Seattle is a small place, my son and I walked from space needle to Union Station (that's next to stadium) during christmas visit. We also then went to Seahawks game and parked our rental car - unlike say NY area, neither parking or traffic is a problem.

In the summer, weather will be great and safety there is not an issue. So either way, you're in good shape.

What to do in Seattle
 

While we are on the topic of Seattle, an article by a colleague of mine (with my photos, I should add) about Seattle might be of interest to some.

It's online here.

moving here...what is the best ff program to socal and the east coast?

Where on the East Coast are you flying? AS has a very good program with frequent West Coast flights (virtually all non-stop from SEA, since AS is SEA's hometown airline) and non-stop transcon service to DCA, EWR, and BOS.

No question about it. Alaska Airlines is where you want to be. We have a very astute group of FT-er's on the board here as well.
Take a look sometime and feel free to chime in....

http://flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=442

Not totally a walk in the park on a bright sunny morning
 

As a SEA native and resident I would suggest one exercise some caution. SEA is not immune to the ills of big cities. We have a lot of bold drug dealing around the Pioneer Square area which is just north of the stadium district. So use some common sense and don't got wandering down dark allies and be aware of your surroundings. (users looking for cash for their fix could be lurking)

I have also had my Jeep broken into (just east of the stadiums along the viaduct) for the stereo gear, so property crime is also something to be warned about. Just don't leave anything valuable in plain sight and leave the diamond earrings and watches in the hotel safe.

No sense asking for trouble...

Alaska is the stock answer, and it is a good program, especially since AS dances with just about everybody in terms of earn/burn options - AA, BA, DL, AF, KL, QF, CX et al.

However there are a couple of drawbacks:

- Only (AS plus) one partner on any itinerary unlike "mix and match" awards with alliance-member airlines.

- No partner one-way awards, unlike AA or UA. Combined with the above, it makes open-jaw awards outside N. America tricky.

- Redemption rates (no. of miles/flight) are equivalent or higher than many others'.

AA members flying on AS earn full EQM and EQP, elite bonuses etc. While AA elites don't yet get special treatment from AS, such perks are apparently in the works, so I'd also consider AA as a good alternative, even though AA's service out of SEA is very limited.

While I wouldn't pick a program based on rumors, talk is that the first two are in the works.

As for the third: the word "sometimes" should be inserted in that sentence. For example, an award on DL in F/BE to Europe or southern South America can be had for 90,000 AS miles versus 100,000 DL miles. In other instances, though, it is the same, and if it is more, it is usually only a difference of 10,000 miles.

As others have said the default answer is Alaska - given that Seattle is a hub for them, and they have an extensive SEA-California network, they're a great choice.

If you also tend to go east a lot, you may want to choose another airline though. Alaska flights can be credited to AA or DL; DL's network out of SEA is pretty extensive (flights to every hub, plus several Asia flightsa s well) and they continue to invest in the area (a new SkyClub is being built, for example.) AA's network is a little weaker from here, but if you primarily travel to places Delta is weak they may be a good choice.

UA has a presence here as well, and while choosing them would isolate you from Alaska I definitely have several 1K friends in the area, so they are an option as well.

It really depends on where you travel most often; if you're sticking to the west coast, I'd go natively with AS; if you travel east a lot, I'd investigate DL or UA; if Texas is important to you I'd definitely go AA; and if you travel to Asia frequently DL would be a likely choice.

4/4/2012 Seattle Restaurant Recommendations (continuously updated)
 

Serafina on Eastlake Ave. Still one of the better run independent purveyors of fine dining in the city. The Seattle Times just gave them a nice write-up as well. Had lunch in their courtyard recently and it is still a fine place! (4/2011) had lunch here again recently. Still tasty! Did New Year's Eve Dinner here as well!!

Also had very good dining experiences recently at How To Cook A Wolf, Bastille and Toulouse Petit. (7/2010) For breakfast fans: try the weekday service @ Toulouse Petit! Only $8 for anything on their AM menu.

Be sure and check out Lola. A Tom Douglas restaurant in the heart of the DT/Belltown 'hood. (8/2010)

A very novel brunch this past Sunday @ Sitka and Spruce in the newish Melrose Market. We have dined with them before. It is quite good. The MM is also an interesting walkabout. No it is not Pike Place but still quite interesting. Check out the butcher and the cheese shop when you go there as well.

Just had dinner last night (9/2010) at the newly opened The Walrus and The Carpenter. It is located in lower Ballard. Run by the folks who operate The Boat St. Cafe. Small plates, nice wine list, good vibe! Lots of seafood, especially shellfish. This place got an incredible write-up in the NYT several weeks ago and you can now expect at least a 30 minute wait no matter the day or hour. Still worth it though!

