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I'll be in Seattle March 18-21 - Need some local help

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Danny, Feb 9, 2004.

  1. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Hey all -

    I'll be in Seattle for the NCAA Tournament March 18th-21st and I know that we have quite a few Seattle-area members, so I thought I'd come here to get some input, tips, and suggestions.

    Looking for:

    Hotel
    Restaurants
    Things to do

    Hotel: We'll be at Key Arena mostly so somewhere close to there would be great, but we'll have a rental car so it doesn't matter too much where we stay. One of the guys I'm going with found a Best Western close to Key Arena for like $70/night

    Restaurants - Last year we went to Boston for the Tourney, had a buddy who lives there and he suggested some great places to eat. Since most of the times we'll be eating will be in between sets (Thursday they kick you out for a few hours between sets of games) and before and after games, we'll mostly be around Key Arena. The exception being Friday when who knows where we'll be.

    Things to do: There's got to be more than the Space Needle, right? :)
     
    #1 Danny, Feb 9, 2004
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I'm not from Seattle, Danny, but I've visited a few times and have some suggestions.

    1)It's more than worth it to stay close, even if you have to pay a little more--you'll make up the difference in parking cost and/or frustration!

    2)$70 sounds darn cheap to me for almost any city during an NCAA Tourney

    3)One of the best things to do in Seattle is just walk around. It's an easy town to walk in and there are awesome seaside restraunts everywhere. There's an Oyster Bar I went to that had a 'Baker's Dozen" Their menu listed multiple different oysters...almost like a wine list of oysters from all over the world (though mostly the Northwest US)...if you get the baker's dozen you get 13 different oysters for the price of 12. Great beer...wish I could remember the name of the place. I should get my AMEX end-of-year summary and if it's on there I'll tell you where it was. But it's pretty tough to go wrong anywhere down by the Sound as far as seafood. I'm sure the locals can suggest some secret non-touristy places.

    4)Go to REI if you're an outdoors person at all!! They have a climbing wall and more outdoors gear than you can imagine. I know that the East coast is predominantly EMS, and they're pretty similar, but Seattle is the flagship store.

    5)Try to plan time for a drive out to see Mt. Rainier and drive through the park...beautiful place. If you have a completely free day the Willamette Vally down in Oregon is a great place to go on winery/vineyard tours and consume some great Oregon wines.

    6)You do NOT seriously think the Gamecocks will be there in March....do you? Besides, the Razorbacks will turn this season around any day now and they'll tromp through the SEC tournament with nary a look back only to stride through the NCAA tourney beginning with giving St. Joe their first loss of the season.....Ok, maybe not just yet, but have you seen that freshman Ronnie Brewer play yet...look out next year baby!!
     
    #2 efusco, Feb 9, 2004
  3. satchm0

    satchm0 New Member

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    Lucky ba$t@rd! :D
     
    #3 satchm0, Feb 9, 2004
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Oh yea, I meant to put that in my post...I second that motion. :guns:
     
    #4 efusco, Feb 9, 2004
  5. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Well, the Gamecocks will be somewhere playing in March - but no, probably not in Seattle :( They played KY very well on Saturday and if that game is at home, we win it. We got the tickets for Seattle while we were in Boston last year (talk about an awesome city, I want to move there in the next few years) and didn't think for a second that the Gamecocks would have 10 wins this year. But alas, there's nothing like March Madness in person.

    Thanks for all of the suggestions, Evan - I'll pass them on to the guy who is really organizing it for us.

    Keep em coming!
     
    #5 Danny, Feb 9, 2004
  6. wasage

    wasage Junior Member

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    Danny, The EMP (Experience Music Project) is close to the Key Arena and is worth seeing if you're a music buff at all. Also, the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle is one of my favorites that I go to a couple of times each year, even as a local. If you want to get out of the city, Snoqualmie Falls is spectacular (in my neck of the woods, about 35 miles east of Seattle, off of I-90). We've got some nice hiking out this way too, if that's your cup of tea. Hope this helps whet your appetite for things northwest, Suanne
     
    #6 wasage, Feb 9, 2004
  7. Bob Allen

    Bob Allen Captainbaba

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    Danny: I've lived in Seattle for 35 years and I love this city. There are numerous fine restaurants, especially Asian and seafood. Depending on weather and what kind of gear you pack, there are fabulous hikes in the mountains that ring the city. Lots of those hikes are one-day events and don't require a great deal of skill or energy for the rewards. March is towards the end of the heavy snow season in the mountains, but many of the trails may still be impassable. If you are interested in outdoor activities, call REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) when you get here and they can give you great ideas for day hikes and scenic places to go.
    If you are a sailor: try the Center For Wooden Boats on Lake Union. They offer very reasonable sailboat and rowboat rental (small boats, no cabin class sailboats). I'm a lifetime member there and they are wonderful folks. It's a great place to visit and have lunch as well because it's a "hands on" museum of small watercraft. Located at the south end of Lake Union less than a mile from where you are staying.
    The Museum of Flight, at Boeing Field. World class avation museum and home to one of only four Concordes to live out their retirement in exhibit outside of Europe. Easy to get to.
    Great art museums (Seattle Art Museum downtown, and the Seattle Asian Art Museum on Capitol Hill).
    If you feel really adventersome: I'm a flight instructor at a great school in Seattle. I share operation of a four seater airplane with my good friend, who owns the plane. I'd love to give you and a a few friends a scenic flight over the city, weather permitting. On a clear day, the mountains, Sound and city, will knock your socks off. We would share the cost of the airplane, which is 70 bucks an hour (divided by however many people go flying). Just a thought. I'd like to meet you, though, and thank you personally for helping create this website.
    You can email me offline if you want more ideas of things to do. Hope you have a great visit.
    Bob
     
    #7 Bob Allen, Feb 10, 2004
  8. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Bob -

    Thank you very much for your input and your offer. I'll discuss it with the guys I'm going to be meeting out there and let you know. Either way I'd enjoy meeting up with you, as well.

    Do you know if they have any TRAC cars available in Seattle? It'd be fun to have a Prius for that week :)
     
    #8 Danny, Feb 11, 2004
  9. MarinJohn

    MarinJohn Senior Member

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    Danny I enjoyed the underground tour
     
    #9 MarinJohn, Feb 13, 2004
  10. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    That's a great idea, Bob, I just wish Toyota would actually do that! :)

    Well, I just bought my tickets - they finally dropped to about $225. Not bad to fly cross-country.

    I'm sure I'll be in contact with the "Bobs" more as the trip approaches.
     
    #10 Danny, Feb 20, 2004
  11. RobertO

    RobertO New Member

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    Danny:

    I'm working on a project in the Pioneer Square area in downtown Seattle.

    I may still be there when youre in town.

    Let's us bobs and other Puget Sounders stay in touch with you on your visit.

    You'll be wiped out tired, but happy draggin' back on that plane home.

    Meanwhile, time permitting, I'll contact Toyot PR folks, see if we can get you and Priuschat.com some play.


    Bob


    Bob
     
    #11 RobertO, Feb 23, 2004
  12. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Oh my, lady luck just may be on my side. Barring any radical changes, it looks like South Carolina will be in Seattle at the same regional I'll be at!!!

    That would be so awesome:

    http://sports-att.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

    :mrgreen:
     
    #12 Danny, Mar 12, 2004
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