( CNN ) -- First time in Seattle ? Here are some hints to help you get the most from the city . Free Thursday Seattle 's many museums and galleries regularly offer visitors free admission . On the first Thursday of every month there 's no admission charge at Seattle Art Museum , the Experience Music Project or the Seattle Asian Art Museum , which is also free for families on the first Saturday of the month . Entry to the Museum of Flight is free between 5pm and 9pm on the first Thursday of the month and The Henry Art Gallery offers free entry every Thursday . Mount Ranier looms over Seattle . Rainy days While New York and more Miami have a higher annual rainfall than Seattle , the Emerald City seems to attract a particularly persistent perma-drizzle . If you want to make like a true Seattleite , you 'll eschew the umbrella , braving the elements in nothing more than an anorak . If , however , you 're more interested in staying dry than in blending in , carry an umbrella at all times . Out on `` The Sound '' For memorable views of the Seattle shoreline and Mount Rainier beyond , take a Washington State Ferry across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island . Bainbridge Island wo n't detain you for too long , but the 35-minute journey will give you a unique perspective on Seattle and its surroundings . Board from the main terminal at Pier 52 on Alaskan Way . Ferries are frequent but there can be long queues to board at the weekend and on weekdays during rush hour ( www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/ ) . The great outdoors Seattle is surrounded by majestic mountains and spectacular scenery . That colossal mountain you can see to the south-east of Seattle is actually a volcano -- Mount Rainier , the highest peak in the Cascade Range at over 14,000 ft. Mount Rainier National Park lies some 100 miles from the city and boasts numerous glaciers and fantastic hiking trails . Entry is $ 15 for a private vehicle ( www.nps.gov/mora/ ) . Mount St Helens , about 100 miles further south , last exploded in 1980 , destroying hundreds of square miles of forest . Signs of the devastation can still be seen if you visit Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument ( www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/ ) . The Olympic National Park lies across Puget Sound and includes the Hoh rainforest and Pacific wilderness beaches , where you may be lucky enough to glimpse gray whales in the spring and autumn . For killer-whale watching , take a ferry to the San Juan Islands , where you 're virtually guaranteed a sighting . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . What are your tips for a great stay in Seattle ? Where have you found the `` real '' Seattle ? Send us your suggestions in the `` Sound Off '' box below and we 'll print the best .
Many museums have free admission on the first Thursday of the month . True Seattleites do n't wear an umbrella -- but you may find you need one . Take a ferry to Mercer Island and you 'll get a unique view of Seattle . Seattle is surrounded by spectacular mountains , such as colossal Mt . Rainier .