John R

My wife and I will be heading to Seattle in June. Any recommendations on hotels, things to do, etc. We'll probably go for a week, so we'd be interested in any info on Vancouver, Victoria, etc. Thanks!

Glen

Hello! I was in Seattle for a week last July. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Sea-Tac. Great little hotel if you intend mainly just to sleep there. They have an indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, gym and free Continental breakfast. I would however recommend staying in the city if you can. Hotels in Seattle are very expensive and mid-year all seem to be booked out for conventions. You have to visit the Space Needle for a great view of Seattle, if you don't like heights give it a miss. The elevator is glass and goes up the side of the tower. Take a harbour cruise to get a good look at Seattle's amazing waterfront. Take a day trip to the majestic and beautiful Mt Ranier. Take a walk around Pike Place Market and see the home of the Flying Fish. There are so many fantastic places to eat and drink coffee in Seattle, especially Starbucks which is almost everywhere. We ate at McCormick and Schmick's Harborside Restaurant, with beautiful views of the city skyline at night. Ask to sit on the balcony. There are several very nice seafood restaurants on the pier, of which the names escape me at the moment. Have a great time in Seattle!

sgorces

You don't say if you have any preferences for quality of hotel. There are some very decent budget hotels in Downtown Seattle. The Vance, the Pacific Plaza, and the Roosevelt for example. There is a nice Marriott Suites on the shore of Lake Union. The nice downtown hotels can be pricey, but worth it if you can afford the expense. Suggestions are the Olympic Four Seasons, the Westin, and the Alexis. Restaurant suggestions include: Anthony's Pier 66, Labuznik, Tulio, Wild Ginger, and definitely Etta's Seafood. There are probably a hundred more that deserve listing. Activities: Pike Place Market, Seattle Waterfront, Pioneer Square, Snoqualmie Falls, Paradise or Sunrise on Mt. Rainier, and you should take in a Mariners baseball game if they're in town. Also, take a walk on ferry trip and have lunch at Cafe Nola on Bainbridge Island. Excursions to Victoria can be made by boat from Seattle. Trips to Vancouver (one of the world's great cities) can be best made by train, but also by motor coach or car. Hope you have good weather! We haven't had a dry June for years, but El Nino may fix that.

Julie Fay

If you want lodging in the city I would pick Inn at the Market, Inn at Harbor Steps, or maybe the Mayflower Park Hotel on the high end and the Gaslight Inn (on Capitol Hill, walking distance to downtown) for a less expensive but high quality alternative. You can hardly go wrong with food in Seattle. Cafe' Campagne in the market is cozy, romantic and not ridiculously expensive. Ditto for Marco's Supperclub and their sister restaurant Lush Life, both in Belltown. The positively BEST restaurant in town is Rover's in Madison Valley, but expect to pay. I love Kaspar's by the Seattle Center, and Ponti in Fremont has great Seafood. For less expensive restaurants try the Coastal Kitchen (Capitol Hill), Cafe Lago (Montlake cut), and positively everyone raves about THE KINGFISH CAFE on Capitol Hill.

Shawn

We thought the best part of our trip to the Seattle area was going to Mt. Ranier National Park. You can get great (closer) views of the mountain from right outside your car, or if you're more adventurous you can park the car and go hiking up trails (you won't get lost if you stay on the trail). If I remember correctly it takes 1-2 hours by car from Seattle. The rangers can provide you with maps of the park for hiking trips that fit your needs. If you are too tired to drive all the way back to Seattle, there is relatively cheap lodging (cabins) just before the entrance to the park. There are also places in the park but I believe they require reservations well in advance. We also took a couple of days to go to Vancouver (about 3 hrs from Seattle). Gastown is a quaint historic area. Brockton Point in Stanley Park is famous for its totem poles-lots of tourists but worth seeing I think. The Anthropology Museum at the University of British Columbia is also worth a visit (more totem poles and Pacific Northwest Indian art). Watch out for parking tickets though! Have a good time.

Shawn

We thought the best part of our trip to the Seattle area was going to Mt. Ranier National Park. You can get great (closer) views of the mountain from right outside your car, or if you're more adventurous you can park the car and go hiking up trails (you won't get lost if you stay on the trail). If I remember correctly it takes 1-2 hours by car from Seattle. The rangers can provide you with maps of the park for hiking trips that fit your needs. If you are too tired to drive all the way back to Seattle, there is relatively cheap lodging (cabins) just before the entrance to the park. There are also places in the park but I believe they require reservations well in advance. We also took a couple of days to go to Vancouver (about 3 hrs from Seattle). Gastown is a quaint historic area. Brockton Point in Stanley Park is famous for its totem poles-lots of tourists but worth seeing I think. The Anthropology Museum at the University of British Columbia is also worth a visit (more totem poles and Pacific Northwest Indian art). Watch out for parking tickets though! Have a good time.