Seattle/Vancouver, What are Must See Places?

[Insomniac]

Going to Seattle/Vancouver next week. 3-4 days in each city. Wondering what are places I definitely should not miss.

[Michaelhatesfans]

Seattle:

Underground tour (sounds silly, but a great tour that really captures the flavor of the city) http://www.undergroundtour.com/

Museum of Flight (http://www.museumofflight.org/Portal.asp?Flash=True)

Pike Place Market (otherwise you haven't really been to Seattle)

Stroll the waterfront and grab some chowder

Catch the ferry to Bremerton and back if you have time - great views, particularly if you can return to Seattle right at sunset.

Pub crawl through Old Town

[datachicane]

Another vote for the underground tour.
If you go to Pike Place, look for the outfit that sells dry flavored homemade pasta- seriously good stuff.

Espresso at either Victrola or Cafe Vivace (Starbucks, Seattle's Best, etc. are for folks who don't like or have never tasted proper coffee). Order a cap or a macchiato.

Once a decade or so I'll spring for dinner in the Space Needle- last spring was the last time, and the food was surprisingly good, much better than in years past. While not cheap the price seemed proportional, given that you're there for the view as much as the food.

Vancouver BC is an absolutely beautiful city. Bring or rent a bike and pedal through Stanley Park.

<disclaimer- I live about 200 miles South...>

[Mr. Vengeance]

Is Pioneer Square still full of little blues bars? I haven't been down there in a (really) long time but I keep telling myself I've got to go back. Live blues in a cool bar with a cold beer. Can't beat that.

[Ankf00]

snoqualme makes good brew.

[dando]

I think they might have a *bucks in c@le. :gomer: ;)

-Kevin

[Insomniac]

Seattle:

Underground tour (sounds silly, but a great tour that really captures the flavor of the city) http://www.undergroundtour.com/

Museum of Flight (http://www.museumofflight.org/Portal.asp?Flash=True)

Pike Place Market (otherwise you haven't really been to Seattle)

Stroll the waterfront and grab some chowder

Catch the ferry to Bremerton and back if you have time - great views, particularly if you can return to Seattle right at sunset.

Pub crawl through Old Town

Some places I was told about were Queen Anne Hill to get a great view of the city.

Pegasus Pizza (supposed to be really good pizza)

Ferry ride across sound to Orchard Islands. (Is this at all related to the ferry ride you mentioned?)

I wrote down "Everett", but now have no idea what that was supposed to mean/be. :)

The Boeing Tour (you can see the assembly line).

Any thoughts on these things?

[Insomniac]

Once a decade or so I'll spring for dinner in the Space Needle- last spring was the last time, and the food was surprisingly good, much better than in years past. While not cheap the price seemed proportional, given that you're there for the view as much as the food.

Is it better to go up during the day or night? What about the Columbia Center?

[Gnam]

There's a neighborhood north of downtown called Ballard where the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks are located. Boats go up, boats go down. Fun for the whole family.

[oddlycalm]

If you're a Frank Zappa fan, or even if you're not, you may want to stay at the Edgewater Inn (http://www.edgewaterhotel.com/edgewater_home.aspx) where the hotel is built out over Elliot Bay. You used to be able to rent a pole in the lobby and fish out of your window and if you caught a fish you could bring it into your room and do whatever you wanted with it....... [/mudshark] The hotel is still there but it's no longer a dump and has been remodeled into a really nice place right on the waterfront.

Agreed on the Space Needle, well worth a lunch or dinner just for the view. Nice time of year to visit the NW, so the weather should allow you to see for many miles.

Lunch at Andy's Tukwila Diner is an authentic "old Seattle" experience. It's a lunch only place that's been there forever in old railroad cars in the industrial area south of the old King Dome. No tourists there, just locals grabbing lunch. The "prime steak" lunch is the crowd favorite and my favorite as well.

Make sure you are staying in downtown Vancouver (on the island) so you can walk to most things and are close to Stanley Park. There are so many restaurants and clubs, and they change so often, that a list would probably be worthless.

The Museum of Antropology (http://www.moa.ubc.ca/history/building.php) at the University of BC is worth the time. Spectacular building right on the water with massive totems and war canoes indoors.

There are some world class local wines from the Okanogan Valley. Also, Growers cider is a unique dry hard cider peculiar to BC. Two of those and you'll be in full party mode, three and you'll be in full nap mode...

A ferry ride to Victoria would be nice but it would eat an entire day and probably isn't realistic on a short visit. Vancouver is a modern bustling city with mountains behind it while Victoria is like a trip to another time and place. BC Ferries leave from the Tsawwassen Terminal (Vancouver) to the Swartz Bay Terminal (Sidney/Victoria) and if you do go make sure to see the BC Museum and maybe have high tea at the Empress Hotel on the inner harbour.

oc

[cameraman]

The Museum of Antropology (http://www.moa.ubc.ca/history/building.php) at the University of BC is worth the time. Spectacular building right on the water with massive totems and war canoes indoors.
Not to mention the nude beach right in back of the museum:laugh:

[cameraman]

A ferry ride to Victoria would be nice but it would eat an entire day and probably isn't realistic on a short visit.

Or you can do it a bit quicker

http://www.harbour-air.com/tours.php

[oddlycalm]

Not to mention the nude beach right in back of the museum:laugh:
Hence the glass walls on the museum. Not everyone likes anthropology you know...:D

oc

[Cam]

You could throw a molotov cocktail at the front door of One Microsoft Way. :D

[Michaelhatesfans]

If you're a Frank Zappa fan, or even if you're not, you may want to stay at the Edgewater Inn (http://www.edgewaterhotel.com/edgewater_home.aspx) where the hotel is built out over Elliot Bay. You used to be able to rent a pole in the lobby and fish out of your window and if you caught a fish you could bring it into your room and do whatever you wanted with it....... [/mudshark]

How did I forget that?:laugh:

[oddlycalm]

How did I forget that?:laugh:
My secretary booked rooms there in the early 80's when we went up for the company holiday party. Folks at the party were asking polite questions about how we liked the place and my wife and I had a hard time keeping straight faces. I told them I was planning on doing some fishing when we got back to the room...

oc

[sadams]

I stayed in the Edgewater back in the day when you could fish from your room, probably '86 or so. Went back in '92 with wife in tow expecting the same deal. Imageing my suprise when we arrive and the whole place has been remodeled into a nice place!! No more fishing from your window but a short walk to the Space Neddle and the trolley used to go right by the front.

[Insomniac]

You could throw a molotov cocktail at the front door of One Microsoft Way. :D

Some of my friends may not appreciate that. :)

[Insomniac]

Do I need to register my laptop, iPod, digital camera, etc. before going into Canada? I read that I could get charged duty without proof that I had it beforehand.