Fun things to do In The Seattle area

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Madison Bruce

This photo is from a rooftop in downtown Seattle of Shorecrest students Sarah Bruce and Semira Habeshi.

Sometimes regular weekend activities get boring. Outside of the Shorecrest community is the entire city of Seattle with unique and new attractions for people of all ages. So when you’ve fallen into the same boring routine her are some fun activities in the Seattle area.

For film buffs and music lovers the Museum of Pop Culture or the MoPOP, formerly known as the EMP is always a fun place to explore. Visitors can see the newer Scared To Death: The Thrill Of A Horror Film exhibits which ends in mid May. The exhibit includes more than 50 props from horror films including such films as: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Walking Dead, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bride of Frankenstein, Dawn of the Dead, Hostel, Jeepers Creepers, and Pet Sematary. Also in the museum is the Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction exhibit. This ongoing exhibit has over 150 artifacts and props from popular Sci-Fi films like Star Trek, BattleStar Galactica, Blade Runner, War of Worlds, Men in Black and more. Tickets are free for children under the age of four and range from $17 to $36 for five years and older.

The fun doesn’t stop in the city; beyond the busy streets are the tranquil and gorgeous forests and lakes. Starting at La Push is Olympic National Park, within the sandy beaches are complex tide pools containing crabs, sea cucumbers, star fish, sea urchins and much more. In the cold waters off the beach are peaceful kayaks and paddle boards. Playing in the water with kayaks and surfboards are adorable seals and gorgeous Orca whales. In Port Angles the shop Adventure Through Kayaking has paddleboard, kayak, and surfboard rentals from $15 an hour to $22 an hour. Within the park’s forest are hiking trails and biking paths for the adventurist and beautiful flowers native to Washington state like rhododendrons, bleeding hears, and violets. Olympic National Park was named after Mount. Olympus the home of the gods in Greek Mythology, and rightfully so because it’s beauty is almost unworldly and magical.

There are many different volunteer opportunities for teens in the Seattle area. Volunteer work doesn’t have to be boring either! Northwest Harvest, an organization working to end hunger for people statewide and promoting good health, needs the help of artists of all ages to create new posters to help fight hunger. Volunteer Services, a program of Catholic Community Services, assists low-income elderly people, and people with living with disabilities. By helping the growing senior population volunteers can gain nursing, problem solving, people, and relationship building skills. Volunteer Services highly recommend this opportunity for teens that want to go into the medical field. The CAIR volunteer organization mission is to create a better understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build alliances that promote justice and mutual understanding. They are looking for a graphic design intern to draft web and print designs to spread their message. This opportunity is great for aspiring graphic designers. This is also a great way to get your community service requirement done quickly.

Another fun way to get community service hours is volunteering with The Vera Group. The Vera Project describes themselves as a group that, “fuels personal and community transformation through collaborative, youth-driven engagement in music and art.” At Vera Project events and classes, people of all ages are given opportunities to learn about show production by engaging in music production and community organizing. Vera Project community service events get people involved with the culture, art, and music of their community. Some of the offered classes are; screenprint classes, basics of live sound, intro to trouble shooting, intro to the recording studio, live show recording workshop, multitrack recording workshop, mixing for monitors, live sound, front of mixing class, basics of studio mixing, DJ-ing, and Vera concert lighting. Most of their classes and concerts are held at The Seattle Center and people interested can find sign up sheets online at The Vera Group’s website.

Weather you’ve lived in Seattle all your life or for only a few moths it can be nice to gain a new perspective on the Emerald City, literally. In Seattle is the Columbia Tower, the tallest building in the city and the highest observatory in the Northwest. At nearly 1,000 feet you can get a 360-degree view of Seattle. The high vantage point provides a breathtaking look at the city below all the way to the cascades. Although the Columbia Tower is frighteningly high, it has been built to withstand strong earthquakes and hurricane force winds. Tickets are free for children under the age of five and range from $9.75 to $14.75 for adults.

If learning about the things that go bump in the night is what peaks your curiosity, then the Spooked in Seattle ghost tour is the activity for you. Almost every night tour guides with Spooked in Seattle lead groups of people through the streets telling hauntingly true stories and sharing personal encounters with the supernatural beings that reside in the city. The original Pioneer Square historical tour features stories of haunted encounters as well as stories from paranormal investigators. The deluxe version of the tour is a guided tour through the Seattle Death Museum led by paranormal investigator, author, tour guide, and company founder Ross Allison. The deluxe and bonus tours feature parts of ‘The Underground” not shown in the original tour. Other tours led by Spooked in Seattle are the USS Turner Joy Ghost Hunts, University Heights Ghost Hunts, and the How to Murder History Tour. Tickets range from $13 to $17.