Entertained some out of town guests this past week (9/2010) with very nice meals @ Nell's, near Green Lake in N. Sea. Szmania's in Magnolia and The High Life in Ballard. Also went back to the Melrose Market and sampled the food at the Local Sandwich Shop right at the front of the Market. Very good for lunch or breakfast.

Six of us returned to Ponti's last night for a fabulous meal. Many raw oysters were consumed as well as some lovely chanterelle risotto and ahi tuna. Rich Malia has been doing this for many years and he is still at the top of his game!

And how could I have failed to mention an incredibly reliable standby like Chinooks? It is located at the Fisherman's Terminal and has been there for about two decades or more. I ate there last night, in fact, I have eaten there about six times just in the past eight months. Nice fresh seafood, very short wine list, a bit noisy when it is busy. Not a fine dining experience but a place to take the out-of-towners to a touristy piece of Seattle where the locals hang out as well. Rumors are that they also have a very fine Sunday brunch. I have not sampled this. It is usually our 'go to' place when we don't feel like cooking and don't want to spend big bucks are be overpampered.
Also @ this Terminal now is the reopened Highliner Pub. Tuesday is their $2 fish taco special--all day long. They use cod and don't deep fry it. Highly recommended!

Tried a newer Italian place last night (11/4) in Ballard: Picolino's is at the intersection of NW 65th And 32 Ave. NW in the Sunset Hill neighborhood. A big sprawly joint with a nice bar, wood fired pizza oven, a patio out back. We dined in the last of the three rooms. Great wine list, a generous seafood oriented menu. A very good waiter as well. The pasta dishes were large, the sauces interesting but a touch watery for my prawn ravioli with a crab bisque reduction sauce. Our friends said we had to try the lunch on Sunday afternoon. (Finally did this in May 2011, good but not great)They are very pleased with the canneloni specials and the pizza. Definitely a locals place. We will be returning to sample some more of their wares. We brought in two bottles of wine, and since we order a third, they waived the corkage fees.

Since we had to be in West Seattle last night for a birthday we decided that this was the night we would finally have dinner at a newer restaurant in the Junction called Fresh Bistro. We have had lunch there on three occasions since early last summer and enjoyed it each time. Also got raves from our guests. So we were not disappointed by the dinner menu at all! The wife had the Waygu Beef French Dip and I dived into the lamb rack. Her's was perfect; mine was a tad undercooked but quite flavorful. The wine list is a bit light but a very friendly staff and a nice atmosphere made for a nice dining experience.

At Pacific Place last night (12/20/2010) and went into a place called Pink's on the top floor. I'll not bore you with the details except to say that we left without having eaten after watching everyone around us get served. if you read this and they are still open; remember...you were warned!!

For folks who love bakeries: Try Fresh Flours on Ballard Avenue or Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle. Neither will disappoint. BN will blow you away! There are now several Essential Baking Co. cafes in the city as well. Organic and tasty.
And I must now add Honore and Cafe Besalu to the list. Both are in Ballard.

For NYE we dined at Springhill in West Seattle on California Ave. It is very modern in appearance and quite noisy when busy. If you are a foodie though you will want to go there. Had a killer duck terrine there, some Olympia oysters. some of the best sweetbreads ever. A nice cut of beef cooked as instructed. The wine list is not as complete as I would like but the corkage is only $20/750ml bottle so just bring your own. We ate here again in May 2011 and it excellent! This is still open but is now more of a Pacific focused cuisine. The nightly chicken dinner here is getting rave reviews.

Dined at Staple & Fancy Mercantile the other night on lower Ballard Ave. NW. This is Ethan Stowell's newest venture and is quite worthy. Difficult to get in so call ahead for a rez and spend the $45 PP and let the cook decide what you are going to eat.

Another satisfying spot near here is Bastille. Noisy front room and bar but do try the Back Bar for Happy Hour!

Finally tried Maria Hines' Golden Beetle up on Market Street. Interesting Indian based small plates. Service is bit spotty if they are busy.

Have now had lunch on six occasions at the Wheeler St. Bistro in Magnolia. Very nice fare, limited menu, order at the counter. To go orders are welcomed here as well. Try the brisket sandwich!

Had a lovely meal the other night (1/31/2011) @ Portage up atop Queen Anne hill. This is a very small room. Reservations are highly recommended. This is our fourth time eating there and it continues to surprise us. A very talented chef, limited wine menu. Good service as well. Still chugging along we always enjoy our meals here.

Probably the best pub food you will ever have is located just down the hill from us here in Magnolia. Mulleady's is only open for lunch on the weekends now but does dinner every night of the week. A very inventive ever changing menu. Minimal wine list but they do serve lots of beer. If you only do one pub in Seattle please consider this one. You won't be sorry if you are a foodie and enjoy a nice pub atmosphere with some decent music.

