Feel the cool breeze and smell the salty brine of the sea as you skim across the waters of Puget Sound and Elliott Bay on a spacious sailboat. There's no better way to see Seattle from the water, and this sailing outing gives you unobstructed views of downtown, the port, and the distant peaks of Mount Rainier and the Olympics.

Head to a marina just north of downtown Seattle and step aboard the Kingsley, a luxurious modern sailboat. Your captain throws off the mooring lines and sets off to leave the marina and cruise out into the open waters of Puget Sound, giving you opportunities to help man the sails or learn about handling the boat if you're interested.

Otherwise, leave the work to the crew and just relax. Glide along the downtown waterfront to see the Great Wheel spinning over the historic piers and the Space Needle stretching skyward from the center of the city. Pass by the bustling port to view impressive merchant marine ships, get up close to massive private yachts, and soak in the natural beauty with views of Mount Rainier and the snow-capped Olympics on a clear day.

As you sail, you might even glimpse some of the Pacific Northwest's native wildlife, like seals, sea lions, porpoises, and—if you're lucky—the black-and-white members of the region's endangered southern resident orca whale community.