- This is comfortable. I like it now.
- We hit the can't miss spots locals know best
iconic places that define the Seattle experience.
you live in Seattle,
you are likely a ten minute walk
from any park in the city.
Discover the spaces that showcase
our city's natural beauty.
We'll take you to Seattle's
most popular public parks.
Savor mouthwatering, uniquely Seattle flavors.
Northwest comfort foods you have to try.
These stories and more are coming up next
on CityStream.
[♪♪]
- Yaaay!
[♪♪]
Hey, everybody, I'm Anthony Monzón
and welcome to CityStream
here in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood.
Carved out of receding glaciers,
the Puget Sound region, which includes Seattle,
is believed
to have been inhabited for nearly 12,000 years.
Over the centuries, Seattle
has transformed from a trading post
to portal for immigrants
and gold rush hopefuls into the bustling big city
we know today.
Now we're home to giants as well as grunge and glass.
Time now to be a tour guide or a tourist in
our Emerald City.
[♪♪]
So how about we start with the most obvious: places
to see.
Whether you're a lifelong Seattleite
or visiting for the very first time,
there are some spots
in this city that belong on everyone's must see list.
Producer Eric Riddle hit the pavement
to show us a few of the iconic places
that make Seattle, Seattle.
[♪♪]
- You were at Pike Place Market
and you're here kind of in the heart of it.
August 17th, 1907.
So 118 years ago,
it was the first day for which farmers
lined up on Pike Place
and sold directly for the first time
to satellites and to consumers.
And so they brought their were strong wagons
full of produce, so fruits and vegetables.
And on that very first day
and that was what started what you're experiencing.
And you can see here today.
[Cheering fish toss]
I think the beauty here is it's true community.
It's an ecosystem of incredible delight.
We have 90 plus farmers.
We also have a significant part of our population
are handmade artisans and craftspeople.
If you have not been to the market in a while,
there is more to see.
And we really in many ways
have another new front door
and that is
heading from the waterfront at the Overlook walk
and then really stepping
into the market in a new way.
When folks find themselves here
and there is so much to see, there's so much
to enjoy.
There's so much to taste.
There's absolutely nothing like Pike Place
Market in the world.
[♪♪]
- We are currently at the top
of the Space Needle here in Seattle, Washington.
[♪♪]
It was built in 1962 for the World's Fair.
What the Space Needle represented at the time
and the World's Fair
in general, was innovation and hope and technology.
[♪♪]
When you arrive at the top and those elevator doors
open,
you are greeted like a big hug
from the Pacific Northwest.
And this amazing view at the top.
[♪♪]
Back in 2018, we did the century project,
where we actually peeled away
concrete from the building and some wires at the top,
and we replaced them
with these gorgeous pieces of glass.
Each panel is about 2,000 pounds and are made
of the strongest glass in the world.
[♪♪]
One of my favorite parts of being here
and being part of the team is walking around
and seeing our guest experience,
seeing the Space Needle for the first time.
And then there's also this
little bit of boldness and courage
that is poured out from all of our guests
when they stand on the glass benches.
- Okay. You ready? - This is comfortable, though.
I got to like it now.
[♪♪]
- “The Loupe” is the world's
only rotating glass floor of its kind and its size.
It can rotate clockwise and counterclockwise.
It can also stop, speed up and slow down.
[♪♪]
We get a million
visitors on average from around the world each year.
But the hot secret tip is to come early,
especially during the summer months
when it's clear and the views are amazing.
[♪♪]
Every time, every experience
that you come up to the top of the Space Needle,
you're going to find something
a little unique and different.
[♪♪]
- Aviation's
been a part of the northwest for a long,
long time, almost since the very beginning.
[♪♪]
This is the Museum of Flight.
It first started in the mid 60s,
where a group of people decided
they wanted to save
some of this northwest aviation history.
So they formed a society.
It's very small space near the Space Needle.
And now we're
the largest independent
air and space museum in the world.
This gallery, we call it the Great Gallery
for obvious reasons, because it's pretty great.
It's a look at maybe the first 100 years of flight.
Everything from the Wright
brothers first flier to things like
the Lockheed Blackbird from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s.
We have one whole building that's dedicated to World
War one and World War
Two fighter aircraft, and the story of those wars.
We have a building across the street
that is more or less dedicated
to the story of the space shuttle,
the space shuttle trainer.
That's something that you can't see anywhere else.
NASA only made one of them like this.
It was used to train
every single person that flew on the space shuttle
and then next to it, which used to be
just an open space we called the air Park.
That's been covered.
So that's a three acre pavilion.
That's where we keep all the large airplanes.
We've got to the very first Air Force One jet
that dates back to the late
1950s with President Eisenhower,
and it went on for several presidents after that.
[♪♪]
Concorde is here.
Its last flight was from New York to Seattle.
Along the way, it set a speed record
for our crossing that distance.
You don't
have to be an aviation or space geek or enthusiast
to appreciate it, because there are so many
different shapes,
so many ways of looking at this whole problem
and the challenge of flight.
[♪♪]
We are at the Olympic Sculpture Park,
one of three sites of the Seattle Art Museum.
This site was designed and imagined
dreamed up to be a museum without walls.
Collaboration between Seattle
Art Museum and the Trust for Public Land
to purchase, abandoned toxic brownfield
and to remediate it to create this
beautiful, accessible green space full of art.
It's nine acres of four different
natural zones
with over 20 artworks throughout the park.
The artists that you'll find
at the park represent
national and international scope.
[♪♪]
Really incredible artists
that you can see for free 365 days a year.
[♪♪]
One of the most iconic works at the sculpture
park is Alexander Calder's Eagle,
which soars up into the sky
and its signature Calder red.
Almost every sculpture that you see
at the sculpture
park is a permanent part of the park,
and is part of the Seattle
Art museums permanent collection.
The exception to that right now is AI Weiwei's
Zodiac Heads, which we are very happy
to have installed through October 2027.
[♪♪]
What really makes this park
special is the intersection,
the marriage
between the urban environment
and the natural environment,
as well as that marriage between art and landscape.
[♪♪]
It really encompasses a little bit of everything.
You get these gorgeous views,
you get the
nature, experience and the art experience all at one.
[♪♪]
Seattle's mission is to connect
art to life, and nowhere is that more in evidence
than at the Olympic Sculpture Park.
It's an integrated part of the urban landscape
and of the community around it.
[♪♪]
It's the place to come to discover our city.
You're at the Museum of
History and Industry here in Seattle, Washington.
About 60 years ago, people got together
and said, hey,
this is a fast changing city,
but let's hold on to
some of our good things.
Let's hold on to the character
that made us strong.
The values that we hold dear.
Let's have a museum that really celebrates
what's special about Seattle
and the Museum of History and Industry is born.
Even if you've lived here a lifetime, you're going
to find something new.
But some of the favorite artifacts
are the very first commercial airplane
that Boeing ever built.
You can see slo mo, for which old timers
will remember, was the hydroplane
that set the world's water speed record.
[♪♪]
It's a great place during the summer,
especially to bring your out-of-town visitors.
You know, they've landed in this beautiful city,
maybe for the first time.
Start your visit right here at Mo High.
[♪♪]
It's so much fun to share it, to share
special surprises,
to share longtime favorites,
to really remind people about why
this is a great community
and why we're so proud to call Seattle home.
- There are so many other
places to explore in Seattle
and even more outside the
the city limits.
If hiking is your thing,
we suggest checking out the
Washington Trails Association.
They have over 4000 hikes, maps and apps
as well as reviews.
Whether you're a novice or seasoned,
it's a great resource
for exploring our region's natural beauty.
For more information,
you can go to their web page at wta.org.
These spaces won't just take your breath away.
They'll also tell the story of our city.
We'll show you our picture perfect parks
when we come back.
- We are the everyday storytellers
of this great city.
We are a Seattle Channel.
[Jets flying over]
A gateway to everything Seattle.
The intersection between government,
culture, news and the ever
unfolding story of the city we call home.
So follow your curiosity
and come explore Seattle with us.
The Seattle Channel.
[♪♪]
- Welcome back to City Stream from the vibrant
northern end of Waterfront Park.
You know, Seattle's public parks are
some of the most beautiful in the country.
And the best part, they're free to explore.
Producer Eric Riddell shows us
the spaces that help tell the story of our city.
[♪♪]
- Seattle's parks are at the heart of our city.
They bring people together
in the most joyful of ways.
One of our pride moments in Seattle Parks
and Recreation is that
if you live in Seattle,
you are likely a ten minute
walk from any park in the city.
[♪♪]
Today we're at
Kerry Park in Queen Anne, and it is one of the parks
with the most iconic Seattle views.
[♪♪]
This park was given to Seattle Parks
and Recreation in 1927 from the Kerry family.
Behind me you can see the Space Needle.
We're overlooking Elliott Bay.
We've got Climate Pledge in the arena downstairs
and downtown Seattle in the background.
