Photo courtesy Seattle-King County Convention and Visitors Bureau

There is magic in this sparkling city in the Pacific Northwest, a special place blessed by Nature where people sense that their own efforts had better be worthy of this remarkable gift.

High standards abound — Boeing, Microsoft, Nordstrom and Starbucks are based here. And a youthful creativity flourishes — this is the birthplace of the recent crazes for grunge rock and espresso coffee. This area is also the home of baseball's Ken Griffey Jr., glass art's Dale Chihuly, rock's Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, software's Bill Gates, maestro Gerard Schwarz, grunge's Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, sax man Kenny G., actor Tom Skerritt, writing's Ann Rule, Robert Fulghum and Tom Robbins.

Seattle is a welcoming place, even though the population of the city and the greater Puget Sound region is three million and growing. The natural boundaries of hills and water produce a city of neighborhoods that feel like small towns, vibrant and intriguing. Quirky or classic, there are limitless opportunities for discovery.

The annual rainfall here is 36 inches, less than New York and Atlanta and other cities not known for rain. When it does rain here (mostly in the winter), it seldom pours. The Seattle rain is usually passing showers or a gentle mist, moderate like the climate itself, a necessary element of life in "The Emerald City."

Seattle's delights can be found throughout the city, from its impressive downtown to its surprising neighborhoods. The list which follows may not be definitive, but it is instructive. Classic Seattle attractions like the Space Needle and Washington State Ferries are joined by lesser-known gems, the quirky, the hip, the unexpected. All promise rewards for the visitor with an urge to explore. They're an enticing sampler — twelve of the worthy attractions offering a memorable glimpse of the style, charm and vitality of Seattle today: