Questions for the Seattle pros

[Motor City]

First Alaska cruise out of Seattle and a few questions for the veterans.

 

1) We arrive at 10pm on Friday, embarkation is Sunday.

Should we stay at SEA hotel and then make our way DT or another place to stay on Saturday? 

We would like to explore Seattle, but haven't been, and don't know where a good jump off point would be.

 

2) Our flight home (Detroit) isn't until 10pm on debarkation day (Sunday).

Anyone know the best place to rent a car close to the port? Easiest way to get there?

We were thinking of just renting a car and spending the day exploring surrounding Seattle, instead of storing laggage and doing Uber, or stuck at SEA the entire day/evening.

 

3) Places to see or go in or around Seattle for a couple with 6 year old?

 

Thank you!

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

Come over to the West Coast Departures board, where Seattle is covered, and there are several locals on that board:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/315-west-coast-departures/

[Bxc53]

We are long time Seattle/ Western WA residents and have cruised out of Seattle port a couple times. Coming in at 10pm, I would strongly suggest getting a nice hotel near the airport with a restaurant, then transferring to the cruise port in the morning. Bluntly, the SEA-TAC area is pretty sketchy, so avoid walking at street level.

I don’t  have a specific suggestion for downtown/ port area car rentals, but you might consider a transfer back to the airport and renting there. It would also simplify the pre-flight dropoff.

 

Entertaining a 6 yo? My youngest grandchild is 13, Can’t help much there. 🙂

 

Enjoy your cruise! 

[jljcruise]

3 hours ago, Motor City said:

1) We arrive at 10pm on Friday, embarkation is Sunday.

Should we stay at SEA hotel and then make our way DT or another place to stay on Saturday? 

We would like to explore Seattle, but haven't been, and don't know where a good jump off point would be.

 

3) Places to see or go in or around Seattle for a couple with 6 year old?

 

I'd stay downtown since you have a full day to tour, unless you want to do something in the outer area like drive to Mt. Rainer. In town you'd have lots more to see and do.... Seattle Center attractions (for kids, there's the Pacific Science Center which has lots of hands-on), the city waterfront has a lot of attractions including an Aquarium,  and if you have a car (or want to try a bus) there's the excellent Woodland Park Zoo not too far away.

 

BTW, I don't think the airport area is too awfully sketchy except maybe at night, but I'd say the same of downtown. True of most big cities I've been in.

Edited July 17, 2023 by jljcruise
Added info

[gknep]

For the 6 year old the Aquarium (downtown on the waterfront) might be a good place to go. We lived in Seattle when our daughter was that age and she loved going there. 

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Motor City said:

First Alaska cruise out of Seattle and a few questions for the veterans.

 

1) Should we stay at SEA hotel and then make our way DT or another place to stay on Saturday? 

Recommend not changing hotels - too much hassle and time lost; just book one and enjoy your time. You can turn rental car in at airport Sunday and take the HAL shuttle to the ship. Easy Peasy.

 

2) Anyone know the best place to rent a car close to the port? Easiest way to get there?

Easiest way is to book a rental - take the HAL airport shuttle to the airport and pick up the rental. You'll drop it back off before your flight that night.

 

3) Places to see or go in or around Seattle for a couple with 6 year old? - no insight on this one, but the aquarium recommendation sounds good.

 

Thank you!

 

 

Hi - please see answers above.

Safe travels - enjoy your cruise.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

There are car rental locations downtown. You might check with Enterprise to see if they will meet you at the pier. They advertise they will pick you up within a certain distance. You can then drop the car off at the airport. Generally, if you rent at the airport, it will cost more.

[fabuloso]

Your 6 year old would probably love to see the gum wall over by Pike Place Market...

 

https://unexpectedproductions.org/gumwall/

[Cruising-along]

Another local here and another vote for the aquarium and/or zoo.  Our 8-year-old grandson loves both.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Also along the waterfront is the Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, a fun and strange shop. The big wheel is there and Ivar's Fish and Chips are available. Just watch out for seagulls trying to steal your fries. Watching flying salmon at Pike Place Market is always fun. Not sure if they fly on weekends though.

[DTtravelers]

If your 6 YO s into airplanes, the Museum of Flight might be of interest.  The only problem is that you can easily spend days there...

[SCX22]

Recommend staying near the Westlake Center.  It's a short walk to Pike Place, and from the Westlake Center, you can take the Monorail to the Seattle Center complex where the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass, and Museum of Pop Art are.  

[seagunthera]

Investigate using Kyte- they drop off a rental car at your hotel and come pick it up whenever you schedule. Also, use Port Valet for your luggage (go to the website and see if your airline participates) that way you will not have any large checked bags to tote around!

