Seattle, Wa - Things to see / do
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Seattle, Wa - Things to see / do
Taking a business trip to Seattle and will be there over the weekend into next week. No idea on what to do during my downtime on sat afternoon and early evening. Any ideas? never been to the NW before so it'll be a bit of an experience for me.
You can do the usual tourist spot and check out Pike Place Market which is a first market that also sells a lot of other things. It's pretty cool if you have never been there. You can also check out the first Starbucks. Seattle has GREAT food so I would definitely make the effort into eating out as much as you can. As for the night life, check out Bell Town. Bell Town is a small area in downtown Seattle that has a lot of great places to eat and great places to go drinking. Others might suggest Pioneer Square but IMO it's a bit ghetto for my test.
Are their certain things you are interested in? If you tell me, I can give you better suggestions.
Are their certain things you are interested in? If you tell me, I can give you better suggestions.
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From: Seattle.....ish.
Pike market is cool if you've never been. The first starbucks is neat as well. You can only purchase certain merchandise that is only found in this store.
Stay away from the Space Needle. It's over priced, the food is lack luster, and you'll look wierd eating alone in a room filled with couples and families.
If you like seafood for a good price, try Elliots Oyster House. Awesome food, somewhat casual atmosphere, and its right on the pier.
Stay away from the Space Needle. It's over priced, the food is lack luster, and you'll look wierd eating alone in a room filled with couples and families.
If you like seafood for a good price, try Elliots Oyster House. Awesome food, somewhat casual atmosphere, and its right on the pier.
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I thought about checking out a golf course and playing a round...I just picked up on golf and am hooked. Other than eating out at a couple of places, maybe checking out a museum or two (natural history / aviation if there are any) and someone had mentioned something about a ufo-like monument or building... (ring any bells??)
Edit: Space Needle. Thanks for the heads up.
Edit: Space Needle. Thanks for the heads up.
Last edited by lophix; Aug 20, 2009 at 09:42 PM.
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Haha UFO like building. Yeah its the space needle. I've lived in Washington my whole life and I have never been inside. Anyways, next to the Space Needle is the EMP which is some type of music museum. I've never been but I've heard cool things about it.
As for golfing, if your willing to travel 45 minutes. I highly suggest playing a round at Chambers Bay in University Place near Tacoma. It's the new municipal course that will now host major PGA tournaments. $150 round. There is also New Castle golf course but I think you might have to play with a club member to get in...
I would also suggest going to Pyramid Brewery next to Safeco field. Pyramid is a local beer company that makes GREAT beer. I'm sure you have seen it in stores but you can get that stuff on tap freshly brewed there. Maybe checkout a baseball game? Safeco is pretty cool.
Other than all that I mentioned, I would just suggest going out drinking in Belltown and try to pick up a girl haha.
As for golfing, if your willing to travel 45 minutes. I highly suggest playing a round at Chambers Bay in University Place near Tacoma. It's the new municipal course that will now host major PGA tournaments. $150 round. There is also New Castle golf course but I think you might have to play with a club member to get in...
I would also suggest going to Pyramid Brewery next to Safeco field. Pyramid is a local beer company that makes GREAT beer. I'm sure you have seen it in stores but you can get that stuff on tap freshly brewed there. Maybe checkout a baseball game? Safeco is pretty cool.
Other than all that I mentioned, I would just suggest going out drinking in Belltown and try to pick up a girl haha.
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As for air museums, Seattle has one of the best. It's the Boeing Museum of Flight.
I'd also recommend the Pike Place Market for a first time visitor. Just avoid the bums and panhandlers; there are a LOT of them and they thrive off the tourists. If you're from the midwest, then the dirt/grunge of Seattle might be a bit off-puting.
You can play a good round of golf at Willow's Run in Redmond. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen owns it. The municipal golf courses in Seattle leave a fair bit to be desired. Most of the better courses are on the east side of Lake Washington.
Another nice thing to try would be to take a ferry to Bremerton and check out the USS Turner Joy (one of the ships that sparked the Vietnam Conflict). The ferry ride is a cheap way to enjoy incredible beauty of Puget Sound.
