Seattle

[NWBuck 8552]

16 hours ago, miguelito said:

By the way, the "Aroma in Tacoma" is now technically in Fife.

"The olfactory strife in Fife"? 

[NWBuck 8552]

13 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Not Tacoma related, but I will be buying a house in Sultan, on the road to stevens pass. Further out than I would like, but I went to where the price point fit.  Preference being mountains to ocean, so we looked east instead of north. 

I'll wave next time I head up to Lake Serene or Wallace Falls or Colchuck or... It's a gorgeous area. We're actually Vrbo-ing in Gold Bar after Christmas 

[Tonesky 932]

Am doing initial planning for family trip (wife and almost 17 year old twins) to Seattle and Vancouver in June 2024.  I have run through this thread and have noted the suggested Seattle sights/activities/excursions.  Very helpful!

I'd like to book flights and lodging in the immediate future.  How many days total, excluding bookend travel days?  How many days should we stay in (or base out of) each city?  Any other essential overnight (not day trip) destinations?

[gmr548 16576]

On 3/8/2024 at 11:51 AM, Tonesky said:

Am doing initial planning for family trip (wife and almost 17 year old twins) to Seattle and Vancouver in June 2024.  I have run through this thread and have noted the suggested Seattle sights/activities/excursions.  Very helpful!

I'd like to book flights and lodging in the immediate future.  How many days total, excluding bookend travel days?  How many days should we stay in (or base out of) each city?  Any other essential overnight (not day trip) destinations?

If you're coming from Texas in June I think you'll find anything short of like 90 days in WA to be too short.

Depends on a lot of things - what you're interested in, what's the standard for lodging, budget, etc. You could probably make a week work between those two cities or stretch it to a full two weeks 

The one thing I'd really highly recommend is 2-3 weeknights in Port Angeles to explore Olympic National Park, if you guys are remotely into that sort of thing. The town itself is sleepy but the Olympic Peninsula is just epic.

[Tonesky 932]

12 hours ago, gmr548 said:

The one thing I'd really highly recommend is 2-3 weeknights in Port Angeles to explore Olympic National Park, if you guys are remotely into that sort of thing. The town itself is sleepy but the Olympic Peninsula is just epic.

As it turns out, Seattle and Vancouver has morphed to Seattle, Olympic National Park, and Victoria BC.  Will spend a couple of days in Seattle and then head for the Peninsula.  Still working out the details, but the current plan is to head to Quinault for two nights (Quinault first afternoon, Hoh Rain Forest and Kalaloch beaches day two), drive to Port Angeles on day three, with stops along the way at Sol Duc Falls and Lake Crescent (Spruce RR/Devil's Punchbowl), Hurricane Ridge/Hill on the fourth morning, with the afternoon still up in the air.  One possibility, is to go to a lavender farm in Sequim, but we may be a tad early on lavender bloom.  Then, the next morning, take the ferry to Victoria for one night (whale excursion, Butchart Gardens, and the Royal BC Museum), before returning to Port Angeles the sixth evening.  The next morning, before heading back to Seattle, the plan is to hit Salt Creek Recreation Area to tide pool during a strong negative (-2) low tide. 

Edited March 16 by Tonesky

[NWBuck 8552]

I'm staying at the Quinault Lodge later this week... Rialto on Friday, Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge on the way back home via the Kingston ferry on Saturday. Will report back. 

We just had perfect weather this weekend, so of course it'll be high 40s and raining for my trip to the Peninsula. 

I've referenced this before, but I always use this website for intel on hiking and logistics (via the trip reports):

https://www.wta.org/

[Wally Fairway 5539]

6 hours ago, NWBuck said:

I'm staying at the Quinault Lodge later this week... Rialto on Friday, Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge on the way back home via the Kingston ferry on Saturday. Will report back. 

We just had perfect weather this weekend, so of course it'll be high 40s and raining for my trip to the Peninsula. 

