Seattle, Alaska cruise advice please

[SamfromOz]

Hi

We are booked on a Celebrity Solstice inside passage cruise in August.

 

We will be flying from Sydney (Australia) to Los Angeles, then on to Seattle where we will have four nights before our cruise.

 

After the cruise we will fly back down to LA early afternoon, spend a week there and fly back home to Sydney.

 

I was thinking of spending the first three nights in the Seatac/Tacoma area, and hiring a car to look around the area and do some shopping. Then return the car and spend the fourth night in town near Pikes Place, and travel to the port by taxi.

 

Does this sound like a good plan? We will be exhausted the first night after travelling 24 hours. Would it be silly to break up our stay in two different hotels?

 

My other question is about packing. Since our bags have to hold summer clothes for LA, and Alaska clothes as well as shopping, we will be rather challenged. Exactly what shoes would you recommend? (I am a woman) I don't own any hiking shoes and usually wear rubber soled slip on leather shoes for walking. I could borrow my daughters hiking boots but they are so big and bulky to lug there and back. I had also considered taking some older shoes and throwing them away after the cruise to free up luggage space.

 

Also, about layers - would that mean long sleeved T-shirts, jeans, sweaters and a rain coat? Could someone recommend a place in Seattle to buy a weatherproof coat inexpensively?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you have to give me.

 

PS We have not booked shore excusions yet, but are thinking of bear watching, float plane, and/or glacier/dogsled.

[Casagordita]

Hi

We are booked on a Celebrity Solstice inside passage cruise in August.

 

We will be flying from Sydney (Australia) to Los Angeles, then on to Seattle where we will have four nights before our cruise.

 

After the cruise we will fly back down to LA early afternoon, spend a week there and fly back home to Sydney.

 

I was thinking of spending the first three nights in the Seatac/Tacoma area, and hiring a car to look around the area and do some shopping. Then return the car and spend the fourth night in town near Pikes Place, and travel to the port by taxi.

 

Does this sound like a good plan? We will be exhausted the first night after travelling 24 hours. Would it be silly to break up our stay in two different hotels?

 

Sounds like a great plan. If you're going to have a car, and you want to get out and see some sights outside of town, then staying somewhere outside the central city is wise. You can save money on your hotel over downtown prices, and you'll find a lot of place with free parking. Downtown, parking will cost a LOT and is hard to find in many places--you're generally better off using taxis and transit while you're staying there.

 

My other question is about packing. Since our bags have to hold summer clothes for LA, and Alaska clothes as well as shopping, we will be rather challenged. Exactly what shoes would you recommend? (I am a woman) I don't own any hiking shoes and usually wear rubber soled slip on leather shoes for walking. I could borrow my daughters hiking boots but they are so big and bulky to lug there and back. I had also considered taking some older shoes and throwing them away after the cruise to free up luggage space.

 

Also, about layers - would that mean long sleeved T-shirts, jeans, sweaters and a rain coat? Could someone recommend a place in Seattle to buy a weatherproof coat inexpensively?

 

You're on the right track. In August a short-sleeved shirt will work fine in Seattle most days, and at most you'll want long sleeves for the evenings. In Alaska, on cooler days, a sweater or a sweatshirt with a waterproof jacket or windbreaker over it would work well. Look for something with a hood--more practical than an umbrella. We don't get hard rain very often, just mostly drizzle, and Alaska is similar in the summer. A hood you can flip up or down works well enough and keeps your hands free.

 

If you want to stay on the really inexpensive end when shopping for a jacket, try Target. There's one downtown and you'll also find others out in the suburbs that might be closer to your first hotel. If you don't mind spending a little more money and you want something that's VERY Pacific Northwest, try Columbia Sportswear or the REI flagship store. The REI store is a tourist destination in itself--they have a climbing pinnacle, a track where people can try out mountain bikes before they buy, and an indoor shower to test the waterproofing of your gear. They sell serious outdoor equipment--good stuff--but they'll also have more basic jackets and the like. Another fun souvenir might be a team jacket for one of our local sports teams--the Mariners (baseball), the Seahawks (football), or the Sounders (soccer). They all have team stores downtown or at the stadiums. Who knows, maybe we'll even have a basketball team again by then and you can get Sonics gear, too!

 

If you're planning on getting out in the country and hiking on some rough trails, then the hiking boots might be a good idea. Otherwise, your leather walking shoes will probably be fine. Some people here do light hiking in regular athletic shoes with good soles that grip. If you're going places like Mount Rainier (August is a great time to visit there--it's when the wildflowers bloom) or Mount St. Helens, where they have a mix of serious climbing trails and easy day hikes, you can probably do the easy trails in street shoes (though they might get muddy). If you're not sure check with the visitors' center at each park.

