Official Seattle information thread Updated 5/28/2014-Oso update

[basketrn]

I am in the very early stages of planning our DCL Alaska June 2014 cruise. We are going to do 3 days pre-cruise with one day really for flying/jet lag. So...I am very overwhelmed with hotel choices. My plan is to rent a car for our entire trip from Seattle airport as we are going to do 3-4 days post cruise sightseeing as well.

So after looking a prices at downtown hotels vs airport hotels, what would be your suggestion since we will have a car. Seems obviously airport would be cheaper. Like I said we are in the early planning...so want to do Pike Place, Space Needle, maybe the aquarium. We have 2 kids going on this trip..ages 17 and 5.

Thanks for you suggestions/help and all the work you have done for this thread!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I am in the very early stages of planning our DCL Alaska June 2014 cruise. We are going to do 3 days pre-cruise with one day really for flying/jet lag. So...I am very overwhelmed with hotel choices. My plan is to rent a car for our entire trip from Seattle airport as we are going to do 3-4 days post cruise sightseeing as well.

So after looking a prices at downtown hotels vs airport hotels, what would be your suggestion since we will have a car. Seems obviously airport would be cheaper. Like I said we are in the early planning...so want to do Pike Place, Space Needle, maybe the aquarium. We have 2 kids going on this trip..ages 17 and 5.

Thanks for you suggestions/help and all the work you have done for this thread!!

Do the 2014 cruises leave out of Seattle or out of Vancouver?

If Vancouver, I would go to their aquarium, not Seattle's. I really enjoyed Vancouver's aquarium, but was entirely underwhelmed by Seattle's.

Staying at an airport hotel in Seatac means cheaper rates, but you deal with traffic, time, and higher gas costs to get into Seattle each day you want to go. Staying at a downtown hotel likely means higher parking fees. And if all you want to do is Pike Place, Space needle, and the aquarium in Seattle you do NOT need a car for those things, as long as you guys are mobile or have a scooter.

 

[DisneyHeather]

I'm a single mom and will be traveling with my 3 year old son. I'm trying to find a hotel for one night in Seattle that will be in a safe area and close to places to eat and things to do that will be enjoyable for myself and a 3 year old to do together. We're taking the train the next morning so I don't see us being out late since we'll have to be up early to get to the train station. I'd also like to not spend an arm and a leg since I'll be doing that the next night at the Pan Pacific

 

[twentytoez]

Seattle for 3 nights, any recommendations?

 

[mellers]

I'm a single mom and will be traveling with my 3 year old son. I'm trying to find a hotel for one night in Seattle that will be in a safe area and close to places to eat and things to do that will be enjoyable for myself and a 3 year old to do together. We're taking the train the next morning so I don't see us being out late since we'll have to be up early to get to the train station. I'd also like to not spend an arm and a leg since I'll be doing that the next night at the Pan Pacific

I have a couple of recommendations, if you're trying to save money. The first is not to take the train. Try staying at the Best Western Executive Inn--it is walking distance to Seattle Center, with the Children's Museum and the PACSci Science Museum, as well as the monorail. The Best Western Executive Inn is a stop on the QuickShuttle, and the QuickShuttle will drop you off right in front of the Pan Pacific Hotel. My husband and I live just outside Seattle, and this is how we go to and from cruises in Vancouver: http://www.quickcoach.com/

 

[mellers]

Seattle for 3 nights, any recommendations?

Depends upon what you want to do. If you have teenaged kids, and want to take a look at the universities in the area, you'd probably do well to go for the Silver Cloud Broadway. It's across the street from Seattle University, and they have a shuttle which will take you downtown (avoid the restaurant, though--there's a 24 hour IHOP behind it that's better. Seattle U's cafeteria is also surprisingly good.) If you take the shuttle downtown, it's easy to catch a bus to UW, so you can scope out two colleges at the same time. If your kids are seriously looking at colleges, you may also want to call the colleges and see if you can spent the night in one of the dorms--gives you a great chance to see what the dormitories are REALLY like, as well as food options.

Silver Cloud Broadway: http://www.silvercloud.com/seattlebroadway/

If you don't want to deal with a car, and have younger children, the Best Western Executive Inn is your best choice. There is a bus which goes directly from the Executive Inn to several hotels in downtown Vancouver--as well as the cruise terminal (although I wouldn't like to cut it that close, myself--I'd go up the night before.) It saves you extra transportation costs when you reach Vancouver, and also transportation costs from your hotel to the train station.

