mma

Hello everyone!
I have been reading many post about Seattle but have a few questions of my own. Husband, 15 yr. old son, my sister, and myself will be visiting in mid-july. We are staying at the Residence Inn - Lake Union. DH wants baseball, son wants flight, sis and I want day in Victoria. Our plan is Mariner's game, park tour, Boeing plant, museum of flight, trip to Butchart Gardens in BC, plus the typical tourist sights. We will be there for five full days. Now my questions:
1. Any good towncar services to hotel?
2. Is hotel in walking distance to the usual tourist sights (we don't mind walking)?
3. Public transportation - do they now sell daily or multi-day passes for buses?
4. Any public transportation to the Boeing plant? I know grayline runs a tour but I'm afraid to be locked in to a time limit there - son wants to be a pilot and will eat this stuff up! Should we just rent a car?
5. Safeco field - any sections of ballpark seating to avoid? Is there public transpo to it from our hotel?
6. Victoria Clipper - how far in advance do you need to buy tickets? I would prefer to go in nice weather. We are looking at a ticket which includes transportation to/from Butchart Gardens.
7. How are the Duck tours? We have done the one in Boston and enjoyed it.
Any tips or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Looking forward to our visit! Thanks!

azzure

The website at http://transit.metrokc.gov/ will help you with all your public transit questions. There is route information and a trip planner there. You certainly could walk from your hotel to downtown attractions, but it's probably about 1.5 miles or so and you might not want to do that everyday.

Andrew

I LOVE the Residence Inn at Lake Union! I've stayed there twice. It seems odd to rave about a chain hotel, but I thought this one was great. I've stayed there once without a car, taking the buses and walking from the Amtrak station. It is a bit of a hike into downtown from the hotel, but now you can take the Seattle Streetcar from right out front of your hotel into downtown. From there you can take a bus to Safeco - there are a lot of them that get you close.

In addition to the official website for King County Transit, you can also use Google's excellent Transit map/schedule service:

www.google.com/transit

It may be smart enough that you can type in "Residence Inn Seattle" and "Safeco Field Seattle" to get you point-to-point bus directions. (You can simply take a bus from Lake Union if it's more direct than the Streetcar.)

The Residence Inn is a bit removed from Downtown Seattle, though I did walk to some of the usual tourist stuff at Seattle Center (Experience Music Project for example) - but I too don't mind walking; most would find the walk rather long. If you have bus day passes there's a bus that will get you close to Seattle Center and save you the 20 minute walk. There are just a few restaurants within walking - a Hooters (I did not check it out for you, sorry) and a Buca di Beppo a bit further away if you are familiar with that chain. But, the Streetcar would get you right into the heart of town quickly, so you can just use that.

If you need a relaxing break on a nice afternoon, you might enjoy walking around Lake Union near the hotel, especially if there are seaplanes landing/taking off in the water!

DebitNM

We took the bus from our hotel The Alexis, near Pike Market] to Boeing museum. It wasn't difficult, just took a fairly long time and the bus was just a regular bus.

We did not have a car for the 5 days we were in Seattle, just walked, took the rail or bus. Lots of steep inclines in some parts.

Deb

mma

Thank you all so much for your replies. Since I am the one totally responsible for transportation methods, I will check those websites. Andrew - so glad to hear you love the hotel. We need the space (my sister has her own bedroom/bath) and being slightly removed from the center might be a relaxing break.I think with a fifteen year old we'll pass on Hooters!!Did you like Experience Music project? DH plays organ and son plays trumpet so we like music!

NorthwestMale

LOL - do indeed ride the infamous "S.L.U.T." while in town.

The Boeing Museum of Flight is served by route #174

If I were a newbie to Safeco Field, I would want seats down the 1st base line... with city skyline views automatic as backdrop.

I think you'd find the Duck tour reasonable... it seems a bit silly when you're standing there in your hometown watching the Duck and the "quacks" on it go by all day, but you won't see anybody you know, so feel free to live it up!!!

Hope this little bit helps.

Andrew

I loved EMP - when I was there a few years ago they had a Bob Dylan exhibit that rocked (so to speak). A big section of the museum is dedicated to local Pacific Northwest music (the history of the song "Louie, Louie" is covered - the timeless version everyone knows was recorded in Portland). It's really a unique place - superior to Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in my opinion.

azzure

In addition to the music stuff, the EMP now has a fabulous science fiction museum -- someone (Paul Allen) has shelled out a lot of money for props and costumes from everything from Close Encounters to Star Wars. It's really well done. I recently visited with a busload of teens from middle school and they really liked it too.

mma

Thanks all! NorthwestMale - lol, I guess we will ride the S.L.U.T. with a name like that, who can resist?!! Andrew and assure - thanks for the info on the EMP. Had a hard time getting hubbie to leave the Cleveland R&R Hall of Fame, so this sounds like a "go" for us!

suze

It is NOT called the "SLUT"... they realized very quickly (but not before first announcing it) what South Lake Union Trolley abbreviated as... it is now called the "Seattle Streetcar".

I live here and sorry can only answer but one of your questions. No, your hotel is not walking distance to the downtown Seattle tourist attractions (like Pike Place Market).

mma

Thank you, suze. I had to chuckle though when I saw that. I don't think we really wanted to go around Seattle looking for the "Slut" . Not the way to make a good impression as a visitor.

NorthwestMale

Um, it is (no longer) officially called the "S.L.U.T.", but that is what it was initially proposed as, and that name is far more prominent than the other.

There remains a website at www.ridetheslut.com, so you can tell which moniker won out!

suze

That name is not "more prominent" than the others. I haven't heard it in months, since the initial giggling died down!

So I know all that BUT what is written on the side of each (colorful) street car and at the garage where the cars are headquartered... IS the "Seattle Streetcar".

Andrew

Yeah, they look just like Portland's Streetcars, just a couple of years behind us...