Hey,

Final part of this trip... will be in Seattle September 12 - 14th. Any suggestions on the best area to stay to see the sights?

Should we get a car?

Thanks

William

Ideally you would stay downtown and have a car. Do a search... there have been recent threads on Seattle.

Take the underground tour, very interesting insight into Seattle's history via its sewage system and lots of laughs. It only takes a few hours.

Jay

[This message has been edited by JayBrian (edited 07-09-2000).]

QuietLion is absolutely -- stay downtown. Seattle is one of the few cities in the USA that has a really great downtown area with lots to do. Visit the Pike Street Market, Pacific Place, take a ferry ride either as a walk on or drive on passenger. If you drive on take one ferry on the outbound, drive around the islands and take another ferry back. Lots of male flyers (especially) love the Boeing Museum of Flight and you might enjoy the Experience Music Museum and a trip to the top of the Space Needle just to have done it.

Seattle is also a great place to have a car because there are so many places to go.

If you like to sail, you might e-mail Punki and se if they are going out on the Sound during that time. We frequently go out at night after work.

Beware that parking is costly and sometimes hard to find. Some hotels have rent a car lots nearby and often will let you park there (at least I have done it years ago). You might think of alternatives given only 2 nights, based on what you decide to do.

There is a hotel (old) over the water, down by Pier 7x. People actually fished out the windows! A trolley runs the length of the road along the water and it is cheap. Walk one way and ride back or vis-versa. You have too little time to visit much more than the waterfront. Aquarium, boat ride (suggest to Telicum Villiage for the salmon bake and show), perhaps a dinner on the showboat a block or so away. Space needle is ok, and the Science Center/Museum is not to be missed. Lots of fun.

Feed the meters if parking downtown on the street. Get coins in advance. I've gotten my share of tickets and the meter monitors are active.

Chiming in to QuetLion and Punki - downtown is definitely the place to be in Seattle. It's bustling!

Since you are flexible on your hotel, you should know that some people have gotten great deals through Priceline and Expedia's Hotel Price Matcher when bidding for a hotel room in Downtown Seattle. I host a board to discuss bidding at http://pub4.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding If you would like bidding assistance, please read the Hotel FAQ. Lots of FT'ers are active members.

Wharvey, the more I think about this, the more important I think it is that you feel free to give us a shout to go sailing.

FlyerTalk truly is the best, most helpful, generous place in the world and I really want to do my part to prove that to you during your visit.

Too bad you won't be here on the weekend or we would schedule the Seattle Do Two!

Two words: Metropolitan Grill

Thirteen Coins restaurant. Check it out...
http://www.13coins.com

RichG and I actually had breakfast at 13 Coins a couple of weeks ago. Dungeness Crab Eggs benedict. Yum, yum, yum.

The hotel on the water is the Edgewater. I would also second, or third, the mention of the 13 Coins. It's located right outside the airport and they are open 24 hours. Sit at the counter to get the full experience.

Punki mentioned the Music Experience Museum and I was wondering if anyone from the board has been there. We would like to zip up and see it, but are wondering if we would be better off waiting a bit until crowds die down?

I was on the grounds the day Music Experience opened 7/23. It really wasn't that busy because (1)the $20 admission & (2) everybody seems to think that everybody else is there & it's too busy. Not the case.

Good hotels SEA downtown are Alexis & Best Western Pioneer Square, on Yesler.

Took the underground tour & while it was interesting I could have done without it. Check out the content first. AAA suggests it, but many other guidebooks omit it.