For Valentine's Day this year we went out for lunch on a nasty day here and dined at Place Pigalle in the Pike Place Market. This is located behind Don and Joe's Meats and is actually behind the giant PPM sign that graces the market's entrance. I have a long history with this location going way back to the early70's when the Miller Draft Dark Beer was only a $1.25 per pitcher and no ID was required. It has changed a lot since than (no more heroin ODs in the bathrooms!) and we have enjoyed many very nice meals looking out over the bay and watching the boats and birds float by. There are only about eight table with views so try and catch a rez and ask for a view table in advance.
Good oyster stew yesterday, a nice beet salad as well. Good wine list. moderately priced.

If you are looking for dim sum down in the International District try the Jade Garden on the corner of 7th & King. This one is the most consistently recommended by our dim sum loving friends. We had lunch there today but I eat this stuff so rarely that I feel incapable of telling anyone if it is good or bad or better than somewhere else.

After a busy weekend the spouse demanded a night out so we went out of our usual comfort zone and booked a rez at The Stumbling Goat Bistro on Greenwood Ave. It was not busy, service was good. A very nice wine list. Enjoyed the duck terrine and a nice piece of carefully cooked sturgeon. The wife enjoyed one of their beef dishes. Didn't go for desert but it looked promising on other tables.

Another good pub is Brouwer's in the west end of the Fremont District. An interesting menu influenced by the Belguim brews it serves. Some music on the weekends. This ownership as also opened a place called The Publican up on 55th St just south of Green Lake. Nice food and drink here as well.

For the French food lover Le Gourmand in Ballard. Try the tasting menu. It is extraordinary!! Hurry this place will close in early June 2012!

Today was the gigantic seconds sale @ Glassybaby in Seattle's off-the- beaten-track Madrona neighborhood. We got there late but scored a foursome of nice candleholders and than dined at a place called June. Had a duck confit with a rich bechamel sauce and a perfectly poached egg. Have to go back and try the dinner menu soon.

Finally got a chance to try Matt Janke's latest restaurant Lecosho down on University St on the Harbor Steps near Western Ave. Nice spot! Great bar. Decent well priced menu.

The best risotto I have ever had is at a place called Lloyd Martin @ 1525 Queen Anne Ave. Small plates carefully prepared. Very good! So was our waitress, Ashley! A local magazine just gave this a rave review so better call ahead for a rez as the place is not large. A full bar and decent wine list here as well.

10 Hrs. in SEATTLE
 

Hi All,

I'll be in Seattle for roughly 10 hours (arrive at SEA around noon and depart around 10PM) as part of an upcoming trip. I've never been to the Emerald City, so I want to make this trip count for at least something :). What recommendations do you have in terms of sight-seeing and activities?

From what I've heard, Pike Place and Space Needle are a must-see. I don't have many preferences in terms of activities--though I'm a big fan of shopping, especially at consignment shops, and I'm a foodie/coffee addict. Is there an area in Seattle that is comparable to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco?

Any help from you all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a ton, FT! :-:

There really is a lot of good information right in this thread, so some research is not out of the question...?

That said, I guess I'd recommend you deal with luggage as needed - if not through-checked, then leave it at Ken's Baggage - and take the train into town.

Start with a walk and nosh at the Pike Market, then if you want a funky-ish neighborhood experience, walk up to 3rd Ave. and take the No. 26 or 28 bus (northbound) to the corner of 34th and Fremont (ask the driver to tell you when to get off.) That will put you in the Fremont neighborhood, which is about as funky as it gets in Seattle (aside from a few blocks here and there that aren't worth the effort.) Haight-Ashbury? As in 1967? Well, not really. But trolls under bridges, statues of Lenin, stationary rocket ships, nice walks along the Ship Canal or over to Gasworks Park, plenty of places for caffeine or alcohol or food... decent.

As for the Space Needle, well if you have a spare $16 for the elevator fare, fine; otherwise walk from Fremont to Gasworks Park and look at the views from there. Free.

When you get back to town, try to take the time (around 2 hours all in) for a ride to Bainbridge Island and back as a foot passenger on the state ferry. Great views and a great experience. From the ferry dock you can walk to the light rail station at Pioneer Square (or the International District station) in 5-10 min. for the train back to the airport. If you can time your return from Bainbridge around sunset, all the better - amazing views.

http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov

For the caffeine addiction I recommend Cafe Fiore & Ladro. Both shops have multiple locations throughout the city.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14312238-post190.html

Excellent dinner on Tuesday, great service, reservations recommended.


Tried it tonight [Wed], but wouldn't return - price about same as Toulouse Petit [?].

Pioneer Square
 

I have been to Seattle several times and I always do alot of research before my trips. I keep reading about how great Pioneer Square is. I have walked through the area twice during the day and it does not appeal to me at all. Just seems like an area with lots of drug addicts, homeless people, and bars.

Am I missing something??