If you ever find yourself in Seattle area, we definitely recommend stopping by REI’s flagship store in downtown Seattle. Just blocks from downtown’s skyscrapers is a little oasis for the outdoors-oriented person. The forested court surrounds you as you climb the stairs to the entrance, and as you walk through the doors, the amount of space and gear available is overwhelming.
You can find all sorts of gear for just about any outdoor sport: tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, maps, ski and snowboard equipment, kayaks, bicycles, and even gear for your dog. The first floor is devoted to equipment, and there are lots of opportunities to try out what you see. The second floor houses their footwear and clothing sections, for men, women and children. If you have kids in tow, make sure to stop by the indoor forest play structure just beyond the children’s section—two large tree houses, climbing nets, and lots of space for kids to burn off some energy.
But climbing fun isn’t exclusively for the kids—the flagship store has a great feature they call the Pinnacle—a 65-foot tall freestanding rock climbing structure. This is great for trying out new gear to see how it works before you buy it. Just keep in mind that the Pinnacle has special hours that differ from the store so it’s best to check with the store before you visit if that is a feature that is important to your shopping experience.
As always, the REI staff is available for questions and genuinely wants to help you find the best product and fit for you, whether it’s for a backpack, sleeping bag, a new pair of hiking boots, or just a pack of energy drink mix.
Overall, the best part of shopping at the REI flagship store is the ability to try out all the gear you see. REI also offers a multitude of rental equipment programs and outdoors courses (varying on the store location). Course topics can range anywhere from bike repair to using a GPS.
Check it out for yourself next time you are in the area. The Seattle Flagship REI store is located at:
222 Yale Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98109
(866) 873-1938
