Be it Starbucks Coffee or Boeing jets, Microsoft Windows, PACCAR trucks or Nordstrom-style customer service, our local companies and products have become global icons for quality. Meanwhile, our Northwest home has become a national target for quality living. Magazines such as Fortune and Money rate Puget Sound communities as the best places to live in America. But what makes Seattle so great? The answer is as simple as it is complex: our people. Their one mysterious quality, noticed by all who visit: everyone here is so very "nice." The Seattle area is surrounded by exquisite natural beauty (Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, Cascade Mountains and Mount Rainier), and enhanced by a thriving economy, with a panoply of shopping, dining and entertainment venues to choose from. 

Second only to New York city in number of annual theatre performances, Seattle is also home to a strong and vibrant arts and theatre community, proudly showcased in its many museums, galleries, and performing-arts companies, including world-class opera, ballet, and symphony groups. For other tastes, Seattle offers professional baseball, football, soccer, and basketball teams; plus the outdoor enthusiast can enjoy numerous recreational activities, including sailing, skiing, kayaking, hiking, biking and more, all within easy access.