Recommendation? Seattle

S

Shann

Joined
Sep 2, 2004
Messages
5,247
My wife and I are going to Seattle at the end of the month to see our son who lives there. He actually is in Redmond.

Any recommendations for hotels or areas of the city to stay for the week? Rooms seem quite expensive out there. I don't want to go on the cheap but don't want to spend more than I have to.
I've never done an AirBnB and I'm not sure whether I want to go that route but might consider it.

Anything else not to miss? I've been to Pike's Market and the Space Needle (although my wife hasn't so we probably will go back there).
 
No recs on hotels, sorry, but in terms of activities here are some ideas off the top of my head:
  • The Space Needle was overhauled this past summer, and now has glass observation deck floors. I haven't been back since the remodel, but it's supposed to be pretty cool.
  • If you're at the Needle, the nearby MoPop museum is expensive but excellent. If you have kids, the free playground just outside has rope bridges 30' up, climbing nets, and all sorts of cool stuff.
  • The Kerry Park overlook in Queen Anne has the classic "postcard view" of Seattle (in a lovely neighborhood, to boot).
  • Volunteer Park in Capitol Hill has an historic 180' water tower with gorgeous 360-degree views of the city, plus it's just a fun place to roam around.
  • A ferry to Bainbridge Island or Bremerton can be a lot of fun (more great views, too). Bainbridge has an excellent free art museum and great ice cream. Bremerton has the USS Turner Joy, a Vietnam-era destroyer floating museum. You can drive your car onto both ferries.
  • Maggie Bluffs in Magnolia has okay food but stellar views of Elliott Bay, especially on a nice day when lots of boats are out.
  • The Great Wheel, on the touristy waterfront, is expensive but kind of neat. The nearby aquarium is stellar, if that's your kind of thing (and great with kids).
  • On the museum front, the Museum of Flight (outside Seattle, but not that far) is fabulous. The only better air and space museum I've ever been in is the one in D.C.
 
First, you need to decide where you want to stay. If it's near Redmond look for prices to actually drop a little at some hotels as they are mostly geared towards the local business traffic Mon-Fri. Remember you're in a section of town where rents start around $2500/mo, it's Microsoft central. If you want to stay in Downtown just look around. Still, driving back and forth to see your family is going to be a pain. Seattle has traffic you have to see to believe. And again, hotels are not cheap, because in some cases they are being filled with extended stay customers who can't find a place to live.

Downtown I like the Hotel Sorrento, the Sheraton, and the Arctic Club. The Marriott Courtyard is good, and the W over by Queen Anne is nice. The Element in Redmond is good, and the Hampton Inn at Marymount is too.

Don't stay near the airport, it may be cheaper but traffic will kill you.

Not to miss? Go see Paul Allen's collection of WWII tanks and airplanes. They even fly them some weekends. https://flyingheritage.org/

If you like wooden boats go to the Wooden Boat Museum.

If you want to check out antiques Pacific Galleries is the place. (Occasionally you can find a nice knife or two.)

For eclectic neighborhoods, try Fremont on a Saturday morning. Just park near the Lenin statue, or a block over at Google HQ, and walk around. And alternate to that would be Edmonds. Both have good Saturday markets.

You want to see bums, Pioneer Square downtown, or just cruise under the West Seattle viaduct.

For your recreational weed, just follow the billboards.

For seafood Anthony's is the best local chain. Ivar's for clams and chowder. Salty's at Alki has a great view of the city at sundown as well as good food.

If you like glass art Chihuly's is the foremost place in the USA. Really amazing.

If you like old airplanes the Boeing Museum of Flight.

If you like old cars go down to Tacoma and visit the LeMay Car Collection.

If you want to have an incredible Sunday Brunch go to Palisade.

You want a really nice, intimate, dinner in a bistro nobody's heard of try De La Terre in Steilacoom.

You want to see the country and a place where they filmed the TV series Northern Exposure drive up I80 to Roslyn and Cle Elum.

You want to visit a world class winery go to Chateau St Micheal in Woodinville.

If you need/want outdoor gear REI is local (the Seattle store is best) and Filson, Outdoor Research, Ex Officio, and Carhartts are all local and have outlets. Nordstrom Rack is a place to keep the wife away from.

If you have more specific requests I can probably make better recommendations.

Have fun!
 
We did Seattle for a few days earlier this year. First and first mostly, everything around is up hill both ways, be ready to do some walking or figure out Uber. We stayed at a Hilton(wife has work perks) in town. Needle was closed for renovations while we were there. MoPop was very cool, I believe the rotate several exhibits so you can see what’s current. We did a glass blowing class and blown glass museum which was also very cool. We walked the warf and went to a casino about 30 minuets north of town(king crab on the buffet).
 
Live here so no ideas on good hotels... but I would stay away from motel places on highway 99, also called pacific highway and Aurora. Think episodes of “cops”.

Agree with suggestions above. If you go to Filsons get a Cuban sandwich across the street, very good, or there is a good bbq place a bit south on the same street across from Starbucks HQ. Fremont market also happens on Sunday. Lots places to eat in the area. Fremont Brewery with outside seating over by the big bridge. Fremont works to be weird and artsy, can be good or a bit much. (My office is there)

There is a good knife store in downtown Kirkland, not too far from Redmond. No bargains but lots to look at, handle and try not to buy. Just google knife store Kirkland.

Remember no fixed blades and no folders over 3.5 - just in city of seattle.
 
Thanks for all the great tips. Lots to do.

