Seattle ideas?

[wilsonfamily4]

Okay all y'all Seattle folks. In a few weeks my husband is taking us on his business trip to Seattle. I will have 2 days with the kids while he is classes. Our hotel is pretty close to Pike Place Market and The Space Needle, and has a shuttle to these places as well. I have been to Seattle a few times but it has been so long! If I remember correctly around the needle there are rides? Is this true? Also we were thinking of going to the zoo right there as we get in free with our local zoo membership. And there is an aqaurium near there as well. Have any of you been to these two places? Any thoughts! I am just excited to get out and go somewhere half way fun!

[Jusacuz]

I've never been to the Space Needle but have been to the aquarium. http://www.seattleaquarium.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=183&srcid=-2 It was years ago and I took my daughter and nephew. We all really enjoyed it.

There's also the Experience Music Project. http://www.empsfm.org/ I have not been there, but plan on going in November.

We also usually visit the Seattle Art Museum. You might look into getting a CityPass. It's good for 5 (?) different attractions at a discounted price.

Have fun. Seattle is one of my favorite places to visit. :sunshine2:

[spring]

I visited Seattle for a day last May. I remember seeing the rides around the Space Needle, but the morning we were there, they weren't running. Perhaps we were too early? Pikes Market is definitely a great place to go.

[wilsonfamily4]

We won't get the city pass because with our zoo membership we get in free to the zoo and we just won't be able to go to all those places. We will be doing a Mariners game one evening as well. I am glad to hear you like the aquariam. We have been to a few and they all can be so different. Glad to hear this is a good one. I am also glad my son will be 3 for a few more weeks so he can get in free. :)

i wish I could find more on those rides. I don't want to go when they aren't open!

I know the kids will love Pikes Market. It will be fun to see it through kids eyes as I only went as a college student, about once a year. My daughter is a bit of a health nut (at 6!) so she will want to buy all the food. :)

I am just so excited to get away!!

[wendyburger]

If you are going to the Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center is right there and always has something interesting to see. You might also want to check out what is playing at IMAX. Since your kids are young, check out the Children's museum. It is downstairs in the Center House (by the Space Needle). I thought that was a lot of fun playing in there with my son. I had to drag him out!

The rides by the Space Needle are nothing special though. They are basically just carnival rides. I bought a few tickets for my son to go on the motorcycles, but really, nothing to plan your day around.

Tha Aquarium is cool...as is just looking at the shops down there on the waterfront.

In the middle of town, they have the Cheesecake factory (yummers!!) I was shocked at the huge menu and the options of food they had. And shopping center right in that area, etc.

[mollyeilis]

Just found this post!

So...why are you going to the Space Needle? It's not really, well, interesting. You have to pay $$$ to go up in the elevator, there are usually lines, it's not my choice of tourist destination, especially for those with little kids. :)

The Market however is fun! Stinky fish, but other than that, fun. Also multi-leveled, so you can really get in there and explore if you want.

It's not inside the market, but on the cobblestone street along the market...there's a walk-up place called Taxi Dog. We're vegetarian yet we can get a "hot dog" there....if you guys want hot dogs, people swear by them. :) If you like simple walk-and-eat Chinese food, they have hom-bow (steamed, filled dumpling type things) along that same side opposite the market.

If you like Irish food, up the hill from the market but still in that same area is Kell's. They have a bar attached, but their restaurant allows all ages.

Just walking along the waterfront (you can get there from the Market by stairs, streets, or elevator I believe) is great and beautiful, and makes you yearn to be on a boat.

I haven't been to the aquarium, but the zoo is great. We had a membership there and to Point Defiance zoo in Tacoma before this Year of a Million Disneyland Trips. There's a big indoor play area at the entrance away from the biggish parking area. If you don't want to spend your day in a play area, go in the entrance with the parking (south entrance, I think). Check out the jaguar (or jaguars, if they introduced the female yet). He is gorgeous and powerful looking...he can spook me sometimes. He also has a storied and unsavory past (really!). The brown bears are huge and fun to watch.


I'm not sure when your trip is, but since you're planning on going to Seattle Center, it's good to know about a festival:

Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration May 4, 2008

Here is the website for the rides near Seattle Center: http://www.funforest.com/

That's waaaaay too much info for a 2 day trip! :)

[wilsonfamily4]

O, no I am not going to the Space Needle. Well I want the kids to see it but we are not going up. :) I just know that there is SO MUCH to do around the needle. AWe are going the 7-8 so we will miss the festival by a few days.

Pikes Market is a must. I cannot wait for my kids to see those fish go flying. Even as an adult it awes me.

[shades99]

Check out this link for the Pacific Science Center: http://www.pacsci.org/

My girls LOVED this place when we lived in WA. There is so much to do there to fill an entire day between the planetarium, hands-on exhibits for kids, IMAX theater, mole rats to look at....and the carnival rides are close by. Really, as another posted stated, the carnival rides are just that - nothing too exciting. The best - I would say are the indoor bumper cars if they still exist. If you want to go into the planetarium, be sure to line up early because it is a small room and fills up quickly.

We saw Disney's Beauty and the Beast at the IMAX theater years ago. I would recommend looking at the IMAX website and see if there is a movie you would be interested in and buying tickets in advance. You may be able to get a discount on the tickets based on your zoo membership. We were members of the Point Defiance Zoo - (this was a 2nd favorite weekend hangout after the Pacific Science Center - but, it is located about 25 +/- miles away from Seattle down in the Federal Way area) and we got discounted IMAX tickets.

We didn't think the Seattle aquarium was anything special - it is very small from what I remember.

Have fun on your trip!! Seattle is so much fun!!! A friend of mine said they had snow in Federal Way a couple of days ago so be prepared for really cold weather - just incase.

[wilsonfamily4]

Check out this link for the Pacific Science Center: http://www.pacsci.org/

My girls LOVED this place when we lived in WA. There is so much to do there to fill an entire day between the planetarium, hands-on exhibits for kids, IMAX theater, mole rats to look at....and the carnival rides are close by. Really, as another posted stated, the carnival rides are just that - nothing too exciting. The best - I would say are the indoor bumper cars if they still exist. If you want to go into the planetarium, be sure to line up early because it is a small room and fills up quickly.

We saw Disney's Beauty and the Beast at the IMAX theater years ago. I would recommend looking at the IMAX website and see if there is a movie you would be interested in and buying tickets in advance. You may be able to get a discount on the tickets based on your zoo membership. We were members of the Point Defiance Zoo - (this was a 2nd favorite weekend hangout after the Pacific Science Center - but, it is located about 25 +/- miles away from Seattle down in the Federal Way area) and we got discounted IMAX tickets.

We didn't think the Seattle aquarium was anything special - it is very small from what I remember.

Have fun on your trip!! Seattle is so much fun!!! A friend of mine said they had snow in Federal Way a couple of days ago so be prepared for really cold weather - just incase.

Thanks for the ideas. I will check them out. Yes, it has been very cold in the Pacific Northwest. We have now had a couple of days without snow but then a windstorm came through. :) I am so looking forward to a trip away. Hoping at least for some sun for pikes place market!