I’m always surprised when someone I know visits Seattle but doesn’t make a stop at the Dale Chihuly Garden and Glass museum.
There’s a lot to see and do in Seattle – it’s a fabulous city overall. But the Garden and Glass experience is so magical that it’s a literal must-do – especially for anyone who already knows and appreciates Chihuly’s art glass.
Here in central Ohio, we are so fortunate to have a permanent Chihuly glass exhibit at our beloved Franklin Park Conservatory. The bright colors, unmistakable shapes and unique forms of Chihuly’s work are at their absolute best when staged and positioned in natural settings, as they are both our conservatory and Seattle’s Garden and Glass.
Still, even a familiarity with Chihuly’s works didn’t prepare me for the magnificence that is Garden and Glass. In the words of its website, “Providing a look at the inspiration and influences that inform the career of artist Dale Chihuly, the Exhibition includes eight Galleries, the centerpiece Glasshouse and a lush Garden.” And even that doesn’t do it justice.
It’s been more than a year since my visit, but I can still close my eyes and be transported back to that magical realm to feast on memories of art glass visions so colorful and fantastic, they hardly seemed real. It’s so hard to pick a favorite piece – they were all exquisite and each one is laid out in a gorgeous setting to showcase it to perfection.
I will absolutely visit Garden and Glass again should my travels take me back to Seattle – and I hope they do. Really, the entire Pacific Northwest is on my travel wish list. It’s a glorious part of the country!
Other Seattle Sights
Right next door to the Garden and Glass property is the Space Needle, which I opted not to experience because I’m afraid of heights, but it’s certainly an iconic part of the Seattle skyline.
We adored the Pike Place Market on the waterfront, with its wonderful food and scenic location. Right nearby the market was the original 1971 Starbucks location, which we had to stand on line for but it was fun to visit!
One of our other favorite activities in Seattle was a ferry tour. There are many boat tours of Puget Sound – ours was just a quickie since we were there on business and didn’t have much time. We didn’t see any whales, but it was a gorgeous way to while away a couple of hours.
Have you visited Chihuly’s Garden and Glass or other Seattle hot spots, and did you love the Emerald City as much as I did? I’d love to hear your travel tales in the comments below or over on Facebook.