I think we're
actually catching this on such a Seattle day
with the Moody clouds up above.
But everyone comes here.
If you have friends
that are visiting you, you bring them here.
If you're proposing to your partner
or maybe having a wedding, you come here.
It's just the staple of our city.
[♪♪]
Another hill over is one of our other
staples in our park system in the Magnolia community.
It's Discovery Park.
Historically, Discovery
Park was an
old military base,
and so it was handed over
to Seattle Parks and Recreation.
And as you walk
the grounds, you can still see those old buildings
and those old areas of which folks
would have frequented during that time.
Discovery Park
is unique because it's our
largest park in our system.
It has 560 acres.
It has meadows.
It has bluff
views of both the Olympics and the Cascades.
The Discovery Park Lighthouse
is also an incredible component to visit.
It was built in 1881.
It was the first manned
lighthouse in the Puget Sound.
[♪♪]
Washington Park Arboretum is a gorgeous
oasis along Lake Washington.
[♪♪]
It spans 230 acres, bursting with unique
and beautiful living collections that
you'll find nowhere else but the Pacific Northwest.
[♪♪]
And then at the South, you have the stunning
Japanese Garden,
three and a half acres urban sanctuary.
We are still centrally in the city,
and yet you can go and wander
these paths with these beautiful trees.
And if you catch them in the fall,
they're changing colors and it's gorgeous.
Another incredible spot for
family photos to be taken.
[♪♪]
It's beautiful.
It's just something to take in. You.
[♪♪]
Over in West Seattle,
we have Alki Beach.
[♪♪]
Historically speaking,
this beach is one of the birthplaces of Seattle
where the Denny Party landed.
It is the place to be in the summer.
You have long, sprawling walking paths,
families walking with strollers,
marathons and joggers that go up and down.
You can enjoy the beach.
You can jump on a beach
volleyball court with an unrivaled view.
[♪♪]
Feel free to grab lunch at one of the many eateries
or restaurants along Alki Ave.
Use the bathhouse for a wedding.
There's simply so much
to enjoy in West Seattle at Alki Beach.
[♪♪]
And in South Seattle,
just over the hill from Columbia City.
We have Seward Park.
The Salish people have lived in the area
for at least 4000 years, and likely much longer.
They call themselves the Lake People.
[♪♪]
Seward Park is named
after William Seward, the US Secretary of State.
He was known for the negotiation
of the Alaska Purchase,
and the park was actually designed
by the Olmsted Brothers,
the renowned landscape architecture firm
that has their handprint on many parks
across Seattle but also across America.
[♪♪]
It sits along the shores of Lake Washington,
and the 2.5 mile walking path around
it is open to bikers, runners, visitors.
[♪♪]
The 300 acre part contains roughly
100 acres of surviving old growth forests, with trees
older than 250 years old.
[♪♪]
You can take a detour and get lost for hours
in the peacefulness of the forest.
[♪♪]
You can go swimming in one of the many beaches.
You can take your kids to the playgrounds.
[♪♪]
Seattle parks have so much to offer to everyone.
[♪♪]
We just are so lucky to live in the city, to have
the nearly 500 parks that we can access
[♪♪]
get out into those parks.
They're there for your enjoyment.
They're there to bring you and your friends together.
[♪♪]
- Like Lisa mentioned,
the City of Seattle has over 500 parks
to pick from, some
big, some small.
If you'd like to explore more of our parks
and open spaces, go to the Seattle Parks
and Recreation web page at seattle.gov/parks.
You know, incidentally,
we're actually standing in the Overlook
Walk section...
part of the new pedestrian link to the market.
[♪♪]
Officially opened in the fall of 2025.
Waterfront Park is a 20 acre
stretch of urban greenspace
running from Belltown to Pioneer
Square along Elliott Bay.
It's been celebrated as the city's
biggest civic achievement since the 1962 World's
Fair, and was built on the former
footprint of the now demolished Alaskan
Way Viaduct.
Some of it stands out
features include nine public
art installations, play areas,
a scenic promenade and protected bike lanes
running the length of the public space.
Waterfront Park is
already collecting awards to take home the 2025
Outstanding New Park Project
from World Urban Parks.
Not bad for a place that used to be a highway.
[♪♪]
Up next will take you to some of Seattle's
central eats.
Hope you brought your appetite
and maybe it's a go box.
[♪♪]
- Welcome back to City Stream
from Seattle's SODO neighborhood,
otherwise known as our Stadium District.
This next segment is probably
the worst of the show because
everyone has an opinion.
We're talking about food.
