Visit a neighborhood that calls itself the Center of the Universe, a claim you might come to believe after wandering its colorful streets.

Fremont is a bohemian neighborhood, popular among artists, writers and other creative types. The district buzzes with regular festivals and the community is known for its passionate love of the arts and for embracing the peculiar. Soak up the offbeat atmosphere in an independent coffee shop or simply roam the streets to discover strange sights such as angry trolls and abandoned rocket ships.

The district first grew as an industrial settlement of manual laborers before taking on new life in the 1960s as an artistic community of countercultural thinkers. With the West Coast tech boom of the 2000s, the neighborhood redefined itself once again and is now one of the city’s coolest districts.

Visit the Fremont TrollOpens in a new window, a hulking 2-ton (1.8-tonne) sculpture that sits beneath the Aurora Bridge. Explore the area to find other curious sights like the Center of the Universe sign, which points to various other destinations around the world. The area also contains a bronze Statue of Lenin and the unusual Fremont Rocket, a striking public art installation made from the fuselage of a retro spacecraft.

Head to Fremont on the first Friday of each month to join an art walk, where locals and tourists wander around galleries and shops together. The neighborhood also hosts outdoor markets every Sunday and year-round festivals such as the Zombie Walk, the Moisture Festival and Music in the Sculpture Garden.

Look for independent cafés with their own roasteries on Fremont's leafy streets as well as busy bars that offer dozens of limited edition craft beers. Foodies can choose between Korean, Creole and Chinese dishes as well as sandwich bars selling lunches and snacks made from ethically sourced ingredients.

Fremont is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Union, just across the water from the neighborhood of Queen Anne and beside the iconic lake crossing Fremont BridgeOpens in a new window. Buses run from Downtown Seattle to several stops throughout Fremont. Once here, stroll around its colorful streets to experience its laid-back, creative atmosphere.