UA vs NW

This is what exactly I did last summer when laying over at SEA for about 5 hours before heading to Anchorage. I took the local bus (~$3 for a round trip), passed by the Museum of Flight (is that just next to Boeing Field Airport), went to downtown ; wandered around the downtown area ; went to needle building; bought some postcards and some drinks; then headed back about 80 minutes before my flight took off. I would say that Seattle is beautiful if it does not rain (like my day); I can't wait to go there again this Independence day.

wck4

Six Arms (very walkable from downtown, a bit to the east along Pike) and Elysian Brewery (a bit further east, about 14th and Pine) are pretty good for food & they have their own beer. There are nice places out further in Fremont & so, but that would be a stretch if you only have a few hours. Or downtown on Post Alley across from the ferry terminal, Owl & Thistle is a Irish bar- don't know if they serve any microbrews there, as I've stuck to Guinness on the beer front there.

bworrell

There's a ton of good places to drink beer in Seattle. If you're going to take a ferry, the building I work in across from the walkway to the ferry terminal (800 block of 1st Ave) has two good Irish pubs (Owl & Thistle and Fado's) and a more trendy spot (Contour).

DCA-SEA

If you take the ferry, go to Bainbridge Island, not Bremerton. Bremerton is an hour o/w; Bainbridge is only 30-35 min. Also, the Bainbridge run has newer ferries, and is a _much_ nicer town if you have the chance to leave the terminal. I believe they make everyone get off on both ends of the runs now, for security sweeps.

Museum of Flight is on a par with the National Air and Space Museum - you could spend your whole time there.

As for beer, you might go to the Pike Place Brewery at the market.

tom911

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Kells Irish pub, in Post Alley, which is the unofficial pub when we have FT get togethers in Seattle ^

Bainbridge is much better than Bremerton if you're going to set off walking on foot. It has a nice walkable city center with shops and a pretty decent local bookstore with travel section. It's only a couple blocks long. Also plenty of places for something to eat or drink before you turn back around. You do need to be careful of ferry schedules to make sure you're back on time. Last time I was there they were having an outdoor festival in a park near the ferry pier, so you might run across something like that.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/

If this is your first time in Seattle, though, I'd stay in the city and visit the Space Needle and shops around Westlake Center (the monorail will connect the two), or Pike Place marketplace. PLENTY to stay occupied for a few hours in that vicinity.

tom911

Keep in mind there is an annual FT get together there in August. I've made the last few, sort of like an annual pilgrimage to visit MissyDarlin, who does an excellent job putting this together. See her post in FT Community.

Sadly, I'll miss out this year. I do have a good excuse, though: I'll be in Athens to see my friend's daughter Natalie bring home a stack of gold medals in swimming events.

wck4

Seattle Times has been doing a series of articles on ~1.5 hour long walks around Seattle neighborhood. If you can make it up Queen Anne Hill, I highly recommend the Queen Anne one. And for those interested in a ferry ride, check out the Winslow, Bainbridge Island one.

These are very well written, with maps, photos, notes on bakeries and cafes along the route, and so forth.

Seattle City Walks

Tod E Tosser

Thanks for the great link. I spend as much leisure time in Seattle as an easternern possibly can. Not sure if I'll have time to do any of these walks this weekend, but I've got it bookmarked. Oh, and I thought it was in the bylaws that you residents were to discourage outsiders from falling in love with your city.

GoingAway

Izzik and I are doing a similar mileage run this weekend and meeting a group of FT'ers at the Buenos Aires Grill downtown for dinner at 6pm. Check the thread in community. Stop by and say hello.

greggwiggins

If it's not too late to help you, I'd suggest the Elysian Brewing Co. brewpub on East Pike Street (www.elysianbrewing.com) to see why the place was just named "Large Brewpub of the Year" at the Great American Beer Festival.

wck4

It might be for the locals, but I'm a Jersey girl just out here for a job. That's funny, I spend too much time in NJ, so we are flipped.

dmfriedman

Since it doesn't look like this is going away, I'm going to move it over to the Destination: West forum. Discussion of activities at a destination as part of an overall mileage run discussion is okay, but focusing on a destination isn't really what Mileage Run is about.

Please continue to follow this discussion in the new forum.

Thanks,

Dave, a.k.a. dmfriedman
Moderator, Mileage Run

Tod E Tosser

Thanks for the invite, but I'll actually be in Portland Saturday. Maybe next time.

wr_schwab

At the end of the month I have a 4.5 hour layover in SEA. If my memory if right SEA doesn't have much in the airport, so I'd like to head downtown for lunch.

Should 4.5 hours be enough time (late morning/noonish) to be able to get downtown for lunch? Can someone recommend a good seafood resturant downtown and near the airport (in case of Irregular Ops or if 4.5 hours is too little time)?

missydarlin

You can take the Express bus #194 from the south end of baggage claim right into downtown. Takes about a half hour and $1.25/$2.00 each way (depending on time of travel)

There are a ton of seafood options. Anthonys at Pier 66, or you can pop into Ivars, Steamers, or Elliotts at various places along the waterfront. If you want your seafood more asian style, get off at the International District stop. Otherwise, the University stop will put you in the middle of downtown, just a few blocks from the water.

For near the airport dining, there is 13 coins, Roasters (not really seafood though), and various hotel restaurants.