I've referenced this before, but I always use this website for intel on hiking and logistics (via the trip reports):

https://www.wta.org/

Thanks for the wta link, we are going back to the PNW in July to visit our daughter (yeah no chance I am following the rules), and we  are looking to spend a few days in North Cascade NP. Still looking to put together an itinerary, this will really help. 

[NWBuck 8552]

On 3/16/2024 at 7:38 AM, Tonesky said:

Still working out the details, but the current plan is to head to Quinault for two nights (Quinault first afternoon, Hoh Rain Forest and Kalaloch beaches day two), drive to Port Angeles on day three, with stops along the way at Sol Duc Falls and Lake Crescent (Spruce RR/Devil's Punchbowl), Hurricane Ridge/Hill on the fourth morning, with the afternoon still up in the air. 

 

On 3/17/2024 at 10:20 PM, NWBuck said:

I'm staying at the Quinault Lodge later this week... Rialto on Friday, Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge on the way back home via the Kingston ferry on Saturday. Will report back. 

Checking back in... 

Quinault Lodge is a beautiful property, but a little smaller than the other PNW National Park lodges I've stay at. Forget about cell phone coverage or wifi tho (not a bad thing). Dino's at the west end of the lake is good for pizza and pub food. The Internet Cafe next door is the best place for breakfast- ate there both days. We had dinner at The Salmon House as well... Good food, and slightly better prices than the Roosevelt Room on property. 

We went to Rialto for the first day... No rain, just the typical Olympic Coast mist. 

Today, we headed north in better weather. Stopped at Kalaloch to make sure that the Tree Of Life was still clinging to this earth. 

We then went up to Sol Duc Falls... A bit chilly, but the only moisture was from the spray when it dripped back from the trees. 

On the way back to the highway, it started to rain so we decided to skip the trip to the Punchbowl (choosing a great bowl of Pho in Port Angeles). From there, back to the ferry and Seattle. 

Reading through your plans, I think they are better than what we did... The trips up and down and up the 101 were a bit of a beating. 

Happy to provide any additional intel that might be helpful. 

[Firemans4Horn 18034]

The best store I have ever been to in my life is Swain’s General Store in Port Angeles. I have a great trucker hat from there to prove my loyalty. 
 

Swain’s General Store

[gmr548 16576]

Well the position in Tacoma I mentioned before ultimately fell through but my wife has verbally accepted an offer that'll be officially based in Everett, but out in the field in Snohomish County regularly (hybrid so that would be 2-3x a week, at home for the rest). They're going through the whole reference/background check song and dance before producing the full written offer, so not quite official yet but it does look like we'll be moving up there in the next 4-6 weeks. Very excited but there's a lot to get done in the interim.

Our initial inclination is to look for a place in north Seattle convenient to I-5 and rail. Greenwood, Maple Leaf, Northgate, Green Lake, Roosevelt, something like that. Any thoughts on whether that counter-commute is doable? Evidently there are some staff that live in north Seattle and say it's not bad. I definitely prefer an urban location like that but I work remotely, I'm not the one commuting. Honestly I could compromise on an inner ring suburban location like Shoreline or Mountlake Terrace as long as it's convenient to I-5 + the coming rail extension. I worry that commuting from North Seattle will suck for her despite it being a counter commute but my wife is pretty set on living in Seattle proper as a base to get to know the region better. 

[Pato del Muerto 52484]

Rail currently terminates at northgate.  The advice I got when moving here was to avoid an I5 commute.  But that’s coming south in the morning so may not be relevant. 405 doesn’t look much better from my views of it at normal commute times.  

Edited April 20 by Pato del Muerto

[Pato del Muerto 52484]

Hey PNW people, I have an insect question.  This nest is on our front porch and I’ve not seen this type before.  ID please?  Maybe hornet?  It’s small, around 2” diameter right now, and I never see anything around it or insects flying around the front yard. 

[miguelito 11250]

Put your finger in there and see what happens. 

[shnsajax 3591]

Just crush it now before summer hits and something wants to live there. 

