Seattle is on the water and about the water and if you want to truly experience something of what makes this city unique, consider taking one of the daily tours offered by Argosy Cruises, departing from Pier 55 on the waterfront. Argosy offers a harbor cruise and tours that will take you through the century-old Chittenden Locks that connected freshwater Lake Washington and Lake Union to saltwater Puget Sound. Let’s Go Sailing at Pier 54 offers 90-minute excursions on of Elliott Bay, without commentary, on a 70-foot sailboat. For another take on maritime Seattle, where many residents commute to the city by ferry, hop on a commuter ferry operated by Washington State Ferries and enjoy a ride, with scenic skyline view, between downtown and Bainbridge Island.

Fans of rock ’n’ roll and pop culture can indulge their fantasies and enjoy the memorabilia at this multi-colored museum created by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen. Hop on the monorail downtown and it will take you to Seattle Center and the somewhat grotesque Frank Gehry-designed building with rooms dedicated to Jimi Hendrix and the Seattle rock scene, and state-of-the-art interactive exhibits that let you play an electric guitar in front of screaming fans.

The art gallery of the University of Washington is one of the most cutting-edge museums in Seattle. Artist retrospectives, traveling shows, and a permanent collection that includes digital and interactive art as well as textiles and design all help to make this a worthwhile destination for art lovers.

One of the city’s must-see attractions opened in 2007 on a nine-acre site overlooking Puget Sound at the north end of the Seattle waterfront. Free to the public and open seven days a week, the Olympic Sculpture Park is an alfresco offshoot of the Seattle Art Museum with a stellar collection of outdoor sculptures by the likes of Alexander Calder, Richard Serra, Claes Oldenburg, and Roxy Paine. The panoramic view of the Sound, the Olympic Mountains and, when the weather cooperates, the snow-white peak of Mount Rainier adds to the pleasure. An indoor café serves homemade soups, panini sandwiches and a full menu of lattes and desserts.

The postmodern facade by Robert Venturi is dated, and the gallery spaces Venturi designed sometimes feel cramped and clunky, but SAM is nonetheless Seattle’s pre-eminent art museum and worth a visit to see the fine collections of Northwest Coast Native American art, African art, and modern and contemporary art by Northwest artists. The museum also picks up first-tier traveling exhibitions.

Located on a pier on the Seattle waterfront, the 175-foot-high Seattle Great Wheel opened in 2012 and is the largest observation wheel on the West Coast. Even if you hate Ferris wheels, this is an enjoyable way to get your bearings while taking in an incomparable view of the city and its surroundings. The observation pods are completely enclosed, seat four, move slowly and silently, and don’t sway. On a clear day you’ll see across Puget Sound to the Olympic Mountains to the west, and Mt. Rainier to the east.

Founded in 1963, the Seattle Opera is one of the top opera companies in the U.S., performing four operas a year at McCaw Hall in Seattle Center. Every four years, the Seattle Opera mounts Richard Wagner’s four-opera Ring of the Nibelungen cycle, a highly anticipated event for opera lovers worldwide.

Under Music Director Gerard Schwarz, the Seattle Symphony moved up into the top ranks of U.S. orchestras and moved into a new home, the acoustically superb Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. Conductor Ludovic Morlot now leads the acclaimed ensemble in a season of classical and pops concerts that lasts from September to July.

A sophisticated and enjoyable nightclub and music venue for grown-ups instead of grungy 20-somethings, The Triple Door features an ever-changing and eclectic schedule that features top name performers and the best popular and jazz musicians in Seattle. If you don’t come for the music, come to enjoy a cocktail at the Musicquarium Lounge with its enormous aquarium and lively scene.