Another "What to do in Seattle?" post

[Lady_Jag]

Looking for some pointers, please! We are cruising to Alaska the second week of June and will be arriving in Seattle a few days before embarkation so that we can enjoy some of the sites. Travelers include me and hubby (40-somethings), DD who recently turned 9, and my mom (65), who has some mobility issues. (Mom will have a "companion" wheelchair, as she can't walk long distances or stand for very long periods of time.)

 

We are flying out of Florida late Saturday morning (EDT), arriving around 4:00pm PDT and staying at a hotel near Sea-Tac. What would be the best way to spend our days without wearing out either my mom or my daughter before we even board the cruise ship Tuesday morning? Here are some of the ideas I've been kicking around:

 

 

• The market and the space needle are on our list of must-sees. I thought we would do these and whatever other attractions we happened across in the downtown area on Monday, our only weekday there. We plan to hit the market first, then the space needle, and then maybe catch a ferry in the afternoon.
   
  I'm a bit concerned about the crowds and maneuvering mom's wheelchair, but we will have to make it work. How wheelchair accessible is public transportation to and in downtown Seattle, by the way? Keep in mind that Mom can stand and walk on her own, but stairs are a challenge. (Not impossible, but a bit tough.)
  
• DD wants to go to "Bullwinkle's Family Fun Center." I originally thought maybe we can spend a little time there Saturday evening after dinner and get it out of the way first, but after getting to and checking into our hotel, then grabbing a bite to eat and finding transportation there, we might have to give into the jet lag and call it an "early" night. (8pm PDT = 11:00pm EDT!) So maybe push this activity to Sunday evening instead?
  
• Sunday, I thought we'd take a trip to the Woodland Park zoo, if it's not raining. Not sure what our plan B is though? Maybe a children's museum or the Seattle aquarium? Like any child, DD is more of a "doer" than an "observer," whereas my mom needs to take the less active, observer route. This makes finding something that makes everyone happy a bit tricky at times!
  

Is this a logical plan? Any other suggestions? I am trying not to over-schedule our visit and still get the most out of our time in Seattle.

 

Thanks!

[VibeGuy]

Transit in Seattle is extremely accessible to wheelchair users regardless of mode. The trip planner at tripplanner.kingcounty.gov is very useful in this regard as well - in general, it's stops out in the neighborhoods that aren't accessible, not the vehicles or major transit centers.

 

The market has accessibility challenges. The market buildings themselves are fine (major upgrades in the last few years) but Pike Place is brick, there are VERY steep grades on the east-west streets nearby, and sidewalks are narrow / curbs are tall, and some streets/paths are cobblestone. I think the Monday idea is pretty good - I'd generally send you on Sunday when the "small producer" farms are in the street, but I'm not sure I would try to do Sunday with a wheelchair. Plan to enter from 1st Ave and use the elevators and Post Alley to move between levels.

 

The major tourist attractions are going to be very accessible, albeit some with long hauls from parking.

 

Can I make a pitch? Car rental prices in Seattle drop dramatically closer to date of arrival in many cases. What I might consider doing in your situation is not picking one up at the airport on arrival, and using public transit/hotel shuttle (which would probably take you to Bullwinkles - they have good miniature golf, actually - more on that in a moment) and then picking up a car downtown on your first full morning. Assuming your mom has a parking placard, street parking is free and you could really cut walk/roll distances, pretty affordably. By renting downtown, you can also pull my favorite stunt Tuesday morning, which is to drive errrrrybody to the pier, unload and queue, and have someone (probably not the 9yo) drop the car back at the agency. This is a very pleasant way to handle this, regardless of whether you're at Pier 66 or out at Pier 91/Smith Cove. If you stay off International Drive / Hwy 99 itself, most hotels will offer free or cheap parking - look at properties near Southcenter mall - they hit the sweet spot of "free airport shuttle" and "not $27/day to park".

 

Back to recreation: the aquarium is an excellent option if the zoo is rained out. I think it's better than the zoo (more local, otters are adorable, I have fantasies of sushi), but you know your kiddo better than I do. The exhibits are interactive and there's an excellent tidepool hands-on section.

 

One thing to consider - you're going to have sunrise at 0500 and sunset about 2100 that week, but those numbers don't tell the whole tale. Civil Twilight starts at 0430 and Civil Dusk is 2145 - if the weather is even halfway decent, you have long days and your jet-lagged state might let you take advantage of a pretty early start or keep going longer than you might think. These times are when it's bright enough to do usual outdoor activities without artificial illumination. Take advantage of our position which is 275 miles *north* of Toronto, Canada. The idea for making it a "late night" option is a good one.

 

One other thing - I seem to recall that the miniature golf at Interbay (a Seattle Public Parks golf course) has accessible paths of travel. It is beautifully landscaped - not at all windmills-and-clown-heads and might make a nice multigenerational activity. I'm a nerd for accessible golf (my late FIL was a lifelong golfer) so this might work better than you think.

 

Where was I? Oh yeah, not jam-packing stuff - one option to consider for Sunday, if you have a car, is to head south towards Tacoma - the Museum of Glass and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium might make a nice pair of "things to look at" and "things to do". You could then drive across the Tacoma Narrows bridge up the Kitsap Peninsula to Bainbridge Island (oddly, the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport is actually REALLY interesting), and find dinner in Poulsbo or Bainbridge Island, and then catch the ferry back to Seattle at dusk. This is spectacular as the skyline reflects the setting sun and the mountain and...well, it explains why we put up with November.

[Gardyloo]

Well let me make a couple of comments.

