Well, I now have lots of ideas for great restaurants and places to visit in Seattle. Since the folks on this forum have been so helpful, I thought I'd ask one more question: How to put it all together once you are in Seattle? What is your favorite Seattle day? Any ideas or itineraries you have would be much appreciated. I can brave the rain, too, so I don't mind walking. (in fact, I prefer walking!) One "day trip" I have in mind is to start at the Pike Place Market, and make my way to the Needle (which I'd like to visit again). Other ideas are welcome! Thanks so much.

When are you coming?

For me, a perfect Seattle day is going to Pike Place and taking the water taxi to W. Seattle, riding bikes (which you can rent there) all the way up to Lincoln Park and back, then taking the water taxi back. This would not be fun in the rain.

Oh, and swimming at the salt water pool at Lincoln Pk, once there....Or picniking.

Your perfect Seattle day:

(the window of opportunity for it probably extends from mid-June until mid-September... with various, roving, similar windows of opportunity lasting just barely 24 or 72 hours, at unpredictable points on the yearly calendar) (and you should never count on back-to-back chances at a 'perfect' Seattle day (weather-wise, at least))

(it was 51 degrees here a moment ago, and that was warmer than anyplace in the U.S. east of Las Vegas AND north of Oklahoma)

I'm going to leave out the Space Needle and the Pike Place Market, because just about any visitor wouldn't need to be coerced to visit those.

IF the ideal weather was a given (laugh), I would include a round-trip, walk-on ferry boat ride over to Bainbridge Island (whether you get off the boat on the other side is up to you - the mountain/water/skyline views from the boat are plenty). Add a lunch somewhere on the Seattle waterfront, daytime perusal of some of the shops/areas in Pioneer Square. A bus ride up to the "Broadway" neighborhood for interesting shops and people-watching. Maybe a walk around Olympic Sculpture Park. Burgers at "Dick's Drive-In", and then back to Pioneer Square for nightlife (good or bad).

I could do all of that in a day, but hard to say if a tourist could keep from getting side-tracked during such an itinerary.


(PS - LOL @ that last mention of swimming at Lincoln Park during a perfect Seattle day)

For a downtown day... Pioneer Square, Chinatown, Pike Place Market, and a ferry ride to Bainbridge and back.

For a rainy downtown day... substitute or add Seattle Art Museum and the Public Library.

For a summer day on Capitol Hill... Japanese garden at the Arboretum and a meal at Cactus in Madison Park. Or attending free Shakespeare in the Park performance at Volunteer Park in the afternoon then dinner somewhere on 15th or 19th Ave East after that.

Also check special events when you have your exact dates decided.

Some of my VERY favorite annual activites are the local festivals like Bon Odori, Greek festival, Bumbershoot, Folklife, Fremont street parade, Torchlight, Gay Pride, etc.

Also seasonal outdoor music like at St. Michelle's winery or the Woodland Park Zoo.

If memory serves the OP is spending the winter in Seattle, so some modifications might be in order.

Breakfast at the Pike Market. Location depends on your preferences, but I'd go with either Lowell's, the Athenian, or Maximilien, simply because they all offer great views, and have good seating either for couples/groups or singles.

Fortified, take the Hillclimb stairs down to the central waterfront, turn left and walk to the Coleman Dock, around 1/2 mile. Take the Bainbridge Island ferry over to Winslow. If the weather's okay, walk into Winslow (10 min. from the boat) and wander around the main drag, maybe have a coffee, then back to the dock and back to Seattle.

Back at the dock, hop on the Waterfront trolley (bus, actually) and take it all the way to the north end of the waterfront. Get off and tour the Olympic Sculpture Garden.

Back on the bus when you're done, and take it all the way to the southern end of its route, in the International District. From there wander over to Uwajimaya and hit their great Asian food court (you should be hungry by now, what with boats and fresh air) and then wander around the store, playing "Name that Vegetable" and people-watching.

From Uwajimaya, make your way to the International District train/bus tunnel station and hop on a bus or train up to the Westlake station, from which you can pop up to the monorail station and take the monorail up to Seattle Center. Tour the Space Needle if you must, also the Experience Music Project/Sci-Fi Museum, the Pacific Science Center, or any of the activities in the Center House, depending on your interests and energy level.

By this time it's mid- to late-afternoon, so take the monorail back downtown. If you want to shop, you can do so inside at the Pacific Place shopping center, or hit an early movie (umpteen screens downtown) or stroll down to the art museum for late afternoon culture. More coffee as needed, or time for something a little stronger.

Mosey back up to the Pike Market and hoist a pint at one of several welcoming bars - Kells, maybe, or the Pike Pub, or the Zigzag.

Dinner and after on your own. Maybe the Triple Door or Jazz Alley for music and food?

Oh, sorry, I didn't know what season

In the winter I still like a day trip to Snoqualmie Falls or out to Whidbey Island.

If Gardyloo's mention of using stairs to get from Market level to the waterfront bothers you, there are many elevators (including the one that serves the market parking facility) that will do the job. With one metal knee and another in the near future, I rely on those elevators.

Add dinner at Tulio to Gardyloo's or Orcas' day and you've got mine. Note that I ate all the sweet potato gnocchi last night...they'll need to replenish.

Yay! I was quoted in a Seattle guidebook with my post from this thread. Fodors Seattle Guidebook, 5th Edition"

(It is quite nice)

Congrats, NWMale.
Enjoy the perk.

the Olympic Sculpture Park - we saw this from the outside only on our last visit and honestly, it was not appealing. We are going again in Aug. - should we give it a shot? We will be on foot and we do enjoy walking but the area we saw just looked very scrubby.

A fair assessment of the area being 'scrubby'... but I have to say, while I'm not artistically inclined/inspired much at all, I was quite impressed that our city had put such a thing together.

As far as walking... between 6am and 7pm the central downtown area has free bus service as far as Battery Street. Take the bus to there and then walk.

(this thread should be allowed to retreat to its rightful position in the ancient past - ask other related questions via a new thread)