[shnsajax 3591]

15 hours ago, gmr548 said:

Well the position in Tacoma I mentioned before ultimately fell through but my wife has verbally accepted an offer that'll be officially based in Everett, but out in the field in Snohomish County regularly (hybrid so that would be 2-3x a week, at home for the rest). They're going through the whole reference/background check song and dance before producing the full written offer, so not quite official yet but it does look like we'll be moving up there in the next 4-6 weeks. Very excited but there's a lot to get done in the interim.

Our initial inclination is to look for a place in north Seattle convenient to I-5 and rail. Greenwood, Maple Leaf, Northgate, Green Lake, Roosevelt, something like that. Any thoughts on whether that counter-commute is doable? Evidently there are some staff that live in north Seattle and say it's not bad. I definitely prefer an urban location like that but I work remotely, I'm not the one commuting. Honestly I could compromise on an inner ring suburban location like Shoreline or Mountlake Terrace as long as it's convenient to I-5 + the coming rail extension. I worry that commuting from North Seattle will suck for her despite it being a counter commute but my wife is pretty set on living in Seattle proper as a base to get to know the region better. 

If you are living in the Northgate area, commuting up to Everett should be fine. Better than most Austin or DFW commutes buy a large margin! Everett area has a great ferry over to the islands as well too.

[otisdog 365]

Pretty sure that the Lynnwood extension opens August 30.

[NWBuck 8552]

22 hours ago, otisdog said:

Pretty sure that the Lynnwood extension opens August 30.

Just going to add this...

On 4/20/2024 at 6:44 AM, gmr548 said:

Our initial inclination is to look for a place in north Seattle convenient to I-5 and rail. Greenwood, Maple Leaf, Northgate, Green Lake, Roosevelt, something like that. Any thoughts on whether that counter-commute is doable? Evidently there are some staff that live in north Seattle and say it's not bad. I definitely prefer an urban location like that but I work remotely, I'm not the one commuting. Honestly I could compromise on an inner ring suburban location like Shoreline or Mountlake Terrace as long as it's convenient to I-5 + the coming rail extension. I worry that commuting from North Seattle will suck for her despite it being a counter commute but my wife is pretty set on living in Seattle proper as a base to get to know the region better. 

If you can get past the need to live in Seattle proper, being in Edmonds would be pretty sweet- close to Everett and a quick jaunt down to Seattle if you wanted. Bothell or Montlake Terrace (as you mentioned) might also work (Snohomish county for tax purposes).

If you were open to something more rural/small town, Snohomish is pretty nice, and I have a lot of friends who really like Woodinville (lotta wineries and such in that area).

[Pato del Muerto 52484]

12 minutes ago, NWBuck said:

If you were open to something more rural/small town, Snohomish is pretty nice, and I have a lot of friends who really like Woodinville (lotta wineries and such in that area).

If you’re cool with million dollar house prices. But I guess if you are comfortable in Seattle proper, you would be. 

[NWBuck 8552]

23 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

If you’re cool with million dollar house prices. But I guess if you are comfortable in Seattle proper, you would be. 

Yup. Except the ones in Seattle are about 2/3 the size and no yard or acreage for the same price.

[PantsTent 2002]

Taking the family for a trip in July.  I've skimmed the whole thread and Bainbridge Ferry is recommended often.  What do you do when you get there?  We'll be on foot from downtown.  Do you just ride it over and back for the views or is there something to do/see on the Island other than grab a beer and lunch?

 

[NWBuck 8552]

Good question- Lots of places to eat and shop and stuff right near the Bainbridge landing area, so you could probably get away with just walking.

You might consider renting a bike if you want to tour around a bit more (https://www.bikebarnrentals.com/)... I always try to go the the Exclusion Memorial when I go over to the island (with my car): https://www.nps.gov/miin/learn/historyculture/bainbridge-island-japanese-american-exclusion-memorial.htm

Here's a few resources: 

• https://www.destinationbainbridge.com/blog/bainbridge-island-activities/bainbridge-island-without-a-car/
• https://wheatlesswanderlust.com/day-trip-bainbridge-island/

 

[gmr548 16576]

On 4/22/2024 at 4:11 PM, NWBuck said:

Just going to add this...

