<ol>
<li>Non-tiring, sightseeing thing to do? Ride the Ducks! The tours start right by the Space Needle. If you are staying closer to downtown, you can take the monorail to the Seattle Center where the Space Needle is located, and then go on the boat/land ride that will give you a good overview of the city.</li>
</ol>
<p>[Ride</a> the Ducks of Seattle - 206-441-DUCK](<a href=“http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/]Ride”>http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/)</p>
<p>(You might have heard that some crazy person set their headquaters building on fire, but the Ducks are up and running!)</p>
<p>Do not, I repat do not eat at the Space Needle restaurant! The food is not that great, and the prices are outrageous for what you get there!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Museum of Flight =/= Boeing tours. Do both. If I had to pick one, I’d go with the tour of their factory which has a small museum as well. You will have to lock up your belongings in a little locker because you will be taken to a platform above the assembly floor where you will see the real Boeing planes being built (here is the reason you have to lock up your stuff - they do not want anything to be dropped from the viewing platform and cause damage to the planes). DH took DD and her visiting bf on the tour just a month ago, and all three of them came back excited and raving about they saw!</p></li>
<li><p>Nature. You will be here in June, and the roads around Mount Rainier will be open! The drive around the mountain is a great day trip!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>[Mount</a> Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)](<a href=“http://www.nps.gov/mora]Mount”>Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service))</p>
<p>[Mount</a> Rainier National Park - Directions (U.S. National Park Service)](<a href=“http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/directions.htm]Mount”>Directions - Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service))</p>
<ol>
<li>Guaranteed Animals. If you are not put off by zoos, there is a fantastic zoo featuring the native critters of the Pacific Northwest - Northwest Treck. You will not find any lions or lemurs there, but you will get to see river otters, badgers, foxes, eagles, etc. roaming freely in large open air enclosures. The admission ticket includes a safari-like tram ride through the forested acreage where elk, sheep, etc. graze. We love this place!</li>
</ol>
<p>[Northwest</a> Trek](<a href=“http://www.nwtrek.org/]Northwest”>http://www.nwtrek.org/)</p>
<p>and so do the TripAdvior reviewers:</p>
<p>[Northwest</a> Trek Wildlife Park - Eatonville - Reviews of Northwest Trek Wildlife Park - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g58449-d141322-Reviews-Northwest_Trek_Wildlife_Park-Eatonville_Washington.html]Northwest”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g58449-d141322-Reviews-Northwest_Trek_Wildlife_Park-Eatonville_Washington.html)</p>
<p>If you do not want to go up the Needle, you can drive up the Queen Ann hill to this little park for perfect views of the city’s skyline and Mount Rainier:</p>
<p>[Kerry</a> Park - Seattle - Reviews of Kerry Park - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60878-d1050677-Reviews-Kerry_Park-Seattle_Washington.html]Kerry”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60878-d1050677-Reviews-Kerry_Park-Seattle_Washington.html)</p>
<p>If you had lots of energy you could do both Northwest Trek and Mt Rainier in the same day- I did some restoration plantings at Northwest trek- and we stayed till dinnertime, the wolves & coyotes and the foxes were all howling- it was surreal.</p>
<p>highly recommended.</p>
<p>If you are into history, then MOHAI is a nice place to visit - it is right by the Montlake Cut near the UW’s Husky Stadium and the Health Science Center & Hospital (the Bioengineering Department is located nearby as well - if your son is very serious about bioengineering in his future, then he should seriously consider UW graduate program in this field!)</p>
<p>[Museum</a> of History & Industry](<a href=“Museum of History and Industry — MOHAI”>http://www.seattlehistory.org/)</p>
<p>From the parking lot by MOHAI you can take a stroll on the trails that will take you through the wetlands by the lake to the Arboretum. It is a lovely walk (with many benches to stop and have some rest), and you will see some ducks, Canada geese, maybe a blue heron or two, and possibly the resident bald eagle!</p>
<p>I haven’t been to MOHAI for ages- but it is interesting - I remember Bobo when he was alive !