If you have anyone in your party in a wheelchair or mobility scooter, I'd change this from a recommendation to a very, very strong recommendation. Wheelchair accessibility on Amtrak is poor, and often involves splitting up your party. If you notify the Quick Shuttle, they are VERY good about wheelchair accommodations, and avoiding having to pick up a wheelchair taxi when you get to Vancouver makes life easier. I'm in a wheelchair, and I've had enough bad experiences with Amtrak and good experiences with the QuickShuttle that they are my first recommendation for wheelchair travelers.

QuickShuttle: http://www.quickcoach.com/
Best Western Executive Inn: http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwes...e=SelectHotel&isMapOpen=false&selectedHotels=

Worth noting--the QuickShuttle will also run you from the Seattle Airport to many hotels in downtown Vancouver, including the Pan Pacific. If you don't want to take a car, it's worth booking the QuickShuttle to get you there. It's also often less hassle than transferring planes at Seattle to fly north to Vancouver, especially at customs. However, one warning--they have a restroom on board, but they do not make meal stops, so you'll want to pick up a meal or snacks and water at the airport to take along.

 

[becca1976]

I've enjoyed reading through much of this thread. Thank you OP for all the great info.

I cruise in Sept. of this year and Seattle flights were a couple hundred bucks cheaper (even with shuttle fare!) than Vancouver. My return flight is a red eye, so we will disembark and shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle. We don't fly out until almost midnight that night. Does anyone know if there is a place at the airport where we can store our luggage for the day? I figured our schedule would give us a great opportunity to see some of Seattle but we would need a place to keep our bags. Thanks in advance!

 

[mellers]

I've enjoyed reading through much of this thread. Thank you OP for all the great info.

I cruise in Sept. of this year and Seattle flights were a couple hundred bucks cheaper (even with shuttle fare!) than Vancouver. My return flight is a red eye, so we will disembark and shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle. We don't fly out until almost midnight that night. Does anyone know if there is a place at the airport where we can store our luggage for the day? I figured our schedule would give us a great opportunity to see some of Seattle but we would need a place to keep our bags. Thanks in advance!

There is a place to store your luggage at Sea-Tac, Ken's Baggage Storage: http://www.kensbaggage.com/

 

[becca1976]

There is a place to store your luggage at Sea-Tac, Ken's Baggage Storage: http://www.kensbaggage.com/

Wow, thank you so much for this information, Mellers!

 

[mellers]

Wow, thank you so much for this information, Mellers!

Glad to be of help.

 

[NWmom]

I've enjoyed reading through much of this thread. Thank you OP for all the great info.

You are welcome on behalf of all the fantastic Seattle members that helped to gather the information and answer questions, it truly is a team effort!

 

[nicbic97]

Will be in Seattle all day with my 6yo son. We are staying downtown at the Mayflower Park. Thinking about doing the space needle, science museum, and aquarium. Can this all be done in one day? Is this a good itinerary or do you have any other suggestions? Also, my son LOVES donuts. Any suggestions for good donuts in the area for breakfast?

Thanks!

 

[JAMWDW]

Am not a Seattle expert, but we do visit family there frequently... We used the Seattle CityPASS and along with our son who was 11 at the time, visited the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center and EMP Museum (this was our favorite spot) all in one day. The next day we did the aquarium and harbor cruise. It's definitely doable in a day if you get an early start. Just be sure to take a few breaks here and there. And check out that CityPASS, it would probably save you money vs paying separately at each attraction. Donuts...try Top Pot. Happy trails!

 

[DahliaRW]

Will be in Seattle all day with my 6yo son. We are staying downtown at the Mayflower Park. Thinking about doing the space needle, science museum, and aquarium. Can this all be done in one day? Is this a good itinerary or do you have any other suggestions? Also, my son LOVES donuts. Any suggestions for good donuts in the area for breakfast?

Thanks!

If you walk from your hotel down 5th towards Lenora there is a top pots about a third of a mile away, between Lenora and Blanchard.