If you can get past the need to live in Seattle proper, being in Edmonds would be pretty sweet- close to Everett and a quick jaunt down to Seattle if you wanted. Bothell or Montlake Terrace (as you mentioned) might also work (Snohomish county for tax purposes).

If you were open to something more rural/small town, Snohomish is pretty nice, and I have a lot of friends who really like Woodinville (lotta wineries and such in that area).

Edmonds would be sweet I just haven't seen anything in our sweet spot on the affordability/desirability spectrum. Seems like good quality rentals up there are expensive even by local standards and what's affordable is very old. Don't think we want to be so far out of the city as to be in Snohomish or Woodinville. Bothell and MLT on the radar though; SIL lives in Kirkland so being convenient to them is a plus.

On 4/22/2024 at 4:24 PM, Pato del Muerto said:

If you’re cool with million dollar house prices. But I guess if you are comfortable in Seattle proper, you would be. 

Cool with them in that they're irrelevant to a rental search lol. We're definitely going to rent for 9-12 months and go from there. Categorically cannot afford a SFH in Seattle or Edmonds. If we bought in Seattle it would definitely be the condo or townhouse route.

[Biff Tannen 45661]

6 hours ago, NWBuck said:

Good question- Lots of places to eat and shop and stuff right near the Bainbridge landing area, so you could probably get away with just walking.

You might consider renting a bike if you want to tour around a bit more (https://www.bikebarnrentals.com/)... I always try to go the the Exclusion Memorial when I go over to the island (with my car): https://www.nps.gov/miin/learn/historyculture/bainbridge-island-japanese-american-exclusion-memorial.htm

Here's a few resources: 

• https://www.destinationbainbridge.com/blog/bainbridge-island-activities/bainbridge-island-without-a-car/
• https://wheatlesswanderlust.com/day-trip-bainbridge-island/

 

I need to hit this up next time I go to the area. Also need to go to Manzanar in Cali. So stupid, but we need to remember. 

[Pato del Muerto 52484]

10 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

Don't think we want to be so far out of the city as to be in Snohomish or Woodinville. 

Bothell and MLT on the radar though

Bothell and woodinville are next to each other.  Woodinville might be 5 minutes further from Seattle. 

Edited April 24 by Pato del Muerto

[gmr548 16576]

1 minute ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Bothell and woodinville are next to each other.  Woodinville might be 5 minutes further from Seattle. 

Huh. The more you know. For whatever reason Woodinville was farther east in my mind. Thanks for the correction,

[Pato del Muerto 52484]

5 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

Huh. The more you know. For whatever reason Woodinville was farther east in my mind. Thanks for the correction,

If anything, bothell is probably further east than you are thinking. 
 

a few weeks ago I left work in bothell around 4 pm to get to my son’s soccer game in shoreline and with traffic not too bad it took around 30 minutes.  I did notice there’s a Trader Joe’s there.  And I think a winco grocery store. 

Edited April 24 by Pato del Muerto

[gmr548 16576]

Been off Surly for a while but my wife ended up accepting that job offer and started in late May. We hit the road out of Houston a month ago and are renting in Greenwood in North Seattle. Glad we went with this location because the neighborhood is great and wife's job, which has started off really well, is much more flexible in terms of remote work than initially expected. 

It's been a whirlwind making a cross country move on the quick and dirty side but we're starting to get settled in. Have some family and friends coming to visit over the next couple weeks so that will be nice. Eventually I need to join a basketball league and go to some networking/education events in my industry to get out and actually meet some new people.

Have work travel to Texas in July so I'm sure I will get absolutely wrecked without any kind of usual heat acclimation. 

 

[GenXer 2850]

Just got back from seattle a couple weeks ago. We went to both pearl jam shows.

We were treated to this view of Mt Rainier as we drove to the airport for our flight back home. Added the PJ soundtrack on the flight.

 

 

 

[CycleTex87 2965]

My Rainier didn’t look like that when we were there last September.  Actually it probably did look like that, we just couldn’t see it in the rain. 

