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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Seattle

23 replies

reptile · 11/10/2010 07:44

Can anyone recommend a place to stay (me, my husband, and our 24 year old daughter) for 2 nights in Seattle?

OP posts:
badgerhead · 11/10/2010 14:36

Do you need one near the airport or close to the city centre. We stayed at one of the airport hotels a couple of years ago for one night & had a 'suite' which was in effect a twin double bedded room & an adjoining room with a sofa bed. Although they didn't have an onsite restaurant they ran a free shuttle bus to nearby restaurants, saved having to use our hire car. I think our was the Comfort Inn, which we booked online at short notice & got a good deal, we had two adults & two teenagers.

snail1973 · 19/10/2010 13:20

Can't help with hotels as we stayed with friends, but we had a fab 3 wk holiday in and around Seattle earlier this year so if you have any other questions I might be able to assist

amidaiwish · 04/02/2011 18:11

bumping
off to seattle this summer and need a plan.
would like to stay in seattle for 7-10 days and head up to vancouver island in the middle.

can anyone recommend a good place to stay in seattle and any other suggestions for visits apart from vancouver?

TIA

p.s. me, dh, DD1 (age 7) and DD2 (age 5)

aardvarkneverhurtanyone · 04/02/2011 21:59

I wouldn't stay in seattle for the whole holiday, I would have a few days and have a slower journey to Vancouver via the islands in the Puget sound, (possibly via the Olympic Peninsular) catch the ferry Whidbey, visit deception Pass, up to Anacortes to the San Juans for orca watching, before headng to Vancouver.

seattle Childrens Museum
Mount St Helens
San Juans
Whidbey

Sunnybear · 04/02/2011 22:49

We stayed at W Hotel in Seattle a couple of years ago. Was v. nice - see www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60878-d100586-Reviews-W_Seattle-Seattle_Washington.html for reviews.

Would definitely recommend the San Juan islands - we had a fantastic week there, staying at Friday Harbour House, which was really lovely. As foot passengers, we took the ferry from Seattle itself - took about 3 hours and was a beautiful trip. You don't need a car on the San Juans - just hire a bike.

Have a lovely time.

amidaiwish · 05/02/2011 10:32

thank you so much. just the advice i was looking for.

keep it coming Smile

aardvarkneverhurtanyone · 05/02/2011 17:01

Hi,

Been thinking over the last day and here are some ideas, they may be out of date as it is sometime since we were there but at least it's a start for you to consider. Quite how you do it depends on whether your driving, how much you like driving, what exctly your family likes to do and how much time you have.

My holiday would comprise a start in Seattle, up to Mukilteo and ferry to Whidbey, up through Whidbey and to Anacortes, catch the ferry to Friday Harbor and/or other islands, ferry onwards to Victoria. Return via the ferry to Olympic Peninsular and Port Townsend and back down to Seattle via ferry and another day in Seattle.

In Seattle
The Klondike Gold Rush museum is interesting. Seattle was the last stop on the way to the gold in the Klondike, Alaska. The museum tells all about it and they have/had? a mock up of all the equipment each person had to take with them.

The Underground Tour was interesting. As far as I remember seattle used to get flooded with the tide, so they rebuilt at a higher level. This tour takes you around below the pavements to see the original streets and buildings.

Then obviously you have Pike Place Market, Aquarium, Pioneer Square, the zoo etc.

The Seattle Cente is home to space Needle, The Childrens Museum
A childrens Theatre and other entertainment although I think yours would be too young for EMP (Experience Music Project).

At Everett you may be lucky and pick up a home game for the Aquasox a minor league baseball team. Still professional but you're much nearer the game than at the Mariners and I think much more fun for the kids. Also Everett is a home to Boeing and if you are interested you can go on a tour of the factory (you need to be 4 foot tall though). It's near the ferry.

Whidbey and Anacortes

There is a [[http://www.swparks.org/parks_trails.html#playground
great playground]] outside of Langley. (You could catch a ferry as a foot passenger to Port Townsend from the west of the island.) Historic Coupeville is quaint. you have to cross Deception Pass bridge to leave the island but on the other side you can go to Bowmans bay and hire kayaks

San Juans
I am not so familiar with Friday Harbor as I only visited once but it has a great whale museum and is walkable from the ferry. You should be able to do some whale watching tours from here too.

You can catch another ferry direct to Sydney, Vancouver Is from Friday Harbor.

Another ferry company can take you onwrds and down from Victoria to the olympic peninsular. I never used this company but think you have to prebook.

In Port Townsend there is a fab fun fifty's diner complete with table top jukeboxes. Most of Port Towsned is walkable from the towns ferry dock, although Fort warden where they filmed An Officer and a Gentleman isn't really.

I will keep thinking of anything else you might like, but thank's for giving me the oppportunity to reminisce.

amidaiwish · 05/02/2011 20:33

oh my goodness, you are amazing, thank you so much!

amidaiwish · 05/02/2011 20:41

we are potentially moving to seattle in early 2012 so want to spend some time really getting a feel of the area (i have never been to mainland US).

but it is an expensive trip, so i don't want it to be just a look-around kind of visit as we will get one of those paid for if/when dh has a job offer so it has to be a great memorable holiday too, hence the visits to vancouver island etc...

aardvarkneverhurtanyone · 05/02/2011 23:25

Well, have fun 'exploring' online and let me know if you have any questions.

