# Seattle. Getting there from SF (drive/fly) and what to do when I get there? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727 "2007-06-04T18:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/21 "2007-06-05T00:35:38Z")
If you decide to visit the EMP make sure you also visit the [Science fiction museum](http://www.sfhomeworld.org/) which is downstairs from the EMP. I enjoyed it at least as much as the EMP. IIRC you can buy a ticket for the EMP, SFM and the Space Needle for one price and save a couple of bucks. If you are into trivia check out this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=402456&highlight=seattle+trivia) and meet some Seattle dopers. Good group. I have done the trivia night a few times, and made money on the deal once or twice. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/22 "2007-06-05T00:40:53Z")
Truth to tell, I didnā€™t love Seattle the way I thought I would. I will, however, return to see the [Museum of Flight,](http://www.museumofflight.org/Portal.asp?Flash=True) the [Boeing](http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/tours/) tour and I might try the [San Juan Islands](http://www.clippervacations.com/san_juan_island_daytrip) day tour. I did have fun on the [Duck](http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/) tour and I ate very well in the area around the [Pike Place Market](http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/frameset.asp?flash=true) ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/23 "2007-06-05T01:56:04Z")
If youā€™re interested in some easy walkabouts en route to Seattle, I would recommend the [Columbia River Gorge](http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result.php?q1=multnomah+falls%2Cor) , which you can get to by taking I-84 out of Portland to the east. Multnomah Falls is gorgeous, and there are a lot of other easily accessible nice spots along the historic drive. You can pick up I-84 by taking the I-205 around the east side of Portland, but Iā€™d have to ask a PortDoperā€™s opinion regarding whether thatā€™s really any quicker. Thereā€™s also Mt St Helens, but thatā€™s even further out of the way. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/24 "2007-06-05T08:27:12Z")
Going alone? Like to read? Try the Coast Starlight Express, a train. Expect a couple hours of delays beyond the scheduled times. Pike Place mkt. Great grazing there too- slice here, crab cocktail there, ect. Underground Seattle tour. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/25 "2007-06-05T09:24:31Z")
Crater Lake is worth a visit. Iā€™ve made a side trip there while driving from Seattle to San Jose in two days. ---
**Author:** ![spazurek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@spazurek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spazurek)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/26 "2007-06-05T12:25:56Z")
Two essential things to do in Seattle IMO: 1. Pike Place market + the waterfront parks. 2. Ferry ride into the San Juan Islands. Both of these are substantially enhanced by nice weather, which as you may have heard is a relative rarity in those partsā€¦I still miss Seattle a ton thoughā€¦ ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/27 "2007-06-05T13:10:33Z")
Iā€™d second the suggestion to take the costal highway if youā€™ve got the time, itā€™s a lovely drive. I-5 is pretty visually boring with the exception of the mountainous bit crossing the Oregon border. Itā€™s much faster, though. Also, if you take the I-5, definitely follow instructions re: gassing up and the Ashland/Medford exits. Personally, Iā€™d love a train trip except I can never figure out why itā€™s both hideously expensive and excruciatingly slow. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/28 "2007-06-05T16:03:04Z")
Thanks for all the help- And I think Iā€™ll definitely join a Pub Quiz if thereā€™s one while Iā€™m there. (Come to think of it, Yelp does a lot of Pub Quizzes in Seattle, too.) Iā€™ve decided Iā€™m driving, at this point. Honestly, for me, ā€œdriving vs flyingā€ ends up being ā€œanyone have a good reason I should fly yet?ā€ And the answer is always no. šŸ˜‰ Thanks for all the suggestions, though! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/29 "2007-06-05T16:07:33Z")
For those of you keeping track, Iā€™m keeping a running tally of stuff I expect to do [here](http://troymccluresf.livejournal.com/743578.html). ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/30 "2007-06-05T18:08:24Z")
If you are really a beer dweeb, a stopover in Portland may be worthwhile. The Seattle Underground Tour is a hoot-- keep it on the itinerary. If you want to buy bottled beer, head to Bottleworks in Seattle-- very good selection, including some more obscure Belgians. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/31 "2007-07-03T20:22:01Z")
(Bump) Anyone know anything about the Architecture Tours? Thereā€™ll be an [Art Deco](http://www.seattlearchitecture.org/tour_details.cfm?tId=6) tour while Iā€™m, there, and while that sounds great, I donā€™t like making commitments on vacation. Do these generally sell out, or will I be able to stumble down there at 10am and get in on it? ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/32 "2007-07-03T23:27:15Z")
My WAG is that the tours wonā€™t sell out. I donā€™t think theyā€™re very well known here, and one doesnā€™t exactly see huge group of architecture-tourists stumbling around downtown (though thereā€™s plenty to see). I was in Chicago recently ā€“ now _thereā€™s_ a city with some architecture tours ā€“ and easily found a spot in the tour I wanted without a reservation. Seattleā€™s probably even easier. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/33 "2007-07-05T16:59:59Z")
Is there anything to do at Microsoft or Nintendo HQ? I wouldnā€™t mind visiting their corporate museums or whatever they might have along those lines. Anything there besides office parks? ---
**Author:** ![spazurek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@spazurek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spazurek)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727/34 "2007-07-05T17:01:30Z")
[QUOTE=Troy McClure SF] Is there anything to do at Microsoft or Nintendo HQ? I wouldnā€™t mind visiting their corporate museums or whatever they might have along those lines. Anything there besides office parks? [/QUOTE] Microsoft has an interesting, albeit small, museum (though I think I saw it circa 1997, it may well be a vast display by nowā€¦). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-getting-there-from-sf-drive-fly-and-what-to-do-when-i-get-there/406727.md?page=1)