Rain or shine, Seattle offers lots of family fun

Got the rain jackets? So what if it rains a lot in Seattle. As long as you've got good rain gear, you won't care, especially when there's so much to do and see.

Where else can you take the kids to see guys throwing raw fish, introduce them to ferries and learnabout the creatures who inhabit the sea in this part of the world. (The first-rate Seattle Aquarium, visit www.seattleaquarium.org, was renovated just a year ago.)

Let's not forget the chance to view the world 605 feet aboveground atop The Space Needle (www.spaceneedle.com). Plenty of local restaurants are kid-friendly, too. Locals suggest Cutters Bayhouse, www.cuttersbayhouse.com, and Ivar's Acres of Clams, www.ivars.net, a landmark since 1938.

Of course, we can't forget coffee. Your frappuccino-loving kids may be surprised to learn that Starbucks started right here in 1971 with just one coffee store. That store is still open at Pike Place Market.

This summer, if you're thinking about spending a few days in Seattle, either before or after an Alaskan cruise, (a record 211 cruise ships will dock here), or you're just shopping for a different getaway, you and your kids are guaranteed to love Seattle.

In fact, this is one city that has as much to offer kids as parents, whether you're foodies, and these days a lot of kids are, baseball lovers, music aficionados or sailors.

For museum goers, the Seattle Art Museum's (www.seattleartmuseum.org) free. For more options, visit www.visitseattle.org and www.experiencewashington.com.

To take advantage of many top Seattle attractions, buy a Seattle City Pass (www.citypass.com) and check out great hotel deals at www.seattlesupersaver.com.

Planning on bringing your pet along on this trip? Check out family packages from pet-friendly Kimptons' Alexis Hotel Seattle (www.alexishotel.com), as well as the Hotel Monaco (www.monaco-seattle.com). Not only do they welcome your pooch, but they also provide a goldfish for your stay.

Once you're settled in, take the kids to Pike Place Market (www.pikeplacemarket.org), one of the oldest continuously operated farmers' markets in the United States. Pike Place presides over a nine-acre historic district in the heart of downtown Seattle and the kids will never look at grocery shopping the same way again as they watch guys throw fish back and forth at the Pike Place Fish Market. Down the hill is my second-favorite site in Seattle — the Seattle Aquarium. Seattle is also home to the terrific Woodland Park Zoo (www.zoo.org). It's fun just to walk along the waterfront, too, packed with ferryboats, cruise ships, tour boats and every variety of pleasure boat. Seattle Center (www.seattlecenter.com) is also a must-see for families. The 74-acre urban park — a legacy of the 1962 World's Fair — is home to the Space Needle and some of the city's largest festivals.

You've also got the chance in Seattle to teach the kids a little history. Take them to Klondike Goldrush National Historic Park (www.nps.gov/klse) — a free museum that explains Seattle's role as the starting point to the 1890s gold rush. Eileen Ogintz, a resident of Fairfield County, invites questions, comments and stories about your family travels. Write to Taking the Kids, 578 Post Road East, #566, Westport CT 06880, or visit www.takingthekids.com.

PHOTO 1. CAPTION: At 605 feet, the Seattle Space Needle towers over the Experience Music Project on the Seattle Center grounds. PHOTO 2. CAPTION: Pike Place is one of the oldest continuously operated farmer's markets in the United States.

PHOTO 3. CAPTION: Residents and tourists enjoy a sunny Seattle day at one of the many restaurants on Seattle's bustling waterfront. A Washington State Ferry unloads and loads passengers at the Colman Dock. PHOTO 4. CAPTION: