What to do in Seattle????
Nov 20th, 2003, 09:20 AM
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What to do in Seattle????
Hello! We're planning a trip to Seattle for either next May or July (not sure which....any suggestions?)
We're trying to find out what all there is that we HAVE to do. So far all we've been told is Mt. Rainier.
Also, we'd like to take some time to head up to Canada. Can you also suggest where/what to do there? We plan on having about 5 days to sightsee.
Thanks for any help!
We're trying to find out what all there is that we HAVE to do. So far all we've been told is Mt. Rainier.
Also, we'd like to take some time to head up to Canada. Can you also suggest where/what to do there? We plan on having about 5 days to sightsee.
Thanks for any help!
Nov 20th, 2003, 10:18 AM
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Hi! We spent four days in Seattle in August. My favorite things were: Pike Place Market, the Bainbridge ferry ride, shopping all over Seattle, The Space Needle, riding the monorail and the Seattle aquarium.
My favorite meals were at: The Dahlia Lounge, Salty's and the Flying Fish. We also very much enjoyed our great breakfasts at the Six Seven restaurant at the Hotel Edgewater where we stayed. Have a great time! Seattle is beautiful!! ***kim***
My favorite meals were at: The Dahlia Lounge, Salty's and the Flying Fish. We also very much enjoyed our great breakfasts at the Six Seven restaurant at the Hotel Edgewater where we stayed. Have a great time! Seattle is beautiful!! ***kim***
Nov 20th, 2003, 02:47 PM
#4
Oh we don't care about motives. "Because it's here" is a good enough reason to visit.
July will have better weather (but no promises), more tourists (esp. pre- and post-cruisers) and warm nights at Safeco Field. Memorial Day weekend is a big deal with folk festivals, other fun things. The 4th of July
is fab in Seattle, with two competing big fireworks shows over various bodies of water.
Tell us your interests (and idea of budget - broker or broke) and we'll be able to help more.
If you have just 5 days total, you'll need to curtail your regional wanderings - I'd spend a day at Mt Rainier, and another doing a loop across a couple of islands in Puget Sound, and the rest (3 days) in the city. You will barely be able to scratch the surface at that, but them's the apples. Adding a jaunt to Vancouver or Victoria is a minimum 2-day deal, so you'd be out of time when you were done.
July will have better weather (but no promises), more tourists (esp. pre- and post-cruisers) and warm nights at Safeco Field. Memorial Day weekend is a big deal with folk festivals, other fun things. The 4th of July
is fab in Seattle, with two competing big fireworks shows over various bodies of water. Tell us your interests (and idea of budget - broker or broke) and we'll be able to help more.
If you have just 5 days total, you'll need to curtail your regional wanderings - I'd spend a day at Mt Rainier, and another doing a loop across a couple of islands in Puget Sound, and the rest (3 days) in the city. You will barely be able to scratch the surface at that, but them's the apples. Adding a jaunt to Vancouver or Victoria is a minimum 2-day deal, so you'd be out of time when you were done.
Nov 20th, 2003, 05:06 PM
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I suggest you pick up a Seattle tour book and perhaps one for British Columbia. Browse through them, take notes, then post the list of things you are interested in seeing and ask for comments on them (good or bad, worth seeing) as well as omissions you might want to add to your list.
Andrew
Andrew
Nov 20th, 2003, 07:01 PM
#6
We liked the Ballard Locks so much, we went twice! While we were there, one set of locks was open for boats and the other set was closed so that the Dept. of Fish and Game could do a fish count. We were fascinated watching them pull out these enormous salmon, weigh and measure and then release them. Adjacent to the locks is a fish ladder which you can observe through windows below water-level. It was a little late in the season, but a few fish were making their way up the ladder.
We also enjoyed the Music Experience museum. After Seattle, we spent three days in the San Juan Islands. Wish we'd had more time there.
We also enjoyed the Music Experience museum. After Seattle, we spent three days in the San Juan Islands. Wish we'd had more time there.
Nov 21st, 2003, 10:06 PM
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i've lived in seattle my whole life so post what some of your interests are and i can make more specific suggestions.
to start in the city pike place market is great. i especially like being there around 8:30-9 am when they are still setting up. it's less crowded and you can grab a coffee at le panier and people watch. from the market you can walk down to the waterfront. the aquarium is there and kitschy shops.
the ballard locks are interesting. sometime in the summer they have concerts. you could research that as your trip gets closer. its a nice place to walk around. nice gardens and all. golden gardens beach is nearby. not a beach by hawaii or california standards but works for us. ray's boathouse is a restaurant down there- it would be great at sunset as it faces west toward the water and mountains. just make reservations for window seat.
um the ferry to bainbridge island is fun and easy. you walk on from the seattle waterfront and you can walk off into downtown bainbridge. its a cute artsy town.
the space needle on a clear day. don't bother to eat here. its fun for the novelty but there are better places to eat in seattle.
also in july seattle has seafair festivities. parades, neighborhood festivals, there's always something going on. good to check into when you know your dates.
as far as canada goes two days is best. there is so much to see and do in vancouver you'd miss a lot with only one day. now we have a company called victoria clipper that will run you up to victoria from the seattle waterfront on a hydroplane type boat. i think you can do that as a day trip. it's been forever since i went to victoria so i can't say if a day is enough.
well, there are some general ideas. hope it helps.
to start in the city pike place market is great. i especially like being there around 8:30-9 am when they are still setting up. it's less crowded and you can grab a coffee at le panier and people watch. from the market you can walk down to the waterfront. the aquarium is there and kitschy shops.
the ballard locks are interesting. sometime in the summer they have concerts. you could research that as your trip gets closer. its a nice place to walk around. nice gardens and all. golden gardens beach is nearby. not a beach by hawaii or california standards but works for us. ray's boathouse is a restaurant down there- it would be great at sunset as it faces west toward the water and mountains. just make reservations for window seat.
um the ferry to bainbridge island is fun and easy. you walk on from the seattle waterfront and you can walk off into downtown bainbridge. its a cute artsy town.
the space needle on a clear day. don't bother to eat here. its fun for the novelty but there are better places to eat in seattle.
also in july seattle has seafair festivities. parades, neighborhood festivals, there's always something going on. good to check into when you know your dates.
as far as canada goes two days is best. there is so much to see and do in vancouver you'd miss a lot with only one day. now we have a company called victoria clipper that will run you up to victoria from the seattle waterfront on a hydroplane type boat. i think you can do that as a day trip. it's been forever since i went to victoria so i can't say if a day is enough.
well, there are some general ideas. hope it helps.
Nov 23rd, 2003, 08:04 PM
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We went in July last year and had really nice weather. I loved the Pike Place Market...how can you not enjoy flying fish. If you like music, I would really recommend going to the Experience Music Project (EMP), it is a fantastic interactive museum that has a huge colletion of music paraphenalia and talks about the history behind the different styles.
We also went to the wooden boat center. I think that is what it was called. They restore old wooden sailboats and give lessons. A fantastic place to visit...they have some really neat boats.
You also have to the St. Michelle Winery and the Red Hook Brewery in Woodenville. Both have great tours and great wine and beer.
There are so many great things to do there. Have fun and enjoy your trip.
We also went to the wooden boat center. I think that is what it was called. They restore old wooden sailboats and give lessons. A fantastic place to visit...they have some really neat boats.
You also have to the St. Michelle Winery and the Red Hook Brewery in Woodenville. Both have great tours and great wine and beer.
There are so many great things to do there. Have fun and enjoy your trip.
Nov 24th, 2003, 07:59 AM
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What a nice post! I have not heard about the boat center. That sounds very interesting. Since you mentioned Woodinville, there is a spectacular five-star restaurant there called the The Herbfarm. www.herbfarm.com Has anyone dined there recently?
Seattle is an amazing city. I hope to spend more time there next summer. I will definitely check out some of the things Lauren has mentioned. ***kim***
Seattle is an amazing city. I hope to spend more time there next summer. I will definitely check out some of the things Lauren has mentioned. ***kim***
Nov 25th, 2003, 04:38 AM
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Wow, thanks for the great responses! They help. I have been doing some research on Seattle on the internet and Pikes Place sounds really neat, and everyone here spoke so highly of it, so that is definitely on the list of places to go/see.
As for interests and budget...my husband is the one that got to choose Seattle (and in response to "uuhhhh" - no, we're not going about this "bassackwards", thanks for the great concern though!). His father lived there when he was a child and remembers going to several different places. He especially remembers Mt. Rainier. We've got a combination of interests. It might be easier to say that we don't want this to be a shopping trip. We will do some, but that's not our primary focus. Usually when we travel, we like to go see the big landmarks of the city, etc. which made us think about the Space Needle as well. I've heard that it's expensive, but is it worth it?
One note....we'll be traveling with a 7 month old infant. Is this going to limit some of the things we do? AND....at Mt. Rainier....is it stroller friendly? Or should we plan on using one of the back packs for him?
We're not set on a date yet, but I do like the idea of the 4th of July timeframe. I think that we're also going to go buy the Frommer's book as recommended. Thanks for all the great responses!
As for interests and budget...my husband is the one that got to choose Seattle (and in response to "uuhhhh" - no, we're not going about this "bassackwards", thanks for the great concern though!). His father lived there when he was a child and remembers going to several different places. He especially remembers Mt. Rainier. We've got a combination of interests. It might be easier to say that we don't want this to be a shopping trip. We will do some, but that's not our primary focus. Usually when we travel, we like to go see the big landmarks of the city, etc. which made us think about the Space Needle as well. I've heard that it's expensive, but is it worth it?
One note....we'll be traveling with a 7 month old infant. Is this going to limit some of the things we do? AND....at Mt. Rainier....is it stroller friendly? Or should we plan on using one of the back packs for him?
We're not set on a date yet, but I do like the idea of the 4th of July timeframe. I think that we're also going to go buy the Frommer's book as recommended. Thanks for all the great responses!