[SamfromOz]

Thank you so much Casagordita - that information is really useful. I have checked out the site and will definitely be visiting the REI store.

We are not planning on doing any hiking, I thought I might have trouble walking on an iceberg (and the wet Alaska ports) in my lightweight shoes.

[tangerinebunny]

I always bring along 'cuddle duds' - super light weight long underwear.

 

They take up no packing space, double as pajamas, and on glacier viewing days give me enough warmth under jeans, fleece sweatshirt and hooded raincoat.

 

And I spray my regular walking shoes with water repellent.

 

It sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned.

[Dan G]

the airport area is seldom 'the best' for sightseeing within the city. Parking tends to be expensive and most 'tourists' don''t always know the best place to park. Since everything is very central your more likely to simply park the car and walk or take the bus. Since your post indicates you wanted to cruise the Inside Passage then have you considered taking the cruise from

Vancouver vs Seattle. Seattle cruises travel on the outside of Vanc island where Vanc cruises travel the 'true' inside passage. If you look on tripadvisor.com seattle forum on top right listed as top questions are some very good articles relating to cruises from Seattle.

[SamfromOz]

Thanks Dan, but our trip is booked and our flights are already paid for. We chose Seattle because we wanted Celebrity and that's where they cruise from. To us the actual destination was secondary.

 

We were thinking of a suite hotel in the Tacoma or Seatac area with free parking, primarily because its cheaper and easier than downtown. I thought it made more sense to stay there when we were sightseeing out of town...

[Casagordita]

Thanks Dan, but our trip is booked and our flights are already paid for. We chose Seattle because we wanted Celebrity and that's where they cruise from. To us the actual destination was secondary.

 

We were thinking of a suite hotel in the Tacoma or Seatac area with free parking, primarily because its cheaper and easier than downtown. I thought it made more sense to stay there when we were sightseeing out of town...

 

Do you have ideas for places you want to go in the area? Mount Rainier is an easy day's drive, and well worth it--a classic mountain highway with gorgeous views of alpine meadows, deep-blue lakes, wildflowers, and year-round glaciers. Mount St. Helens a little farther, but do-able in a long day, and really interesting. You won't get so much pristine alpine scenery there. The mountain blew its top off in 1980 and the devastation around the peak is still very evident--blown-down trees, ash and sediment-choked valleys, and a big crater that still belches steam every now and then. It's fascinating, and beautiful in its own way. If you go, be sure to drive all the way to the end of the road at Johnston Ridge for the best view of the crater.

 

East of Seattle, the Olympic Peninsula loop is a gorgeous drive. You could do it in a very long day if you were determined, but I would recommend two (or more). Stops along or near that route could include Port Townsend (a pretty old lumber town and seaport, many good restaurants and shops), Hurricane Ridge (spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains) the Makah Indian Reservation (great small museum, and a relatively easy hike to Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point of the lower 48 states), Forks (for the Twilight fans especially!), the Hoh Rain Forest (a beautiful old-growth forest) and Ocean Shores (one of Washington's only beach resort towns).

 

If you go north, another good days trip is the loop up I-5, across to Anacortes (with maybe a detour through LaConner, if you like cute, touristy little towns with LOTS of twee shops), and down the length of Whidbey Island. The island has a lot of bucolic farms, and some pretty little towns with shops and restaurants here and there. You'd take a ferry back from the south end of the island from Clinton to Mukilteo. Another option up that same way would be to drive up early to Anacortes, leave the car, and take an early ferry over to the San Juan Islands. I did this once and left my car in Anacortes (parking at the ferry dock is available, but limited) and took a Skagit Transit bus to the dock. We got off in Friday Harbor, had lunch and walked around a bit, and took a late-afternoon ferry back. It was a gorgeous, relaxing trip.

 

Other nearby sites that it really helps to have a car to get to:

 

Snoqualmie Falls

Boeing Future of Flight factory tour and the Flying Heritage Collection

Bloedel Reserve and Bainbridge Island

Woodinville wineries and wine-tasting

Lemay Car Museum and the Museum of Glass (not to be confused with the Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle) in Tacoma

 

...so yes, it makes perfect sense to spend a few days staying somewhere outside of downtown, and renting a car (even if we do drive on the "wrong" side!) And if you're not right on the airport's doorstep, there are plenty of choices of good hotels with free parking between here and Tacoma.

[SamfromOz]

Thanks again Casagordita. So many things to see - I'm really looking forward to it.