And yes, I think you can do that in a day. The aquarium really isn't all that huge, we don't spend more than a few hours there. My advice, though, is pick the order of "priority". So if you go to the science center and your son is having a blast and doesn't want to leave you can stay there, for example, and not be bummed you missed the aquarium. Or if the aquarium is the priority, so it first. As for the space needle, the observation deck is expensive. We usually find it's not that much more to just eat there for lunch, which includes the observation deck. Plus you get to spend time rotating around in the restaurant. We're locals, but our kids think going to the space needle is a HUGE treat.

 

[bumbershoot]

There's a mini donut place at pike place. I personally don't think that Top Pot makes anything good (especially for the cost), and an employee let me look at the ingredient list when he couldn't figure out how to skim the list for our problem ingredients, and you might as well get a grocery store donut with the junk that's in them. (And the guy said customers aren't supposed to look at the ingredient list...I understood why when I saw it!). They act like they are gourmet but they just aren't. Disappointing for the price!

Even my donut fanatic son didn't like the taste. I might be a fanatic too and obviously I feel the same.

 

[DahliaRW]

There's a mini donut place at pike place. I personally don't think that Top Pot makes anything good (especially for the cost), and an employee let me look at the ingredient list when he couldn't figure out how to skim the list for our problem ingredients, and you might as well get a grocery store donut with the junk that's in them. (And the guy said customers aren't supposed to look at the ingredient list...I understood why when I saw it!). They act like they are gourmet but they just aren't. Disappointing for the price!

Even my donut fanatic son didn't like the taste. I might be a fanatic too and obviously I feel the same.

Everyone is different. My kids love top pot, but not krispy kreme as much (too sweet). I also like that my local top pot (Redmond) has two items they make regularly that do not contain gluten.

 

[KnightRail]

Anyone know of a Biscuit place called "Biscuit B***h"? I found it on google and it's close to my hotel, just wondering if anyone's eaten there & how is it?

 

[lilpooh108]

Hi guys!

For anyone returning to the Downtown Alamo/National location after hours, here's the deal (I had a hard time finding out info, even from Alamo CS and FB):

1. Drive to the 3rd & Stewart parking garage. There is NO signage for Alamo or National, just the parking garage.
2. Grab a ticket and enter
3. Return your National or Alamo car to level B
4. Place parking entry ticket on dash
5. Note your parking space
6. Put license info, mileage, gas level and parking space number on the notepad they placed on top of the key drop box
7. (this is just me) Take pics of your rental car so that they can't blame you for any damage after return.

HTH! No one I spoke to at Alamo knew how to return the car afterhours (or even where to go). The Alamo FB reps mistakenly told me to go to the Hilton which according to Yelp was closed.

 

[Munkamamacallie]

Anyone familiar with Seattle who would be so kind as to weigh in with some advice?
We are a family of 3 from the midwest. (3 hr. time diff.) Our daughter is 8. We have never been to Seattle so we would like to do some "touristy" things. We are flying into Seattle at the end of July. We have reservations at the Red Lion Airport.
I looked into the City Pass, but it seems as though we wouldn't have enough time to take advantage of it. We are scheduled to leave on the Amtrak train at 6:50 p.m. to Vancouver
I think the plan is...
Either go to Amtrak and drop off the luggage and go to the City Center or go straight there and see if we could store our luggage.
10ish Get a late breakfast at Pike Place Market
10:45ish Go to the Pacific Science Center - We really want to see the spy exhibit!
2:00ish Go back to Pike Place Market get lunch and walk around and see the buskers.
3:30ish Look at the Olympic Sculpture Park
4:15ish Go to the Space Needle
5:45 Go to Amtrak

Questions...
Which would you suggest, drop off luggage or store it in the city area?
From what I have read there is no formal luggage storage like there is at Vancouver, true?
What would you recommend as far as getting from the Red Lion to the Amtrak &/or Seattle Center? then also Space Needle back to Amtrak? I have heard that the light rail is great, but takes a looong time with all of the stops.
Do you think this schedule works?
Missing anything really great in Seattle that we should swap?
How long does it take to "do" the Space Needle on a late Sat. afternoon. Are there lines to get in if you don't have a reserved time?
Any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance. I am always amazed by everyone's generosity of their time.

 

[AnneBen20]

American Girl Store in Seattle is a must do I think for anyone with girls. There is a Disney Store in the same mall. I am not a Seattle expert so cannot give directions. My daughter was thrilled to spend a few hours there, she has her dolls ears pierced and hair styled. We ate in the café but would not do that again as the food is overpriced and not very good. Nicer restaurants in the same mall that you can eat at.