Ask the cooler travel advice - Seattle Edition

[YouSeeEffer]

Frogerz has a meeting in Seattle so we decided to make a family vacay out of it. We will have both kids (a 4 year old and a 9 month old). We'll be staying in downtown Seattle for 3 days. I'll have the kids for 2 of those days while Frogerz is working. Then, we are looking at staying outside of Seattle for 4 days. We will have a rental car and want to do some scenic drives and kid friendly hiking. I'm not sure if we want to stay in one hotel south of Seattle for all 4 days, or split up the stay at one hotel south and one hotel east of Seattle. I've been looking at kid friendly hikes on the wta website and am totally overwhelmed! I always appreciate The Cooler's travel recommendations.

 

[Good Knight Sweetheart]

No idea about kid stuff there, but consider eating at the Space Needle. Is pricey, but you're basically paying for the view. Takes an hour for the dining room to rotate the full view, but is a great and unique way to see the city.

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[barrister1602]

Paging chemmie for his and helpful travel tips and dining advice

 

[YouSeeEffer]

No idea about kid stuff there, but consider eating at the Space Needle. Is pricey, but you're basically paying for the view. Takes an hour for the dining room to rotate the full view, but is a great and unique way to see the city.

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I actually already made a reservation! Seems corny but is a must-do.

 

[1ofTheseKnights]

@OlearyLookAlike was up that way recently I reckon

 

[Good Knight Sweetheart]

I actually already made a reservation! Seems corny but is a must-do.

Yeah, it is a bit corny, but it is also a must do. Plus, the view is really cool.

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[btbones]

Make sure and get the kids some gummy bears while there.

 

[jetsaholic]

My recommendation is to get as far away from Seattle and all their hippies as you possibly can.

 

[Jedi.Knight]

If you've got a good half an hour to spare, drive on over to Kerry park. It's not a very big park actually, but the view is absolutely unbeatable.

 

[SublimeKnight]

If you have a medical emergency, make sure they don't bring you to Seattle Grace, you don't need that extra drama.

 

[Bob the Citronaut]

Be sure to leave big tips for the $15 minimum wage workers.

 

[ucflee]

Check out Deception Pass: http://parks.state.wa.us/497/Deception-Pass

Hiking. Beach. Amazing views. Stay out of the water and wave hello to the Naval Aviators.

 

[UCFWayne]

Seattle Sounders soccer game.

 

[HuffyCane]

The Fremont Troll will either scare the crap out of them or they will love it. It is an enormous piece of outdoor art underneath an overpass. 3405 Troll Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103. Its a good place for a photo op and in the Fremont district which has a bunch of hippie crap that some people think is cool. Like the huge statue of mass murderer Lenin in a city park.

 

[UCFRogerz]

Seattle Sounders soccer game.

Not at home that weekend! ugh.

 

[1ofTheseKnights]

Visit the caves of Hope Solo

 

[Great2BAKnight2]

My wife has family out there and we've been a few times in the last few years.

I second the Fremont Troll, plus Fremont is a strange place that's worth checking out. They call themselves the center of the universe (http://www.visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/fremont/). If you go to Fremont it's worth going over to Ballard (about 3 miles away) to check out the Ballard Locks. This time of year the Salmon are running so you'll be able to see them through the fish ladder, it's pretty cool (http://www.myballard.com/ballard-locks-seattle/).
http://www.myballard.com/ballard-locks-seattle/
One other thing you won't see in a brochure:
Take the Mukilteo ferry over to Whidbey island. You could check out the Boeing plant in Mukilteo as part of the trip (it's not a bad tour but probably tough with little ones). Over on Whidbey, head to Langley. It's a small town with a bunch of shops. The highlight is Village Pizzeria which is right on the cliff overlooking the water (get the clam pizza, it's awesome). In the Spring, it's a great spot for seeing whales. But the view is still pretty awesome.

 

[EweSeaEff]

I had possibly the best Old Fashioned of my life in Seattle at the Arctic Club.

 

[UCFWayne]

Not at home that weekend! ugh.

Damn... Would be cool to see a game.

 

[chemmie]

1. Don't take your kids on flights that long. Only jerks do that.

2. Freemont is cool. The troll, Stalin statue, and Freemont Brewing. Decent brewery, but a cool location along the water with a cool view.

3. The Edgewater Hotel is cool.

4. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery makes a Damn good cup of coffee and the neighborhood surrounding it is great. Pine Box is an awesome beer bar in an old mortuary.

