Seattle - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 140

(cnr Western Ave & Virginia St; Westlake) When you've had enough of the market and its
crowds, wander out the end of the North Arcade and cross Western Ave to Victor Stein-
brueck Park, a small grassy area designed in 1982 by Steinbrueck and Richard Haag.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
HIGHER THAN THE SPACE NEEDLE
Everyone makes a rush for the iconic Space Needle, but it's neither the tallest nor
the cheapest of Seattle's glittering viewpoints. That honor goes to the sleek, tinted-
windowed Columbia Center MAP GOOGLE MAP (701 5th Ave; adult/concession $9/6;
8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri) , built between 1982 and 1985, which at 932ft high is the lofti-
est building in the Pacific Northwest. The tower sports 76 floors. An elevator in the
lobby takes you up to the free-access 40th floor, where there's a Starbucks. From
here you must take another elevator to the plush observation deck on the 73rd
floor, from where you can look down on ferries, cars, islands, roofs and - ha, ha -
the Space Needle!
Belltown
North of Pike Place Market is Belltown, famous as one of the breeding grounds of
grunge music. A few of the original clubs are still here, but the area shifted upscale, with
fancy restaurants and designer boutiques alongside the rowdy bars and noodle shops. It's
one of the best parts of town for nightlife, and the Olympic Sculpture Park provides an
anchor for daytime visits.
Olympic Sculpture Park PARK, SCULPTURE
(2901 Western Ave; sunrise-sunset; 13) Hovering over train tracks, in an un-
likely oasis between the water and busy Elliott Ave, is the 8.5-acre, $85-million Olympic
Sculpture Park. Worth a visit just for its views of the Olympic Mountains over Elliott
Bay, the park has begun to grow into its long-range plan.
Among the highlights is The Eagle, Alexander Calder's 39ft-tall red-steel creation
from 1971, which crouches along the horizon of the park. The thing probably weighs
about a ton, but from where it's positioned, it looks like it's about to launch itself off the
top of the hill and into the distant mountains.
The glass building at the top of the park contains a small cafe, restrooms, a gift shop
and visitor information.