Mount st Helens is in the other direction but it is well worth considering a visit.

joshandjamie · 12/02/2011 09:29

amidaiwish - we might be moving to Seattle in early 2012 too. Just got back yesterday after spending four days there looking at schools and areas. Can't help on the touristy front as didn' get time to do that this time round. Will you be moving to Seattle or to the Eastside (Bellevue/Redmond)?

amidaiwish · 12/02/2011 13:20

just replied to your CAT, thank you!

zebedeethezebra · 14/02/2011 17:41

We stayed at the Inn at the Market a couple of years ago. Very nice and right behind Pike Place Market.

zebedeethezebra · 14/02/2011 17:42

Its a beautiful state so I'm jealous if you're moving there. You must try to go to Orcas Island if you can, and Mount Rainier.

ChippyMinton · 14/02/2011 17:47

Useful tip - Mt Rainier is pronounced Mount Ra-nee-er.

The HI Express near the space needle is ok if you are on a budget - buffet breakfast, free wifi and a small pool.

Catch one of the pro sports games if you can. NB Baseball is a bit dull.

amidaiwish · 15/02/2011 14:55

thanks!

amidaiwish · 08/03/2011 21:29

finalising our holiday itinerary, what do you think of this?

5 days Seattle (getting over jetlag, dh has some meetings)

then 9 days staying and travelling around:

1 Whidbey Island (by ferry from Seattle)
2 Deception Pass State Park
3 Anacortes
4 Orcas Island
5 San Juan island
6 Friday Harbor (stay in Friday Harbor House? fridayharborhouse.com/
7 Port Townsend on route back to Seattle

then a few days in seattle taking in a visit to Mt Rainier and all the other wonderful suggestions above.

looks feasible? re the 7 stops around the islands, should we book a few hotels or just friday harbor and travel around? don't want to make it feel like a whistle stop coach tour but these look very close on the map? will one ferry take us or do we need to book multiple? in advance or when we are there?

eternally grateful for your advice!!

amidaiwish · 09/03/2011 10:11

bump

aardvarkneverhurtanyone · 10/03/2011 20:22

Sorry for the delay, I don't check here everyday.

Your itinerary looks good Grin. It all depends on just how busy or relaxed you like to be, but the great thing for you is that if you feel like you are moving on before you're ready - you can just come back again next year! Or if you find you have plenty of time you can grab a coffee/soda/ice cream and watch the local life.

Not quite sure how you're getting from Friday Harbor to Port Townsend. I don't know Friday Harbor House though, sorry.

If you are travelling in the US summer holidays (July-August) I would strongly consider booking accommodation in advance as you've got the kids, and you need to know you've got somewhere for them to sleep. It'll be a trade off with flexibilty and deciding whether to stay where you are or moving on.

Oh, i've just reread your post. I wouldn't stay in Friday Harbor and then 'do' Whidbey/Anacortes. 'Do' them on the way up. Take advice from a local but I think you could well stay in Friday Harbor and then travel by foot on the ferries to the other islands. I am not very good on the islands, sorry.

So,
1 Whidbey Island (by ferry from Seattle Mukilteo - Clinton)
2 Deception Pass State Park (this is just driving)
3 Anacortes (this is just driving)
4 Orcas Island (consider transport but ferry required to get off Anacortes)
5 San Juan island (consider transport - foot passengers?)
6 Friday Harbor (stay in Friday Harbor House? fridayharborhouse.com/ (consider transport - foot passengers?)
7 Port Townsend on route back to Seattle

Mukilteo - Clinton Ferry You just pitch up in Mukilteo and queue up for the ferry, hopefully you'll get to the bottom of the hill and park in the stacking lanes for the next ferry. If you're unlucky you'll start to queue as you run down the hill to the town. Signs tell you how long your wait will be.

Anacortes - Islands ferry is busy as far as I remember. Again Hopefully you'll stack at the bottom but there is a stacking lane on the saide of the road if its busy.

If you leave the islands in the car backtracking through Anacortes (via ferry) and Whidbey you can see Port Townsend on foot (also used to be a good toy shop between ferry terminal and fifties diner) if you leave your car near the terminal on Whidbey. You can reunite with your car and head back south on Whidbey. OTOH you can take it with you on the ferry (Fort Warden?) and head down the west side of the Puget SOund - a new adventure

Whidbey is about 40 miles long I think, so an hours drive ish, top to bottom. I will say I love driving so driving, exploring and catching ferries is all part of the fun for us.

Ok I need to go and do some chores but I will be back with some other, incidental thoughts in the next day or so.

amidaiwish · 11/03/2011 18:33

fantastic, that helps so so much.

it looks most sensible to just book one hotel in Anacortes and use that as a base.

am most keen to get the hotels booked, then i can relax and plan the rest around it

amidaiwish · 11/03/2011 18:56

sorry i meant stay on one of the islands for a week as a base rather than anacortes

thanks for the link to san juan island website, grateful for any recommendations re hotels

aardvarkneverhurtanyone · 12/03/2011 18:16

Can't offer any advice on hotels as we lived on Whidbey so almost always went home (we may have stayed in Friday Harbor once but i can't really remember, sorry).

I think staying on the islands and having a base is a good idea. If you were to stay in Anacortes you would need to keep catching the ferry out to the San Juans, a bit of a waste of time and money i think.

We found maps are a bit of a pain to get hold of until you are actually in the area Confused so you might like to check out this for a free WA state map and planner and a general nosey and this for more free WA guides including Seattle and Olympic Peninsular if you are going that way.

Hopefully if you contact the San Juans tourist people they might be able to send you one of their area, perhaps you could ask if they hold maps for Whidbey and Fidalgo/Anacortes too.

Still thinking! What time of year are you going?

aardvarkneverhurtanyone · 12/03/2011 22:29

This website is probably worth a browse too for information on Whidbey.

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