Emerald City shore leave

SURROUNDED by the West Coast’s only inland sea and two snowcapped mountain ranges, Seattle has one of the most scenic settings in the United States. Along with its beauty, it offers visitors plenty of activities, indoor and outdoor. It’s a good place to spend a day or more pre- or post-cruise.

Seattle rose to international prominence because of its waterfront; its location along Puget Sound is still the city’s most prized facet.

A trek through downtown brings you to many attractions that reflect Seattle’s salty character; put on good walking shoes and start along the waterfront. Only the most intensely dedicated and energetic travelers could accomplish most of what’s discussed here -- but, hey, if you’re going to lounge on a cruise ship for a week, maybe you need the exercise.

The Alaskan Way is a wonderful waterfront promenade with a glorious view of the Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Halfway along its mile-long arc is a plaque that marks the landing spot for the famous “Ton of Gold,” the first shipment of gold from the Canadian Yukon in 1897. The plaque is just south of the Seattle Aquarium, which focuses on Puget Sound and has its own self-made salmon run. The Alaskan Way’s northern end is the site of the new nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park, which was to open this weekend.

From the waterfront, a short climb up the Harbor Steps leads to the Seattle Art Museum and its iconic statue, “Hammering Man,” which pays homage to the city’s industrial history, specifically its long association with the Boeing Co. The museum is expanding and is expected to reopen in May.

Four blocks uphill from the art museum is Pike Place Market, the soul of Seattle. Rachel, the bronze pig at Pike Street and Pike Place, is a popular photo op and a philanthropic piggybank into which visitors deposit about $10,000 a year. Dozens of vendors offer fresh seafood and Northwest produce. About a mile north of the market is Seattle Center and its Space Needle. The iconic Needle is better to look at than to visit; a ride up its open-glass elevator gives you a 360-degree view of Puget Sound when the weather’s clear but costs $14. The center (www.seattlecenter.com) has several playhouses and concert halls, more active in winter.

A better way to see the sights -- including the best vantage of Seattle’s cityscape itself -- is from the water. Washington State Ferries depart from lower downtown. The ride to Bainbridge Island and back costs $6.50, takes half an hour each way and serves up splendid scenery and the chance to see dolphins, seals and sea lions, boat traffic and even the occasional visiting whale.

In the late 19th century, high tides caused gravity-assisted flush toilets to erupt in Seattle’s original downtown; that south-of-downtown historic district is now known as Pioneer Square. Small shops, galleries and cafes are anchored by the well-known Elliott Bay Book Co., the city’s hot spot for author appearances (101 S. Main St.; [206] 624-6600, www.elliottbaybook.com).

Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour offers a subterranean look at what once were some of downtown’s roadways and street-level storefronts before the area was raised to keep the toilets under control (608 1st Ave.; [206] 682-4646, www.undergroundtour.com; $11). Half a mile farther south is Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners (1250 1st Ave. S; [206] 622-4487, mariners.mlb.com; $8 to $60). Although the Mariners haven’t done well in recent years, fans still flock to “The Safe” to watch Ichiro Suzuki and to enjoy the views of downtown and Elliott Bay. Seats with the best views are along the first-base side.

One essential attraction you can’t reach on foot is the Ballard Locks, where visitors can watch salmon climb a fish ladder. The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks -- their formal name, (206) 783-7059 -- lift marine traffic from the Sound to the freshwater complex of lakes and channels that lead to Lake Washington, Seattle’s eastern boundary. Visitors ooh and ahh over million-dollar yachts and rusty, crusty Bering Sea crab boats; below ground, a viewing window peeks in on the half-million or more salmon that climb the locks’ fish ladder each summer.

It’s one of the best attractions short-term Seattle visitors can see, a quintessential slice of the city’s character. The locks are historic, colorful and a genuine commercial facility. Admission is free. One-way taxi fare is about $15; tell the driver to take you to the southern entrance on Commodore Way in the Magnolia district. The famed Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens on the northern side of the locks demonstrate the vast range of ornamentals adapted to Puget Sound, from palm trees to fuchsias.

Where to stay: the details

Hotel prices in Seattle soar during the summer; occupancy rates do too. So, make reservations now if you plan to visit in June, July or August. The downtown area has almost every hotel chain you can think of, but the best lodging is offered by independent properties distinctive to their surroundings. Alas, there are few real bed-and-breakfasts -- the closest is the spartan but ideally located Pensione Nichols (1923 1st Ave.; [206] 441-7125, www.pensionenichols.com; doubles $120 with breakfast) just above Pike Place Market.

