Sign in with Facebook1221 1st Avenue, Seattle, Washington, 98101, United States
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View from the ferry to Bainbridge Island
Sylvain enjoying a beer in Fremont
Fisherman's Terminal: safe inland harbor for boats
sign out front for McCormick & Schmick's
Hello all! So though I live in Portland I'm not very familiar with the Seattle area.
I have a friend visiting in a couple weeks and we'll be going to Seattle for a couple nights. But before we go to Seattle we will be visiting Long Beach. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of where we should stay overnight before driving to Seattle? Long Beach is about 3+ hours from Seattle so I was hoping to find a smallish town closer to Seattle. (2 or less hours away) We are just looking for a somewhere that's a bit lively and hopefully with good scenery/grub.
Let me know if you have any suggestions or could direct me to another source!
Thanks!
Alison
This depends a bit on the route you plan to take between Long Beach and Seattle.
Many people like to do the Olympic Peninsula loop and take highway 101 all the way around, from Long Beach north to the tip and then around.
If that is what you would like to do, you might try Sequim or Port Townsend.
If you are coming up from the south, Tacoma or even Chehalis or Centralia would do. However, I was amazed at how much hotel rooms were going for in Tacoma last I checked them. I was actually able to find somewhere in Seattle cheaper. It all depends on what deals you are able to find.
There are several hotels in Bremerton that are just a ferry ride across the sound from Seattle, and there are quite a variety of places to eat (both new and old) in Bremerton. It has a nice small town feel to it, at least in the downtown area.
Do you mean a smallish town on the way between Long Beach and Seattle? Or just ~2 hours from Seattle regardless of the direction.
If in between the two, Centralia comes to mind. Not a whole lot going on here, but it's a decent town, there's a McMenamins location there (coming from Portland, I'm sure that you're familiar with them) and it's about 2 hours from Seattle.
There's also Olympia. Lots of bars Downtown and there's always something going on.
Then, on the other side of the Sound from Seattle there's Bremerton. It's only an hour ferry ride to/from Downtown Seattle, and it's got a nice harbor area with several bars and restaurants around. The Hampton Inn there is a good place to stay.
Right near there, Port Orchard is also nice.
You may also want to consider Bainbridge Island, although that's expensive and touristy.
hth
To get off the beaten path, you could consider Vashon Island, which can only be reached by ferry from Seattle, Tacoma or the Olympic peninsula. It's not at all a place of action, but there is a viable town and a youth hostel on the island. This isn't the San Juan Islands, further to the north. The ferry from Tacoma is really short.
I would point out that the downtown Seattle-Vashon Island ferry is passenger only. There is an auto & passenger ferry from the north end of Vashon Island to Fauntleroy, which is on the southern edge of Seattle.
The downtown Seattle to Vashon Island ferry is also down to only 3 trips per day, though once the King County Water Taxi agency starts operating it (September 28), rather than Washington State Ferries, the number of trips per day may increase.
I would suggest Gig Harbor. It's still on the Olympic Peninsula side, but you could easily make it to Seattle in two hours from here. It is located on a calm waterway, with lots of little shops, galleries and good restaurants. There's one fish restaurant (more like a pub) that gets lively at night. There are B&Bs to stay in. Good luck!
Seattle is not so much one city, but a compilation of a variety of different neighborhoods. Each area is a contributes to the whole city in a unique way. To really understand Seattle, you must take the time to explore at least a couple of the different neighborhoods. I have contributed a few of my highlights.
Farmers Market. The variety of fresh food shops and outlets with emphasis on seafood and fruit and veges. You can easily spend half a day just wandering around, interspersed with coffee breaks (to replenish from the rain).
Like any port, Seattle is liveliest along the waterfront, along the shores of Elliott Bay.
An Aquarium on pier 59.
Sooner or later, everyone comes to Pike Place Market, with fruit; vegetables, fish & flowers.
Go also to Pioneer Square, it's Victorian redbrick builds are surrounded by restaurants.
Explore Seattle's Undergound Tour from 610 First Avenue from Doc Maynard's Pub
Just try and say Seattle without thinking of coffee. Even my beer-obsessed mind can't fathom a day without the java in this caffeine-infused culture. As you walk around town, you notice the number one accessory is the coffee cup. And when you don't have one of your own, you start looking for a place to get one. That's okay, you never have to look long in Seattle. There must be a coffee shop on ever block. Home to not only Starbucks but a plethora of copycats and those from which Starbucks sprang. Not to mention too many independents to mention. If you ever dreamed of opening a coffee house, Seattle must be the best place to do it despite what seems insurmountable competition. With a population that seems to treat the stuff like an intravenous necessary for survival, you're bound to never run out of customers.
But seriously, if you like coffee, this is one town to have some. I remember when I first came here in 1994. Starbucks was a local phenomenon and despite not really being into coffee, I could not help but be sucked in. I thought about opening one on the east coast but on telling friends about it once I got home, they all said it would never work. Sometimes, you really shouldn't listen to your friends.
So, when in Seattle, do as people from Seattle do, stop and have a coffee. No time for that, get one and walk around with it. You won't be alone.
When is Seattle, you must do as the Seattlites do, drink plenty of high quality beer. Redhook, brewed in Woodinville just outside Seattle, has a signature ESB as well as half a dozen other varieties. (I'm a big fan of their Nut Brown Ale, but I'm afraid you won't see that on tap very frequently) Pyramid Brewery, located downtown near Safeco Field, makes a Hefewiezen that, with a slice of lemon, will cure just about any summertime thirst. Or, head for one of Seattle's many brew pubs where you can drink beer that you can't find anywhere else. Big Time Brewery and Alehouse has a fine selection of beer and tasty pizza. Pike Pub and Brewery, in the Pike Place Market, has a great pale ale. For ideas, locations, and other useful info the Seattle Insider website is a great resource. Cheers.
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