The Experience Music Project (EMP) under the Space Needle is interesting, but for me, the Sci-Fi Museum in the basement of the building is f-ing fantastic.
Some other neat touristy things to see and visit are Bruce and Brandon Lee's graves at Lakeview Cemetary, the Elliott Bay waterfront (Ye Old Curiosity Shop, Seattle Aquarium, etc.), a ball game at Safeco Field, Belltown at night (if you're into clubbing) and you can't get a better photo of the city than from the vantage at Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill. Alki Beach in West Seattle is also fun to visit if the weather cooperates. You can take the Elliott Bay water Taxi from the ferry terminal to West Seattle and there's a great walking/jogging trail that goes all the way around the peninsula. The city views from there are spectacular as well.
If you're prepared to spend some $$, great seafood can be had at Chandler's on Lake Union. Other very good restaurants are the Brooklyn, the Icon Grill, Ponti on Lake Union, the Dahlia Lounge, and the Metropolitan Grill. A great breakfast can be had at Lola. Again, these are some of the more expensive places (the Metropolitan Grill is downright ridiculous, but their steaks are the best in Seattle). There are few good Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, and to be honest, the whole neighborhood could be avoided and you won't be missing much. The only trivially interesting place to eat there is Ho Ho, since Bruce Lee ran his first Jeet Kun Do studio out of the building's basement. There are some decent Hong Kong noodle houses, but most of the restaurants are dives.
A good first place to visit for a tourist is the city concierge desk at the Pacific Place shopping center on 6th and Pine. They're on the main floor and can give you maps, tour books, etc. for free. It's also a good place to catch a movie and they have some decent restaurants on the top floor.
Final advice: avoid shady areas after dark, stay away from bums and druggies, take advantage of the downtown corridor's free transit service (ride free zone + bus tunnel), and experience Seattle by avoiding chain establishments. And not to be a coffee snob, but you'll get a much better cup of coffee at pretty much ANY location other than Starbuck's (Zetigeist is my favorite). Have fun.
I thought about checking out a golf course and playing a round...I just picked up on golf and am hooked. Other than eating out at a couple of places, maybe checking out a museum or two (natural history / aviation if there are any) and someone had mentioned something about a ufo-like monument or building... (ring any bells??)
Edit: Space Needle. Thanks for the heads up.
Edit: Space Needle. Thanks for the heads up.
PhreeZe, I had to chime in since you recommended the Pyramid Brewery. I respectfully disagree that the place is even worth considering. I've had severe food poisoning from eating there (so did my wife). We called the Health Department on them and they got dinged for a whole series of health code violations. I've also seen the brew master sneeze directly into one of their beer vats. The place is disgusting. If you want to go to a GOOD brewery in the area, check out Red Hook, Elysian, the Ram or Gordon Biersch.
As for air museums, Seattle has one of the best. It's the Boeing Museum of Flight.
I'd also recommend the Pike Place Market for a first time visitor. Just avoid the bums and panhandlers; there are a LOT of them and they thrive off the tourists. If you're from the midwest, then the dirt/grunge of Seattle might be a bit off-puting.
You can play a good round of golf at Willow's Run in Redmond. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen owns it. The municipal golf courses in Seattle leave a fair bit to be desired. Most of the better courses are on the east side of Lake Washington.
Another nice thing to try would be to take a ferry to Bremerton and check out the USS Turner Joy (one of the ships that sparked the Vietnam Conflict). The ferry ride is a cheap way to enjoy incredible beauty of Puget Sound.
The Experience Music Project (EMP) under the Space Needle is interesting, but for me, the Sci-Fi Museum in the basement of the building is f-ing fantastic.
Some other neat touristy things to see and visit are Bruce and Brandon Lee's graves at Lakeview Cemetary, the Elliott Bay waterfront (Ye Old Curiosity Shop, Seattle Aquarium, etc.), a ball game at Safeco Field, Belltown at night (if you're into clubbing) and you can't get a better photo of the city than from the vantage at Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill. Alki Beach in West Seattle is also fun to visit if the weather cooperates. You can take the Elliott Bay water Taxi from the ferry terminal to West Seattle and there's a great walking/jogging trail that goes all the way around the peninsula. The city views from there are spectacular as well.
