Ever wondered whether caffeine is a viable substitute for sunshine? If so, Seattle is your kind of town. More than any other city in the region, Seattle epitomises what people know of (and how they feel about) the Pacific Northwest. Even so, it's got a few surprises up its sleeve.

Never mind that its clear days can be suicidally few - its residents (Chairman Bill, perhaps, excepted) are among the nation's most outgoing and outdoorsy. If you're looking for lifestyle (and who isn't these days?), Seattle has it in spades.