For my H's birthday/Valentine's Day I'm putting together a packet of 12 pre-planned date nights and for our anniversary month I want to plan a weekend where we play tourist in our own region, Seattle!
But since we live here (greater Seattle area) we've never had need to get a hotel in Seattle, so I'm not sure where we should stay. Suggestions please! The only real requirement I have is that I want a jacuzzi or large soaking tub. ![]()
If you have other fun suggestions of things to do I'm open to those ideas as well. We've done Pike Street, SAM, Space Needle, and EMP/SciFi Museum, so we'll most likely be skipping those. But, we've never been to the gum wall or the original Starbucks, and my H has talked about wanting to do the Seattle Underground tour, so I am open to ideas for "traditional" Seattle tourist things. I might even use the ideas for other date nights and not just our anniversary weekend. ![]()
Right now I'm leaning towards maybe taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island, but I'm still in the planning stages so nothing is set in stone.
Re: Seattle
What's your budget? DH and I stayed at the new Four Seasons Seattle for six nights (we got married there so it was before / after our wedding) and I can't rave about the hotel enough. The outdoor patio is awesome, the views are incredible, and the service is amazing. The food in their restaurant, Art, is also *really* good (as is the Fran's Chocolates located in their lobby).
Other places I know are supposed to be nice:
-Hotel 1000
-Inn at the Market
-Fairmont Olympic (personally I think it's gone downhill a bit)
Anyway, all the afore-mentioned hotels are conveniently located right downtown (the Four Seasons is right next to Pike Place, the gum wall, the original Starbucks, etc.). You could walk to Pioneer Square to do the underground tour (which is awesome and which you should do). Other things you might consider:
-It's unlikely to pan out well in February, but if you've never gone canoeing over by the UW / arboretum that's so much fun (on a nice day!). Go to the University of Washington WAC (waterfront activities center) and rent a canoe and paddle around. You usually see blue herons, bald eagles, fish, and turtles sunning themselves on logs.
-The food tour of Pike Place Market - there are several companies that offer it, but you get to sample a whole host of different tasty tidbits - Beecher's mac&cheese, chocolates, etc.
-Volunteer Park / Seattle Asian Art Museum - again, nice weather makes this better, but the Asian Art Museum can still be pretty cool.
-Burke Museum at the UW - always has changing exhibits. Usually small enough to see in a few hours.
-The Symphony - the nice thing with going to the symphony is that you don't need to buy a great seat because you are going to listen more than you are going to watch. Sure, you *can* buy a great seat - but you can also buy a less expensive seat and just enjoy the music.
HTH! If you want to flush out more around your budget for hotel / food / activities, I'd be happy to make more recommendations for meals / places to stay - I went higher-end with the above hotels but there are good moderate ones if that's more your preference.
I moved here a few years ago and lived downtown for 2 years (still work down here and just moved 2 miles away), so I've gotten pretty good at playing tour guide!
Can't help with the hotel because I'm not sure which would have a Jacuzzi/soaking tub. I do know that when we first visited the area years ago we stayed at the W and really liked it.
I would skip the Underground tour. I found it boring and the areas they take you through just sort of look like dirty basements. I did a Savor Seattle tour of the Market that was really well done and they gave us a ton of food. I also did a Market Ghost Tour with my team at work that was rather interesting (and included the gum wall since they include a lot of general history). If you've never been you should also head up to Kerry Park in Queen Anne for the view and the troll in Fremont (and if you're in Fremont for lunch go to Pie!). And here's a little tip: the "original" Starbucks in the Market isn't actually the original Starbucks.
If you want to go over to Bainbridge, I'd recommend taking the ferry in the morning and having brunch at Cafe Nola. It's a nice walk through town and they have a great eggs benedict.
If you give me some parameters I can give you some restuarant recs, too.
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
My Travel Blog
I think I want to keep the budget around $500, but we can be a little flexible because we eat out a ton as it is, and periodically go do things that cost money, so really the main cost is going to be the hotel.
Also, our anniversary isn't until May, so that helps with the weather situation; I have something else planned for the February date night.
I did the Underground tour when I was a kid (maybe 10?) and thought it was incredibly boring and lame, but my H has periodically talked about how that's something he'd like to do. I'm kind of on the fence about this activity. I'd love to go paddling around Lake Washington, but my H would make a face at that suggestions.
I'd forgotten about the food tours a Pike Place Market, and we'd both probably enjoy that. I haven't been to Kerry Park (not sure about H), but we have gone to the Fremont Troll.
Let's see... restaurant parameters... nothing that requires us to dress up? LOL! That's not really a big issue in Seattle, but I guess it does rule out Canlis.
We both love food and are open to all types of cuisine, but H doesn't drink and I don't do beer/wine, so a restaurant that is awesome because of it's cocktails and flights isn't super appealing.
First off, you Seattle-based girls should come over to TN Seattle group - just sayin'.