We asked former Seattle P-i food editor and cookbook
author Hsiao-Ching Chou to pick out
some of Seattle's essential eats.
[♪♪]
- People always ask me what
my favorite Chinese restaurant is in Seattle.
And the answer is always it depends on your mood.
But if you're in Chinatown International District,
check out Diamond Bay restaurant.
Diamond Bay specializes in Cantonese cuisine,
which you might associate with Hong
Kong, and dim sum, which we're having today.
We have here, for example,
the shrimp dumplings and the soup dumplings.
We have egg tart
and these beautiful little carrots
that are wrapped in delicate pastries.
What's very famous in Cantonese cuisine
are the roasted meats, like
this beautiful roasted pig and some clay pots,
which is one of their specialty is here.
Enough talking. It's time to eat.
So good.
Those who know me know that
I love oysters, especially from Washington waters.
And one of the best places to belly up to the oyster
bar is right here in Ballard
at The Walrus and the Carpenter.
Since 2010, Walrus
and Carpenter has been the place to be in Ballard.
This place is owned by
James Beard, Award winning chef Renee Erickson.
We have her and her crew to thank for bringing
fabulous oysters to the Seattle scene.
On the menu today are the Sapphire
Bay Water Sweets, Cairns, Pickering and Cliff point.
These are Pliny, they're cold.
You have to have them cold
Hit them with a little bit of citrus
and it's perfect.
Sorry for slipping on camera,
but it's a necessity.
And these are fabulous.
Come here and belly up to the bar.
[♪♪]
And Pike Place
Market is a treasure trove of good food.
And one spot that's been building
a great following is Hellenika Cultured Creamery.
Right here is where all the magic happens.
This is not ice cream.
It is most definitely not frozen yogurt.
It's called culture gelato.
And what makes
clinica different is that they use
Greek cultures like they do in yogurt to culture.
The milks to develop those flavors.
And then they add other flavorings to make London
fog or lemon curd or Marion Barry.
Then my personal favorite is they ube coconut,
which is purple yam and coconut.
It's not too sweet.
And because it's culture gelato
and the way that they make it,
it has less fat and less air.
So it's like, good for you, right?
I'm sticking with that.
[♪♪]
When you're talking about
can't miss food spots in Seattle,
you got to hit up our hometown favorite,
Dick's Drive Drive-In.
This Seattle institution started here
in Wallingford back in 1954 by a man named Dick
speedy and friends.
They wanted to focus on fast service
and affordable prices.
Back then, a burger set you back $0.19.
The prices have gone up since then, but what
hasn't changed is the care they put into their food.
Their fries are hand-cut,
their milkshakes are hand-dipped,
and they're hamburger meat,
all from Washington is fresh and never frozen.
I'd like a cheeseburger, fries.
And when I moved to Seattle
in 2000, I lived a block away
from my Dick's Drive-In.
So I had Dick's Burgers all the time,
and sometimes it was just the fries.
It's a simple burger,
but delicious, and it's the perfect bite of Seattle.
[♪♪]
Foodies are always looking for the hot
new places, but sometimes you need something quieter.
Here on Capitol Hill,
you'll find fine dining without stuffiness.
At Lark.
[♪♪]
Lark has been around
since 2003, and it's been one
of my favorite restaurants ever since.
James Beard Award winning chef Jon Sundstrom has been
a huge advocate for local seasonal ingredients.
He's taught me so much
about sustainability and celebrating farmers.
For today's menu, we've got Weathervane scallops,
wild meadow pea stew, and wild Mizuda.
I cannot wait to dig in.
This is our region in a bite.
[♪♪]
Well, I hope you've enjoyed
this tour of Seattle restaurants.
Whether you're a local or from out of town,
we've got something for everybody.
Cheers to you.
[♪♪]
- That story really only scratches the
surface when it comes to Seattle’s diverse food scene.
But hopefull Hsiau-Ching
has given you
a few spots to add to your list.
One thing's for sure, though,
there's definitely no shortage of good food
here in Seattle. We’ll be right back.
[♪♪]
Seattle Channel.
Recipient of the National Association
of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, 2025
Overall Excellence Award, the highest honor
for a government TV station in the country.
[♪♪]
- That's all for this episode of City Stream.
Again, there are just so many
places to explore in and around Seattle,
so consider this a jumping off point.
If you enjoyed our time together
and you'd like to watch
more of our award winning programing,
go to Seattle channel.org and search feature shows.
I'm Anthony Monsón.
Thanks for watching.
[♪♪]
- Like this?
oh, geez.