One day in Seattle- best things to do if you have a hard time walking

[cruiseonthebrain]

Hi all, we will be flying into Seattle 2 days before our cruise so we will have 1 day to spend in Seattle. We are staying at the Grand Hyatt downtown. I have mobility limitations due to a recent surgery and can't walk long distances or climb hills, etc. I was wondering from local folks and people familiar with downtown Seattle, what would be the best use of our time. What would you recommend seeing and doing (and in what order) and how would you go about getting from place to place? My husband has mentioned the Space Needle and I would like to try the chowder at Pike's Place Market. We don't have a rental car.

[Sequim88]

My wife has mobility issues (paralyzed right side) and when she walks uses a cane (otherwise wheelchair) so I can totally relate. Downtown Seattle is very hilly towards and away from Puget Sound but across the slope (North South roughly) can be OK. The good news is you are in a relatively (for Seattle) level part of downtown. From the Grand Hyatt to Pike Place there is about a 40 foot elevation change over five or so blocks and Westlake Center (where monorail to Seattle Center is) is about half way. If you can get to Westlake Center then using the monorail to Seattle Center may be possible without too much walking. There you have the Space Needle, Experience Music Project (EMP) and the Pacific Science Center.

 

For Pike Place Market keep going down Pine Street. Depending on the experience going down the return might require a short haul cab (with sufficient extra tip) back up to hotel.

[peety3]

Maybe a scenic drive, to include some of our famous ferries? A couple of ideas:

 

Head to the "Colman Dock" (Pier 52, if you want a reference amongst the others along the Seattle waterfront) and take the Seattle-Bremerton Ferry. You'd have a view of the Navy Yard on the port side as you arrive into Bremerton. Drive up to Poulsbo, over to Agate Point, then to the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal. If you have time, take a detour just south of the BI ferry terminal, to Port Blakely and round to Fort Ward, enjoying the views that the homes along the water have. The Bainbridge Island ferry brings you back to the Colman Dock, so you'll have a solid reference point to return to your hotel. [For reference, the Bremerton run is ~60 minutes each way, the longest in WS Ferry system.]

 

Or, head to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, across to Southworth (it's a triangle route, so don't get lined up for Vashon Island - it's a neat place but truly an island, the only way on/off are two ferries), and pop into Port Orchard (where you can see more of the Bremerton Navy Yard). From there, head for Silverdale and then return to Seattle on the Bremerton ferry, or head for Poulsbo as above and return on the Bainbridge Island ferry.

 

If you love road trips, perhaps head north to Everett, and be sure to take Hwy 526 from I-5 on your way to the Mukilteo ferry terminal. This will take you past the Boeing widebody plant, where 16 Boeing jets are born every month, from the world's largest building by volume (94 acres). They do plant tours 364 days a year, and even though they do offer accommodations for those who are challenged by walking and stairs, it could be a tough grind if your knee isn't very mobile yet. It's still fascinating to drive past the plant and be amazed at the sheer size, and to see so many new "products" getting finished up before someone hands over the final payment to complete a $185M-375M purchase. From there, take the ferry to Clinton, head to Fort Casey, take a ferry to Port Townsend, and work your way back to Bainbridge Island (or Bremerton if the timing suits).

 

Or, if by chance you're a Twin Peaks fan, head east to Snoqualmie and North Bend, where apparently you can find several of the sights and filming locations they used for the show.

[SadieN]

If you want to avoid lines at the Space Needle, make a reservation for lunch or dinner. The price of admission is included in the cost of the meal making it affordable.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[cruiseonthebrain]

My wife has mobility issues (paralyzed right side) and when she walks uses a cane (otherwise wheelchair) so I can totally relate. Downtown Seattle is very hilly towards and away from Puget Sound but across the slope (North South roughly) can be OK. The good news is you are in a relatively (for Seattle) level part of downtown. From the Grand Hyatt to Pike Place there is about a 40 foot elevation change over five or so blocks and Westlake Center (where monorail to Seattle Center is) is about half way. If you can get to Westlake Center then using the monorail to Seattle Center may be possible without too much walking. There you have the Space Needle, Experience Music Project (EMP) and the Pacific Science Center.

 

For Pike Place Market keep going down Pine Street. Depending on the experience going down the return might require a short haul cab (with sufficient extra tip) back up to hotel.

 

Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for!

[cruiseonthebrain]

Maybe a scenic drive, to include some of our famous ferries? A couple of ideas:

 

Head to the "Colman Dock" (Pier 52, if you want a reference amongst the others along the Seattle waterfront) and take the Seattle-Bremerton Ferry. You'd have a view of the Navy Yard on the port side as you arrive into Bremerton. Drive up to Poulsbo, over to Agate Point, then to the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal. If you have time, take a detour just south of the BI ferry terminal, to Port Blakely and round to Fort Ward, enjoying the views that the homes along the water have. The Bainbridge Island ferry brings you back to the Colman Dock, so you'll have a solid reference point to return to your hotel. [For reference, the Bremerton run is ~60 minutes each way, the longest in WS Ferry system.]

