Travel Tips

Seattle, Washington has a great deal to offer its discerning visitors. From the ordinary and mundane to the out and out macabre, you will see it all while visiting Seattle, Washington, if, that is, you know where to look for them. Seattle has a rich history and it seems an even richer future. Nestled among some of the most beautiful countryside North America has to offer, this great city has the best of most worlds-a very mild climate, access to water, land, mountains, fields, and streams. Seattle is like every patriotic song you can imagine and in the middle of it all Seattle is a bustling metropolis.

If you are planning to visit Seattle, I have one word of warning for you. You will probably want to stay. That is of course, if you aren’t too worried by rain. The only real drawback I can see for living in Seattle is that your skin will have a difficult time getting that sun kissed glow that summer brings almost everywhere else in America. But I think I could sacrifice sweltering heat and sticky humidity in exchange for a little rain. In fact, I would welcome a little rain right now; it might actually cool things off.

For those who have tastes that run a little bit off center of ordinary, Seattle has a great bit of entertainment to offer you as well. The first bit is a freebie and not of interest to some (yet it still seems a vastly popular stop for tourists). That place is the Lakeview Cemetery. This is where the bodies of many of Seattle’s founding fathers and most prominent citizens have been laid to rest. Perhaps most startling is the fact that Bruce and Brandon Lee receive more visitors than anyone else in the cemetery. While some may find this fact mildly disturbing, I guess when you think of all the visitors Graceland receives every year it really isn’t all that obscene.

The next stop on the off center tourist traps would be Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. This tour takes you to the streets of old downtown Seattle. The only thing is these streets are beneath the streets of New Seattle. This is perhaps one of the most interesting tours you will find in the city-other than maybe the Private Eye tours but that’s another story-because it literally takes you into history. At the end of this tour you can get access to Rogue’s Gallery Museum where you will see exhibits relating to Seattle’s Victorian era and other historical points of interest. The tour lasts about 90 minutes and costs $11 for adults. If you have the time, this is one tour that if nothing else, will leave a lasting impression.

If you are in the Pike Place Market area, you really should check out the Market Ghost Tours. These are one hour walking tours of the market where those who work in the building share stories of strange occurrences. You will also get to hear some of Seattle’s interesting history mixed in with the ghost tales. This is a walking tour and might be a little frightening and/or boring for smaller children. But, if you are looking for something different to do, this tour should be right up your alley. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, I would hope that you can at the very least find tours such as this entertaining.

The city of Seattle has a great deal to offer those who are adventurous enough to seek the knowledge, fun, and entertainment that abounds. Some of the tours and exhibits need to be taken with a grain of salt and a sense of humor. All others should at the very least provide some degree of information, education, and fun to those who visit. I hope more than anything that your trip to Seattle takes you off the beaten path at least once. What on earth would you tell the people back home if you didn’t at least have one extraordinary adventure?

If you’re an outdoors kind of person and really enjoy the sights and sounds of nature, or simply enjoy not being trapped inside a building all day, then Seattle Washington has plenty to offer you should you decide to visit. When planning your visit to Seattle, you will probably find that there are many things that appeal to you and it is quite difficult to narrow them down by interest alone.

This is the point when I divide activities into categories such as: things I really want to do, things that seem interesting, and things that will really just pass the time. Then, I take those things and do a reality (which translates to price) check. I try to justify the expenses of the things I really want to do that are more than I’d like to pay by sneaking in things I’d like to do equally as much for free. It’s a great concept and works really well when giving children a choice of activities. Let them choose between two free activities. They still get a voice and feel as though they are an important part of the decision making process and you aren’t spending $50 an hour for them to jump on a fancy trampoline.

Here are some of the excellent free activities that can be enjoyed in the great outdoors of Seattle Washington. The really great news is that many of these are actually both entertaining and educational. This is good for you and the kids who will leave Seattle with some degree of knowledge about something other than the ice cream flavors that are offered there.