[Tonesky 932]

Seattle is off to a strong start. 

[shnsajax 3591]

Been off Surly for a while but my wife ended up accepting that job offer and started in late May. We hit the road out of Houston a month ago and are renting in Greenwood in North Seattle. Glad we went with this location because the neighborhood is great and wife's job, which has started off really well, is much more flexible in terms of remote work than initially expected. 
It's been a whirlwind making a cross country move on the quick and dirty side but we're starting to get settled in. Have some family and friends coming to visit over the next couple weeks so that will be nice. Eventually I need to join a basketball league and go to some networking/education events in my industry to get out and actually meet some new people.
Have work travel to Texas in July so I'm sure I will get absolutely wrecked without any kind of usual heat acclimation. 
 

Summer in Seattle is tough to beat. Love our trips to the Washington coast in July once peak summer hits in Boise.

[Tonesky 932]

Trip was terrific!  We spent 2.5 days in Seattle (Pike's Place Market, Gates Foundation, Kerry Park, Chihuly Gardens, Space Needle, Museum of Pop Culture, Boeing factory tour, and The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum), before heading to the Olympic Peninsula and an overnight to Victoria, BC.  We spent the arrival afternoon and the next morning hiking at Lake Quinault, and the second afternoon at Ruby and Kalaloch beaches.  We blew off Hoh due to time and distance, and with encouragement from the Park Rangers, who assured we could get the same rain forest experience at Lake Quinault as at Hoh, only with less hours in the car, no wait to enter (limited parking access at Hoh), and fewer people on the trail.  The next morning, we headed for Port Angeles, with stops at Sol Duc Falls and Lake Crescent (Spruce RR, Devil's Punchbowl trail).  The full day based out of Port Angeles, we hiked Hurricane Hill in the morning and relaxed in Sequim in the afternoon, including visiting a couple of lavender farms, where the lavender was just beginning to bloom, but which was still worthwhile and provided shopping opportunities for the womenfolk.  Salty Girls Oyster Bar in Sequim is highly recommended!  The next morning, we took the ferry to Victoria, BC for one night.  That afternoon, we went on a whale watching expedition.  The next morning, we went to Butchart Gardens, and wandered around in the afternoon (more shopping), before catching the evening ferry back to Port Angeles.  The final day on the Peninsula, we explored tide pools at Salt Creek Recreation Area in the morning, returned to Salty Girls in Sequim for lunch, and stopped for a couple of hours in Port Townsend (more shopping....)  Finally, we spend 1.5 days hanging with family in Seattle, before returning home.  All in all, a great trip.  Photos to follow in separate posts.

[Macanudo 12974]

2 hours ago, Tonesky said:

Trip was terrific!  We spent 2.5 days in Seattle (Pike's Place Market, Gates Foundation, Kerry Park, Chihuly Gardens, Space Needle, Museum of Pop Culture, Boeing factory tour, and The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum), before heading to the Olympic Peninsula and an overnight to Victoria, BC.  We spent the arrival afternoon and the next morning hiking at Lake Quinault, and the second afternoon at Ruby and Kalaloch beaches.  We blew off Hoh due to time and distance, and with encouragement from the Park Rangers, who assured we could get the same rain forest experience at Lake Quinault as at Hoh, only with less hours in the car, no wait to enter (limited parking access at Hoh), and fewer people on the trail.  The next morning, we headed for Port Angeles, with stops at Sol Duc Falls and Lake Crescent (Spruce RR, Devil's Punchbowl trail).  The full day based out of Port Angeles, we hiked Hurricane Hill in the morning and relaxed in Sequim in the afternoon, including visiting a couple of lavender farms, where the lavender was just beginning to bloom, but which was still worthwhile and provided shopping opportunities for the womenfolk.  Salty Girls Oyster Bar in Sequim is highly recommended!  The next morning, we took the ferry to Victoria, BC for one night.  That afternoon, we went on a whale watching expedition.  The next morning, we went to Butchart Gardens, and wandered around in the afternoon (more shopping), before catching the evening ferry back to Port Angeles.  The final day on the Peninsula, we explored tide pools at Salt Creek Recreation Area in the morning, returned to Salty Girls in Sequim for lunch, and stopped for a couple of hours in Port Townsend (more shopping....)  Finally, we spend 1.5 days hanging with family in Seattle, before returning home.  All in all, a great trip.  Photos to follow in separate posts.