 

First, the wheelchair/accessibility thing. Seattle is extremely hilly - same as San Francisco. While the Pike Place Market's main level, the part that runs along Pike Place, is flat, the market sits on the edge of a vertical bluff over the central waterfront - ferry terminal, aquarium, etc. So the lower floors of the market, which are ramped but still pretty steep, will likely be more than any of you can handle with a wheelchair.

 

Public transportation to and from downtown includes buses and the light rail from the airport. Provision is made for handicapped access in the light rail stations, and some of the buses can "kneel" for handicapped access, but they're still buses and not very wheelchair friendly. The problem arises in getting from the bus stop/light rail station to somewhere you want to go - at both ends.

 

Frankly, I'd rent a car, particularly if your mom has already, or can obtain, a handicapped parking placard. The car can give you some real benefits - flexibility to go where you want when you want, (relative) ease in parking, and - although this is one weird weather year - shelter from the elements, given that June is not always... er... summery hereabouts.

 

If you rent from National/Alamo (the same) or Enterprise, you can drop the car at their downtown location on Tuesday when it's time to go to the ship, and they'll shuttle you to Pier 91. Or if you use any of the other companies, you can just take a taxi from their downtown branches to the pier - probably $15 tops.

 

The car would also give you the freedom to escape the crowds, should you decide to do that. For example, Seattle has numerous places where you can drive to views that are the equal (or better) than those from the Space Needle. Not saying to skip the Space Needle, but just as a "what if" alternative.

 

The ferry terminal and the aquarium are on the central waterfront, a long hike down the hill from the Pike Market, and at present (and depending on when in June you're sailing, maybe still) completely torn up as the sea wall along the waterfront is being replaced. Access is very complicated and it ain't pretty.

 

On the other hand, a car would give you the freedom to - I don't know, maybe head to Snoqualmie Falls, 40 min. east of town, higher than Niagara, with plenty of wheelchair-friendly paths to the view points.

 

Or instead of the ferry, drive the car to West Seattle - across Elliott Bay from downtown, for fabulous skyline views, views of the Olympic mountains (maybe in silhouette at sunset), a wee copy of the Statue of Liberty, a very cute little lighthouse, and lots of cafes and shops facing the water. Cheaper than the ferry, more accessible.

 

Use the time change in your favor. Get the car when you land, maybe go to Bullwinkle's that night (confession, my nephews liked it, but it's my version of you-know-what on Earth.) Then Sunday morning when you're awake but the town isn't yet, hop up to the Pike Place market for breakfast, and be gone by 10 AM. If you want to brave the Space Needle next, find a place to park near the foot of it, see it and scram.

 

Then on Monday, do something for your DD or all of you. The zoo is fine, or, heck, from the airport you could be at Mount Rainier in a couple of hours. Probably still some snow on the trails at the Paradise visitor center, but guaranteed beauty (if and only if the weather's good.) And if you're from Florida, maybe the snow itself is a treat. Or visit Snoqualmie Falls, or (look this up) spend half a day on Vashon Island, accessed by ferry either from Seattle or from Tacoma. Head up to the little town of Snohomish, where there are wall-to-wall antique stores. Or drive around some of Seattle's marvelous neighborhoods... there are many things you could do that would be comfortable for your mom, entertaining for your daughter, and away from the gazillion other pre/post-cruise people clogging the sights.

 

Just a thought.

[mapleleaves]

You may find some useful info in this trip report from the Alaska forum. It includes a 9yr old and 2 yr old, their cruise activities plus pre-cruise time in Seattle. They enjoyed a day at the Seattle Center ... Pacific Science Center, Space Needle and Chihuly. (her chihuly photos appear later in the report). Your mother might enjoy chihuly while DD visits the Science Center.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2076940

 

I think you're wise to visit the Market on Monday. It will still be crowded by 11am but nowhere near as bad as a Sunday. Be aware that the Market is multi buildings and multi level, with uneven surfaces.

 

I assume you'll use Light Rail from SeaTac to downtown. Ask your hotel shuttle driver to drop you at the Light Rail entrance instead of inside the airport. That will save you a 7-10 minute walk to the Light Rail station. The walk is basically thru the airport parking structure so it's flat and sheltered. It's hard for us to know how mobile your mother is ... sounds like the w/c is there IF she might need.

 

The Light Rail ends at Westlake Center. When you disembark, you'll see exit to 4th Ave and 3rd ( I think .... ). Whatever the signs say, choose 3rd so that you will exit closer to the Market, which is on 2nd/1st.

 

Westlake is also where you catch the monorail to the Seattle Center. It's quite a bit of walking. If your mother is worn out, take a cab to the Seattle Center ....$12- $15.

 

A ferry is always nice thing to do on a rainy day or a nice day. On a rainy day, pick up fish and chips at Ivars by the ferry terminal, then eat on board as you sail and enjoy the views. But on a nice day also give some thought to the water taxi to Alki Beach in West Seattle. This recent thread has info and photos...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2189170

 

Lots to see and do in Seattle ....visit Lake Union to kayak and watch the seaplanes. Go to the Fishermans Terminal in Ballard to see the fishing boats ... maybe a deadliest catch boat will be there. Visit the Ballard Locks to watch various sized boats pass thru ... very interesting. Aquarium, Ferris Wheel.

 

Check the city web sites for ideas:

 

http://www.visitseattle.org/Home.aspx

http://www.seattle.gov/visiting-seattle

Edited April 2, 2015 by mapleleaves

[Lady_Jag]

Wow! Thank you all for the great info! There's a lot of good stuff to digest here. I hadn't considered renting a car, but that would definitely be a good option.

Thanks! [emoji1]

 

 

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