The first freebie that I recommend is the Volunteer Park Conservatory. This is of special interest to those who love flowers. The conservatory is divided into five houses which each provides a suitable habitat for growing very specific plants. The five houses are: Bromeliad House, which is members of the pineapple family; Palm House, which consists of about 1200 species; Fern House, which features an assortment of tropical ferns and other exotic plants; Seasonal Display House, which changes with the season and consists of many common and recognizable house plants; and Cactus House, which is rather self explanatory. The conservatory is free to the public and a great way to pass time for any flower lover in your group.

Next there is the Washington Arboretum Park. This park is actually a 200-acre arboretum that was designed by the same firm responsible for the design of Central Park in New York. The park hosts 40,000 trees, shrubs, and vines. You can pay for a tour or simply wander around and enjoy the landscape. The purpose of this park is to preserve certain species of plants while offering education to the public and anyone who wishes to learn and benefit from the knowledge that can be gained there.

Next there is the Woodland Park Rose Garden. This garden is located next to the zoo but is open to the public free of charge. There is a $4 parking fee during zoo hours, but parking is free after hours. The climate of Seattle is mild enough that roses seem to flourish and grow beautifully here. The rose gardens receive over 200,000 visitors each year and are a great sight to see while you are visiting Seattle.

Finally, there is Discovery Park. This park offers stunning views and a place to contemplate the beauty of nature and the surroundings of Seattle. The park itself is 534-acres making it the largest city park in Seattle. The purpose of this park was to provide sanctuary for wildlife and a place to learn about nature for those who were interested. The park has a play area for children, picnic equipment, and trails and paths for exploration.

Nature is a wonderful thing to behold and Seattle is blessed with some of the most beautiful natural surroundings on earth. It only makes sense that while on vacation you should be able to enjoy the beautiful plants, animals, and scenery that abound in the area. I sincerely hope you take the opportunity to enjoy some of these great places.

If you have a healthy appetite for good food and good drink, then visiting San Francisco is probably a great plan for you. While you are visiting, there are several places that you really should check out. Not only do these great places offer tours that will explain how they make their goodies, but many of them also offer samples. Even better, some of the tours are absolutely free.

While not every good thing in life is free, there is no doubt that some of the best things are. Among those outstanding freebies is a tour of the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory. I love dark chocolate and while I won’t go so far as to say they have the best dark chocolate (can’t do that as I haven’t tried all the dark chocolate there is to have in the world), I will say that there dark chocolate is definitely among the best. The only drawbacks I have found is that children must be at least 10 years old to attend, you must make reservations and you have to wear close-toed shoes (I live in Birkenstock’s so this is a minus for me). I really believe that their chocolate is worth the sacrifice however and will gladly send the husband off with the kids to the arcade for an afternoon while I enjoy learning more about this awesome chocolate, err, chocolate company. The tours are free which means if you don’t have young children it isn’t too difficult to talk your traveling companion into going with you. If for some odd reason there is resistance you can always use the divide and conquer rule. Let them do an activity that you don’t relish while you enjoy yours.

Second on my list is Takara Sake. Another freebie, I can’t seem to help myself. The Takara Sake Company has a museum that is free of charge and opened daily from noon until 6:00 pm. This museum contains historic implements for making sake as well as a history of sake making in the USA. This is the only museum of its kind in the USA and is well worth taking a look. While you are there, you should consider participating in a sake tasting, which is free as well.

Another must see freebie on my list is the Jelly Belly Factory. See how these renowned beans are made and have a nice relaxing lunch at the caf. This is a great way to beat the heat and have a nice relaxing and educational afternoon. Your kids will love you for it.

If you like beer or just know someone who does, the tour of the Anheuser-Bush Brewery will surely be a highlight of your trip. This is another great freebie that will educate and entertain guests of all ages. All ages are welcome and the tour is wheelchair accessible. Samples are available to those who are legally old enough to partake. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and definitely worth checking out.

If these tours aren’t enough to keep you happy and full, there are plenty of restaurants in and around San Francisco in addition to a many wineries that will be sure to satisfy your thirsts. San Francisco is a city that definitely wants its visitors to leave well fed and content with drink. The really great thing about visiting any of these places is the fact that most of them have stores where you can purchase plenty of their products to bring home with you.