Going to Seattle.. tomorrow

[Kavvy]

So a buddy and I are driving to Seattle on Friday.

We have tickets to the Seahawks home opener on Sunday (my first NFL game) and plan on buying tickets for the MLB game Monday (team not in playoffs, shouldn't be difficult).

Does anyone have any suggestions on what else to see, or any good pit stops on the way down (the highway to the sun closed on Tuesday, darn)? Or any tips on places to pre-NFL game drink?

Also, any reccomandations, or warnings againts the following attractions?

• Space Needle
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Boeing Musem
• Cowgirls Bar

Also, someone told me if you show your Albertan licence, you can save tax when purchasing items. I don't know if thats true, and google didn't help, does anyone know anything about this? Is it specific items or.....?

Thanks for any tips, suggestions or comments!

[afc wimbledon]

take a raincoat, pissing down right now

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

take a raincoat, pissing down right now

ha thank you. We have some dollar store "ponchos" back for the NFL game.

[Barnes]

Well the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is in Cleveland, Ohio so I guess that's a warning of sorts.

You probably mean Experience Music.

You can show your ID in most stores to not pay the tax. Not every store employee knows about this though so you might get some odd looks.

[bc-chris]

my wife and i went to seattle for the first time this summer - it was really cool!!!

took in a mariners/jays game (jays won!!)

i'm not sure how long you're in seattle for - we were there 5 days.

we bought a city pass - it was $60 for each of us and it was a great deal


for $60 you get....

- into the aquarium - pretty cool
- into the space needle twice - waaaaaaay better at night
- into the rock & roll/sci fi place - this was pretty boring for us. the rock museum was pretty much all nirvana and jimmy hendrix. the sci fi place was ok, but the features were avatar and battle star galactica
- a 1 hour harbour tour - that was fun
- into either the zoo or the aviation museum. we went to the zoo and it was really cool


also - take i pikes market - it's quite the experience (at least when we were there it was)

don't park down town - it's STUPID expensive and the traffic can be brutal! bus/train in.... there is free transit in the downtown core which is great

[metallicat]

I went to the Space Needle and looked at it from the ground, that was good enough for me. I didn't want to pay the 20 bucks or whatever it costs to go up. Then again, I'm fairly cheap. Safeco is an awesome ballpark though, you'll enjoy that I'm sure.

My favorite coffee place there was called Seattle Coffee Works by Pike Place Market. Good breakfast sandwiches.

[troutman]

I would try and see live music at The Crocodile:

http://thecrocodile.com/index.html?page=history

http://www.seattle.com/nightlife/live-music-clubs.html

[Tinordi]

Drive the extra 5 hours to Portland. A way more interesting place with way better beer.

[Flacker]

For a good seafood meal you can't go wrong with Salty's on Alki Beach. Nice setting not too formal, but I would consider it on the pricey end of the scale.

[Kavvy]

Thank you for all the suggestion and comments so far! From attractions, live music, coffee shops and food reccomendations, its all great!

[macker]

Lots of parking right by the stadiums and then walk North until the Space Needle and you will pass by most attractions including Pikes and the first Starbucks etc. Very easy city to walk around and almost as nice as San Francisco. To get some great pictures of the city : http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/ Premium outlets to the North and Supermall to the South but both are minimum 45 minute drive from downtown. Show your AB DL and you won't pay the State tax.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Kavy

Also, someone told me if you show your Albertan licence, you can save tax when purchasing items. I don't know if thats true, and google didn't help, does anyone know anything about this? Is it specific items or.....?

Thanks for any tips, suggestions or comments!

The Alberta licence is correct. Because Alberta has a provincial tax of less than 3%, residents of it do not have to pay sales tax on purchases of tangible personal property for use outside the state. This means your clothes and books would be tax exempt, but your food, hotel stay and gasoline would not be exempt.

Not every store will honour this though. The Lululemon outlet says they don't, but it's the only store I've been at that won't. Stores don't have to follow the tax exemption, but they are allowed to.

[Arsenal14]

Albertans are exempt from sales tax on tangible goods meant for use outside of the state (so things like clothing and electronics but not food/services). Also apparently on the native reserves the stores have the option of charging sales tax so if you go to the Seattle Premium Outlets you might end up paying the tax in some stores. The relevant link is: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=82.08.0273

If you are into music history the Experience Music Project right next to the Space Needle is alright, though as mentioned it's a lot of Hendrix and Nirvana. Shouldn't be hard to get tickets for the Mariners. I was at a game last week and it was at least half empty. If the Sounders are playing you might want to try getting tickets for that - they sell out every game but it's a fun experience.

The Boeing factory in Everett is a good tour. It's a 90 minute tour and shows the assembly building for the 747, 777 and 787. The first 787 is being delivered from there next week I believe so they'll be getting ready for that.

[Bertuzzied]

Don't bother with the Premium Outlets. it was total crap.

and people were complaining about Calgary parking prices. The last time i parked downtown i paid $14/hour.

[Byrns]

http://dor.wa.gov/Content/FindTaxesA...s/default.aspx

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Don't bother with the Premium Outlets. it was total crap.

Disagree, but I guess it depends on what you're looking for. We've gone a number of times (I'm assuming you're talking about the Premium Outlets in Tulalip on I-5 on the way to Seattle from BC) and we can usually find pretty good deals (the state tax exemption is a bonus). Sometimes hit or miss, but worth the trip in my opinion.

If you do go, you can sign up online and download additional coupons: http://www.premiumoutlets.com

P.S. As for attractions, if you like the Zoo, Seattle has a good one!

[Kavvy]

Thanks for all the tips, keep them comming! Were planning on staying at a hotel downtown (because were either dumb, or just gamblers, going to do the hotwire/prcieline thing tonight).

I assume parking won't be cheap, but its gotta be safe to assume there would be some sort of discount for hotels???

[North East Goon]

Fish and chips in the little shack places along the waterfront was pretty good and cheap.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Kavy

Thanks for all the tips, keep them comming! Were planning on staying at a hotel downtown (because were either dumb, or just gamblers, going to do the hotwire/prcieline thing tonight).

I assume parking won't be cheap, but its gotta be safe to assume there would be some sort of discount for hotels???

I parked on the street by accident when we were there and got a ticket. I tossed it and never heard from them again (but obviously be wary of a tow away zone).

[MelBridgeman]

Museum of flight down by Boeing field is an favorite of mine