Hello,

I will be in Seattle in a month for a few days as a tourist and would like suggestions for things to do and see while I am there.

I was recently in SFO and took the public express bus from the airport downtown and spent the whole day there before going back. It seems SEA also has an express bus going downtown; my question is it a good idea, and is there enough downtown to spend a day there? Is parking downtown difficult on weekdays? weekends?

Thanks for any information Seattle residents (or other Seattle visitors) can provide.

Should try the search before I post next time found this thread with some tips, but any other ideas would be welcome. We like to shop (or more accurately to browse ) and we're relatively quick sightseers... We're most interested in unique things to see.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/000343.html


[This message has been edited by dg1 (edited 02-18-2000).]

When my wife & I were in Seattle a few years ago, we went on a tour called the Seattle Underground. I forget why now, but a lot of the streets were built up to the 2nd story of most buildings. It was a fun & unique tour. I'll try and find out where you can catch it.

Also the beer at Pikes is excellent.

PerrySSoCal

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joyfully subversive

dg1: I highly recommend the Boeing Tour up in Everett. They take you through the plant where 747s and 777s are built. Well worth the hour or so drive to Everett from downtown Seattle.

I had a great meal at Ivar's in Mukilteo before our afternoon tour of the plant. One of the best pieces of fish I've ever had, anywhere.

For more information, please see: http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices.../tour2ops.html

There's plenty to do. The express bus will take you to the Westin.

1) Visit the downtown shopping district, Nordstrom, Bon marche, Pacific Place Mall, Westlake Center Mall, boutique stores on 5th Ave.

2) Go to Pike Place Market

3) Take a ferry ride or tour of Elliott bay down at the waterfront.

For dinner there are a huge number of great restaurants in Seattle. In acy case it sure beats hanging out at the airport.

QL, The SeaTac website shows several buses going downtown. Which bus do you suggest and what stop should I get off at? The fare is listed at $1.25 -- is that still correct?

Thanks for the information

The Everett Boeing tour is a lot of fun. It may be too much of a trip for a layover, though. The other problem is that you can only get tickets on the same day, so you may arrive in Everett at 10 am and not get to go on the tour until 12 or 1 pm. More info is at http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/tours/

Also, you may want to take the (shorter) trip to the Museum of Flight. The website http://www.museumofflight.org/ indicates that you can get there by taking bus 174 from SeaTac. It's a worthwhile museum if you like planes and aviation history (especially Boeing history). It's located on Boeing field, and you may see an interesting flight (I happened to see an early 737-700 test flight, and the delivery flight of a Qantas 747 on two different trips there).

Some of my favorite Seattle Restaurants...

The Metropolitan Grill (aka "The Met"), El Gaucho, Etta's Seafood, The Dahila Lounge, Stars

Thanks everyone. I'm there for nearly four days so I have some time.

The Met Grill is great, but very expensive. Magnificent bar! We spent $100 per person there and it wasn't hard (mostly at the restaurant, not at the bar )

dg1, I don't know about the city buses, but the Gray Line bus costs $7 or so and goes directly to the Westin.

I know you didn't ask about lodging, but the coolest hotel in all of Seattle is The Ace.
http://www.theacehotel.com/

Cheers.

I like the thread. I was supposed to do the search for "Seattle", and here you go

I'm also heading to SEA, on March 16-19.

dg1 : when you going to SEA ?

A week ahead of you -- March 9-13.
Thanks to all for the good comments.

We really liked the food and the atmosphere at the Bell St. Diner, right on the waterfront. Picked it because it was recommended by a guide book, and turned out to be a great choice. Kids had fun on the waterfront, and we had a good meal. There was another restaurant next door which I think was also recommended, but I can't remember its name. Maybe David or some of our other Seattlites know it.

Djlawman

I don't know if your the art museum type, but...
Both the Seattle Art Museum and Asian Art museum are quite decent...http://www.seattleartmuesum.org
Here's a photo: http://www.vra.oberlin.edu/mus.html

Frye Art collection (free) http://www.fryeart.org/

Here is a link to some of the many other Seattle area museums: http://www.virtualvoyages.com/usa/wa...e/sea_muse.htm

Also, as has been mentioned, you can take a ferry ride out to Bremerton, or Bainbridge Island. In Keyport, the Naval Underseas Warfare Museum contains some projects I once worked on (all too long ago, unfortunately). And, the USS Turner Joy is in the Bremerton harbor.

Restaurants:
The Palisades is one of my favorite Seattle area restaruants...located in West Seattle, right on Puget Sound. Expensive, but I have found it to be well worth the price.

Mc Cormick and Schmick's "Harborside" is right on Lake Union...I've had excellent seafood the times I've been there. It was formerly "Triples" and then "Kayaks"

The famous (or infamous) Space Needle Restaurant does offer a great view, but the food is so-so at best.

And, if you want a fun friendly and fast "Northern-Italianesque" restaurant, I've never met a "Cucina Cucina!" I didn't like. OK, its a bit gimmicky, but its good. http://www.cucinacucina.com