Seattle

Among the lush forests and majestic mountains of the Evergreen State, you'll find Seattle - nicknamed the Emerald City. This gem of a metropolitan area combines stunning natural surroundings with a prominent tech business and a major global trade center. Seattle is driven by two obsessions - fitness and coffee. Get your caffeine fix from the home of Starbuck's, Seattle's Best Coffee or a multitude of independent coffee shops. Then hit the jogging trails and bike paths winding throughout the city.

City Snapshot. Seattle is the largest city in our nation's Pacific Northwest region, with a metro area population of about 3.3 million. Located on Puget Sound, any part of the city isn't far from beautiful water. And despite its reputation for weather, Seattle actually trails cities like New York, Boston and Atlanta in annual rainfall.

Places to Live. Such a diverse metro area offers a wide variety of urban and suburban living, including affordable apartments and rental homes.

Places to Relax. Green Lake is a local favorite for summer picnics, pick-up games of basketball or volleyball, and trails that entwine the lake and surrounding woodlands. Seattle also serves up a spectacular array of shops, restaurants and eateries - with Asian culture and cuisine especially pronounced. Annual festivals, including Bumbershoot for art and music and the Seattle International Film Festival, offer yearly retreats.

Major Attractions. Pike Place Market, the nation's oldest continually working farmer's market featuring fresh foods plus original art and craftwork; Experience Music Project, an interactive tribute to the evolution of American music; the Space Needle; The Seattle Art Museum; Seattle Opera; Pacific Northwest Ballet; and Seattle Repertory Theater.

Pro Sports. Mariners (baseball), Seahawks (football), Supersonics (men's basketball), Storm (women's basketball).

Places to Get Away. Basically, just step outside. From the Cascade Mountains and Mt. Rainier to the San Juan Islands and the coastline of Puget Sound, this region offers a multitude of outdoor escapes. Within a couple hours of downtown, you can be downhill skiing in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, whitewater rafting on the Elwha or Wenatchee Rivers or whale-watching in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

More Info. To learn more about life in Seattle and Puget Sound Region, go to www.seattle.citysearch.com or www.seattleinsider.com.