Walking Tour 1

Pike Place Market

Start: At the corner of Pike Street and First Avenue.

Finish: At the corner of Pike Street and First Avenue.

Time: Approximately 4 hours, including shopping and dining.

Best Times: Weekends, when crafts vendors set up along Pike Place.

Worst Times: Weekends, when the market is extremely crowded.

Despite the crowds of tourists and locals, Pike Place Market, a sprawling complex of historic buildings and open-air vendors' stalls, remains Seattle's most fascinating attraction. You'll find aisles lined with fresh produce, cut flowers, and seafood, as well as unusual little shops tucked away in the many hidden corners of this multilevel maze. Street performers also take to the streets here, adding another level of fun to a meander through the market.

Because Pike Place Market is so large, it is easy to overlook some of its more interesting businesses and its many quirky works of public art. The following walking tour is meant to lead you through the market, past the many places you wouldn't want to miss.

Start your tour at the corner of Pike Street and First Avenue at the:

1. Pike Place Market Information Kiosk

This tiny cubicle is one of the most important buildings in the market. Not only does the kiosk have maps of the market, but it also doubles as the Ticket/Ticket half-price, day-of-show ticket center. Scan the list of tickets available for the day and, if you see something you like, you'll save a bundle. This booth also sells half-price tickets for boat tours.

Directly behind the information kiosk rises the famous Pike Place Market neon sign and clock. Just below this sign you'll find:

2. Rachel the Pig

This life-size bronze statue of a pig is the unofficial Pike Place Market mascot and also doubles as the market piggy bank. Each year, people deposit thousands of dollars into Rachel. Hardly any visitor to the market goes home without a shot of some friend or family member sitting on the pig.

It's sometimes difficult to spot Rachel because of the crowds that gather here to watch the flying fish at:

3. Pike Place Fish

The antics of the fishmongers at Pike Place Fish are legendary. No, they don't actually sell flying fish, but if you decide to buy, say, a whole salmon, your fish will go flying through the air (amid much shouting and gesticulating) from the front of the stall to the back, where someone will steak it or fillet it for you and even pack it on dry ice so that you can take it home with you on the plane.

To the right of Pike Place Fish begin the market's main:

4. Produce Stalls

In summer look for fresh cherries, berries, peaches, and melons; in the fall it's Washington State apples. Stalls full of colorful cut flowers also line this section of the market.

As you wander through this crowded section of the market, keep an eye out for:

5. Chukar Cherries

This Washington State candy company, at 1529 Pike Place (tel. 206/623-8043), specializes in chocolate-covered dried cherries. Samples are always available.

Also watch for:

6. Mick's Peppourri

Mick's, at 1531 Pike Place (tel. 206/223-0128), makes delicious pepper jellies that range from mild to fiery. These jellies pair beautifully with cream cheese and crackers or fresh bread from the market. Of course, samples are available.

A little farther along, you'll come to the North Arcade, where you'll find lots of:

7. Crafts Vendors

This is a good place to shop for handmade souvenirs. These craftspeople know their clientele, so most of the work here is small enough to fit in a suitcase.

On weekends you can find more crafts vendors along this side of the street just past the end of the covered market stalls. Across Western Avenue from the last of these outdoor crafts stalls is:

8. Steinbrueck Park

Although this small, grassy park is favored by the homeless, it is also home to a pair of impressive totem poles and offers a superb view of Elliott Bay. Watch for the comings and goings of the giant car ferries that link Seattle to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton on the far side of Puget Sound.

From the park, walk back across Western Avenue and Pike Place and head toward your starting point. You'll now be on the opposite side of Pike Place from the produce stalls. This stretch of the market has lots of great prepared-food stalls, so be sure to do a little grazing. If you've become convinced that Pike Place Market is strictly for tourists, climb the stairs to the:

9. Lisa Harris Gallery

This art gallery, at 1922 Pike Place (tel. 206/443-3315), always seems to have interesting contemporary artwork, largely by Northwestern artists.

A little way up the street, you'll find what was once the only:

10. Starbucks

That's right, years ago this narrow space, at 1912 Pike Place (tel. 206/448-8762), was the only Starbucks in the world. Unlike today's Starbucks, this espresso bar has no tables or chairs; it's strictly a grab-it-and-go spot. Since you've already been on your feet for a while and still have a lot of the market to see, you may want to stop in and order a grande mocha to see you through the rest of your walking tour. Also be sure to notice how different the mermaid here looks compared to today's official logo.

How about a little something tasty to go with that mocha?

11. Le Panier

Located at 1902 Pike Place (tel. 206/441-3669), this French-style bakery has good croissants and other pastries to accompany your espresso. They also have breads to go with that pepper jelly you bought earlier.

