<p>How could I forget about the Boeing tours! They are amazing! You can reserve your tickets and learn about the restrictions (no food, no babies, no carryon items like purses, etc.) here:</p>
<p>Think of it, there are mountains and lakes and restaurants and even Duck Tours all over the US, but there aren’t many factories like this one in the entire world! :)</p>
<p>jyber, the Salish Lodge was turned over to the local tribe and is now a casino with a hotel attached. If you want a great hotel with some local wine tasting nearby and a 5-star restaurant (the Herbfarm!!! [The</a> Herbfarm : A Celebration of the Food and Wines of the Pacific Northwest](<a href=“http://www.herbfarm.com/]The”>http://www.herbfarm.com/)) onsite, I recommend the Willows Lodge in Woodinville (it is 30 min from the airport, about the same as the Salish Lodge):</p>
<p>jyber, here is a couple of other Eastside hotel choices. If you like water views, the Woodmark Hotel at Carillon Point in Kirkland offers great views of the lake (it is pricey):</p>
<p>The Bellevue Club Hotel is a nice, 4-diamond non-chain hotel on the Eastside. Hotel guests get access to all athletic facilities of the Club where, according to my friend, Bill Gates had been spotted playing tennis :)</p>
<p>So, the Twin Peaks hotel is no longer a hotel, or are you talking about a different place?</p>
<p>Thanks for the Safeco hotel recommendation. I would rather not drive, as I live in New Orleans and hills driving, much less mountain driving, will be a death defying act for me.</p>
<p>If there’s shuttle to downtown, maybe I can take a bus to Olympia to see my aunt?</p>
<p>When is a good time of year to go whale watching? I would love to go on a whale sightseeing cruise one day.</p>
<p>Oh, so much to do up there. Think I need at least a month to see everything.</p>
<p>Just trying to do a quick cheap trip to use my free ticket to someplace I’ve always wanted to go to. That’s why I’m thinking just a trip to see a couple of games, but would like to get some day sightseeing in.</p>
<p>Thanks for the Silver Cloud Inn rec! I went on their website and found all their locations. They also seem to have a point system. Rooms around what I’d expect to pay, about
150. Will use them for the ballgame and for campus visits and earn points. Got to go to that one on the water, just to see it.</p>
<p>You may want to visit Mt. Reneir. Visit the paradise side. It is much prettier than Sunrise. Also, if your schedule allows stay at the Paradise Inn. Last year we visited and fell in Love with that hotel (we didn’t stay). So this year we are going there again and staying there. Rooms have not TV, no phones and no bathrooms.</p>
<p>This year, due to the colder than usual spring weather, WA visitors could enjoy the spectacular colors of the Skagit Valley tulip fields until mid-May:</p>
<p>Ballard is much more cool than Fremont-before * Adobe* & co moved in, anyone had a great view of the canal.</p>
<p>Seattle has neighborhood festivals all summer-many neighborhoods not only have farmers markets on the weekends from Memorial Day through Columbus day, but have bigger festivals that are connected with Seafair the all city summer celebration…</p>
<p>The Solstice parade in Fremont often goes past my street in Frelard.
[Fremont</a> Fair: Welcome<a href=“but%20OMG%20the%20street%20fair%20was%20full%20of%20people%20from%20%5Bi%5DFEDERAL%20WAY%5B/i%5D%20:rolleyes:”>/url</a></p>
<p>I would take a catamaran from Seattle and head up to the San Juans for some whale watching.
[San</a> Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, Washington State, Official Travel Planning Website](<a href=“http://www.visitsanjuans.com/]San”>http://www.visitsanjuans.com/)</p>
<p>I recommend the eastside city of Kirkland. Relaxing suburban location with lakefront parks and excellent shops and restaurants. Stay at the Heathman rather than the Woodmark at Carillon Point.</p>
<p>In Seattle, tour Theo’s Chocolates. Free samples!!!</p>
<p>husky, I tour them once a week, I mean I stop by and just eat the samples Every now and then I buy a couple of bars so I do not feel guilty about beeing a freeloader.</p>
<p>Husky I grew up in Kirkland- one of my favorite summer things once I moved to Seattle, was go to Moss Bay days wearing my Docs and a ( fake) nose ring.
It really doesn’t take much to shake them up.
;)</p>
<p>Lynn Canyon park in Vancouver is beautiful. It has a swinging type gorge bridge just like the touristy Capilano Bridge, except free and no crowds!</p>
<p>What I really liked was hanging out at the baseball games during the summer- and to the Rocking W after.
And why don’t we have any drive in theatres?
But that reminds me- outdoor movies will be coming soon.
[Fremont</a> Outdoor Movies | Coming Soon](<a href=“fremontoutdoormovies.com”>http://www.fremontoutdoormovies.com/)</p>
Every now and then I buy a couple of bars so I do not feel guilty about beeing a freeloader.</p>