I also like [Burke</a> Museum of Natural History and Culture](<a href=“http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/]Burke”>Welcome | Burke Museum) and they have a new Ray ■■■■■ exhibit.</p>
<p>I haven’t been to MOHAI in a long time either, but remember seeing the stuffed Bobo and then walking through the wetlands. IIRC, Bobo’s skeleton is at the Burke Museum, except for the skull which was just recently found.</p>
<p>I’m certain that the Museum of Flight has a Rosie the Riveter exhibit (I volunteered there off and on for 4 years). I’d expect it to be in the WWII section of the personal courage wing or possibly in the Red Barn. I think they let you sit in Row 1 of Concorde and know you can sit in a Blackbird cockpit, but you can’t sit down in Air Force One.</p>
<p>I’m really 50/50 on recommending the Space Needle, while there are better views from other places, it is the symbol of Seattle. Once on top, you can see if Dr. Evil (from the Austin Powers movies) really lives up there.</p>
<p>Also, Pike Place Market is home to the first Starbucks.</p>
<p>I know, I know, the Space Needle. We did the Sears Tower on a trip to Chicago at the end of the day of doing something else. So maybe we’ll do that with it. I’ll check out the menu online if it’s available. If that’s the only way to get the view, we’ll do it. We’re from New Orleans, so we don’t go to other cities for food.</p>
<p>I’m thinking both air places are musts for us. Maybe one of those can be combined with something?</p>
<p>We’re not big Starbucks people. We have wonderful coffee places in New Orleans. And we’re not shoppers, either. So Pike Place is to see the Flying Fish guys, and if they have the weird food like Iron Chef has, the guys will want to check that out. So maybe something we can combine with that as well?</p>
<p>We’ve also done boat tours in Chicago and Milwaukee, as we really like being on the water and seeing the cities from there. I noticed a locks cruise that takes you into two bodies of water. Has anyone done that? I think there is some land transport involved, so may not want to do that. But if there’s another cruise to see the city you can recommend, I’d love to hear it. </p>
<p>We’ve done the Washington at Night tour and really enjoyed that, so if there’s something like that in Seattle that we can do at the end of a day, we might be open to that.</p>
<p>In closing, I did not know that Dr. Evil lived in the Space Needle. Okay. The guys are definitely going to want to see that. </p>
<p>Thanks so much for the help, guys!</p>
<p>We did this dinner cruise long ago for a company party. That was in the winter, so no views, but this might be what you are looking for.</p>
<p>[The</a> Royal Argosy : Seattle Gourmet Dining Cruises](<a href=“http://www.argosycruises.com/royalargosy/default.cfm]The”>http://www.argosycruises.com/royalargosy/default.cfm)</p>
<p>The restaurant in the Space Needle does have a really bad reputation. You can still go up in the Needle for the view without eating there.</p>
<ol>
<li>Here is another thing Seattle visitors like to do:</li>
</ol>
<p>[UNDERGROUND</a> TOUR](<a href=“http://www.undergroundtour.com/]UNDERGROUND”>http://www.undergroundtour.com/)</p>
<p>It starts in historic Pioneer Square (nice during day, sketchy at night due to bars and hobos) which is where our lame version of Mardi Gras takes place every year. The tour takes you… underground, lol! Here is some a brief description of the Underground and the Great Seattle Fire:</p>
<p>[Seattle</a> Underground - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Underground]Seattle”>Seattle Underground - Wikipedia)</p>
<ol>
<li>If you want to see the city from the water, take a ferry to Bainbridge Island or Bremerton from downtown and back (just avoid rush hour traffic). The view of the downtown is great, and it is cheaper than an Argosy cruise! More info and schedules are here:</li>
</ol>
<p>[WSDOT</a> Ferries - Route Maps](<a href=“http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/info_desk/route-maps/]WSDOT”>http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/info_desk/route-maps/)</p>
<ol>
<li>Food. Bookiemom is absolutely right, the food at the Space Needle is terrible (since you are from NOLA, you’ll find it even worse than that!), and you can get up the Needle without eating there. If you like reasonably priced PNW seafood with a nice view, Ivar’s Salmon House by the U of W offers great views of the downtown and the Space Needle across Lake Union. DD’s bf (who is from NOLA) appreciated the grilled salmon, and another visitor (from France) enjoyed his food there as well. Parking at the restaurant is free.</li>
</ol>
<p>Okay, I think we will stay away from the space needle restaurant. I had another recommendation for Ivar’s. It would be great to go to the one by the university, I can sneak a peek at the school while there. I’m going to take your advice on the ferry ride rather than the Argosy cruise. We met a couple of friends tonight who highly recommended doing a ferry ride at some point during the trip. Thanks for the links to the the route. Did get another recommendation for underground Seattle and not to go there at night. Depending on its location, we’ll try to fit it in. Many recommendations for the Boeing plant in Everett and the Museum of Flight, so these are must sees. Thanks again for all your comments.</p>
<p>Montegut, the UW Bioengineering building (the Foege Building) is within a 10-min walk from the Ivar’s Salmon House! It is a fantastic facility that was built with the help of a generous donation from Bill Gates.</p>
<p>[Bioengineering</a> - UW College of Engineering - UW School of Medicine - University of Washington, Seattle](<a href=“http://depts.washington.edu/bioe/]Bioengineering”>http://depts.washington.edu/bioe/)</p>
<p>One of the best Bioengineering graduate programs in the nation!</p>
<p>(There is 2-hr parking on the street next to the Foege ($2), so you can park and explore the campus - it is very pretty!)</p>
<p>Pacific Science Center is absolutely awesome and they are showing Hubble 3D right now.</p>
<p>If you could stretch your stay till the last week of June you could see the Glee flashmob @ the center for Pride fest!
