krug

I will be off to LAX in F on a redemption this summer, and just trying to figure out my internal flight plan.

I will probably spend the weekend with friends in LA, and then fly up north.

Keen to avoid the traffic and hassle of LAX, so trying to fly out of SAN (san Diego) or ONT (Ontario, CA) , and plan to fly either to SEA or Portland, Oregon which I understand is the closest major airport to where the Spruce Goose is www.sprucegoose.com.

I am Silver with United until the end of 2005, so keen to book pre-demotion to enable E+ seating if I fly United, but also interested to know whether you believe it worthwhile foregoing E+ and travelling Y on Alaska or even upgrading to F on the Alaska/AA codeshare (which I understand is 150% BA miles but no TPs or lounge access, even on AA codeshare).

How far is McMinnville from Portland, Oregon, (time-wise) and is there anything else to see in the vicinity? Suggestions on where to stay ($150-$200 range per night).

Is it realistic to drive from McMinnville up to Seattle? Anything else I should check out in Seattle?

I will be flying on AS SEA-PSP one way, drive to LAS (ovoiding the overpriced car rental firms in LAS) and then a few nights at Wynn and Barry Manilow Concert (there, I am not ashamed!!) before he croaks and back for shops and culture in SFO, probably on TED.

I see from search that Aerotec and ChickenorBeef recently visited, so any input from them would be appreciated.

Gardyloo

LapLap

A friend of mine has been to these places (with a different itinerary than yours - he didn't start in Seattle) I'll be able to get some feed back from him on Monday. It's the least I can do for you!

I'm SURE Manilow was playing last time you were in Vegas, or did Ms Dione clean you out? You are SUCH a cheeseball :-: . Good for you!

One of my lasting memories of LAS was an open jacket draped onto a manequin torso. With MAN on one side and ILOW on the other - in between was a tee shirt imprinted with an image of the man himself, grinning manically, his arms outstretched. It took all my self restraint NOT to buy the combo!

krug

No, Mr Manilow had not started when we were last there, though my Celine evening date did result in splendid extracurricular activities!!! Three times....

Music and Passion is always in Fashion..........

chucko

Assume you're referring to the Boeing 747/767/777 plant tour. It's in Everett, about 30-45 minutes drive north of Seattle. Info about the tour can be found at http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/tours. I've never taken the tour myself--it's sort of like the Space Needle, which I haven't visited in 20 years--but I've heard it's quite good.

The Museum of Flight is in Seattle, about 10 minutes south of downtown at the southewest corner of Boeing Field. That one I do visit often--Concorde, all of the Boeing commercial jets, lots of warbirds and classic commercial craft as well. See www.museumofflight.org for a guide and calendar of any special events.

You can drive Portland-Seattle in about three hours, but the trip up the I-5 freeway is a bit on the boring side, especially if it's raining. A quick hop on the Horizon shuttle gives you a better look at the mountains (again dependent on weather).

SchmeckFlyer

Curious as to why you think going to SAN or ONT will avoid traffic or hassle? San Diego is a good two hour drive from Los Angeles proper, and it can be much longer during traffic on the only primary artery conntecting the two cities (I-5). Also, getting to ONT from LA can also be a traffic nightmare. If your friends live anywhere near West LA/Downtown/Long Beach, LAX is really the place to be. ONT or SAN are only useful if you will be in those areas.

About one hour drive by car. There is not too much to see IIRC, although the spectacular Oregon coast is only about a 1-2 hour drive further. Not to be missed if you have time, and then suggest staying in Cannon Beach.

But are you sure Y upgrades fall into a bucket that earns the same as F revenue classes? I seem to remember AA has that system. If you upgrade into F, you should be able to use the Alaska Boardroom in LAX, but you are correct there is no lounge access when on non-OW metal. But I find Alaska to very good by domestic US standards, even Y. Between LAX-SEA, they used to do special catering services at certain times of the day, and I remember getting full meals as on a long-haul BA flight in economy, an extended drink service including alcohol and more. (And this on a relatively cheap, domestic 2-hour hop!) IIRC, it was called the Sunset Service, or something similar. The Alaska FAs have always been the picture of friendliness in my experience. That and the scenary always makes for a good flight.

The drive is very realistic and very easy: after Portland a straight shoot up I-5 takes you right under downtown Seattle. About 5 hours maximum. From Portland itself the drive is about 3-4 houirs depending on conditions.

Seattle is not Paris or London, but there is plenty to see and do. The natural surrounds and scenary is stunning, people very friendly and relaxed, wonderful seafood and great restaurants tucked away (and not requiring reservations 14 years in advance). Take a ferry ride as the sun is setting for a gorgeous sight of the glittering skyline. Buy fresh fish at the old Pike Place market. Take in a symphony at the beautiful Benaroya Hall. Take a bike ride around Mercer Island. Be a true tourist and go to the Space Needle, where they also have a rotating restaurant (that serves bland yet over-priced food). Go to the Jemi Hendricks Experience, which all the locals seem to despise (I like it, but then Seattle has never been much for bold architectural statements). Visit the Boeing plant in Everett (about 30-45 minutes north on I-5) and the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field (which has a BA Concorde). Spend a day hiking on the glaciers of Mount Ranier. There's plenty to do if you look...

