Washington wrap around this city of shimmering skyscrapers while forests of evergreens crowd the city limits. Everywhere you look, another breathtaking vista unfolds. With endless boating opportunities, beaches and mountains within a few hours' drive, Seattle is ideally situated for the outdoor pursuits that are so important to the fabric of life in the Northwest. Few other cities in the United States are as immersed in the outdoor aesthetic as Seattle. The Cascade Range lies less than 50 miles to the East of downtown Seattle, and across Puget Sound stand the Olympic Mountains. In the spring, summer, and fall, the forests and mountains attract hikers, mountain bikers, anglers, and campers, and in winter the ski areas of Snoqualmie Pass and Stephens Pass draw snowboarders and skiers. Though impressive mountains line both the city's eastern and western horizons, a glance to the southeast on a sunny day will reveal the city's most treasured sight -- Mount Rainier, a 14,410-foot-tall dormant volcano that looms large, so unexpected that it demands your attention. When "the Mountain is out," as they say here in Seattle, Seattleites head for the hills. However, as important as "the Mountain" is to Seattle, it is water that truly defines the city's character. To the West lies Elliott Bay, an arm of the Puget Sound; to the East is Lake Washington; and right in the middle of the city is Lake Union. With so much water all around, Seattle has become a city of boaters, who take to the water in everything from regally appointed yachts to slender sea kayaks. Consequently, the opening day of boating season has become one of Seattle's most popular annual festivals www.seattleyachtclub.org/OpeningDay. Listed below are some of the most popular attractions to visit while in Seattle: Experience Music Project (EMP) www.EMPSFM.org 325 Fifth Ave. North Phone: 877/EMPLIVE Hours: Memorial Day to Labor Day Sun-Thurs 9am-6pm, Fri-Sat 9am-9pm; Labor Day to Memorial Day Sun-Thurs 10am-5pm, Fri-Sat 10am-9pm Price: Admission $20 adults, $16 seniors and children ages 13-17, $15 children ages 7-12, free for children 6 and under The brainchild of Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen and designed by architect Frank Gehry, who is known for pushing the envelope of architectural design, this rock 'n' roll museum is a massive multi-colored blob at the foot of the Space Needle. Originally planned as a memorial to Seattle native Jimi Hendrix, the museum grew to encompass not only Hendrix, but the entire Northwest rock scene (from "Louie Louie" to grunge) and the general history of American popular music. Hiram M. Chittenden Locks www.seattle.gov/tour/locks.htm 3015 NW 54th St Phone: 206/783-7059 Hours: Daily 7am-9pm (visitor center daily 10am-6pm) Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day Price: Free admission There is something oddly fascinating about locks. No, not the locks on doors, the locks that raise and lower boats. Locks don't provide panoramic views and they aren't nearly as dramatic as waterfalls, but for some strange reason, a lot of people are intrigued by the concept of two side-by-side bodies of water on two different levels. Consequently, the Hiram Chittenden Locks are among the most popular attractions in Seattle. These locks, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, consist of a large lock and a small lock. The latter accommodates barges, large commercial fishing vessels, and the like, while the small lock stays busy shuttling small private boats (including sea kayaks) between the salt water of Puget Sound and the fresh water of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which connects to both Lake Union and Lake Washington. It's a slow process locking boats back and forth, but none of the onlookers seem to mind, and people on shore and those on the boats often strike up conversations. Museum of Flight www.museumofflight.org 9404 E. Marginal Way S Phone: 206/764-5720 Hours: Daily 10am-5pm (until 9pm on first Thurs of each month) Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Price: Admission $11 adults, $10 seniors, $6.50 ages 5-17, free for children under 5. Free first Thurs of each month 5- 9pm Located right next door to busy Boeing Field, 15 minutes South of downtown Seattle, this museum will have aviation buffs walking on air. Within the six-story glass-and-steel repository some of history's most famous planes are displayed. To start things off, there's a replica of the Wright brothers' first glider, and from there the collection of planes brings you to the present state of flight. Suspended in the Great Hall are more than 20 planes, including a 1935 DC-3, the first Air Force F-5 supersonic fighter, and the Gossamer Condor, a human-powered airplane; plus there are some 34 other planes on display. You'll also see one of the famous Blackbird spy planes, which were once the world's fastest jets (and you can even sit in the cockpit of one of these babies). A rare World War II Corsair fighter rescued from Lake Washington and restored to its original glory is also on display. Visitors get to board the original Air Force One presidential plane used by Eisenhower, and can sit in the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet fighter. An exhibit on the U.S. space program features an Apollo command module. Of course, you'll also see plenty of Boeing planes, including a reproduction of Boeing's first plane, which was built in 1916. The museum also incorporates part of Boeing's old wooden factory building from its early years. Pacific Science Center www.pacsci.org 200 Second Ave. N Phone: 206/443-2001 Hours: Mid-June to Labor Day daily 10am-6pm; Labor Day to mid-June Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun and holidays 10am-6pm Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Admission $9 adults, $6.50 ages 3-13 and seniors, free for children under 3. IMAX $7.50-$8.50 adults, $6.50-$7.50 ages 3-13 and seniors, free for children under 3. Although its exhibits are aimed primarily at children, the Pacific Science Center is fun for all ages. The main goal of this sprawling complex at Seattle Center is to teach kids about science and to instill a desire to study it. To that end, there are life-sized robotic dinosaurs, a butterfly house and insect village (with giant robotic insects), a Tech Zone where kids can play virtual-reality soccer or play tic-tac-toe with a robot, and dozens of other fun hands-on exhibits addressing the biological sciences, physics, and chemistry. The August Bubble Festival is always a big hit. There's a planetarium for learning about the skies (plus laser shows for the fun of it), and an IMAX theater. Be sure to check the schedule for special exhibits when you're in town. Pike Place Market www.pikeplacemarket.org Location: Between Pike and Pine Streets at First Ave Phone: 206-682-7453 Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm; Sun 11am-5pm Closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Pike Place Market, originally a farmers market, was founded in 1907 when housewives complained that middlemen were raising the price of produce. The market allowed shoppers to buy directly from producers, and thus save on grocery bills.