Post by buckeyegirl on Jun 21, 2014 9:22:20 GMT -5
I am going to Seattle for a work conference in August. I will be staying at the Marriott at the airport. The hotel said the Light Rail is right across the street and will take you into downtown. I am looking for recommendations for dinner places. Near the Light Rail would be helpful but not a requirement. Car rentals looks very expensive for that week $60-70 per day. Do I need a car or can I get around without one? There is a Hertz in the hotel. I will have one and a half days to explore so I might rent a car for those days. Also, my H is coming along and will be alone to explore all day. We have never been the PNW before so I am looking for any and all recommendations to make the most of my time there. Thanks!
You can explore the city easily on foot/using public transportation. The light rail will take you right downtown. One of the easiest restaurants I can think of near a light rail station is Purple, which is across the street from the University Street tunnel station.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. Mark Twain
Post by peppermint on Jun 21, 2014 19:52:26 GMT -5
I spent 4 days in Seattle in March and didn't have a car. Public transportation is great and easy to navigate. Sorry, I don't have any restaurant suggestions that are close to the light rail, but I loved the seafood everywhere we went! Have fun, my trip in March was my first to the PNW and I didn't ever want to leave!
August to early September is their sunny season so it is a beautiful time to go to Seattle. I spent that month out there last summer for work. Hotels and car rentals were more expensive but it only rained once during the 5 weeks I was there. One local chain that we enjoyed was Ivar's. There were a number of different locations and they specialized in fresh local seafood. We also had a fantastic sushi dinner at Shiro's in Belltown. Some of the best sushi I have ever had.
August to early September is their sunny season so it is a beautiful time to go to Seattle. I spent that month out there last summer for work. Hotels and car rentals were more expensive but it only rained once during the 5 weeks I was there. One local chain that we enjoyed was Ivar's. There were a number of different locations and they specialized in fresh local seafood. We also had a fantastic sushi dinner at Shiro's in Belltown. Some of the best sushi I have ever had.
Post by MrsPotatohead on Jun 30, 2014 17:13:14 GMT -5
How much do you want to spend for dinner? The light rail drops you off right in the middle of downtown and everything is very walkable around there. I'm not a huge fan of Purple, but Ivar's is good, especially if you like seafood. There are lots of good places on the water as well as in Pike Place Market!
The Seattle Times did a story recently about the top 5 tourist attractions in the city, why they're overrated, and better alternatives (I agreed with all of them):
For the record I don't like Pike's Place, especially in the summer because it's so crowded you literally can't move independently. You just shuffle along with the crowd. Also I used to live downtown and was looking forward to shopping there after living in Cleveland and shopping at the West Side Market, which is amazing and I became friends with all my vendors there. But it's really not a good place to shop for grocery items. I just get meat there and some produce.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. Mark Twain
Post by wanderlustmom on Jul 16, 2014 21:34:02 GMT -5
We just got back and loved it. We had a hotel near the space needle and walked everywhere. We ate copious amounts of Asian food. Just followed the locals and went into the restaurants that were the most crowded. Also Ivars was pretty good and we enjoyed the Bainbridge Island Ferry. We followed the signs for the hike around the island, got a ice cream and the kids were happy. I thought Pikes Place was okay--but nothing like the fun downtown neighborhoods we walked around near our hotel. And I must say, everyone was so nice--but not outwardly friendly. I am from Ohio and live in Atlanta so it was so strange that strangers didn't say hi and smile at us. It's not a knock on Seattle or the Pacific Northwest because introverted DH LOVED it, it was just off putting for me because I like to talk to everyone.
Also, definitely hike around Mt. Ranier if you can. We really enjoyed it.
You really don't need (or want) a car in downtown Seattle, but if you do decide to rent one, use it to spend a day outside of Seattle. Then drop it off when you go back into town. If you have a free day, head north and spend a day on one of the San Juan islands. You can pick up the ferry in Anacortes.
Post by buckeyegirl on Aug 10, 2014 19:49:38 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. The only things we have planned is that DH is going salmon fishing one day without me and we have tickets to the Seahawks/bears game Friday night. I live in the cleveland area so it's funny to hear several of you comparing it to cleveland. My per diem for dinner is about $40 so I would like to stay under that for most meals. I don't eat seafood but my H does. I will also check out the Seattle board.