If you're prepared to spend some $$, great seafood can be had at Chandler's on Lake Union. Other very good restaurants are the Brooklyn, the Icon Grill, Ponti on Lake Union, the Dahlia Lounge, and the Metropolitan Grill. A great breakfast can be had at Lola. Again, these are some of the more expensive places (the Metropolitan Grill is downright ridiculous, but their steaks are the best in Seattle). There are few good Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, and to be honest, the whole neighborhood could be avoided and you won't be missing much. The only trivially interesting place to eat there is Ho Ho, since Bruce Lee ran his first Jeet Kun Do studio out of the building's basement. There are some decent Hong Kong noodle houses, but most of the restaurants are dives.
A good first place to visit for a tourist is the city concierge desk at the Pacific Place shopping center on 6th and Pine. They're on the main floor and can give you maps, tour books, etc. for free. It's also a good place to catch a movie and they have some decent restaurants on the top floor.
Final advice: avoid shady areas after dark, stay away from bums and druggies, take advantage of the downtown corridor's free transit service (ride free zone + bus tunnel), and experience Seattle by avoiding chain establishments. And not to be a coffee snob, but you'll get a much better cup of coffee at pretty much ANY location other than Starbuck's (Zetigeist is my favorite). Have fun.
As for air museums, Seattle has one of the best. It's the Boeing Museum of Flight.
I'd also recommend the Pike Place Market for a first time visitor. Just avoid the bums and panhandlers; there are a LOT of them and they thrive off the tourists. If you're from the midwest, then the dirt/grunge of Seattle might be a bit off-puting.
You can play a good round of golf at Willow's Run in Redmond. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen owns it. The municipal golf courses in Seattle leave a fair bit to be desired. Most of the better courses are on the east side of Lake Washington.
Another nice thing to try would be to take a ferry to Bremerton and check out the USS Turner Joy (one of the ships that sparked the Vietnam Conflict). The ferry ride is a cheap way to enjoy incredible beauty of Puget Sound.
The Experience Music Project (EMP) under the Space Needle is interesting, but for me, the Sci-Fi Museum in the basement of the building is f-ing fantastic.
Some other neat touristy things to see and visit are Bruce and Brandon Lee's graves at Lakeview Cemetary, the Elliott Bay waterfront (Ye Old Curiosity Shop, Seattle Aquarium, etc.), a ball game at Safeco Field, Belltown at night (if you're into clubbing) and you can't get a better photo of the city than from the vantage at Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill. Alki Beach in West Seattle is also fun to visit if the weather cooperates. You can take the Elliott Bay water Taxi from the ferry terminal to West Seattle and there's a great walking/jogging trail that goes all the way around the peninsula. The city views from there are spectacular as well.
If you're prepared to spend some $$, great seafood can be had at Chandler's on Lake Union. Other very good restaurants are the Brooklyn, the Icon Grill, Ponti on Lake Union, the Dahlia Lounge, and the Metropolitan Grill. A great breakfast can be had at Lola. Again, these are some of the more expensive places (the Metropolitan Grill is downright ridiculous, but their steaks are the best in Seattle). There are few good Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, and to be honest, the whole neighborhood could be avoided and you won't be missing much. The only trivially interesting place to eat there is Ho Ho, since Bruce Lee ran his first Jeet Kun Do studio out of the building's basement. There are some decent Hong Kong noodle houses, but most of the restaurants are dives.
A good first place to visit for a tourist is the city concierge desk at the Pacific Place shopping center on 6th and Pine. They're on the main floor and can give you maps, tour books, etc. for free. It's also a good place to catch a movie and they have some decent restaurants on the top floor.
Final advice: avoid shady areas after dark, stay away from bums and druggies, take advantage of the downtown corridor's free transit service (ride free zone + bus tunnel), and experience Seattle by avoiding chain establishments. And not to be a coffee snob, but you'll get a much better cup of coffee at pretty much ANY location other than Starbuck's (Zetigeist is my favorite). Have fun.
