Seattle with a group
 

Call us crazy, but a few parents are accompanying 30 male high school basketball players to Seattle at the end of June. Two questions. The boys will be <BR>staying in the dorm at UofW, but the parents will not. Would we be better off staying downtown and driving to the campus, or staying near the campus. We'd like to be near some things to do in the evening, but most will have cars. Somewhere pretty inexpensive, if possible.<BR>Secondly, the boys have one day to sightsee in Seattle. What would they find entertaining in the downtown area besides the Space Needle and Pike's Market? Transportation too far from the University or downtown is difficult, so close by is better.<BR>Thanks!

Beth,<BR><BR>I would try to stay close to the campus just for convenience. The other option would be something around the Seattle Center...both would probably be cheaper than downtown. In addition to the Seattle Center and Pikes Place Market, think about taking the group to the Music Experience. After I post this, I will see if I can get the website. Reports back from those who have gone are great, and might be even better for your groups age range. It is right downtown, so it will be close to where you are already planning on visiting. Between those three, that may take up most of your day.<BR><BR>Have fun!<BR><BR>jb

Here is the website for the Experience Music Project:<BR><BR>http://www.emplive.com/<BR><BR>jb

Thanks JB. Turns out we have 2 free days, so we'll make sure to do the Experience Music Project.

Downtown will probably be expensive. You might consider the Silver Cloud Inn at University Village, across the street from the east edge of the University. Bus transport on the street, an upscale shopping area (Pottery Barn/Banana Republic type shops) next door, see http://www.scinns.com.<BR><BR>For the extra day, plenty of things come to mind: Safeco Field cheap seats (if the team's in town); Boeing factory tour (charter a bus, probably the cheapest way to go); Museum of Flight for cool old planes, an SR-71 Blackbird, the 707 Air Force One on which LBJ was sworn in in Dallas; ferry ride across Puget Sound and tour of the Bremerton Naval Shipyard mothball fleet (carriers, etc.); rent canoes at the U of W boathouse for paddling around the Montlake Cut and the nature reserve on Lake Washington near the arboretum; Underground Tour in Pioneer Square and wander around the International District, including dim sum lunch or a prowl through Uwajimaya Village, Seattle's great Asian superstore; or give them each a few bucks and release them into Gameworks downtown, or let them sit in Paul Allen's Cinerama theater and watch Star Wars #2 with its first-in-the-country filmless digital projection. Oh, nearly forgot - the Pacific Science Center (next to the Space Needle) is showing a 3-D IMAX film (mega-big screen) shot on the International Space Station.

Beth -- you are crazy! I'm sure you'll have a great time.<BR><BR>Let me explain about the Experience Music Project. <BR>First, it's expensive. My boyfriend paid when we went, but I think it's around $25 a person.<BR>Second. They essentaily give you headhpones and a remote control. Then they have different exhibits. You point your little remote control at the exhibit and a little voice reads something out of an encycolpedia about Jimi Hendrix while you stare at a smashed guitar. You do not interact with each because of the head phones. You do not get to hear much music either. Every now and then a chorus or a snippet of a song is played. <BR>Third. There is an exhibit where you really experience music by entering small booths with electric instruments. With only about 10 boots, the lines are always long. You have to wait while some kid with no rhythm bangs at some electric drums or some other kid pretending to be DJ Cool tries to scratch records.<BR>Unless your 30 high school boys are different than the ones that I grew up with, they won't really enjoy it. It's not that I don't love music, or that I have a short attention span. If wanted to know when Janis Joplin was born, what the names of her songs were, how she died, and see one of her dresses, without really getting to hear any of her music, I would just stay home and watch VH1<BR><BR>Please don't let me discourage you about Seattle. The city is wonderful. I would just hate to see you waste all that money ($750 for the boys alone) and time when there is so much more to see and do!