;)</p>
<p>I have a suggestion re your travel to Anacortes for the whale watch that would combine with a ferry ride and with the Boeing tour in Mukilteo (south of Everett). You said you were going to stay in Burlington the night after your whale watching tour in Anacortes. As I posted previously, the drive from Anacortes–Burlington–Seattle is not that interesting. And you will probably go to Anacortes this way. </p>
<p>You could leave Anacortes and go back to Seattle through Whidbey Island. You will cross over the bridge at Deception Pass and then travel down Whidbey. You could stay in Oak Harbor or go on to Coupeville, which is charming and right on the water.</p>
<p>[Whidbey</a> Island Lodging, Captain Whidbey Inn](<a href=“http://www.captainwhidbey.com/]Whidbey”>http://www.captainwhidbey.com/)</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to The Coupeville Inn](<a href=“http://www.thecoupevilleinn.com/]Welcome”>http://www.thecoupevilleinn.com/)</p>
<p>Or several bed and breakfasts. This is not a long drive from Anacortes. In the AM, you can get up and drive down the rest of Whidbey, catch the ferry, and you will be in Mukilteo. Then you can do the Boeing tour before heading back to Seattle.</p>
<p>One other thing I forgot to mention is to be very careful of your purse and for your guys to keep close tabs on their wallets, especially if they carry them in their back pockets. My stepson almost got his wallet pickpocketed, but luckily my H was nearby and ran the guy off. It can be very crowded at Pike Place in the summer and full of tourists…thus the potential for trouble. We are also having issues with aggresive panhandling in Seattle in the city, so be forewarned on that too.</p>
<p>Bookiemom, thank you so much for your suggestion and the heads up on the pickpockets and panhandlers. I’ll warn the guys about this, and I’ll do a fanny pack instead of a purse. Thanks also for the whalewatch lodging suggestions. I do want to do the land tours before the whale watch, as I suspect that will wipe us out and we may forego the big walking tours if we put them off to the end. We may use the day before flying out to just drive around and maybe ride ferries, just doing some relaxing sightseeing, then head to an airport hotel for a good night’s sleep before a very long flight.</p>
<p>
Oh, no… fanny pack screams tourist. Please find somewhere in your jacket pockets or pants pockets to keep the important stuff. Or better, a purse that you keep close to your body (like in any other tourist-filled city) Seattle is nothing compared to say, Rome, but it’s not Maybarry either.</p>
<p>Why not a fanny pack? Just to not look like a tourist, or is it easy to steal somehow?</p>
<p>I know it’s not fashionable, but I do a lot of activities with son and just can’t carry around a purse alot, so wear a fanny pack to keep my glasses, pen and paper, cash, cell phone and keys. I don’t feel comfortable with a backpack, as I’m worried someone will unzip it and just reach in and grab stuff, but my fanny pack is on my belly, so they’re not going to be able to get at it easily. </p>
<p>Will I need to wear a jacket in June in Seattle?</p>
<p>I guess I’ll need a windbreaker when going out on the water, though.</p>
<p>Will I need to wear a jacket in June in Seattle?</p>
<p>Put it this way- our neighborhood had an " urban picnic" today, it was grey & windy and threatening to rain.</p>
<p>However- it was set up similar to how the summer festival is in late July.</p>
<p>I said to my H, " except for it not being as crowded, it might be the seafood fest", he agreed.</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>Yes, you will need a jacket for Seattle in June, preferably with a hood if you have one. You will need warm stuff for that boat ride: rain jacket with hood or warm hat, sweater underneath, long pants, warm socks. It is cold out on Puget Sound most of the time. I always have a sweatshirt or jacket handy near the water here.</p>
<p>There is a saying here that summer doesn’t start in Seattle till after 4th of July.</p>
<p>I would not suggest wearing a fanny pack, but you can use whatever you feel comfortable with. Remember to be vigilant just as you would in any large city.</p>
<p>I would suggest dressing warm for the boat ride and a jacket/pants as you’re probably not used to Seattle temperatures. I’d walk around in shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops, but I’m a native local. Of course, it is acceptable in WA to wear socks and sandals, and outdoorsy clothing is common. In general, we dress very casual.</p>