Please explain to me the waterfront trolley ,that's not a trolley! I think I read the trolley tracks are being repaired...so it's a bus right? Where does it go (assume waterfront) but how far?how often?where do you catch it?

Also.. the water taxi to W.Seattle..what's over there, any suggestions. Is it a..two hour tour?

We, 2 couples have 3 days before a cruise & I'm trying to pin down the final plan.

I go down to Seattle Waterfront often at lunchtime. I didn't notice a bus replacing the trolley, but then I wasn't looking The Waterfront is not all that long of an area, it's easy enough to stroll along from one end to the other.

I've never done the water taxi to West Seattle, what's over there... well is West Seattle a residential neighborhood with a beachfront. I like to do the Bainbridge Island ferry over & back, what's over there is a small main street kind of town with shops and restaurants. The view on the boatride is fantastic.

Will you have a rental car? How about Snoqualmie Falls? That's a fun trip from the city that's only an hour away.

Hi mommacl,

Yes, the (free) #99 bus is replacing the trolley for now. The designated bus stops are on the road close by where the still-visible out-of-operation trolley stops were; I took the #99 most of its entire length, from the Olympic Sculpture Garden (the closest waterfront to the Seattle Center) over to the Pioneer Square area.

Took water taxi ($3) as well. It's not a tour, it's a May-Oct only public transit roughly every half-hour during the day. It takes ~10 minutes to cross Elliott Bay from Pier 55. There's a "seafood shack" when you get across and you can rent bikes, roller blades, etc... right near the dock. It would be a pleasant maybe 15-20 minute leisurely bike ride to the Alki Beach restaurant area (a number of seafood options here too) and maybe an hour's walk; all in all quite pleasant with beach and park and if you're lucky, some terrific views of mountains, beach and water on a good visibility day. I very much enjoyed the day I did that.

DAN

If this article is correct, Dan, they may be gone for good. I'd bet money on their demise in favor of something the Seattle Arts Commission would approve of.

http://tinyurl.com/3zxbn9

Suze,
Yes we will have a rental car but we've planned on getting for one day & driving up to Mt. Rainier.I've seen pictures of the falls & they look beautiful but I don't think we can do both in one day..can we? I thought about keeping the car a second day but the parking rate DT changed my mind.

Here's what we have so far:
DAY 1
Walk to Pike Market & walk around(can't wait to show my friends)
Go down to the pier & have clam chowder at Ivar's Fish bar
Take the Underground Tour
Go back to the room & rest (we leave for DFW at 4AM)
Have dinner at Crab Pot

DAY 2
Drive to Mt. Rainier
???????


DAY 3
(not sure of order)
Ferry to Bainbridge Island
Ride Monorail
Ride bus to the Locks.

BTW we are staying at The Moore. I know...alot of people think it's a dive, but my husband & I stayed there last year & we loved it. It was clean, the rooms are huge! claw foot tubs,my 6 ft husband can stretch out in. The staff was very friendly.You can't beat the location.And the price $86. I've had worst experiences in 4* hotels.

Suze,
Do you know of a coin laundry near pike market area?

I think the Moore Hotel is fine and dandy! I'm happy to hear more good reviews because I have friends who like it too (I live here so don't need a hotel).

I think day three sounds like kind of a lot because of all different directions and no car. Bainbridge Island ferry and back (assuming you spend some time on the other side) is a good 1/2 day. Then getting all the way out to the Locks in Ballard by bus is no easy task!

I know you said about the cost of parking downtown, but I think it would be worth it to keep the car for an extra day.

No I can't think of a coin laundry anywhere right downtown (expensive real estate for that kind of thing!). Not positive, but I think you'd need to come into a neighborhood, like here's one on Capitol Hill, even has a website
www.12thavelaundry.com

Thank you Suze,
I'll talk to my friends about keeping the car an extra day.

Or you could skip the locks, or go by taxi, or choose somewhere closer to downtown for the rest of day 3.

Or on your day 3, you could do the Argosy Locks tour (3 hours, maybe?) and forgo the Bainbridge Ferry (the Argosy tour will take you around Eliott Bay and around Discovery Park and through the locks.

Your day 1...Crab Pot for dinner? Is there a specific/nostalgic reason? I think you'd be able to do better on the seafood restaurant front. Just my opinion, of course.

It's true, the Crab Pot is not known for it's food... but for the overall fun tourist experience.