Pioneer Square Hotel (77 Yesler Way; [206] 340-1234, www.pioneersquare.com; doubles from $150) is at the northern edge of its namesake district, a restored 19th century brick building within walking distance of the ferry docks and Safeco Field.

When the Beatles stayed at the Edgewater (Pier 67; [206] 728-7000, www.edgewaterhotel.com; doubles begin at $179), they dangled fishing lines out the window. Guests can’t do that anymore, but it remains the only waterfront lodging in Seattle, a fact that supports the rates. The decor theme is Northwest Lodge, and the cruise-ship dock is just three blocks away.

The views are breathtaking from the Inn at the Market (86 Pine St.; [206] 443-3600, www.innatthemarket.com; doubles from $175). Its location, above Pike Place Market, is unsurpassed for wandering.

The Inn at Queen Anne, a onetime apartment building, has rooms (505 1st Ave. N; [206] 282-7357, www.innatqueenanne.com; doubles from $89) that are more spacious than usual. If you’re seeing a Seattle Center play or concert while you’re in town, this is the closest lodging, and it’s a short walk downhill to the cruise ship dock.

Where to eat: the details

Although not quite a restaurant mecca on the level of San Francisco or Vancouver, Canada, Seattle embraces good food in a down-to-earth way that makes the most of its character and surroundings.

Ivar Haglund, a restaurant impresario and self-promoting folk singer, practically invented seafood here. His original restaurant, Ivar’s Acres of Clams, still welcomes tourists on the waterfront (Pier 54; [206] 624-6852; dinner for two about $60, not including wine). The view of Elliott Bay is great. Those on a tight budget can have a look at the dining room, then step outside for a less-than-$10 dinner at Ivar’s Fish (and chips) Bar next door.

At Pike Place Market, my favorites are the $7 fish and chips at Jack’s Fish Spot (1514 Pike Place; [206] 467-0514), which is also the best place to buy smoked salmon as a savory souvenir; and the $6 pork adobo at Oriental Mart, a Filipino lunch counter (1506 Pike Place; [206] 622-8488).

Other places to try:

Shallots Asian Bistro (2525 4th Ave.; [206] 728-1888; entrees start at $12), where seafood stir-fries artfully meld Southeast Asian flavors with North Pacific ingredients.

Flying Fish, a culinary shrine offering some of the best seafood preparation in Seattle (2234 1st Ave.; [206] 728-8595, www.flyingfishrestaurant.com; entrees start at $18). Christine Keff’s small plates offer a variety of dishes, including calamari and hot and sour crab soup.

Getting there

From LAX to Seattle, Alaska and United fly nonstop; Southwest flies direct (stop) and United and America West have connecting flights (change of plane). Restricted round-trip fares cost $198.

Getting from Sea-Tac -- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport -- to downtown is easy. The journey takes 30 minutes, except during rush hour. A taxi costs $35 to $40, a limo about the same; be sure to tell the driver to “go down 99” (Washington 99 rather than the always-clogged Interstate 5). The Gray Line bus runs to a dozen hotels downtown every 20 minutes, $10.25 one way.

All but one of the attractions mentioned here are an easy stroll from the hotels listed (or take a Metro ride -- they’re all within the free downtown bus zone).

The cruise ship terminal at Bell Street Pier (Pier 66) is toward the northern end of the downtown waterfront.

Eric Lucas is the author of “Seattle Survival Guide,” a guide to life in the Emerald City.

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Sound bites

Seattle Aquarium, Pier 59, 1483 Alaskan Way; (206) 386-4300, www.seattleaquarium.org. Open 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. April 1-Sept. 4. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept 5-March 31. Admission $12.50.

Olympic Sculpture Park, 2901 Western Ave.; (206) 654-3100, www.seattleartmuseum.org. Free.

Seattle Art Museum, 100 University St.; (206) 654-3100, www.seattleartmuseum.org; Currently being expanded. Closed until May.

Pike Place Market, 1st Avenue and Pike Street.; (206) 682-453, www.pikeplacemarket.org. Open daily, hours vary depending on merchant.

Space Needle, 400 Broad St.; (206) 905-2100, www.spaceneedle.com. Open 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Admission $14.

Washington State Ferries, Pier 52 on Alaskan Way; (888) 808-7977, www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.

-- Eric Lucas