5. Go to Portland

 

[chemmie]

Oh, Chuhuly Museum, under the space needle, is awesome. There is also a pop culture museum there, too.

 

[barrister1602]

Visit the caves of Hope Solo

 

[YouSeeEffer]

Kids are going. Been to Portland.

 

[Vendsit]

Seattle Sounders soccer game.

Great timing for this post. My wife and I will be in Seattle this weekend and it's the Sounders Timbers game. We're probably gonna go as it's gotta be one of the best atmospheres in the MLS.

 

[Vendsit]

I had possibly the best Old Fashioned of my life in Seattle at the Arctic Club.

Was that at the Polar Bar? This is the hotel we're staying at.

 

[ucflee]

My wife has family out there and we've been a few times in the last few years.

I second the Fremont Troll, plus Fremont is a strange place that's worth checking out. They call themselves the center of the universe (http://www.visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/fremont/). If you go to Fremont it's worth going over to Ballard (about 3 miles away) to check out the Ballard Locks. This time of year the Salmon are running so you'll be able to see them through the fish ladder, it's pretty cool (http://www.myballard.com/ballard-locks-seattle/).
One other thing you won't see in a brochure:
Take the Mukilteo ferry over to Whidbey island. You could check out the Boeing plant in Mukilteo as part of the trip (it's not a bad tour but probably tough with little ones). Over on Whidbey, head to Langley. It's a small town with a bunch of shops. The highlight is Village Pizzeria which is right on the cliff overlooking the water (get the clam pizza, it's awesome). In the Spring, it's a great spot for seeing whales. But the view is still pretty awesome.

If you do go to Whidbey check out Flyers http://www.eatatflyers.com ... there is also one in Burlington but nothing beats the original.

 

[UCFRogerz]

1. Don't take your kids on flights that long. Only jerks do that.

2. Freemont is cool. The troll, Stalin statue, and Freemont Brewing. Decent brewery, but a cool location along the water with a cool view.

3. The Edgewater Hotel is cool.

4. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery makes a Damn good cup of coffee and the neighborhood surrounding it is great. Pine Box is an awesome beer bar in an old mortuary.

5. Go to Portland

meh, I'm not concerned about the flights since we are connecting in Dallas, splitting the long flight in two. They did fine on the direct flight to Chicago earlier this year so I'm confident.

 

[UCFRogerz]

I had possibly the best Old Fashioned of my life in Seattle at the Arctic Club.

The conference hotel is the Arctic Club so i'll be sure to get one!

 

[Bob the Citronaut]

BTW, I forgot to mention this is totally a bragging, look at me, Richy rich, lateeda, Chemmie thread.

 

[YouSeeEffer]

You want to come Bob?

 

[EweSeaEff]

Was that at the Polar Bar? This is the hotel we're staying at.

I believe it was. It was whatever bar is in the lobby level of the hotel.

The conference hotel is the Arctic Club so i'll be sure to get one!

Mind you this was probably 5-6 years ago, but sitting there having a drink took me to what it must've been like to be Jack Torrance in 'The Shining'. The way the bar was set up, it was backlit, the way the bartender was dressed and his demeanor/mannerisms.

The Arctic Club actually has a really neat history.

 

[KnighttimeJoe]

You want to come Bob?

Don't you all need someone to feed the kids beer and watch porn?

 

[jetsaholic]

Whatever you do, just make sure you take a selfie.

 

[UCFRogerz]

Whatever you do, just make sure you take a selfie.

We were not planning on it, but since you asked...

 

[SublimeKnight]

Whatever you do, just make sure you take a selfie.

...and take a photo of every meal you are about to eat. People love that.*

 

[UCFRogerz]

...and take a photo of every meal you are about to eat. People love that.*

Oh yes I almost forgot that!

 

[YouSeeEffer]

#nofilter

 

[UCFWayne]

Great timing for this post. My wife and I will be in Seattle this weekend and it's the Sounders Timbers game. We're probably gonna go as it's gotta be one of the best atmospheres in the MLS.

Going to sport any Orlando City gear?

 

[jetsaholic]

We were not planning on it, but since you asked...

Nonsense, selfies are a required part of vacationing. I got that shit down to an art form. I mean, haven't you seen my Facebook?

 

[Vendsit]

Going to sport any Orlando City gear?

Of course. We're City season ticket holders so we're gonna represent.