Printable View
Hi,
I'm new to this forum. It seems that most users are based in USA?
I am thinking of visiting SEA in August with my husband and 5 year old son.
Any ideas of what to do? what do you recommend?
We hope to pop over to Vancouver too.
Thanks - Palmfrond
I love the Seattle Ferries--long trips thru the San Juan Islands (you can take a car and continue to Victoria--Buchart Gardens is a real treat!!)
Mt. St Helens volcanic "blow-out" is pretty amazing
Mt. Ranier is visible form nearly everywhere around Seattle--great hikes and nature
Seattle Pike Place Market--YUMMMMY FOOD great produce!
Wineries outside of the city--St. Michele, herb farms and some of the best food you can get anywhere
Then there are the threads here about Boeing--what 5 yr old wouldn't love that stuff???
There are the typical tourist things at the waterfront, too--like Imax, harbor cruises, aquarium and that sort of stuff
Coffee coffee coffee!
mrs767er is right, Victoria is great! You can also get there on Victoria Clipper ferries from memory. You can even go there on the way to Vancouver, you get on a bus in Victoria which drives onto a ferry, and then they take you past the Gulf (?) Islands into Vancouver and drive you off to your respective hotels / bus terminus.
If you end up in Victoria, i'd recommend Spinnakers Brewpub for dinner.
the really cool part about Seattle area is that you can take several vacations and they can be different--city, islands, wineries, mountain--then there's the area going down the coast--park lodges are really neat--had lunch one day when thermal inversion took over and it was like being in John Carpenters The FOG. Spoooky!!
I think people have no idea how the area looks and when they see a map it's fascinating--even more so when you see the elevations and topography in person.
Welcome aboard Palmfrond.
I visited Seattle a few years back, really enjoyed myself. My recommendations are in line with M767"s and Nick's.
Space Needle- I didn't go up in the Needle, didn't seem worth the cost to me. However, two of my friends did. They enjoyed the view but thought the restaurant was overpriced and served so-so food.
Pike Place Market- A Seattle institution. Don't miss the "fish toss". http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...DIR#>/wink.gif Of course you have to be down front to see, and someone has to buy a fish.
Day Trip-
Mount Rainier NP, beautiful, great hiking
Snoquaimie Falls. There's a nice observation deck and you can also hike down to the base of the Falls. The path is a little steep but worth the effort.
Ferries
Unlike M767, I'm not a fan of ferries; left my mark on quite a few http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...DIR#>/wink.gif . However the ferry ride to the various islands aren't too bad. (I sat in the car kept my eyes closed and ate crackers)
I enjoyed Bainbridge Island (40 minute ride)
As Nick mentioned Seattle is coffee, coffee, coffee; it's part of the wardrobe. http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...#>/biggrin.gif
Have fun.
The only thing I can add to all these great suggestions is the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver.
ACK!!!! Most bridges freak me out!! We have the Brooklyn Bridge prototype here and it's the grated kind and it sings andmakes the car shimmy and when we had to cross on foot (when the Bengals were worth seeing...) and the winds were reallllly high and swayed a few feet an they had to regulate the # of peds x-ing the bridge and thanks--now I'm going to have bridge nightmares tonight!
Dear All,
these are excellent ideas - I shall get the map out and put together some sort of itinerary.
Off for a Starbucks now, just to get into the swing of things( we do have them in Bahrain!)
Thanks to all.
Palmfrond
You can always give me a hollar - JMPRPAWS AT Hotmail dot Com if you are here on a wensday or thursday - Local gal who's more than happy to show you around!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Palmfrond @ Jun 7 2009, 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>Just realised you're based in BAH - funnily enough i'm headed there for training in Oct. Any suggestions on what to do/see after class or where to avoid etc? I keep reading about unsavoury characters in hotel bars. Still don't know where i'm staying mind you, station manager won't confirm until one month out but I dare say it will be the crew hotel.Quote:
Off for a Starbucks now, just to get into the swing of things( we do have them in Bahrain!)[/b]
Also what do your (BA) flights run like in early Oct BAHLHR/LHRBAH... full or not so much? I have 5 days off before the training so company will pay me to get to BAH then I can do what I like until class date. I can take GF too but don't know if I really want to... have you flown them? I'm going to Sweden and trying to avoid LHR due the taxes, but AMS is my only other choice and that has 1 flt/day vs 3 to LHR.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumper @ Jul 25 2009, 03:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>Speaking of which... Mig do you know when the PMs will be back? Or are they suspended indefinately...Quote:
You can always give me a hollar - JMPRPAWS AT Hotmail dot Com if you are here on a wensday or thursday - Local gal who's more than happy to show you around![/b]
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nick @ Jul 24 2009, 07:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>No, I believe Chris is still considering a few alternatives. I have to say it does appear that Forum members have adapated remarkably well while the PM system has been down; not that I'm surprised, non revs have no problem in implementing a "plan B". http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...DIR#>/wink.gifQuote:
Speaking of which... Mig do you know when the PMs will be back? Or are they suspended indefinately...[/b]
HI Nick
Pity I can't send you a private message as info about BAH doesn't sit too well here!
5 days in BAH.
Hire a car - not too expensive approx $30 a day. The island is small and easy to get around. Driving is a bit erractic to say the least and drive on the right (or any bit that is empty http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...#>/biggrin.gif ) Fuel is dirt cheap - about 30 cents a litre! Taxis can be expensive and the drivers will try to get away with not using the meter. You can insist - it is the law.
Bahrain Fort is worth a visit. There is a small museum which has the headsets to listen to, to find out about the fort's history.
Bahrain Museum is very good
Grand Mosque - allows non Moslems in, outside of prayer times. Free guided tour
Bahrain Souk is a must see for all the materials and spices and gold shops
There is a new water park - Lost Paradise of Dilmun - with all the usual slides. If you get there when it opens at 10am, you'll miss the crowds. We went and didn't queue once. Gets busier at about 2pm.
Cocktails at Trader Vics at the Ritz - bit pricey but large enough to be good value.
As with every place, there are the seedier areas. If you stick to the 5 star hotel bars, you'll be fine. For dining, there is an area in Adliya which caters for most palates. JJ's bar is good. Not sure which are the good nightclubs nowadays - it's been a while!
Which is the crew hotel?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Palmfrond @ Jul 25 2009, 11:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>Palmfrond, I can definately see your point. Not a lot of people are going to look for Bahrain info in a thread titled "Seattle in August". http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...DIR#>/wink.gifQuote:
HI Nick
Pity I can't send you a private message as info about BAH doesn't sit too well here![/b]
Copied Nic's and your posts into a new "Bahrain-Info- Tourist Attractions" thread, in Africa/India/Middle East & Other Regions" Forum.
As some one said coffee coffee & more coffee. I'm guessing they have the Boeing tour, if so take it. Also go over to Victoria & Port Angles.