Dear All,
My wife and I will be traveling from the Pittsburgh area to Seattle this week. On Friday we will have the day to go somewhere in the Seattle area before my meeting starts the next day. We are fit fifty year olds and would plan on renting a car for the day.
While I know that I have not given you much to go on, can you kind travelers suggest a doable day trip? Mt. Rainer? Good wine vinyards? a ferry ride somewhere? or just exploring interesting sites in the downtown area?
While I have looked over the previous messages on the subject, any last minute suggestions for dinner restaurants in the area?
Thank you in advance for any help you can give us.

Geoff

Mt. Rainier is definitely do-able as a day trip. Enter the Park via Ashford, then drive up to Paradise. From there, drop down the Stevens Canyon Road, then head north to the Sunrise Road. Drive up to Sunrise for great views and walks, then head back down and continue north toward Enumclaw and Renton.

Another choice would be a ferry loop. You could ferry over to Bainbridge Island, then drive over to the Kitsap Peninsula. Drive northward to Port Townsend, where you can take a ferry to Keystone, on Whidbey Island. Head northward over Deception Pass to Fidalgo Island, then head east to pick up I-5 for the ride back to Seattle. For a shorter drive, head south on Whidbey Island, then take the ferry to Mukilteo, just north of Seattle.

A third choice would be a Cascades loop. Head north on I-5, then east on Route 20, across the North Cascades Highway. On the other side of the mountains, head south, picking up Route 2 for the return trip across the Cascades and back to Seattle.

Dear ALF,
Thank you very much!

I love Rainier but it is a wasted trip if it is cloudy, you won't see anything!

I've tried to post this 3 times now and I'm a bit tired of typing so feel free to ask me about any of these ideas.

Snoqualmie Falls, lunch at Snoqualmie Inn.

Woodinville wineries and lunch at the brewery.

Pike place market, art museum, Pioneer Square, Seattle Center, duck tours.

Mt Ranier is a long drive--I did it--but was there for two weeks. Snoqualmie Falls was nice--but again if you're only there for the day...not sure if you want to take the time. Although you could stop by Chateau Ste. Michelle on the way. I enjoyed downtown the most. LOVED the market and the neighborhood near the big troll. Get one of the Fodor's Citypack guides--it has directions and info on everything. It's well worth the 12 bucks.

Restaurants.....yum....too many choices! Here are my favorites!

Dahlia Lounge (Northwest), Wild Ginger (PanAsian), The Met (steak), The Brooklyn (seafood&steak), Chez Shea (French), Waterfront (seafood), Assaggio (Italian), Marco's (NW).

Have fun!

Snoquahlimie falls is cool, Pike's Place market is a great tourist trap,and Chateu St Michelle is a good winerie about 45 minutes away.

Thank you all for the excellent ideas. In case I gave the wrong impression, we will be in Seattle for a total of 6 days but most of the time I'll be in meetings.
Question: How far from Seattle are most of the wineries?

Thanks again!

Geoff,

Woodinville is about 30 mins away from downtown Seattle. There is the Columbia Winery, Chataeu St. Michelle & Redhook Brewery.

It's an easy drive and your hotel can give you directions. Here are a few websites:

http://www.columbiawinery.com/

http://www.chateau-ste-michelle.com/Default_Flash.asp

Wendy,
Thanks again. I look forward to trying several of the restaurants. Any other ideas feel free to respond!! Any thoughts on nightclubs/dance clubs for young (I like to think, anyway) 50 year olds?

Another place you might try is Stevens Pass and the town of Index, which is only about 1 hours drive away and has some amazingly beauty scenery.

There is so much to do around here! I have to second the idea of Stevens Pass though...and include Leavenworth in that. Very pretty, especially this time of year. The duck tours...please pass on that. There is so much to do and see around here...and that tour is really just a bad tourist trap. We did it and I'm even embarrassed to say that Enjoy your trip!

If you can't do an overnight trip, then starting out super early I highly recommend the beautiful, magical Whidbey Island. We recently visited again for the birth of our granddaughter, and for two reasons we didn't want to leave ..
she was one, and the whole of the Island was the other!! Deception Pass is beautiful, and all of the towns and villages around are charming!!

BON VOYAGE! (may I come with you??!!..)..

Thank you everyone! Now we just have to figure out which to do!! Since we will have come from the East the day before after having arisen at 6a EDT we should be up and on our way unusually early anyway.

Thanks again.

If you're going to be in Seattle for 6 days, then I'd suggest that you do something outside of the city. Your wife will have days to explore the city sites while you're in your meetings. During the evenings, hopefully you'll make the time to take in some of the sites as well.

The wineries in the area are fine, but there are fewer and not as good as say those in Napa or Oregon.

If you can get up early in the morning, there's no reason you can't add a ferry ride over to the San Juan Islands as a day trip.

If you get a clear day, do Mt Ranier. You can drive from Seattle to Paridise Lodge and back in one day.

Don't even think about going to Seattle and not taking a ferry ride WITH a car. They have the mechanics down to a science and it is incredible to observe. We enjoyed our trip across the Sound (sorry...can't rem name of the island drop off point) and drive to Pt Townsend, a quaint little town peppered with Victorian houses.

About Seattle, but not responsive to your question: There is a lovely little park just west of Queen Anne and north of the Space Needle. I believe it is called Kerry Park. It is unique because it is from there that most of the Seattle tourism photos are taken. Stand in a certain spot and see (in real life) what you see on the airport poster enticing you to go there.

You have received other wonderful suggestions. Enjoy your trip to this lovely city.

Geoff unfortunately the one area we lack in is good nightclubs! But if you want a few to check out I would suggest Watertown (caters to the 30 and over crowd) on lower Queen Anne, also Pampas Club which is below El Guacho in Beltown has live Jazz, and of course if you want to walk on the wild side a bit you could go dancing at Neighbors on Capital Hill (the quote gay area) just make sure to leave your conservative thoughts at the door!

My husband has family that lives near Seattle and we did several day trips. I am surprised no one has suggested Mt. St. Helens. Although it may be a long day, we felt it was worth our time and would go back again if we get the chance. I can also recommend Leavenworth, Mt. Rainier, and a ferry ride.

Geoff,
If you like jazz, you should go to Jazz Alley at 6th and Lenora. Very nice, intimate setting. They have dinner, but it's only so-so, but you can go just for drinks and the music.
Check out Jazzalley.com to see who's there or Seattleweekly.com for other entertainment spots.

Have a good trip (think sun)!

Dear Travelers,