Shopping A-Z

Antiques & Collectibles

If antiques are your passion, don't miss the opportunity to spend a day browsing the many antiques stores in the historic farm town of Snohomish, located roughly 30 miles north of Seattle. The town has hundreds of antiques dealers and is without a doubt the antiques capital of the Northwest.

Art Galleries

The Pioneer Square area has for many years been Seattle's main gallery district, and although it still has quite a few galleries, many have moved in recent years to other parts of the metropolitan area, particularly to the wealthy Eastside suburbs of Bellevue and Kirkland. Still, enough galleries remain around Pioneer Square that anyone interested in art should be sure to wander south of Yesler Way. Some galleries are closed on Monday.

Books

You'll find more than a half-dozen locations of Barnes & Noble around the metro area, including one downtown at 600 Pine St. (tel. 206/264-0156). A Borders is downtown at 1501 Fourth Ave. (tel. 206/622-4599).

Coffee & Tea

All over the city, on almost every corner, you'll find espresso bars, cafes, and coffeehouses. And even though you can get coffee back home, you might want to stock up on whichever local bean turns out to be your favorite. If you're a latte junkie, you can even make a pilgrimage to the shop that started it all: the Pike Place Market Starbucks, listed ehre, that was once the only Starbucks in the world.

Crafts

The Northwest is a magnet for skilled craftspeople, and shops all around town sell a wide range of high-quality and imaginative pieces. At Pike Place Market, you can see what area craftspeople are creating and meet the artisans themselves.

Fashion

You'll find quite a few familiar names in downtown Seattle, including Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Barneys New York, Eddie Bauer, Gap, and MaxMara.

Food

Lutefisk Anyone? -- If you're suddenly struck with an insatiable craving for Scandinavian lutefisk, lingonberries, or lefse bread, then head to Ballard, Seattle's Nordic neighborhood, where you can peruse the deli cases and frozen foods at Olsen's Scandinavian Foods, 2248 NW Market St. (tel. 206/783-8288; www.scandinavianfoods.net). With flatbread and Danish ham in hand, you can head out to the Ballard Locks (Hiram M. Chittenden Locks) for a picnic.

Gifts/Souvenirs

Pike Place Market is the ne plus ultra of Seattle souvenirs, with stiff competition from the Seattle Center and Pioneer Square areas.

Jewelry

Unique artist-crafted jewelry can be found at Ragazzi's Flying Shuttle and Twist.

Salmon

If you think that the fish at Pike Place Market looks great but that you could never get it home on the plane, think again. Any of the seafood vendors in Pike Place Market will pack your fresh salmon or Dungeness crab in an airline-approved container that will keep it fresh for up to 48 hours. Alternatively, you can buy vacuum-packed smoked salmon that will keep for years without refrigeration.

Wine

Because the relatively dry summers, with warm days and cool nights, provide an ideal climate for growing grapes, the Northwest has become one of the nation's foremost wine-producing regions. After you've sampled some Washington vintages, you might want to take a few bottles home.