What to see in "greater Seattle" area?

[piwo]

SWMBO and I will be traveling to Seattle WA for a brief "Friday-Monday" trip in early May. She doesn't know where we are going just yet, and won't until we check in at the airport. I've been to Seattle a few times on business over the years, but not recently and never had any time to "sight see".. Suggestions for visiting sights/ things to do in the area? We needn't stay in the city or even in the immediate area and have no hotels booked to remain flexible with our plans.

Any suggestions?

[crazy mark]

Place called NW trek near Eatonville. This is SW of Seattle. Wildlife place that is pretty nice and has a tram. There is the Woodland Park zoo in Seattle, Defiance point aquarium in Tacoma, The Olympic National forest, and Pike St market just to name a few. There is also the coast or MT St Helens or Mt Ranier. The Seattle center which was the site of the 1962 World's Fair. Ferry Rides and even one to British Columbia. Way too much to chose from for one week-end. I'm from an area SW of Seattle and have relatives there and I can find something new to go to everytime I am there. Mark

[waksupi]

There is a good gun shop, or used to be, north of Seattle. I believe it was north of Arlington, and you take the Bow exchange, heading east. At the first intersection, go north. Seemed like quite a ways. Name of the place is Ketterings, I believe. Had everything from barrels of SKS, to fine grade African doubles.
Does anyone know if it is still in business?

[Gun-adian]

Would that be Kesselring's Gun Shop? Yes, it's still there and doing great, if the number of trucks in the parking lot is any indication.

If that's what your talking about, you take the #240 exit off the I-5 and head east. You come to a "T" intersection and turn right. It'll be a couple miles up the quiet country highway on the right hand side. A nice huge gun shop in the middle of nowhere.

I first found the place in 1990 and was dazzled. This place has everything and lots of it and is staffed by people who know what they're talking about. The shop itself boasts a huge retail area with bins of brass, cases of ammo lined up along the walls and stacked on the floor, a couple of huge rifle racks where you can handle (fondle?) rifles at will. The really good stuff is on the racks behind the counters. Optics, pistols, reloading and casting stuff, it's all there. Never an "out of stock" issue with this place. They have a warehouse beside the shop and it's twice as big as the store.

Truly a mecca for gunnutz.

The only complaint I have about the place is that they never seem to have enough staff on duty. Unless you're there first thing when they open, be prepared to wait.

If you do make the trip to find it, you won't be disappointed.

Mike.

[45nut]

The Air & Space Museum was worth a few hours time for me.

[waksupi]

Kesselring's! That's the place! A big boy's toy shop/

Another place that came to mind, is the St. Charles archery museum, downtown Seattle. If you are into archery at all, it is worth a look.

[Gun-adian]

Kesselring's! That's the place! A big boy's toy shop

You're not kidding!!!

I used to hit this place every couple of months and drop $500 at a time.

Then the kids came along.

Funny how that cuts into the shooting budget.

Mike.

[fatnhappy]

Ranier brewery. I visit it everytime I'm in Seattle. I have a good Army buddy in Kent, he saved my life once.

[crazy mark]

Ranier brewery. I visit it everytime I'm in Seattle. I have a good Army buddy in Kent, he saved my life once.
How long has it been since you were in Seattle. The Rainier Brewery by Boeing is now something else. Even the Olympia Brewery in Tumwater brews something else. Mark

[BluesBear]

Yes Kesselring's is a great place but it's not exactly close to Seattle.
http://www.kesselrings.com/new/about.asp
Burlington is almost Canada. It's about a two hour drive north.



If you like music you HAVE to see the Experience Music Project.
It's downtown in the shadow of the Space Needle. Which is another place you HAVE to see.

And no trip to Seattle would be complete without a trip to Pike Market (and the shops along the Pier).
It's world famous and you'll get a treal kick watching them toss fish.
SWMBO will be eternally grateful if you take her there.

If you like movie posters and old movie/TV memorabilia there's a great little shop in Pioneer Square called Rialto. It's aroiund the corner from the J&M Cafe next to Emerald City Guitars. ( a great little vintage guitar shop)

If you're into old records especially Jazz and Big Band there's Bud's Jazz Records also in Pioneer Square.

And of course just down the street from Pioneer Square is Safeco Field. The absolute best place to watch a baseball game. There's not a bad seat in the place.

If you want to impress your better half try and book a dinner (or lunch) on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train.
http://www.spiritofwashingtondinnertrain.com/
The best dinner train in the country. (I've been on most) You stop at a the Columbia winery in Woodinville and then return.
It's an awsome experience. Besides the furure of the rail line is uncertain. BNSF is doing bridge work later this summer and the train won't make a full trip after July 31st.


