Getaway to Seattle

Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA.

For a quick getaway, Seattle is a great choice. We just took a quick trip, and it was a delightful and relaxing couple of days. We drove up through the “Snowpocalypse” in Portland. That drive was not so relaxing, kind of more the opposite. Thankfully blizzards on I-5 are few and far between. Normally the drive, from anywhere in the Willamette Valley, is a breeze. As an alternative to driving, which we thought about a lot while driving, Amtrak offers service from numerous cities all the way up the valley. And on the Seattle end, the train drops passengers (at the King St. Station) just a few short blocks from Pike Place Market and the Seattle Waterfront.

We stayed on the waterfront at a fabulous hotel, The Edgewater. Built in 1962 for the Worlds Fair in Seattle, at the same time as the Space Needle and the monorail, The Edgewater earned a place on the map of the Rock & Roll world when the doors were thrown open to welcome the Fab Four, John, Paul, George and Ringo — the Beatles. In 1964 “Beatlemania” was raging and a number of downtown hotels turned the band away in light of the turmoil their presence would have caused in day to day operations. Not a “day to day” hotel, the Edgewater welcomed them in. They fenced off the parking lot, and people were still trying to swim out into Elliot Bay to catch a glimpse of their long-haired heroes. That took some dedication, Elliot Bay’s water temperature ranges from 42 degrees to maybe 62 degrees, on a “warm” day. The Edgewater is built on a pier, so when you open the window on a bayside room, the water is below. There’s a now famous photo of the Beatles fishing out the window of their room. Word got out among fellow rockers and since then, the Edgewater has hosted Led Zeppelin, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, The Monkees and many others.

The Lobby at the Edgewater

It’s easy to see why rock stars, who can stay anywhere they want, stay at the Edgewater. You’d be hard pressed to find a better view, not just in Seattle, but anywhere. Looking out over the bay at the ferry boats and the Olympic Mountains in the distance, is breathtaking. The service at the Edgewater is second to none, all of the staff is constantly attentive (without hovering), the rooms are cozy and “northwesty,” and the bar and restaurant don’t just share the spectacular view from huge picture windows, the food is fantastic, and the drink choices are extensive. Dinner at the Edgewater began with fantastic Rosemary / Sea Salt Sourdough bread. Right away I knew we were in for a treat. If the bread was that good… For an appetizer I enjoyed the best crab cake ever. Shrimp and crab actually, it was seriously good. Not the usual flakey cake that falls apart, this one was done in a French style with creamy egg to hold everything together — so so good. The main course was salmon, seared and finished on a cedar plank and then drizzled with a light hint of honey. The salmon was cooked to perfection. If you’re a salmon lover – make sure and go enjoy this at the Edgewater – you will not be disappointed. For desert, a personal Key Lime Pie with fresh whipped cream. One would think the best Key Lime Pie would be found in Key West Florida. Wrong corner of the country, the best Key Lime Pie is at the Edgewater in Seattle – seriously. Dinner at the Edgewater was one of the best meals I’ve ever had, and I’ve had some meals. I did not imbibe, but if you’re interested in a drink, the beverage menu is 28 pages long — they have what you want. The service, thanks to our server Laura, and the rest of the staff, was fantastic, which we’d come to expect after 24 hours at the Edgewater.

The Beatles Suite

Currently, Seattle is undergoing a huge waterfront redevelopment project. The main issue is the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which was built years ago when the waterfront was viewed as merely a terminal for passengers and goods that came and went by ship. The Viaduct bisects the waterfront from Pike Place market and downtown. Now, residents and visitors want to take advantage of the fabulous view, the recreation opportunities, and of course the tourism dollars that Seattle’s beautiful waterfront generates. The Viaduct is on the way out — or down rather. The elevated highway is being dropped to ground level and huge infrastructure improvements are underway to allow access by foot to the waterfront. That’s good news because the Edgewater sits front and center along Seattle’s downtown waterfront. You can walk from the Edgewater not to Pike’s Place Market, and downtown. And if you’re a Mariners, Sounders, or Seahawks fan, they all play a short punt from the Edgewater. Uber drivers are everywhere, as are Lyft drivers, if you’ve headed up from the Willamette Valley, do yourself a favor and download the apps before you go. Request a car and driver and one magically appears in moments to take you wherever you want to go. Or you can easily walk to the Seattle Aquarium, The Great Wheel (the ferris wheel at pier 57), or you can hop on a ferry and cruise across the bay to explore Bainbridge Island, Bremerton and beyond. For the shopping crowd, you can walk a short way down the waterfront boardwalk, take an elevator up to Pike Place and you’ll find yourself in the heart of downtown Seattle surrounded by great shops.

Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA.

Seattle is a fun place if you want to shop till you drop, of just kick back and enjoy the view. During the month of February, there are museum deals if you’re an art lover – see the sidebar. Whatever you like to do, you’ll like to do it in Seattle. Go!

Seattle’s Museum Month is a Bargain for Culture Seekers Looking to Stay and Play in the Emerald City
Offering downtown hotel guests half-price admission at more than 40 participating museums throughout Seattle and the region, Seattle Museum Month returns February 1-28, 2017
Seattle, The Emerald City, has long been praised as an artsy and laid-back destination with abundant natural beauty. In 2015, Visit Seattle and Seattle’s hotels and museums decided it was high time to embrace Seattle’s winter weather, so to speak, so Museum Month was born.

It’s time to check seattlemuseummonth.com for a list of participating hotels and book a visit. With downtown Seattle accommodations lined up, pick some museums and attractions that everyone in your party can enjoy. If you don’t know where to start, here are just a few ways to stay and play.

For the epicurean:
Seattle is a foodie town. Get a taste of Seattle’s favorite foods and culinary history at Edible City: A Delicious Journey at the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). This immersive exhibit explores Seattle’s place in the culinary industry, featuring the harvest of local natural ingredients, preparation techniques made popular by the region’s celebrity chefs, and the art of pulling ingredients together for the final plated presentation.

For the culture seeker:
Formerly known as the EMP, the renamed and rebranded Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) at the Seattle Center is a goldmine for music paraphernalia – from classic rock to contemporary – as well as a hub for science fiction and pop culture enthusiasts. Through Museum Month, Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds will be on display at MoPOP commemorating the famous sci-fi series’ 50th anniversary.

Dive into the Emerald City’s cultural diversity with a visit to the Tabaimo: Utsutsushi Utsushi exhibit at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Day in the Life of Bruce Lee: Do You Know Bruce: Part 3 at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, or Dance Theatre of Harlem: 40 Years of Firsts at the Northwest African American Museum. Cultural and historical exhibits can also be viewed at the Nordic Heritage Museum, Suquamish Tribal Museum, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum and the Burke Museum.

For families:
While many museums have a “do not touch” reputation, the Seattle Aquarium encourages hands-on interaction with sea life at the tide pools exhibit. Gently touch sea cucumbers, sea urchin, seastars and more. During Octopus Week – starring the giant Pacific octopus Feb. 18-26 – each day will feature hands-on activities, octopus feedings and talks.

Patrons must stay in one of the participating hotels to access Seattle Museum Month offers. For qualifying visitors, the discount will apply to all days participating museums are open in February, subject only to capacity. Some separate, specially ticketed exhibitions, programs and events at various participating museums are not included in Seattle Museum Month.

Guests must present an official Seattle Museum Month guest pass at participating museums to redeem the discounts; these discounts will be valid for all guests staying in the hotel room (not to exceed four people) during hotel stay dates.

This is just a small sample of the opportunities available, The full list of participating museums in Seattle Museum Month is at: seattlemuseummonth.com

Seattle
Resources

The Edgewater Hotel
2411 Alaskan Way, Seattle
206-728-7000
edgewaterhotel.com

Visit Seattle
visitseattle.org
866-732-2695

Amtrak
amtrak.com
800-872-7245

Century Link Field (Sounders, Seahawks, concerts, etc.)
centurylinkfield.com
800 Occidental Ave. S.

Safeco Field
(Mariners Baseball)
seattle.mariners.mlb.com
206-346-4228
1250 1st Ave. S.

Pike Place Market
pikeplacemarket.org
206-682-7453
85 Pike St. Seattle

The Space Needle
spaceneedle.com
(very cool website)
206-905-2100
400 Broad St. Seattle

Tat’s Deli Seattle
East Coast Steaks & Subs
Tatsdeli.com
206-264-TATS
159 Yesler Wy Seattle