Incessant Nagging Drizzle Tour '11: Gazebo and BF (will) visit the Pac NW

[Antisocial_Worker]

And Canadalandialand!

I'll post more later, but we're going to Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle next month and we need help from any friendly CS'ers willing to oblige.

Our first question... Our budget is restricting our hotel choices just a bit. In Seattle, we're thinking of the Mediterranean Inn and the Belltown Inn. Any feedback? Feel free to PM me if necessary.

Thanks in advance, and I'll post more later about our plans.

[pitmonkey]

Do you have to stay in the downtown area of Seattle? If you can stay in Lynnwod or Shoreline you may find better rates.

[Shpepper]

Just stay away from the King's Inn, The Sixth Ave and the Best Western Executive in Seattle. Those are ones that I know of that are not the best. Also be sure NOT to miss Pikes Place Market !

[Elspeth]

As a photographer you will love downtown, lots of neat buildings. Take the Underground tour if you can. I do support the idea of staying outside the city if you can.

We are in Seattle on Saturday so I will see if anything catches my eye.

[FreakyGeek]

Victoria has some very nice hotels, but if your looking for something clean but cheaper there is the Backpacker's lodge right in downtown.

[AnaKhouri]

I think a lot of the advice you get will hinge on whether you have transportation while you're in town. Are you flying or driving or renting a car or whatever?

I'd love to go there someday. The only good thing about that wretched "Twilight" movie was the scenery.

[Amusement Gal]

In Seattle, you shouldn't have any problem getting around, so don't bother renting a car unless you're going outside Skyscraper territory. I've visited many times, and there are buses, the places are pedestrian friendly (a better word would be 'favorable'), and you get to sight see a lot more when you're not surrounded by a ton of metal. And PLEASE do visit Pike's Place. If you love cheese, there's also a cheese shop nearby there that sells the best cheese I've ever had. Do try a sample of their Flagship Cheese, it's simply amazing!

Don't forget to have fun, either.

[Antisocial_Worker]

First off though, thanks for the advice, everyone.

Now, here's the deal. We won't have a car anywhere we go. We'll fly in, take a cab to our downtown hotel in Vancouver, take a train to Seattle, and then we'll stroll or take public transit wherever else we need to go.

As of now, our hotel choices in Seattle are the two I've listed. In Vancouver, we're trying to decide between the Howard Johnson on Granville and the Ramada on Pender.

As for what we plan to do and see, there will be a lot of strolling and photographing in every place we go. In Seattle we plan to see the Museum of Asian Art, Pike Place Market, and the Science Fiction Museum at the very least. So far in Vancouver, our only plans are to go see a bridge of some sort, north of town. I'm in charge of picking things to do in Seattle, while Vancouver and Victoria are up to him. We were thinking of making Victoria a day trip.

When it comes to hotels, we aren't really looking for luxury digs. We just don't want to catch scabies from the sheets, we want reliable hot water, and few to no mysterious and unsettling stains, and we'll be good.

[Der Cute]

I'd take Belltown Inn, it's in Belltown which is a NWish 'hood in the city.
More buses, more frequent things, closer to city downtown.

Go to Chinatown, it's BRILLIANT, and KC Kitchen is where I go for Chinese. It's basic but good flavoring, great tea and quiet. Jackson and Jefferson street area.

Get to Capitol Hill. (Broadway street and neighborings) There are a lot of GLBT people over there, and it's kind of like a Goth Funky Dress Retro What Was on The Floor fashion. Very interesting Stay up on the north end of it, if you are on the south end (bunch of hospitals) you're in the scrungy drug area. This area is kind of like Venice Beach - We Do What We Want.

Pikes Place Market is uber touristy, be prepared to swim thru a sea of moving people. Eat before you get there, it's hard to get to food (long lines). Pioneer Square is also touristy but go before dark.

[pitmonkey]

There is also fremont ave, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont,_Seattle

[blas]

I don't have any advice for hotels because we stayed at a really swanky one in Victoria, but that place is freaking beautiful. Stop at the Buchart Gardens!

Seattle is great, too! Love the Space Needle.

[Antisocial_Worker]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

Can anyone shed much light on Vancouver? We're having a hard time trying to pick a hotel there, while our choice in Seattle is pretty much nailed down.