( CNN ) -- More than just the quintessential Seattle shopping experience , Pike Place Market is a tourist attraction in its own right . This historic farmers market is the place to pick up all manner of fresh local produce , as well as handmade crafts , jewelry , antiques and paintings . Keep your camera handy to snap the colorful floral displays and the fishmongers tossing whole salmon to each other . Flying fish at Pike Place Market . If Pike Place whets your appetite for fresh produce , check out the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market ( 5330 Ballard Avenue , Sundays ) for delicious farm-fresh goodies . Another great Sunday market is the weekly Fremont Flea Market ( 400 N 34th Street ) , a cornucopia of used , vintage and antique goods . For the avid antiques hunter the underground Pioneer Square Antiques Mall ( 602 First Avenue ) has more than 60 stalls . If you prefer big brand names you 'll want to head downtown , where you 'll find the likes of Banana Republic ( 500 Pike Street ) and a colossal Nike Town ( 1500 6th Avenue ) . Downtown is also home to Macy 's ( 1601 Third Avenue ) , still known to locals as `` The Bon '' from its former incarnation as Bon Marché . Macy 's can be good for a bargain , but the city 's best department store is the flagship Nordstrom ( 500 Pine Street ) , famed for it exemplary customer service . For something more cutting edge , Capitol Hill and Belltown are full of funky boutiques and vintage clothing stores . Crossroads Trading Company ( 325 Broadway Avenue E and 4300 University Way ) is a good option for second-hand threads , while sneaker freaks will find that Gems ( 615 Western Avenue ) is a treasure trove of fancy footwear . Bibliophiles will love Seattle for its numerous independent books stores . Set aside a couple of hours to visit the Elliot Bay Book Company ( 101 South Main Street ) , a vast space crammed full of new and used books . It boasts an excellent selection of titles about the region , a pleasant café and readings or signings almost every night . University Bookstore ( 4326 University Way ) has a huge selection , while Fremont Place Books ( 621 N 35th Street ) is a cozy little place with an interesting range of titles . If you 're planning an expedition into the beautiful wilderness around Seattle , you can get kitted out at the flagship REI ( 222 Yale Avenue N ) . There 's everything you 'll need for hiking , biking , rock climbing and skiing , and you can even hire stuff , so you wo n't have to drag it all back home with you . Bamboozle your friends by getting them an eccentric souvenir from Archie McPhee ( 2428 NW Market Street ) . Of course , eccentric is a relative term , but squirrel underpants ( which , apparently , are also suitable for hamsters , frogs and gerbils ) and inflatable fruitcakes should qualify as eccentric by most standards . If you plan to visit this bazaar of the bizarre you should note that Archie 's is set to move to the corner of North 45th Street and Stone Way North , in Wallingford , some time next year . Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop | . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . Do you agree with our Seattle picks ? Send us your comments and suggestions in the `` Sound Off '' box below and we 'll print the best .
You have to visit Pike Place Market , a fantastic , historic farmers market . Seattle is the place for chain stores ; Capitol Hill is great for them . Seattle is full of independent bookshops -- Elliot Bay Books is the best . Archie Books is a bizarre store where you can buy some quirky souvenirs .