Eight more days before PAX; 8 more days before a wave of people from all over the country and beyond descend on Seattle for three days of music and art at Bumbershoot and video games and nerdcore at PAX. So since many of you will be visiting my home city, I decided that I would create a list of things to do if you get in a day before, or you feel like staying a day after Labor Day weekend. I know I wouldn't want to travel the Monday after.
Here is where you can find the itinerary. I took a couple of things for granted:
1) I assumed that you were attending PAX and thus had a hotel in DT/financial district of Seattle.
2) That you have never been to Seattle before.
3) That you weren't interested in venturing too far from the main touristy stuff.
4) That you can walk 5.7 miles in a day and not get exhausted (the hills in Seattle will make these 5.7 miles feel like 10).
Starbucks
You should probably catch a cab to get you here, just tell him it's the Pike Place Starbucks. If he's an idiot he'll drop you off in front of Pike Place. Hopefully you get an experienced driver. FYI, This is not just any Starbucks mind you but the first Starbucks. The one that started it all. The inside has been preserved to the original old world state. Get here early, the lines sometimes go out the door.
Pike Place Market
It's likely that you'll see the infamous neon sign before you see the coffee shop, but alas the PPM is a three tier odyssey with everything from antiques to comics to flying fish. A must see.
Seattle Aquarium
If you want to you can follow the map to walk down hill to the Aquarium. But if your feeling adventurous you can find stairs that will lead you down to the piers from PPM. This is not a must see, but merely a stop on the way to the next locale and a reason to get down to the waterfront and walk the piers of Seattle.
Ivars Acres of Clams
Really good fish and chips, from a Seattle original restaurant. Save some bucks and order food from outside. Try to distance yourself from the restaurant after you get your order, tourists have been feeding the seagulls so much that they expect to get half your plate.
Westlake Center
Nothing really to see in Westlake that you can't see in any other overpriced mall in the country. But take the escalators to the third floor. There you'll find the Seattle Monorail and a shortcut to Seattle Center.
Seattle Center
It's gonna be packed. The Seattle Center is home to Bumbershoot every summer on Labor Day weekend, it's a great festival, but it's gone a little "Disney" the last four years or so with the special BS passes. If your taking this route on Thursday or Monday, you should be fine. If it's during the weekend, expect long lines for eveything:Space Needle, IMAX, Pacific Science Center, and food.
Experience Music Project
Right outside the SC and a must see if you've never been to Seattle and a big music fan. Paul Allen's tribute to Seattle musician and music is a little overpriced but worth it to fans of all genres of music.
Dick's Drive-In
It's probably time for lunch and Dick's will be on the other side of SC, cut through the park for drive in burgers/fries/shakes for five greenbacks.
Westlake Center
You could probably hang around SC, but there's nothing really to see find the Monorail station within SC and head back to Westlake. Now's a better time to hit the local shops, up a block and a half is Pacific Place, and around the area you can find Niketown, the Fox Sports Grill, Nordstroms HQ, among others.
Seattle Art Museum
SAM has been expanded over the last three years and is actually on par with other Museum's I've been to (excluding MMoA in NYC). If you're a fan of art, you really get your bang for your buck at SAM.
Cheesecake Factory
Time for dinner. There's also Gordon Biersch and a few other resturants at the top of Pacific Place.
Sleep then go to PAX/Home.
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