Seattle
Seattle is the ninth most popular summer tourist destination in the United States, according to the American Society of Travel Agents, and it is ranked by Forbes.com as the fourth safest city in America. Seattle has also been named America’s greenest and most sustainable major city by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEA) has nonstop flights serving 71 domestic cities and 20 international destinations. The airport is approximately 20 minutes from Seattle by car (approximately $48 cab fare). Seattle’s Link Light Rail System operates 14 miles of service from SEA to the downtown Westlake station, making transport from the airport easy and affordable. Travel time to downtown Seattle from the airport takes only 38 minutes. Trains run every 7.5 minutes during peak hours, and fares cost just $2.75 each way. For more information about Link Light Rail, visit www.soundtransit.org.
For those considering driving to Seattle, listed below are the distances from nearby cities:
Yakima, WA: 143 miles
Vancouver, BC, Canada: 141 miles
Portland, OR: 174 miles
Victoria, BC, Canada: 106 miles (partially via ferry)
Walla Walla, WA: 273 miles
Climate
On average, Seattle has lower annual rainfall than many other U.S. cities, including New York City, Miami, Philadelphia, and Houston. The city’s northern latitude means there are more daylight hours each summer day. Extreme temperatures are rarely recorded in Seattle—summertime highs are in the mid–70s. Dress in layers for maximum comfort. Average temperatures over Memorial Day Weekend are 55°F.
Attractions
Pike Place Market is Seattle’s most iconic attraction. The multi-level market is full of tasty treats, locally made jewelry, clothing, and of course, fish throwing. Throughout the day, Pike Place Fish throws massive fish over the counter to the joy of spectators. Pike Place Fish will wrap purchases in airplane-safe containers so you can take home a little bit of the Northwest. The original Starbucks is located right on the cobblestone streets of Pike Place. The market is home to artisan vendors selling everything imaginable, from knickknacks to local art, and here you will find the finest flower selection anywhere.
Pike Place Market Sign. Photo copyright Tim Thompson.
Pike Place Market. Photo copyright Tim Thompson.
The Seattle Center features four museums, 11 theaters, five gardens, six fountains, and more than a dozen restaurants. The Seattle Center is also home to the iconic Space Needle. The observation deck atop the Space Needle offers 360° of breathtaking indoor and outdoor viewing. The Frank Gehry-designed Experience Music Project offers 140,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, pop culture, live music venues, and more. The Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame is also located at the Seattle Center and includes artifacts that represent science fiction’s influence on popular culture. The museum includes interactive exhibits and replicas from a wide range of art, film, and literature.
Experience Music Project. Photo copyright Tim Thompson.
Space Needle. Photo courtesy Nikole Kennedy.
The Seattle Art Museum features items from its collection as well as traveling exhibits. Their permanent collection includes Native and Meso-American items, with works by the area’s original inhabitants.
Seattle Art Museum. Photo copyright Tim Thompson.
The Museum of Flight is one of the finest aviation museums in the nation, and it’s no wonder that such a museum should be located in Seattle, as the city is the longtime home of major airline manufacturing companies.
Olympic Sculpture Park is open year-round and free to all who wish to visit. The park is located in a former industrial site, and the grounds have eco-friendly features such as rainwater capture and a salmon habitat.
Relive the days of the 1890's Klondike Gold Rush aboard the steam powered paddle wheeler, Queen of Seattle with narrated cruises, a live Klondike Revue Show, and steam calliope songs. Learn fun and historical information about this period in Seattle's history along with the sights passed during the cruise. Visit www.queenofseattle.com for more information and to make reservations.
Visit http://www.seattle.gov/html/visitor/tourism.htm for more information about Seattle’s many attractions.
Pre- and Post-Convention Tours
Book your pre- or post-convention tour today! ABAI is excited to announce a partnership with Clipper Vacations to offer convention attendees a 10% discount off tours and excursions. Clipper Vacations is well known as a travel expert on the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. Since 1986, they have provided transportation, tours, and accommodation packages for more than 6 million customers to experience destinations such as cosmopolitan Seattle or Vancouver, quaint Victoria, the peaceful San Juan Islands, the hub of Portland, and the beautiful Canadian Rockies and Vancouver Island. Click here http://www.clippervacations.com/abai/abai to take advantage of this special ABAI discount. Be sure to enter "ABAI" into the promotional code field.
The beauty and culture of Seattle and its surrounding area are not to be missed. Consider arriving early for the convention or extending your trip afterward to visit some of the following favorite getaways.
Mount Rainier
Adventure seekers climb technical glacier routes to summit the massive mountain at 14,411 feet.
Getting there (3 hours):
By car: Drive south on I-5, south on State Route 512 (exit 127), east on State Route 512, south on State Route 7, east on State Route 706 through Ashford to the park’s Nisqually entrance.
Bainbridge Island
The view of the Seattle skyline from the ferry is worth the trip alone. The added bonus of strolling around downtown Bainbridge’s galleries, boutiques, coffeehouses and cafes is even more rewarding. Shop in historic Winslow, which features cute little cafes and island shops offering unusual gifts from the Northwest and beyond.
Getting there (35 minutes):
By boat: Drive, walk, or bike aboard the Washington State Ferry from Pier 52 on Seattle’s waterfront. For more information, check out http://wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.
