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Seattle - Places to see


hentzkim
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I will be staying at Best Western Plus - Pioneer Square. I would like to see Pike Place Market, Waterfront & Seattle Center. Can anyone help with how to accomplish this. Where should I go first and how far is it from my hotel. Any directions would be helpful

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Add to your list the ColumbiaTower. http://skyviewobservatory.com/

View is outstanding, higher than the Space Needle, no lines, and a lovely snack bar. Enjoyed the view with a cheese plate and glass of wine. Just up the street is the Seattle Public Library. Interesting outside architecture and a very nice gift shop (along with books, computers, and WiFi).

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Catch a bus or the light rail on 3rd avenue and ride to Westlake Center. Purchase a ticket (there's a reduced rate for seniors over 65) on the monorail and ride it to the Seattle Center. I recommend the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, and the recently renamed EMP (in that order).

 

In the Pioneer Square area, check out the Klondike National Historical Park as well as the Underground tour.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Close.

 

That property is at the waterfront level; so tour the waterfront on foot and use one of the several public elevators to get from Alaskan Way to the Market. After the market walk east on Pine street to Westlake Center to board the Seattle Center Monorail to MoPop, the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Gates Foundation Visitor's Center. Return to Westlake Center via Monorail and walk downhill to the hotel. There are tons of great spots to stop for a beverage or a snack on the way.

 

One thing close to your hotel that is definitely worth a stop, given that you'll probably visit Skagway, is the Seattle Unit of Klondike Gold Rush National Park; Seattle was the outfitting and staging center for those heading to seek their fortune.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_Gold_Rush_National_Historical_Park

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Here's a walking map that might be of interest - https://goo.gl/maps/mhVcF4i9fKm . Your hotel is at the bottom of the map.

 

You might start with a 2-block walk to the ferry terminal, from which you can take a ferry to Bainbridge Island or the West Seattle water taxi over to West Seattle. Either will give you terrific views of the city, harbor and mountains that might help orient you; it's a great fresh-air welcome to our city.

 

View from W. Seattle water taxi dock -

 

P1000136s.jpg

 

(Wider angle view) Note for those wanting to visit a tower for (expensive) sightseeing, the three main options are the historic Smith Tower (pointed top white building on extreme right) the Columbia Center tower (tallest black building on right side of photo) and the Space Needle (obvious, on the left.)

 

P1000161s.jpg

 

From the water taxi dock you can walk, rent bikes, or take the (free) shuttle bus a couple of miles to Alki Beach, with its miniature Statue of Liberty and views of the mountains; there are many fun cafes and bars facing the beach if you're so inclined.

 

(Pier 91 cruise terminal in background)

 

P1000154s.jpg

 

(Bainbridge Island ferry from Alki Beach)

 

P1000142s.jpg

 

Return to the ferry dock, then walk up the waterfront to the Pike Street hillclimb (stairs) or use the elevator in the Pike Place Market garage to get up to the market. Then walk to Westlake Center for the monorail to Seattle Center, then back. If you want to take a different route (downhill for the most part) to your hotel, walk down Fourth Avenue past the central library, then down the hill on Columbia Street to the waterfront level.

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Gardyloo, nice photos! We live in the Seattle area and just this week took in the sights you posted. We are showing some Australian friends around.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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OMG! I never knew Mt. Baker is that visible from Alki Beach! I know all the mountains (especially Rainier) can look "large" depending on what's in the foreground but still Baker is a long way north. Cool picture.

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  • 9 months later...

There's a website and smartphone app that we used and absolutely loved to plan our post cruise stay in Seattle - VisitACity.com

 

They have recommended itineraries based on the number of days you will be in a city but they also have a plan your own itinerary. You plug in your starting point (hotel) and beginning time as well points of interest you want to see and it will create a custom plan for the day(s) including a map so you are not running back and forth back tracking across the city, taking into account whether you want to walk, use a car or take public transportation or a combination of each. It also gives recommended times to spend at each POI/tour but allows you to adjust it, rearrange any sites you wish as well as allowing you to input when you would like to eat meals and will let you know what restaurants would be in the area you happen to be in at that time

 

Its totally free and you can print out the itinerary as well as use the smartphone app. It also gives you the option of downloading an offline copy onto your phone so you don't use data but still use the GPS function

 

We're going to use this in NYC in a few months and in Rome later this year......

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We had a great time during our 4 day stay there 2 years ago before our cruise. We saw several of the things mentioned here. I wrote up all the things we did in my report... I would add the Chihuly museum to the list though! We didn't go up the Space Needle, we went to Columbia Tower instead for the views. And we did the EMP, Underground Seattle Tour, Gum Wall, took the ferry across to Bremerton and walked around there, the Navy museum, etc...

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2381435

 

We also rented a car for our last day and went to Snoqualmie Falls and some hiking nearby.

28039364144_2dabf65d70.jpg

Untitled by Cindy, on Flickr

 

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Seattle's gum wall by Cindy, on Flickr

 

28039456394_a8d1806b9f.jpg

Untitled by Cindy, on Flickr

 

28624046456_087af58c9d.jpg

Seattle at night by Cindy, on Flickr

 

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Seattle waterfront by Cindy, on Flickr

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I will have about 6 hours after a Celebrity cruise before heading to the airport. Planning on using the luggage service and then taking public transportation to the airport. Definitely, want to go to the Chihuly museum- What else would you recommend?

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  • 2 weeks later...
I will have about 6 hours after a Celebrity cruise before heading to the airport. Planning on using the luggage service and then taking public transportation to the airport. Definitely, want to go to the Chihuly museum- What else would you recommend?

 

Did you miss the 12 posts above yours

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ride to Westlake Center. Purchase a ticket (there's a reduced rate for seniors over 65) on the monorail and ride it to the Seattle Center. I recommend the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, and the recently renamed EMP (in that order).

 

I second the vote for the monorail, it's great.

 

[YOUTUBE]fzqXXGVJbBk[/YOUTUBE]

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If anyone has young kids check out the Seattle Center fountain on a warm sunny day (even if you don't have kids). My kids absolutely loved it when they were younger.

27344082958_62a85ea93c_o_d.jpg

I think this is from the summer of 2002...the one in the diaper is my youngest daughter who is now a freshman at the University of Washington.

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