Another in the PASS ‘First Timers’ series…
… a few low cost options that will give you a great experience while being in the Pacific Northwest …Some of you will arrive in Seattle a day or two early, or perhaps stay a little while longer. Maybe you have decided to enjoy your first visit to the Seattle area, or perhaps you’ve been there before and now want to explore a bit. You’re reasonably intelligent and you can read. So you will consume the typically Tourist Information material at your hotel and make your own decisions about the ‘must do’ activities that fit your interest. You are quite adept a determining which museums and tourist attractions draw your interest.
My purpose here is to offer you a few low cost options that will give you a great experience while being in the Pacific Northwest. These are all things that I have done, and have greatly enjoyed. (If you have a favorite low-cost activity that is not included, please let me know.)
First choice. Grab your coat and camera, pick up a take-out lunch, and head down seven short city blocks to the Ferry docks. (801 Alaskan Way, Pier 52, Seattle, WA 98104 Map) Buy a round-trip ferry ticket and enjoy your lunch as you glide through the waters of the Puget Sound. This can be a spectacular outing; and even if the weather is not so great, you will be inside, warm, and have your lunch to enjoy as you travel by spectacular landscapes and scenery. I would not hesitate to take this trip in the rain. In fact, inclement weather can sharpen your focus on the natural beauty of the area. For a couple of hours, take the Bainbridge Ferry, and for a slightly longer excursion, take the Bremerton Ferry.
To extend your adventure, get off the ferry and walk around (weather permitting) and enjoy the area for a while, then catch the next ferry back to Seattle. Coming across the Sound and seeing Seattle lighting up just as night begins is quite exhilerating.
Following up on this theme, I suggest that you might enjoy riding the Amtrak train from Seattle up to Bellingham. A bit more costly than the ferry, and a couple of hours each way. But the ride up along the shore of Puget Sound north of Everett is incredible to see and photograph. A most excellent adventure. Both the morning and noon trains will allow you to catch a return trip back to Seattle. Bellingham is a small port city close to the Canada-USA border. Again, you might prefer to take you own food, although there is a dining car on the train.
You can walk down to Pike Place Market and watch the famous “Flying Fish”. Seafood vendors at the market put on a show for the tourists, and toss large fish around. It’s great fun to watch -you know the fish can be slippery, and you expect to see them dropped. There are a lot of excellent food and snack opportunities around the market -as well as fantastic views of the Olympic Mountains just across Puget Sound. Definitely plan to spend some time at Pike Place Market.
Walking around the International District will provide you some great photo opportunities -as well as many excellent and inexpensive places to eat. You can find almost any type of Asian influenced food you desire in the International District. Just a short walk, or taxi ride, from the hotels.
If you are a movie buff, the Cinerama has one of the largest curved screens still in use. Originally designed for 70mm, three projector, super cinerama, and upgraded with the latest in digital and sound technology, it can really make a movie expereince more exciting -especially films with expansive visuals. Check the schedule here. The Cinerama is a short walk (or taxi ride) from the Convention Center and hotels.
There is always an interest in taking a Photo Walk with a like minded group of folks that want to amble around the city with the sole purpose of finding great photo opportunities. If you would like to enjoy a Photo Walk with other PASS attendees, or their family members, just tweet #SQLPASS #PhotoWalk and either ask if someone is going, or state your intentions and ask for someone to join you. This will probably work best with a little advance notice.
Many other great adventures can be found in most of the tourist literature around the hotels. Many are easily accessible by walking a short distance, taxi, or even public transportation. I’ll offer the following list of exceptional adventures:
