LIVABILITY
Over the years, Greater Seattle has received numerous accolades as a great place to live, do business, research and innovate. Talented people are mobile; they can live anywhere. The Greater Seattle area attracts and retains talented people because of our much vaunted quality of life: rugged mountains and sparkling rivers and bays are minutes from downtown Seattle, Bellevue, Everett and Tacoma. Music, theater, dance and art for all ages and tastes flourish here.
Overview
Nature and culture are the heart and soul of our character, creating a way of life that is the envy of America. What makes a region livable? Good schools for our children. Good government with public works that make the economy run. Parks, arts, children’s museums, award-winning zoos, science centers, restaurants, ample recreational opportunities and a beautiful environment. We are lucky to have all these and we are working to ensure they will be here for many generations here to come.
Getting out in Greater Seattle
There is something for everyone in the Greater Seattle area. You can ski the slopes of the Cascade mountain range, take a ferry ride and check out award winning museums and music all in the same day. Or you can take a “two nation vacation” with a cruise, drive or flight up to British Columbia, only a couple of hours away.
Outdoor activities
Hikers, bicyclists, boaters and skiers rank the Greater Seattle area as one of the top places in the US. No wonder: there are over 40,000 acres in 350 parks here, stretching from trails winding through forest and farmland in Arlington to the ski slopes of Mt. Baker, through the splendid neighborhood parks of Seattle and Bellevue to Tacoma’s saltwater shoreline and Mt. Rainier National Park. Boaters flock to the coastline here for some of the finest sailing the US has to offer, and cruises to Canada and Alaska depart daily.
Culture and the arts
We celebrate the arts. From symphonies and independent music labels to museums, ethnic performance groups and galleries, artists from all walks of life call Greater Seattle home. In fact, the largest concentration of musicians and music businesses in the US are located here in the Greater Seattle region.
More information
Contact a local tourism bureau for more information on outdoor activities, culture and the arts in Greater Seattle, or plan your next urban hike or major expedition with the help of Washington Trails Association.
- Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Snohomish County Tourism Bureau
- Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitors Bureau
- Washington Trails Association