[Gardyloo]

When is this trip?  It matters because there are a number of events in the region that could influence your decision.  It also appears that you're sailing on Holland America, which uses the Pier 91 (Smith Cove) terminal, which is located quite some distance from downtown or other attractions.  

 

Not knowing dates, here's what I'd recommend.  

 

Spend the arrival night near the airport.  Hotels will be cheaper than downtown and arriving at 10 PM means 1 AM on your body clocks.  Take one of the free shuttles to an airport hotel, maybe one that offers breakfast, and call it good.  

 

The next morning (Saturday) relocate to a downtown hotel and do the bulk of your touring of the city then.  I'd personally save the Pike Place market for Sunday morning - as early as possible - in order to avoid the awesome crowds that fill the market by late morning.  As for what to do on Saturday, there are many threads on this board covering that, but my recommendation would be to do some things that are a little less "typical," if I can use that term.  Google the following:

 

- West Seattle water taxi and walk to Alki Beach

- Ferry to Bainbridge Island and visit to Bloedel Reserve

- Fremont Troll, Gas Works Park and Archie McPhee

- Fishermen's Terminal and Ballard Locks salmon viewing

- Museum of Flight (already mentioned - a blast for kids.)

- Uwajimaya, Kinokuniya Books, and dim sum in the Chinatown/International District

- Asean StrEAT - a SE Asian food hall (like a Singapore hawker center) at Westlake

 

Sunday morning, head to the Pike Place market for breakfast at Lowell's (opens at 8 AM) then watch the vendors set up for the day.  Be gone from the market by 10 or 10:30, maybe with some (amazing) flowers for your cabin on the ship.  Return to your hotel, collect your bags, and taxi or Uber to the cruise terminal.  

 

When you return, because you're flying out that night, and because Pier 91 is far from downtown, I'd simply take whatever form of transportation (taxi, Uber, shuttle van) to the airport and collect a car there for the day.  The rental companies are charging "one way" drop-off fees for cars picked up downtown and dropped at the airport; that fee will undoubtedly be more than the transportation cost from the pier to the airport.  

 

With the car and roughly 10 hours or so available (giving yourselves plenty of time to return the car and check in that night) you still have lots of options.  You could make it to Mount Rainier and back - roughly 2 1/2 hours driving time each way from the airport - or you could stay at sea level and explore our watery area a little.  One possibility would be the "Vashon loop," an enjoyable ride that includes some fun sights in Tacoma as well as scenic Vashon Island.  Google the places on this map - https://goo.gl/maps/7whkZ4ZsqY8o3N456

 

Another would be to explore the beautiful Snoqualmie Valley, east of the city.  This could include Snoqualmie Falls, a visit to Remlinger Farms (very kid-friendly) or the Snoqualmie Valley railroad museum.  Map - https://goo.gl/maps/Ku43sHwTyhdCnEyz8

 

Or, if the Mariners are in town, Sundays are always day games, so you could skip the car, store your bags at the airport (storage place open 24 hours) and ride the light rail from the airport to the ballpark, watch the Mariners lose (most likely this year) and be back at the airport in plenty of time.  

 

Lots of options.

[just_cruising_along]

I would second everything that Gardyloo said in regard to hotels and transportation and getting out of downtown once you have a chance to se some sights.

 

If you want to rent a car and remain in the city for the day, parking and keeping your luggage in the vehicle have their own issues. 

 

Traveling with a young child means ensuring you are near amenities and facilities. Some other options for ideas expressed in this thread are: 

Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (already mentioned, and slightly outside of downtown, but great to see salmon and boat watching going through the locks - depending upon how much your child likes to roam this is of great interest, but does requiring some standing and watching).  

 

If you child likes to run around (all my kids do) the free outdoor Arts at Play along with the Seattle Children's Museum or Pacific Science Center (in the Seattle Center with the Space Needle) are good options.  Of course mentioned many times is the Seattle Waterfront (aside from the aquarium it has some touristy child-friendly activities near the Ferris wheel).  You could take a Water Taxi to West Seattle, or tour the Theo Chocolate Factory (which is 13 minutes away from downtown by car), or going to the Museum of History and Industry which is on South Lake Union and near the Center for Wooden Boats. 

 

Whatever you decide to do, have a great cruise and wonderful visit Seattle. 

[SusieKIslandGirl]

I’m not sure the cost of the ferry fare is worth the loop through Vashon. And you could end up wasting a lot of time waiting for a ferry that might not run, due to “lack of qualified crew”.  

[Meander Ingwa]

So many Excellent Suggestions, ditto on the  opinion on Vashon experience and the risk for ferries staffing issues

 

  Snoqualmie falls and the train museum are a fun change of pace and with Remlinger that is a big kid friendly day.

