Pioneer Square

One of Seattle‘s most postcard-friendly areas, Pioneer Square is a beautiful, historical neighborhood with plenty to do. The galleries come alive for First Thursday art walks, not to mention the delicious lunch spots, quirky boutiques, and vibrant nightlife. Every Tuesday, a different food truck parks at the First & King Loading Dock (505 1st Ave S.), so there’s always something new to try. By night, the bars, pubs, and clubs fill up with tourists and locals looking for fun. The Seattle Underground Tour and Smith Tower attractions can be found here, as well as the Seattle Metropolitan Police Museum and its collection of vintage police cars. But there’s plenty to see if you just amble around and explore, too.

I was in junior high school when Seattle grunge took over the music scene, so I was very much looking forward to seeing, and hopefully feeling the grunge presence upon my visit. Sadly, for whatever reason, the city has not held on to much from that era. Many of the bars where the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden created the wave have been demolished, changed ownership and been converted, or have debatable relevance. One spot that does still stand though, is the Central Saloon in Pioneer Square. While it was established in 1892 and therefore holds much greater significance than whether or not Alice In Chains took the stage there, it was easy to imagine the sort of crowd that would have been hanging out there around the time Cameron Crowe directed “Singles.” There were a few people in there early in the afternoon on a Monday and a Bud seemed like the right drink order. I chatted with the bartender, who simply said “all those bands played here,” and apparently dated the frontman of a grunge band from Portland. That was enough for me.