Looking at Hotel Element in Redmond and Hyatt House Downtown Seattle. Element is more expensive but it would be close to my son. However, he isn't going to be on vacation that week, so I want to make sure it is easy enough to access public transport to Seattle. Probably would have more options if we stayed in Redmond because we could borrow his car and travel around a little outside of the city.
 
Okay. Got the flight booked and the Hotel Element booked. Now I can start to get excited about the vacation.
 
We have our Christmas work party at the Marriott in Redmond every year, and it is very nice. Not sure about prices though. It’s centrally located and is in Redmond Town center which has a lot of cool little stores.
 
Rent a car or drive him to work and pick him up after. You don't want to sit in a hotel all day. It might even be cheaper to have him Uber to and from work while you use his car.

There's a lot to see around town and the more you see the more you'll understand the attraction. This is one of the best places on earth (and I've been around enough to make that argument.)
 
eisman said:
Rent a car or drive him to work and pick him up after. You don't want to sit in a hotel all day. It might even be cheaper to have him Uber to and from work while you use his car.

There's a lot to see around town and the more you see the more you'll understand the attraction. This is one of the best places on earth (and I've been around enough to make that argument.)
Click to expand...

Thanks. We do plan on using his car at least a couple days. We also plan on just walking around Seattle at least one day. I could spend the day at Pike's Market. We are really starting to look forward to it.
 
Enjoy the trip! Seems there is also a knife shop down near the market and the original Starbucks. I remember they had a bunch of SAKs and kitchen knives.
 
Seattle Cutlery is the place at the Market. But if you want a place almost nobody but commercial guys know about go to Nella Knives on 4th street in SoDo (south of the Dome). That's where I get my stuff sharpened.

If you park in the Pike's Market parking structure you can easily walk the market and associated area (waterfront, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th streets) down to Pioneer square. Be advised its all up or down hill. It's usually best to try and get to the market early. After 10am it can get crowded and the fresh stuff is out by 8. Don't bother with breakfast, eat there.
 
oh yeah, the Pinball Museum in the international district is good too. You pay to get in and can stay as long as you like. The machines are free to play. And if you like Chinese, this is the best area for it.
 
Walk down the hill from Pike Place Mkt and do Wings Over Washington... State of the art awesome.

Google it for their hours of operation so that you can plan to be there when it's open.
 
Thanks. Everything sounds pretty awesome. Too bad its only a week. But my son plans to stay out there so we will probably be making a lot of trips over the next 10 years or so.
 
Filson's in SODO. There's a lot of neat places in SODO. If you're local check out Second Use. It's an architectural salvage place. They get some very cool stuff.
 
eisman said:
First, you need to decide where you want to stay. If it's near Redmond look for prices to actually drop a little at some hotels as they are mostly geared towards the local business traffic Mon-Fri. Remember you're in a section of town where rents start around $2500/mo, it's Microsoft central. If you want to stay in Downtown just look around. Still, driving back and forth to see your family is going to be a pain. Seattle has traffic you have to see to believe. And again, hotels are not cheap, because in some cases they are being filled with extended stay customers who can't find a place to live.

Downtown I like the Hotel Sorrento, the Sheraton, and the Arctic Club. The Marriott Courtyard is good, and the W over by Queen Anne is nice. The Element in Redmond is good, and the Hampton Inn at Marymount is too.

Don't stay near the airport, it may be cheaper but traffic will kill you.

Not to miss? Go see Paul Allen's collection of WWII tanks and airplanes. They even fly them some weekends. https://flyingheritage.org/

If you like wooden boats go to the Wooden Boat Museum.

If you want to check out antiques Pacific Galleries is the place. (Occasionally you can find a nice knife or two.)

For eclectic neighborhoods, try Fremont on a Saturday morning. Just park near the Lenin statue, or a block over at Google HQ, and walk around. And alternate to that would be Edmonds. Both have good Saturday markets.

You want to see bums, Pioneer Square downtown, or just cruise under the West Seattle viaduct.

For your recreational weed, just follow the billboards.

For seafood Anthony's is the best local chain. Ivar's for clams and chowder. Salty's at Alki has a great view of the city at sundown as well as good food.

If you like glass art Chihuly's is the foremost place in the USA. Really amazing.

If you like old airplanes the Boeing Museum of Flight.

If you like old cars go down to Tacoma and visit the LeMay Car Collection.

If you want to have an incredible Sunday Brunch go to Palisade.

You want a really nice, intimate, dinner in a bistro nobody's heard of try De La Terre in Steilacoom.

You want to see the country and a place where they filmed the TV series Northern Exposure drive up I80 to Roslyn and Cle Elum.

You want to visit a world class winery go to Chateau St Micheal in Woodinville.

If you need/want outdoor gear REI is local (the Seattle store is best) and Filson, Outdoor Research, Ex Officio, and Carhartts are all local and have outlets. Nordstrom Rack is a place to keep the wife away from.

If you have more specific requests I can probably make better recommendations.

Have fun!
Click to expand...


Great ideas.

I would also suggest walking onto the Bainbridge Island ferry from the waterfront and go over to Winslow on Bainbridge Island. It's a short walk (1/8th of a mile?) from the ferry dock. Walk through the main street there at first and go down to The Public House overlooking the harbor. Great casual pub with great food and beer. Great Poutine. Then go back and hit the shops. Makes a great day trip with beautiful views of the Sound.

Another fun lunch trip would be to catch the Water Taxi over to West Seattle and hit Marination right at the dock. It's a great Hawaiian/Korean fusion place. Order at the counter and sit on the patio looking back at downtown Seattle.
 
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