[lf4UA]

I am not an expert on Seattle by any stretch of the imagination, but I have cruised out of Seattle and my son recently moved there.  I would suggest getting a hotel downtown upon arrival rather than staying near the airport. It's a lot of trouble to change hotels with the difference in check-out/check-in times and dealing with luggage.  Plus, one of my absolute favorite things to do in Seattle is to walk from my hotel to Pike Place Market first thing in the morning.. every morning!  There is a wonderful French bakery, Le Panier, that I hit up first thing.  Seattle is a beautiful city with lots to do within walking distance downtown.  With that said, my visits haven't been with a 6 year-old in tow🙂.

[techteach]

Local grandparent here…Aquarium is great, but buy your tickets ahead for timed entry. It is very crowded this time of year due to cruise ships at the dock on Saturday and Sunday. Go to the market, but get there early because the main aisle becomes almost impassable, I know because we buy our groceries there every Saturday morning. Forget the gum wall, yuck. They throw fish every day, but walk around the corner and get some baby donuts for the 6 year old. Museum of Flight is fantastic, our 3 year old loves it, but be sure to walk across the street and see the out door planes. Pacific Science Center is always a hit with kids and there’s lots of room for them to run around on the grass. BUT the weekend you are here makes a huge difference because there are huge events at the center and I wouldn’t go near it. I hate moving between hotels, that’s why I cruise, so I would take a shorter ride at night to downtown, sleep in, and get up refreshed and ready to explore Seattle. By staying downtown you can ride the Monorail to the center, or the SLUT, South Lake Union Train, down to Lake Union to the Boat Center.

[wheezedr]

Just did a HA round trip like you are planning last month. We also had a late 6:30 flight and we’re concerned about where to go and our luggage for the day.  Highly recommend the Museum of Flight.  It is 2/3 of the way to the airport so there is no doubling back. They have a large open room, locked except to staff, off the lobby where they gladly store luggage at no charge.  We arrived prior to the actual museum opening but one of the docents saw us with luggage and escorted us to the room even before the ticket windows opened.  You will never see it all but your 6 year old will love it.  Make sure you get to the covered outdoor area where you and he can climb into a variety of planes.  A nice cafe for a lunch break.  Only a short trip to SeaTac at the end.  You will have time for the ridiculously long security lines at SeaTac. Maybe not as bad as on the July 4 weekend.

[SelectSys]

On 7/18/2023 at 10:02 AM, just_cruising_along said:

Traveling with a young child means ensuring you are near amenities and facilities.

Agreed

On 7/23/2023 at 10:32 AM, techteach said:

Pacific Science Center is always a hit with kids and there’s lots of room for them to run around on the grass.

The whole Seattle Center is great for kids.  The science center is fun, space needle, running around the fountain.  I am not sure if the carnival rides and games still exist.  Lots of options for food as well.

 

Easy access from the Westlake Center via the Monorail which kids always like.

[sunneesmile]

Do any of you have any advice for a day tour from Seattle to Mt. Rainier.  I know we could rent a car and do it on our own, but I think we would rather just do an organized tour with someone who knows the area.  This would be for early Sept. Thanks

[Gardyloo]

16 hours ago, sunneesmile said:

Do any of you have any advice for a day tour from Seattle to Mt. Rainier.  I know we could rent a car and do it on our own, but I think we would rather just do an organized tour with someone who knows the area.  This would be for early Sept. Thanks

Seattle Tours & Activities | Tours Northwest | Seattle, WA

[princeton123211]

18 hours ago, sunneesmile said:

Do any of you have any advice for a day tour from Seattle to Mt. Rainier.  I know we could rent a car and do it on our own, but I think we would rather just do an organized tour with someone who knows the area.  This would be for early Sept. Thanks

It's an extremely long day-- the drive just to the entrance to the park is 2 hours each way from downtown Seattle. And that doesn't take into account driving in the park or any trails etc that you would want to do. It can be done but just know you are signing up for a very long day even if you want to see just a small portion of the park.

 

I've done this a few times (lived in Seattle for a few years) and frankly I would not want to spend 10 hours beholden to a 24 passenger mini coach on a tour. For that sort of duration personally would be much more comfortable in your own car. 

[techteach]

I would rent a car, get a good map, use this thread to help you decide where to go and go for it. If you rent a car from downtown, depending upon the day of the week and which route you take, you’re looking at 2 to 2 1/2 up to the entrance to the park. I would head to Tipsoo Lake. Walk around it and enjoy the incredible view of Mt. Rainier. Take a picnic and camera with you. Bathrooms are at the lake. You mentioned going in September— that is also the time of the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, so check for traffic on HWY 167.