If you have at least a week to spare, you might also consider driving up the Pacific coast, along the Pacific Coast Highway, which in my experience ranks as amoung the most beautiful and scenic drive in the world. I did it as follows:
Day 1: Los Angeles-Santa Barbara (spent the day)
Day 2: Santa Barbara-Monterey (stopped at Hearst Castle)
Day 3: Monterey-San Francisco (spent two nights)
Day 5: Frisco-Stinson Beach (great road for a Z8, Modena, Vanquish; spent part of day in Marin and hanging out where the rich hippies live)
Day 6: Stinson Beach-Eureka (spent some time in the redwoods)
Day 7: Eureka-Cannon Beach (spent lots of time in the redwoods)
Day 8: Cannon Beach-Seattle

You can shorten it of course, but there's plenty to see along the way, with breathtaking remoteness and coastline until Monterey, lots of little sweet towns north of Frisco, cathedral-like forests and heavenly coasts further north. Really worth the trip.

blawson

I was in Seattle at the start of last month - all booked to go on the Boeing Tour. Waited for my tour bus at 7:35 am - still waiting at 08:00 - decided to give them a call - tour cancelled due to a Boeing strike. I "think" it is now over - but I would check.

SchmeckFlyer

The machinist union and management have finally reached an agreement, after about a month. Sorry to hear you missed the tour. And to think, Boeing used to have such civil and amicable relations with its workers, and not just the management or top engineers. Boeing used to be a "family", but now it is a "team" since the Chicagophiles came in.

Prospero

Sorry to hear that. I feel your pain.

The Boeing Everett tour is quite unique and utterly captivating throughout. The shear scale of the facility is incredible - when I visited in January 2001, the tour took us to the 777 assembly line and at that time Boeing was churning out one triple seven every week. At the head of the line was a BA 777 (in the buff) followed by 2 destined for AA so it was quite a special sight given the likelyhood that I'd actually fly on one of those beasties. Apologies blawson for rubbing salt into your wounds

Aerotec

I did the Seattle to Sprucegoose in a day and it is a long drive but totally doo-able. Or you could just keep the night free and check in to a Motel on the way back to SEA. But you must visit the Sprucegoose Museum. It is excellent.

Make sure you book the Boeing Tour before you leave the UK if you know what day you can go just in case it is busy. A tip is to book the very last tour as most tour buses don;t bring folk in that late in the day. When I first went there was only 4 of us on the tour as opposed to the 30+ they usually have. Made the tour much more interesting as the guide would mention a lot of things they wouldn't normally talk about on the main tour.

And make sure you get to the Museum of Flight. The old Boeing Wooden building was closed when I was there last but it is still a great place to visit.

Check out the Float Planes from Lake Union to Victoria in BC. Great 1hr flight and a great day out.

Will post more later as in a rush to head out.

Rich

Gardyloo

It wasn't the Chicagophiles. It was the McDonnell Douglas crowd, particularly Harry Stonecipher, who brought to Boeing the same management philosophy that served the McDD employees and shareholders so well.

BTW, the widebody plant at Everett is still the biggest building in the world, by volume.

ChickenOrBeef

Hope this helps - drop me a PM if there is anything specific you need to know, and have a great time!

chucko

Strikes (by the Machinists' union or SPEEA, the engineers' union) have always been a feature of life at Boeing, and pre-date the Mad Dog merger and the management move to Chicago. Not many wildcat strikes, more like set-piece battles--when a contract is set to expire, enough is usually known about the respective sides' bargaining positions that the strikes are predictable, and people prepare for a long one. I'm surprised this one settled as quickly as it did (four weeks), given the overwhelming rejection of the company's last offer before the strike. The last Machinists' strike, about five years ago, lasted ten weeks.

AndyPatterson

The Museum of Flight is definitely worth 2 hours or more, and is better than the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum. But be sure to check the website as the Concorde and the old Air Force One (B-707) are only open on certain days and hours. You don't want to get there when neither are open! The Concorde was open when I was there, and not having flown it, I was surprised by how cramped the interior was (lots of leg room, yes, but cramped otherwise). I believe the Air Force One is the one that was used by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon.

If you drive from Portland to Seattle, and have the time, take the side excursion to Mt. St. Helens and see the slumbering volcano, which may be steaming when you see it.

willyroo

I did both in March - and it was a fantastic day. Left SEA Sheraton at around 8:00 am, drove to Everett (around 40 minutes IIRC), did the tour, saw a brand new 772 having its first test flight.

The drove down to the Museum of Flight - a bit less than a 1 hour drive just about all freeway.

Give yourself 2-3 hours at the Museum of Flight at least. The Concorde and the 707 were open, and it was a Monday.

It's a longish day to do both, but very much worth it.