Chihuly Garden and Glass | Photo: Steve Estvanik

Scene Stealers

Chihuly Garden and Glass | Photo: Steve Estvanik

Who needs Hollywood? Plenty of Seattle locations make appearances in the pop culture realm—and they’re all worth checking out.

The first title that jumps to mind is Sleepless in Seattle. The Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar (*1517 Pike Pl; athenianinn.com) in Pike Place Market, where Sam (Tom Hanks) dishes with his friend about dating advice, is one of the most popular film spots in town. You can even sit on Hanks’s bar stool or coast by the floating home where his character lived by taking an Argosy Cruises (*argosycruises.com) tour on Lake Union. Also visible from the water is Gas Works Park (2101 N Northlake Way) and its industrial remains, perhaps recognizable from the paintball scene in the ‘90s teen rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You.

Back in downtown, the offices at Fisher Plaza (140 Fourth Ave N)—home to local TV station KOMO News—may look more familiar as the exterior of Seattle Grace Hospital on Grey’s Anatomy. For a grunge-era touchstone, the apartment building from Singles can be found at 1820 East Thomas Street, and Westlake Center (400 Pine St; westlakecenter.com) serves as the spot for Lloyd and Diane’s first date in Say Anything.

Seattle has earned indie cred in plenty of other ways, too. Seattle director Lynn Shelton sets all her movies locally, but one standout location is Chihuly Garden and Glass (*305 Harrison St; chihulygardenandglass.com) from the wedding scene in Laggies.

Want to bargain hunt like Macklemore? The music video for “Thrift Shop” was shot at thrifting havens Fremont Vintage Mall (3419 Fremont Pl N; fremontvintagemall.com) and Seattle Goodwill Outlet (1765 Sixth Ave S; seattlegoodwill.org). Fur coats not included.

A short day trip from Seattle, devoted fans can visit Washington-set locales for favorite cult hits, like Twin Peaks (the small cities of North Bend and Snoqualmie served as the primary filming locations for David Lynch’s fictional town) and Twilight (the Olympic Peninsula town of Forks inspired author Stephenie Meyer’s teen vampire series).

 

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