Second off, in terms of restaurants... here are a few suggestions:
-How to Cook a Wolf (Queen Anne)
-Art Restaurant (Four Seasons Hotel - I know this sounds crazy but their food is amazing. If you're old enough to remember Kerry Sears' restaurant, Cascadia, he's now the executive chef there and it's delicious. Try the miso-glazed black cod -- incredible!)
-Il Terrazo Carmine (Pioneer Square - kind of tucked away but pretty good)
-Tavolata (Belltown, also an Ethan Beard restaurant)
-Any of Tom Douglas' restaurants (Lola, Palace Kitchen, Etta's, etc.)
-Portage Bay Cafe (for brunch; a couple locations)
-Pink Door (Pike Place Market - I like it and think it has fun atmosphere... they even do a cabaret show that's supposed to be pretty fun if that would interest you and H)
-Wild Ginger (downtown - has pretty decent Thai food)
You may have been to some of those places already, but those are what I came up with off the top of my head. I haven't lived in Seattle for 4+ years now, so I don't eat out as frequently (I get back up there once a month but haven't had a chance to try all these new places), so there are probably a lot I'm missing... but hopefully this is a decent start!
LOL Canlis and Rover's are the only two I can think of!
There's Paseo, and in May you could go to the one in Fremont and take it to Gasworks to eat, or go to the one in Ballard and walk across the street to the water to eat.
Nijo has really good sushi (the DFR is awesome) and good atmosphere.
Given your sig pic, if you've never had Chicago-style pizza Kylie's in Fremont does a pretty darn good job with it (I went to college and later grad school in Chicago).
Lecosho is reeeaalllllyy good.
If you've never been to a Tom Douglas restaurant that can be fun, and Lola does a good brunch if you're not interested in any of them for dinner.
The New York Times declared the banh mi at Saigon Deli the best in the country (although I prefer Seattle Deli a couple blocks away).
Also in the International District, I really like Tamarind Tree for the "Specialty noodle in bowl or platter" (just wanted to point that out since they're easy to miss on the menu).
OK now I just made myself way too hungry!
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
My Travel Blog
I don't know why I find this so funny, but I do.
Sorry, Nonny.
It's a totally dumb question. I actually have a list a mile long of places to eat and things to do, but somehow trying to make it all come together for our anniversary seems daunting. LOL! Mostly I just need help with the hotel.
And to the PP, I have eaten at the Palace Kitchen and we're doing Teatro ZinZanni very soon, so I think I'm covered with with Tom Douglas.
Are you talking about the Nest Seattle board?
We stayed at the W twice for just $90.
Re Tom Douglas -- Palace Kitchen was my least favorite. I liked Serious Pie, Lola, and Dahlia Lounge much more (in that order).
Your husband is a Priceline ninja though. I don't have his madskillz.
You should go to Snoqualmie and stay at the Salish Lodge (www.salishlodge.com), it's pretty darn nice, I love it there. The rooms have fireplaces and big jacuzzi tubs in the bathroom with shutters that open up to the bedroom, so a little romanticity there, lol. The Falls are totally stunning and really nice to hear them from your room. They serve up awesome breakfasts in the restaurant and the spa is fabulous. It's only a 30 min drive from downtown Seattle if I remember right.
If downtown Seattle is where you want to be though, we've stayed at both the Westin (twin circular towers) and Renaissance Seattle, and both were great. The Metropolitan Grill and The Brooklyn are fantastic restaurants, totally top notch steak. Ditto pp with Portage Bay Cafe for brunch, they have all-u-can-eat fresh fruit & toppings for your pancakes/french toast, we always get totally stuffed!
Yes, yes I am.
I don't know what weekend your anniversary is, but I just randomly priced out for Saturday 5/19 and I think the best deal, based on the prices I saw, was either the Fairmont Olympic or the Pan Pacific. They were both around $200 a night, whereas other hotels were a lot higher.
Keep in mind that as soon as Alaska cruise season starts up, the hotel prices skyrocket on the weekends.... I do like PP's suggestion of the Salish Lodge. Another option would be to do Willows Lodge out in Woodinville and spend the day wine tasting, then have dinner at the Barking Frog.
Ooh, great suggestion! It's beautiful there.
If you are going to do all the sightseeing touristy stuff buy the Citypass! So worth it and it totally covers everything at a way cheaper price than if you were doing it all separately.
Sorry if this was obvious but I found my way here from thebump and had to comment!
I'm in the area too, and we've stayed at Hotel 100, Pan Pacific & Inn at the Market. My favorite is actually Inn at the Market. We just stayed there in December & our room & service were great! If you stay here, try to get a room that is water or courtyard facing (not 1st Ave.). I procrastinated in making our reservations & that was all that was left and the street noise was quite loud. I have out of town family that stay here every time they're in town (they've tried several different hotels and this is their favorite too) and they always get water facing & have never had a problem with noise.
I love Teatro ZinZanni! If you've never been, make sure you go all out with attire. It's way more fun than just lbd imo. I'm talking feather boa, hair adornments, fishnets, etc.