Let me know what your interests are and I'll give you more info about what's where.

[piwo]

Little jaunt to Seattle, WA is now complete. We returned home at 19:00 last evening. This trip was primarily for SWMBO so many of the WONDERFUL suggestions did not materialize. If I were alone or with some buddies, it would have been a bit different of a trip. I wanted to see the music museum by the Needle, but not SWMBO’s cup of tea. Few other musuems would have been in the offing, but alas........:coffeecom

We stayed about two blocks from the Space Needle and of course went there for a “twilight” trip up top. Magnificent view. We took public transportation downtown both Friday and Saturday, visited Pikes Place Market, Pioneer Square, did the “Underground” tour, popped into some nice shops and generally just enjoyed milling about. I found the people to be mostly polite and that was welcome. We had plans to visit microbreweries, but these never materialized. We did however sample their wares, early and often! :drinks:

We traveled to Snoqualmie and visited the falls: breathtaking site. Then drove up the pass just to see the scenery and spent the night in that area then moved onto Mr. Rainier on Sunday. The drive from Snoqualmie to Mt. Rainier was pleasant enough, pretty. The only rain we had the entire trip started the second we paid to get into Mt. Rainier National Park, the entire time driving up to the “Paradise” observatory, and back out. The Park had been 100% closed since last November when mudslides and flooding devastated the park. It was so rainy and foggy while in the park, we didn’t see much EXCEPT the devastation. I did snap a couple picks, one or two turned out OK.

To make our departure on Monday more convenient, we drove north and stayed in South Tacoma. Based on the hotel and the appearance of the area, this was the one “chancy” decision we made. No problems in the end, so nothing lost. The only other "con" was their liquor situation. This "state store" nonsense is ridiculous!! The cheap bar bourbon "10 High", that we pay $10.99 for 1.5 liter bottle, cost $24.99 in the state liquor store. :shock: Yet, a bottle of Chopin Wodka (one of the world’s best, and from potatoes and not grain) cost $32, exactly what it costs in the Midwest. So riddle me this: how can a cheap bottle of American made bourbon be double the cost, and an imported Wodka from Poland cost the same as anywhere else in the country? This alone would force me to move or become a tea tottler (and that ain't gonna happen just yet): I'd be broke just paying off the bourbon bill!

All in all, a successful little venture. Now, I can't wait to start shooting! 8-)

[BluesBear]

we drove north and stayed in South Tacoma.Ummm, isn't Seattle (especially the Space Needle) already considerably north of Tacoma?

If you flew through Sea-Tac Int. Airport there are many nice motels in the cities of Tukwila and Seatac.

I agree 100% about the condition of our state run liquor stores. That's why many of us visit the ones located on the reservations. American Indians aren't encumbered by the same laws as us immigrants.

One of the reasons I moved here almost 10 years ago was because in general the people here are very nice and polite. (until they get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle) QUite often I find Seattle Hospitality to be better than Southern Hospitality (and I'm from the south).


When you do finally visit the Experience Music Project get there very early and plan on being there eight hours. The time will FLY by and before you know it they will be closing for the day. Why they don't have later hours I've never understood.
We have an unlimited family membership and I go often.

Glad you enjoyed your trip here. Come back and visit again.

[piwo]

Ummm, isn't Seattle (especially the Space Needle) already considerably north of Tacoma?



...then moved onto Mr. Rainier on Sunday...It is, unless you were at Mt. Rainier on Sunday, and drove north to get near the airport on Sunday night! :wink:

Yes, I really want to visit the music museum. But since we didn't have that much time, I guess it's good she didn't want to go. That way I won't feel pressured to leave when I do finally get there!

And I would like to go back. It's an interesting place with lots to see and do.8-)

[BluesBear]

Ahhhh. I didn't understand that you had checked out before going to the mountain. :coffeecom
Now it makes sense.

[MT Gianni]

On your return visit check out the Boeing museum of flight. I attended a measurement conference last week and was impressed by it. Flying has never grabbed me hard as a must do but this had lots of cool stuff and simulators. Gianni

[scrapcan]

Another place to visit is the Curiosity shop on the warf. Also had a good time just watching them load cargo ships with grain. I talked to all manner of merchant sailors from all over the world. And ran into one form a small town in Wyoming, had to take him for a beer.

Oh and the small seafood and microbrews are the place to eat. Find a little hole in the wall and you will be delighted. I asked the doormen and the porters at the hotel where they would go, they steered me int eh right direction.

There were alot of other good places to visit in previous posts. Boeing musem of flight should be on the list for a return trip.