Thanks everyone. I will stick to my plan of renting a car. I hadn't really considered west seattle but am now adding it to my list of areas to visit.

NWWanderer, My sister recently moved near Lincoln Park. She absolutely loves it. If my husband weren't at Microsoft, that is where I would want to live. I told him recently it is the first place I have seen that I can actually envision living in when we retire.

And I recently moved from the Lincoln Park area. It is really fantastic - will go back in a heartbeat.

Orcas, I don't blame your husband for not wanting to commute to Redmond from West Seattle!

ttt

Thank you suze and NWWandeder.

I'm trying to help her as much as I can as far as advice, but I'm loathe to talk about places that I know little of outside of name, rank, and serial number.

The good thing about helping her with research is that *I'm* also learning a lot about this area. She's excited about places that I've long took for granted as a 20 year resident and she also wants to go to places that I've never been when she visits in October to check things out for herself. It's going to be interesting.

If I didn't have occasional out-of-town guests I probably would have never been anywhere! That's what finally got me up the Space Needle, on the Victoria Clipper, out to the Locks, etc.
:-)

In 21 years here, I've never been on a ferry, gone whale watching, been to Olympic National Park, Mts Rainier or St. Helens, or gone to Pike Place Market. These are things that I'd like to do, but I get so busy that I neglect to make time to do them.

I had such grand plans for the summer. I wanted to do a few things that I've never done and decided that I was going to take a trip down to one of the volcanoes, ride the Dinner Train, and go out to Snoqualmie Falls. Here it is, Labor Day weekend, and I've done none of these things. It's pathetic, really.

I think it's funny that I love to travel and plan to go to so may far flung places, but I don't appreciate what I have at home. When I travel, I go all over the cities that I travel to. I probably know Vancouver, BC better than I know a lot of cities in King County.

When I was 12, I went up on the Space Needle for the first and last time. When I went to the Bite last year, I bought one of those "I Made It To The Top" t-shirts from the gift shop. It was nearly 20 years ago, but it's still true. :)

Kostroma,
The Summer's not over yet by any means. Sept. is often the most beautiful month yet and the least crowded for the sights you mention. Go for it!

The La Quinta in downtown Seattle (near Whole Foods) has one-bedroom king suites that come with free parking and breakfast.

You're right, artlover. It's not too late. I'm just annoyed at myself for procrastinating.

While it would probably be best to go the the Falls and the mountain of my choice before the weather turns, taking the Dinner Train trip in November or December might be more scenic than if I did it in the next month or so. Since it now heads in the direction of the Cascades, they should be lovely and snowcapped by then. The problem is lucking out with a clear day. We get some that time of year, but blink and you miss it.

I share the guilt with many Seattle residents of having failed to explore and experience the city and the area as extensively as I should. Work is the curse of the, er, 'playing' classes, is my experience.

Re relocation: for someone who doesn't drive, and who'll be working in the city, I would like to add a plug for Southeast Seattle (Rainier Valley, Columbia City, Mount Baker, etc.). The light rail line will open in about a year, and the commute downtown will be vastly simplified for those living in proximity to that train.

I drive thru the construction area almost every morning on my commute (yes, it's finally drive-able, after years of detours, rough streets, blocked intersections...what a war it's been). I'm amazed at the amount of high-quality new housing that's been built on and around the train route -- mostly condos and townhomes.

They're selling for relatively cheap prices now, but when the train starts a-rollin', you can bet that'll be premium housing at premium prices.

Be sure to explore that area on your trip, too.

BTW, to absolve some of my guilt at not having learned more about the city, I'm taking the Duck tour over the holiday weekend -- gonna play tourist!