Visiting Seattle?

[yesthattom]

If I had a biz meeting in Seattle on a Friday, and stayed over to Sunday... what wild and wacky stuff can my LJers recommend I do with the time?

(this is highly hypothetical)

Comments

[ninaf.livejournal.com]

There is a lot to do, where will you be staying? downtown Seattle? Eastside? I would hit up the waterfront. Lots of good seafood places and a nice little harbor cruise. There is a lot of good places to eat. Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne and Wallingford are nice to visit if you want out of the city a little. You might also like Cap Hill, clubs and good food can be had up there.

[sierra-nevada.livejournal.com]

The view from the Space Needle. The Science Fiction Museum next door (thank you, Paul Allen).

Shopping at the REI motherstore.

The "Underground Seattle" tour in Pioneer Square.

A Washington Ferry ride to Bainbridge Island and a quick wander around there.

A wander around Alki Beach.

Things to do in Seattle

[disappearinjon.livejournal.com]

I hereby second the recommendation for the Seattle Underground tour (http://www.undergroundtour.com/).

I recommend a meal at Lark (http://www.larkseattle.com/), which is (a) to my mind the best restaurant in town and (b) convenient since they don't take reservations for parties of fewer than six, so it's "I'm in town but I don't know when I'll be able to get there or with how many people" firendly.

And, if you don't get to a mountain (or to Snowqualmie falls), you could at least make it to Discovery Park (http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/tour/discov.htm). If you're planning on being around here between now and the end of summer, there should be a lot of sunshine.

My new office (http://www.isilon.com/) has a spectacular view, too...

[sierra-nevada.livejournal.com]

Oh, a drive out to Redmond to piss on the Microsoft HQ. Beware going into their Company Store; people talk about the reality distortion field around Steve Jobs, but everyone at Microsoft has drunk the kool-aid. It's very scary.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

everyone at Microsoft has drunk the kool-aid.

it's free in the kitchens, like the soda and chocolate milk.

[mhgagnon.livejournal.com]

I'm sure we could come up with something wacky. :-)

[cos]

If you get a rental car, go visit a mountain! Seattle's very cool, but those mountains are stunning. Well, unless it's cloudy and raining :)

St. Helens and Rainier are both day trip distance.

[subwayfaire.livejournal.com]

my friend here says check out www.thestranger.com, the weekly up there. Looks like it's got events and such.
Have a good hypothetical time!

[missionista.livejournal.com]

Visit Gasworks Park. Have some coffee, for crying out loud! See the Seattle Art Museum.

[kathdem.livejournal.com]

Come visit us! Come see Phil play at Tula's. Ok, nothing that's wild and wacky, but you can come see us anyway.

Oh, and if you DO want to go the the MS company store I can get you in.

[rainbear.livejournal.com]

*checks LJ friends list*.. Why I believe you could see ljtourist, and some other people we mutually know! :-D

[ljtourist.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! I love playing tour guide!

Ditto all of the suggestions for "eat seafood" and "boat/ferry ride". I can't recommend the Underground Tour too highly, though I'm told the Underworld ("uncensored") version is better.

If you have time on Friday, the major "hidden" thing I love is going to the Columbia Tower (fka Bank Of America Tower) Observation Deck. The problem is that it's only open bankers' hours (mebbe 8:30-4:30, M-F). It's not 360-degree viewing, but it's the 2nd highest building west of Chicago.

Right next to it is the new downtown Seattle Public Library, which is a must see if you're into libraries and/or terrific unusual architecture. They have several very good architectural tours daily.

The Tillicum Island salmon dinner thing is a tourist trap; avoid.

The Aquarium is missable, and SAM will be closed, but SAAM is very nice.

EMP/SFM is actually worthwhile if you have the interest, as is the Museum of Flight (but that last is where the LISA '99 event was, so you may have gotten your fill then; if not, I'm pretty sure I have a free pass for you).

I bet it's a great time to see the Arboretum. Gasworks Park is pretty cool, too, as is Woodland Park/Greenlake. I haven't yet been to the Bellevue Botanical Garden, but it sounds interesting.

The Elliott Bay Book Company in Pioneer Square is a remarkable store.

I have LOTS of food experience, so if you're looking for something, let me know.

I also know of lots of neat scenery out from the city, so if you're looking for a day trip, I can hook you up. If you luck out with a room (or feel like camping), the San Juan Islands are a real treat, and the Hoh Rain Forest and Pacific Beaches are my favorite place on earth, I think, though a solid 4 hour drive from downtown.

I'm not up on the truly pervy activities (Wet Spot &c.), but if you want a rundown or tour of the gay bars, or other GLBT highlights, let me know.

And, of course, there's ME! But you knew that.

[ljtourist.livejournal.com]

I just reread your post, and I figured I add some of the weirder things to do:

Visit Fremont to see the troll, "Waiting for the Interurban" sculpture, and the statue of Lenin.

See the wall of gum in Post Alley (by Pike Place Market).

Visit Bruce and Brandon Lee's graves or Jimi Hendrix's grave or memorial.

Egg Bill Gates' house

Rent a kayak, and go paddling around Lake Union/Washington.

Rock climbing @ REI.

Shopping @ Archie McPhee's or Uwajimaya.

[saavedra77.livejournal.com]

Daytime activities (outdoor/good/summer weather):
*Go up the Space Needle (Lower Queen Anne)
*Get your picture taken with the Fremont Troll (Fremont)
*Drive/walk/bike through the Arboretum (Capitol Hill)
*Take a joyride on the Bainbridge Island or Bremerton ferry (from downtown water front): maybe an hour, hour-&-a-half round trip on Puget Sound
*Go to the beach--Golden Gardens in Ballard or Alkai in West Seattle
*Hike to the beach in Discovery Park (Magnolia)

Daytime activities (indoor/bad/winter weather):
*Underground tour (Pioneer Square)--hilarious, well worth the hour, even if the sun is shining
*Underworld tour (Pioneer Square): the racy version--even funnier
*The Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum (Lower Queen Anne)
*Seattle Art Museum (Downtown)

Restaurants:
*The Buenos Aires Grill (Belltown--close to downtwon): comida argentina muy auténtica
*Medusa (Columbia City--south of downtown): "Sicilian soul food"
*Blue C Sushi (Fremont--north of downtown): one of those conveyor-belt sushi places--but fantastically good!
*Matador (Ballard): Mexican/Spanish

Nightlife:
*Cyclops (Belltown): tapas bar
*Century Ballroom (Capitol Hill--east of downtown): salsa/swing dancing
*Chop Suey (Capitol Hill): djs, live bands

Or, if it's springtime & you wanted to get away from it all, take a ferry up to the San Juan Islands Friday night, get a room at a bed-&-breakfast, go whale watching on Saturday, then take the ferry back to Seattle late Saturday/early Sunday before flying home.