Continue along Pike Place in the same direction, and in the next block you'll see:

12. Beecher's Handmade Cheese

Here, at 1600 Pike Place (tel. 206/956-1964), you can watch cheese being made and taste samples of the goods. This place also does a yummy macaroni and cheese.

Continue along Pike Place for another block, passing several more prepared-food stalls, and then turn left into Post Alley. This narrow lane cuts through several blocks of the market, and many shops and restaurants open onto it. For Seattle souvenirs, it's hard to beat:

13. Made in Washington

Shortly after you start up the narrow lane, you'll come to this store, at 1530 Post Alley (tel. 206/467-0788). It carries smoked salmon, prepared foods, crafts, books, and plenty of other inexpensive stuff from here in Washington.

Take a Break -- Pike Place Market is full of surprises, not the least of which are the many excellent restaurants hidden away in quiet corners of the complex. One of my very favorites is Café Campagne, 1600 Post Alley (tel. 206/728-2233), a classy little French cafe serving delicious lunches. The atmosphere is très French. Don't confuse this restaurant with the much more expensive and formal Campagne, which is above the cafe.

Continue up the alley, and at Stewart Street, on the north side of the street, you'll see:

14. Antiques at Pike Place

This large antiques mall, at 92 Stewart St. (tel. 206/441-9643), has more than 80 dealers. The stalls are packed full of interesting collectibles.

Back on Post Alley, watch for:

15. The Pink Door

This restaurant, at 1919 Post Alley (tel. 206/443-3241), is one of the market's most famous dinner spots. No sign marks it out front, just the pink door. A flight of stairs leads down to an Italian restaurant and cabaret/bar. The deck is the place to eat on summer evenings.

From Post Alley, descend to Pike Place via the staircase to the left of The Pink Door. These stairs lead down to a building with a shady courtyard. After walking through the building, turn right and go to the corner of Virginia Street. Cross Pike Place, turn left, and walk down Western Avenue to the:

16. Market Heritage Center

At 1533 Western Ave. (tel. 206/774-5249) is this open-air exhibit on the history of Pike Place Market. Here you'll learn all about the various incarnations of the market since its inception. If you'd like to do a guided walking tour similar to this one, you can contact the Market Foundation at the number above.

Continue down Western Avenue, and in a couple of blocks you'll come to the Pike Street Hill Climb, a network of stairways that connect the waterfront with Pike Place Market. If you head up the stairs, you'll find the market's Down Under area, which consists of long hallways lined with small shops. My favorite shop in the Down Under is the:

17. Market Magic Shop

Located on the Down Under's fourth level, the Market Magic Shop (tel. 206/624-4271) sells all kinds of tricks and paraphernalia. Kids love this shop, as do aspiring magicians. Directly across the hall from this shop are some unusual coin-operated window displays of giant shoes. Don't miss them!

If you leave the Down Under by way of the market stairs that are an extension of the Pike Street Hill Climb, you will find yourself back in the vicinity of Rachel the pig and Pike Place Fish. From here, make your way through the crowd of people waiting to see the fish fly and head into the Economy Building. In the walkway leading toward First Avenue, you'll find the:

18. Garlic Garden

This stall, at 93 Pike St. #3 (tel. 206/405-4022), is famous for its pungent Lebanese Breeze garlic spread, which is great on bread (maybe with a little pepper jelly). Just be sure that everyone in your group has some; this stuff may not be pure garlic, but it sure tastes like it.

Across the hall from the Garlic Garden, you'll find:

19. DeLaurenti

This Italian grocery, at 1435 First Ave. (tel. 206/622-0141), has a great deli case full of Italian cheeses and meats. It also sells imported pastas and has a good selection of wines and beers. Samples of various olive oils are often available.

If you exit DeLaurenti through the door in the wine shop area, you'll be in an atrium, from the ceiling of which hangs a:

20. Giant Squid

This life-size copper sculpture was created by a local artist. Although you won't see any squids this size in the nearby Seattle Aquarium (on the waterfront), you can see a live giant octopus there.

21. Sasquatch

Beneath the giant squid you'll come face to face with a life-size wooden sculpture of the Northwest's legendary and elusive Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot.

Winding Down -- From Sasquatch and the giant squid, head down the hall to Pike Pub and Brewery, 1415 First Ave. (tel. 206/622-6044), where you can enjoy a cool micro-brewed beer and relax in one of the pub's easy chairs. Alternatively, you can head outside to First Avenue, where you can get a creamy gelato at Bottega Italiana, 1425 First Ave. (tel. 206/343-0200).