<p>Hi all. We just bought some very cheap rt tickets to visit friends in Seattle this summer. We are looking for ideas for things to do, as we will be there for 2 weeks. One of the possibilities we’ve discussed is taking the train up to Vancouver and sightseeing there. Any ideas or suggestions or experiences that you enjoyed in either of those places. (You guys are always better than tripadvisor.com! :))</p>
<p>What are you guys into? Music? Bars? Gambling? Sports?</p>
<p>Take the ferry to Victoria and see Butchart gardens while there. It’s a very scenic ride and Victoria’s a scenic touristy town.</p>
<p>Vancouver is a great place to visit, with two weeks you might also consider taking the ferry(the BC ferries are better than WA state ferries and you can take your car or a day trip from Seattle via the Clipper is quicker but pricey & no car) to Vancouver Island, check out Victoria and drive up island to see the ‘nature’ sites.</p>
<p>There is a thread about this from not too long ago, let me see if I can find it.</p>
<p>Here you go:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/667340-seattle-vancouver-bc-weekend-just-day.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/667340-seattle-vancouver-bc-weekend-just-day.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/540786-seattle-vancouver.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/540786-seattle-vancouver.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/363543-help-me-plan-trip-seattle-down-california-coast.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/363543-help-me-plan-trip-seattle-down-california-coast.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/358794-seattle-vancouver.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/358794-seattle-vancouver.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/319817-seattle-ideas.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/319817-seattle-ideas.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/67891-seattle-vancouver-etc.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/67891-seattle-vancouver-etc.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/35702-road-trip-through-northwest.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/35702-road-trip-through-northwest.html?highlight=vancouver+seattle</a></p>
<p>Please bring Sun & Heat ;)</p>
<p>Catch some geoducks. They don’t run or bite.</p>
<p>I second the recommendation to Butchart Gardens. Make sure to take the time to spend an hour or two to indulge in the Afternoon Tea. Yummy food in a beautiful setting.</p>
<p>We also enjoyed the NW coast of Vancouver Island around the Tofino area.</p>
<p>[King</a> County Water Taxi](<a href=“http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/water-taxi/kcwt.html]King”>http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/water-taxi/kcwt.html)</p>
<p>One nice day, take the water taxi from the downtown waterfront across to West Seattle. Walk the mile or two along the path to Alki Park or hop on the free bus. Alki is where the original white settlers first landed and set up camp. The views back toward the skyline are wonderful from all along the path. The water taxi is only $1 if you got downtown via a bus and ask for a transfer pass when you pay for the bus. This is probably the cheapest good sightseeing in Seattle! If you go on a Sunday be aware that the bus service to and from downtown is cut back…
There’s a fish and chips place right near the water taxi dock that’s good with a view to die for, also some down closer to the park. Go for the Halibut.</p>
<p>Rent bikes and ride the Burke-Gilman trail (a rails to trails route, so not full of hills like most Seattle rides).
Be a hero and actuallly slow down and look for traffic when the trail crosses streets instead of being the typical spandex B-G warrior…</p>
<p>Are you an avid reader? If so, Seattle has a wonderful independent bookstore, Elliot Bay Book Co.</p>
<p>[Elliott</a> Bay Book Co.](<a href=“Elliott Bay Book Company”>http://www.elliottbaybook.com/)</p>
<p>Also, the Pike Place Market is such a pleasure to stroll and browse through(Also, if you’re into Starbucks, the original Starbucks store is right across the street from the Market.): [Pike</a> Place Market](<a href=“http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/frameset.asp?flash=true]Pike”>http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/frameset.asp?flash=true)</p>
<p>Have a good trip! I’m on the east coast, but I would love to visit Seattle again, hopefully soon.:)</p>
<p>Don’t forget your passports!</p>
<p>Oh, thanks CC friends!!! I also got an email from a CCer with a long list of terrific ideas. Like I said, you guys are better than trip.advisor!!</p>
<p>Dang. Am envious. This is my dream trip (though I’d probably add Portland into the mix as well-- we’ve never been to the West Coast). Maybe another year. Have fun, though!</p>
<p>I will throw in my usual sales pitch: the Center of the Universe rocks! If you are visiting Seattle, you have to visit Fremont! It is easily accessible from the downtown area by bus, bike, or, if you are really into walking, it only takes 40 minutes or so to walk to Fremont (I’ve done it a few times!)</p>