San Juan Islands
Tour the numerous art galleries in Friday Harbor. Explore the shops and restaurants on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan islands. Participate in naturalist-guided tours, wildlife spotting, whale watching, and world-class sea kayaking. Book an evening or two at one of the many warm-and-cozy bed and breakfasts that are widely available throughout the islands.
Getting there (45 minutes–1 hour):
By boat: Washington State Ferries leave from Anacortes (90 miles north of Seattle; drive north on I-5 or take a Bellair Charters shuttle), with frequent departures to the ferry terminals on Lopez, Orcas, Shaw, and San Juan islands.
By air: Kenmore Air’s fleet of floatplanes and airplanes leaves from the Lake Union neighborhood or King County International Airport just south of downtown Seattle.
Snoqualmie Falls
The views from the top and bottom of the 270-foot falls are equally striking. The famed country breakfast at the upscale Salish Lodge & Spa, which overlooks the falls, is a perfect spot to get pampered or grab a gourmet bite. The Northwest Railway Museum gives visitors a peek at a Victorian-era depot and a short train excursion through the Snoqualmie Valley.
Getting there (45 minutes–1 hour):
By car: Take I-5 south, I-90 east, exit 27 toward Snoqualmie.
By bus/van: Customized Tours of Seattle and Evergreen Escapes offer expeditions to the falls and nearby scenic locations from many downtown hotels.
Leavenworth
This charming replica of a Bavarian village is a fantastic place to search for unique gifts and eat schnitzel. Leavenworth is also home to more than 5,000 nutcrackers at the Nutcracker Museum. Summer is a great time to hike or camp in the surrounding Cascade Mountains and foothills or take a guided whitewater rafting trip on the Wenatchee River.
Getting there (2.5–3 hours):
By car: Take State Highway 520 east, exit onto I-405 north, take exit 23 toward U.S. 2 east/Wenatchee, exit Leavenworth.
By train: Amtrak service is available from Seattle.
By motorcoach: Clipper Vacations and others are available by reservation.
Victoria, British Columbia
Check out a lush wonderland of plant life year-round at the 55-acre Butchart Gardens before heading into the boutiques filled with local designers’ wares on Johnson Street and Trounce Alley. The architecturally magnificent parliament building is worth a photo op, as is a stroll through the James Bay neighborhood, the city’s oldest, to see stunning historic homes. No trip to Victoria would be complete without high tea at the Empress Hotel.
Getting there (1–3 hours):
By boat: Clipper Vacations’ ferries depart from Pier 69 on Seattle’s waterfront to Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Black Ball Ferry Line and Victoria Express travel between Port Angeles and Victoria. Washington State Ferries leave from Anacortes.
By air: Kenmore Air’s floatplanes depart from Lake Union or King County International Airport just south of downtown Seattle.
Tacoma
One of the top reasons to visit Tacoma is its glass. Hand-blown glass art has exploded in popularity, and Tacoma’s Museum of Glass pays homage to the craft. Native son Dale Chihuly’s city-wide glass installations are best seen through a walking tour offered by the Tacoma Art Museum. There are also well-curated exhibits at the Washington State History Museum. Tacoma’s revitalization makes it a great place for the whole family, too. Kids will love the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
Getting there (40 minutes):
By car: Take I-5 south from Seattle, I-705 north, exit at signs for Tacoma.
By bus: Sound Transit’s ST Express buses 590 and 594 provide weekday bus service from Fourth and Union Streets.
By train: Sound Transit and Amtrak offer weekday commuter rail service in the morning and evening.
Edmonds
Edmonds is the “Gem of Puget Sound.” This village is a historic seaport that began life as a pioneer logging settlement in 1866. It has a wide variety of building architecture, much of which dates to the beginning of the last century, and is full of one-of-a-kind boutique merchants offering housewares, hand-crafted items, candies, candles, clothing, jewelry, and art.
Getting there (20 minutes):
By car: Take I-5 north, WA-104 west, exit 177 toward Edmonds/Kingston Ferry.
Olympic Peninsula
A few years ago, Forks was just a small town in the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula. Then the Twilight craze took hold. Stephenie Meyer’s vampire books based in this town have transformed Forks into a bona fide tourist destination, with Twilight tours leading fans in every direction. There is also much more to the Olympic Peninsula, including national and state parks, rainforests, lakes, mountains, lavender farms, and the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.
Getting there (2-5 hours, depending on destination):
By car/boat: From Seattle, drive to the Washington State Ferry terminal in Edmonds (I-5 north; at exit 177 merge onto WA-104 west; take Edmonds Way toward Kingston Ferry). Drive aboard the ferry to Kingston. From there, take WA-104 north; turn right at Beaver Valley Rd./WA-19 to Port Townsend.
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
This formidable mountain’s devastating 1980 eruption left the region covered in ash and destruction. Visitors can learn about it at the park’s visitor center or just ponder the view at the Johnston Ridge Observatory. It’s also a great place to snowshoe, hike, and enjoy the beauty. Plus there’s a whole heap of family fun at the Great Wolf Lodge in nearby Grand Mound. There’s a water park for kids and a spa for mom and dad.
Getting there (4 hours):
By car: Drive south on I-5, east on State Route 504 for five miles to reach the Mount St. Helens Silver Lake Visitor Center.
By bus/minivan: Evergreen Escapes offers eco-expeditions to the volcano from many downtown hotels.