Known as the Emerald City, Seattle is enveloped by natural beauty from sea to sky, with panoramic vistas of Mount Rainier, a lush green skyline, and waterfront recreation on the shores of Lake Washington and Puget Sound. Seattle is among the top international centers for commerce, development and culture. And anchored by global health, philanthropy, tech and international business with headquarter offices of Amazon, Microsoft, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and more.
Seattle’s economic prosperity and love for the arts has fostered more cultural offerings per capita than any other US city. It’s home to The Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Seattle Symphony, The Seattle Art Museum, numerous performance halls and two new professional sports stadiums drawing dedicated fans for the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders and of course the Seattle Mariners. Additionally, popular attractions like Seattle Center and The Pike Place Market, one of the nation’s largest and longest running public markets drawing more than ten million visitors a year. And most notable are the celebrity chefs of renowned restaurants, scores of music lounges (the home to Nirvana) and of course, more coffee shops on any corner than any other city its size.