<p>[Fremont</a>, Center of the Known Universe](<a href=“http://www.fremont.com/]Fremont”>http://www.fremont.com/)</p>
<p>Where else in the world can you find Adobe headquartes, bronze Soviet Leader, ■■■■■ Avenue and a bunch of stone people dressed in silly clothes waiting for their bus? 35th Street Bistro (French-inspired food) is great. There are plenty of fun bars, too. If you go a little bit further West, Ballard Locks are another cool place to visit, especially if there are salmon in the fish ladder. PM me if you’d like a private tour of the Center of the Universe. :)</p>
<p>And passports will be required to visit Canada at some point this summer.</p>
<p>Has anyone suggested a day tour to Mount Rainier National Park? Fabulous activity!</p>
<p>I earned a free flight from Southwest that I have to use before early July. </p>
<p>I am dying to use it to go to Seattle.</p>
<p>Any ideas for good, cheap hotels?</p>
<p>Also, do I need to rent a car?</p>
<p>I want to do the cruise around Elliott Bay or Puget Sound.</p>
<p>My aunt lives in Olympia, so I may take her to a Mariners game. She’s 80, but a big baseball fan, as am I, and it would be a great treat for her. So if you know a hotel near the ballpark, please let me know. A nice, clean one, doesn’t have to be cheap, something you wouldn’t mind bringing your nice aunt to.</p>
<p>Thanks for any advice!</p>
<p>Get on a cruise ship to Alaska. The prices are so low this summer!</p>
<p>Montegut, the Silver Cloud Inn (Stadium location) is right across the street from Safeco Field. You literally walk out the door and cross the street. They also have a shuttle that runs from early morning through the evening that will take you and return you from the Market, Seattle Center and downtown locations. Very convenient and a nice place. They are mostly a small, Seattle area chain. We have also stayed at the Lake Union and Mukilteo locations. I can recommend them all.</p>
<p>If you do not mind touristy stuff, Ride the Ducks Seattle gives a good tour of the city:</p>
<p>[Ride</a> the Ducks of Seattle](<a href=“http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/]Ride”>http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/)</p>
<p>If you like to take pictures, Gas Works Park and the little park on the top of Queen Anne Hill offer the best views of the downtown for free (otherwise, you’ll have to pay to go up the Space Needle :)) Here is what you’ll see from the top of Queen Anne Hill (scroll down to the panoramic picture):
[Queen</a> Anne, Seattle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Anne,_Seattle,_Washington]Queen”>Queen Anne, Seattle - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Montegut, if you are planning to stay in the city, renting a car may not be the best option. Parking is very expensive, and one-way hilly streets will drive you nuts if you do not have any experience navigating such urban terrains. Buses will take you pretty much anywhere in the city. If you want to go to the Olympic Penninsula or Mount Rainier, then you’ll need a car.</p>
<p>This is a really fun tour</p>
<p>[UNDERGROUND</a> TOUR](<a href=“http://www.undergroundtour.com/]UNDERGROUND”>http://www.undergroundtour.com/)</p>
<p>We went several summers ago- great trip. See Mt St Helen’s, Mt Ranier, Olympic Peninsula, winery, Snoqualmie Falls, Boeing plant, whale watching cruise, fish ladder and other city areas, plus tons of stuff we never got to, including Canada. We saw the view from a downtown bank instead of the Space Needle- it is taller.</p>
<p>Wow, this thread is so topical for me!
H is attending a conference in downtown Seattle May 3-8. Since my youngest is finally in college, I am going along this year! 
We have added a couple of days on each end.</p>
<p>Tentative plans:
We fly into SEATAC the evening of Sunday, May 3. Rather than heading directly downtown (H has been to Seattle before and we will have time to explore the city during the conference.) we are interested in using Monday and early Tuesday for a non-urban experience. Convenience and simplicity of arrangements are important to us; we want a relaxed and gracious, not hectic, trip. We have been told it is too early in the season to enjoy Mount Rainier. What about heading to Salish Lodge right by Snoqualmie Falls? It was # 19 on [Seattle</a> Metropolitan Magazine / Past Issues / Detail](<a href=“http://www.seattlemet.com/issues/archives/articles/52-weekends/3/]Seattle”>http://www.seattlemet.com/issues/archives/articles/52-weekends/3/) and seems like a short drive from the airport.</p>
<p>We would head to downtown Seattle for the nights of 5-2 (The conference starts with an early evening reception on Tuesday.) through 5-8, and then on Saturday, 5-9, take the 8 a.m. Victoria Clipper ferry to Victoria, spending two nights there and seeing Butchart Gardens. We would have one night left to play with before heading back to SEATAC for a noonish flight home.</p>
<p>We ruled out the Olympic Peninsula because of the closing of the Hood Canal Bridge during May and June. We ruled out Vancouver because of the distance and our limited time. (Again, we don’t like to rush through our travels.)</p>
<p>Reactions and suggestions would be much appreciated!</p>