Fuck man, leave something for next time.    Just kidding but that sounds like a great trip even if it was a whirlwind.  

[Pato del Muerto 52484]

@gmr548 now that it’s July, pick a nice sunny day and go rent a floating hot tub on south lake Union. 

[Carl Spackler 3479]

Doing the Cascades Loop in mid-September.  Recs will be appreciated.

[NWBuck 8552]

16 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said:

Doing the Cascades Loop in mid-September.  Recs will be appreciated.

Hiking recs... Colchuck Lake (outside of Leavenworth), Cascade Pass (Sahale Arm) has great overnight camping (permit needed). 

Great shitter at Boston Basin if you are in the area. 

 

[creeper 98]

Definitely Colchuck.  My advice is to get there early to find parking and beat the crowds.

[Tonesky 932]

More Chihuli. He has lots of critics, but I’m a big fan. 

[Tonesky 932]

The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum was terrific. Three large hangers filled with restored airplanes, tanks, and related military equipment and armaments. The planes in particular are fully restored and operational. They make a point of identifying the handful that are the only known remaining of its kind - we don’t fly this one anymore, because we can’t risk losing it. 

[Tonesky 932]

Quinault Rain Forest

[Tonesky 932]

Ruby and Kalaloch beaches

[Tonesky 932]

Sol Duc Falls

 

Edited July 2 by Tonesky

[Tonesky 932]

Hurricane Hill Trail - paved, but grueling. 

[Tonesky 932]

Whales!  

[Tonesky 932]

The Butchart Gardens [at Victoria]

[Tonesky 932]

Tide pools at Salt Creek Recreation Area 

[NWBuck 8552]

9 hours ago, creeper said:

Definitely Colchuck.  My advice is to get there early to find parking and beat the crowds.

This. I try to hit the trail before the sun rises so I can get to the lake in time for a breakfast-ish nap:

(eldest daughter, after the morning's coffee has run out)

If you're feeling really adventurous (and in good shape), you can keep going and through hike the Enchantments (can't camp there without a permit). It's an incredible hike, but makes for a long ass day (and you have to figure out the car shuttle thing). So, I've done the up and back route most recently... it's definitely the way to go (according to my knees).

Moving pictures and stuff:

 

[PantsTent 2002]

Lots of great pics in the last couple of pages.  We went mid-July.  Mostly touristy shit in the city but did one day to Rattlesnake Ledge. Thanks once again to Surly for helping plan our trip!

 

Market and Great Wheel. Also not pictured the big fancy Starbucks for the wife.

 

Rattlesnake Ledge and Snoqualmie Falls

 

Space needle, Chihuly, Mariners/Astros..

 

Ferry to Bainbridge and Japanese Gardens

 

Didn't take too many food pics. Wife and I left the kids behind and did a date night at Shaker and Spear which was excellent. My teenage girls just had to eat at Biscuit Bitch once they heard there was a place called Biscuit Bitch.  Serious Pie was damn good, but the are really fucking serious about their pizza prices.  Never had a $200 bill for a pizza lunch for 6 before.

[yoladu 4090]

anybody have Port Angeles recs for a place to stay? looks pretty grim.

trying to squeeze in a long day at Olympic NP and would rather not use a part of that day driving to and from Seattle.

[gmr548 16576]

On 10/15/2024 at 7:20 PM, yoladu said:

anybody have Port Angeles recs for a place to stay? looks pretty grim.

trying to squeeze in a long day at Olympic NP and would rather not use a part of that day driving to and from Seattle.

Airbnb/VRBO all the way out there in my experience.