 

Or, head to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, across to Southworth (it's a triangle route, so don't get lined up for Vashon Island - it's a neat place but truly an island, the only way on/off are two ferries), and pop into Port Orchard (where you can see more of the Bremerton Navy Yard). From there, head for Silverdale and then return to Seattle on the Bremerton ferry, or head for Poulsbo as above and return on the Bainbridge Island ferry.

 

If you love road trips, perhaps head north to Everett, and be sure to take Hwy 526 from I-5 on your way to the Mukilteo ferry terminal. This will take you past the Boeing widebody plant, where 16 Boeing jets are born every month, from the world's largest building by volume (94 acres). They do plant tours 364 days a year, and even though they do offer accommodations for those who are challenged by walking and stairs, it could be a tough grind if your knee isn't very mobile yet. It's still fascinating to drive past the plant and be amazed at the sheer size, and to see so many new "products" getting finished up before someone hands over the final payment to complete a $185M-375M purchase. From there, take the ferry to Clinton, head to Fort Casey, take a ferry to Port Townsend, and work your way back to Bainbridge Island (or Bremerton if the timing suits).

 

Or, if by chance you're a Twin Peaks fan, head east to Snoqualmie and North Bend, where apparently you can find several of the sights and filming locations they used for the show.

 

Thank you for the ideas!

[cruiseonthebrain]

If you want to avoid lines at the Space Needle, make a reservation for lunch or dinner. The price of admission is included in the cost of the meal making it affordable.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Thank you for the information. I went online and looked at the brunch menu which is $35 per person. Have you eaten there and do you think the quality of food is worth the price?

[SadieN]

We went there in 2008 for lunch, food was fine then. Crab Cakes were excellent. Look at current reviews on Yelp and trip advisor.

Remember the cost of the meal includes the cost of an admission ticket.

Edited July 20, 2016 by SadieN

[kctwinmommy]

We just got back from our cruise and spent 4 days in Seattle before our trip. Like others said, it's very hilly and can definitely be difficult to walk around if you have mobility issues. We stayed near the Space Needle and for us, we had a 15 minute walk every day to get to the monorail and took that into the city every day. For us, it was $3 each time, but so worth it!

 

For us, we decided to skip the Space Needle and went to the Sky View Center instead. It was cheaper than the Space Needle and NO lines! in fact, when we went up, there were maybe 20 people. Plus, if you want to go during the day, you buy a ticket and then they stamp your hand so you can come back again at night to see the lights/sunset. We went around 5:00 when it was still daylight obviously and then again around 10 p.m.! Plus, you get to see the Space Needle then too.

 

http://www.skyviewobservatory.com/

 

But, if you take the monorail up to Seattle Center, there is the Chihuly Glass museum which is amazing! It's not big, so it's easy to navigate at your own pace. Just check times/hours, since they do close for special events on occasion.

[Sequim88]

From Hyatt to the Columbia Center is about 3/4 mile and has about 90 feet of elevation change - you can't go cross slope due to the freeway being in the way. So with the walking issue the Sky View Observatory might not be a viable option for the OP.

[beachbumsns]

Hi all, we will be flying into Seattle 2 days before our cruise so we will have 1 day to spend in Seattle. We are staying at the Grand Hyatt downtown. I have mobility limitations due to a recent surgery and can't walk long distances or climb hills, etc. I was wondering from local folks and people familiar with downtown Seattle, what would be the best use of our time. What would you recommend seeing and doing (and in what order) and how would you go about getting from place to place? My husband has mentioned the Space Needle and I would like to try the chowder at Pike's Place Market. We don't have a rental car.

We really enjoyed the Hop on Hop off trolley here in Seattle and it was fairly close to the monorail near the Space Needle. The Chihuly Glass display next to the Space Needle is fantastic. If you could get a taxi to the Space Needle, there isn't too much walking up top for the views of Seattle and right next door is the Glass museum. Enjoy your stay, we were there last August for 4 days prior to our Alaska cruise and its one city I would love to explore more. Great meal at Red Robin on the waterfront.

[mondello]

They have a Duck Tour if you may be interested in some sightseeing riding the Duck tour bus/boat.

[cruiseonthebrain]

We really enjoyed the Hop on Hop off trolley here in Seattle and it was fairly close to the monorail near the Space Needle. The Chihuly Glass display next to the Space Needle is fantastic. If you could get a taxi to the Space Needle, there isn't too much walking up top for the views of Seattle and right next door is the Glass museum. Enjoy your stay, we were there last August for 4 days prior to our Alaska cruise and its one city I would love to explore more. Great meal at Red Robin on the waterfront.

 

I had no idea there was a hop on/ hop off trolley! I am going to look at that right now.