You! And me. And other PAX peeps. AKA your future friends.
Visit interesting places in and around Seattle.
Schedule posted below.
The two days before PAX: Wed 8/27 and Thurs 8/28. Traditionally runs from 9am to 5pm but
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See something of Seattle other than the convention center and your hotel. And do it with cool people!
Seattle's public transit.
if you plan on doing all of Thursday. The aquarium, harbor tour and EMP are on all the pass and you'll then get into the Pacific Science Center and Space Needle for free.
You don't need the rest of this post anymore. I'm just saving it behind this spoiler tag so I have it for next year.
Voting
Is all done. Please wait while the data is processed *beepboop*
Potential stops:
Here is the current list of places we may visit. Read them over, visit the websites, form an opinion, discuss their merits in this thread. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SUGGEST NEW DESTINATIONS! (New suggestions will go in the idea pool for next year.)
(Items in bold are places we went last year.)
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Add-a-Ball
What: Vintage arcade. From the website: "We have the largest collection of vintage coin operated arcade machines in the city, along with a stunning line up of pinball machines."
Price: free to enter, pay to drink/play
Hours: 4pm - 1am
Website:
http://add-a-ball.com/
Additional Notes: 21+
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Alki Beach
What: A long beach strip that runs from Alki Point to Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay. There are picnic tables, a bathhouse housing an art studio, and a restroom at the south (Alki Point) end of the beach, and there you'll find the monument to the arrival of the first white settlers on November 13, 1851.
Price: Free!
Hours: 4am - 11:30pm
Website:
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=445
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Archie McPhee's
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Ballard Locks
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Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
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Boehms Candies
What: 45 minute tour of a chocolate factory sampling opportunities.
Price: $4
Hours: 10:30am, 1:00pm, and 2:00pm
Website:
http://www.boehmscandies.com
Additional Notes: Tours by reservation only. People with disabilities may have trouble (stairs, gravel walkways, etc), but they will do factory-only tours for those with mobility concerns.
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Boeing factory tour
What: A tour of an airplane factory. See how planes are built.
Price: $18 ($20 at the door)
Hours: 8:30am - 5:30pm, tours on the hour (last one at 3pm)
Additional Notes: 25 miles north of Seattle. No one under 4ft tall. Handicapped people require advance notice so they can make proper accommodations.
Website:
http://www.futureofflight.org/
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Bullitt Center
What: 1 hour tour of the greenest commercial building in the world.
Price: $5 (+$1.17 service fee)
Hours: Wed, 4pm
Website:
http://bullittcenter.org/
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Chocolate Indulgence Tour
What: 2 hour guided walking tour of several local chocolatiers with tastings.
Price: $50 (+$0.99 ticketing fee)
Hours: 11am and 11:30am
Website:
http://www.savorseattletours.com/tours/chocolate/
Additional Notes: Pricey and walking-intense. Max of 16 people per tour.
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Duck Tour
What: Tour Seattle by land and water on a WWII amphibious landing craft! (90 minute tour)
Price: $28 plus tax
Hours: 9:20am - 7pm from Seattle Center, 9:30am - 6pm from Westlake Center
Additional Notes: Boats are NOT wheelchair accessible: must be able to walk up 8 steps (with handrails on both sides) onto boat.
Now Strip Search approved.
Website:
http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/
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EMP/Sci-Fi Museum
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Fremont
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Full Tilt Ice Cream
What: An ice cream parlor with pinball machines.
Price: Free to enter, pay to eat/play.
Hours: 12pm - 11pm
Website:
http://fulltilticecream.com
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Gas Works Park
What: public park on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant, located on the north shore of Lake Union.
Price: Free!
Hours: 6am - 10pm
Website:
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=293
Additional Notes: construction in the park starts on August 18th. Probably not the best year to visit this one.
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Greenlake
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Ice Cream Cruise
What: 45 minute narrated tour of Lake Union.
Price: ~$30
Hours: call to schedule
Website:
http://www.seattleferryservice.com/
Additional Notes: They changed this to be on Sundays, so we'd have to charter a special tour, hence the price. Ice cream, coffee, and soft drinks are $2-$4 each.
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Japanese Garden
What: 3 1/2 acre formal garden designed and constructed under the supervision of world-renowned Japanese garden designer Juki Iida. Tours available.
Price: $6.00
Hours: 10am - 7pm
Website:
http://www.theseattlejapanesegarden.com/
Additional Notes: Group tours available with advance notice and guide reservation fee.
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Lakeview Cemetery
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Monorail
What: The nation's first full-scale commercial monorail system, it runs between downtown Seattle and Seattle Center.
Price: $2.25
Hours: 7:30am - 11pm
Website:
http://www.seattlemonorail.com/
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Mount Rainier
What: Visit the scenic outdoors. Would take a whole day, but the views and nature are amazing.
Price: $15 per vehicle or $200 flat rate for the group if we rent a bus
Hours: Anytime. Museums and visitor centers have varying hours.
Website:
http://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm
Additional Notes: 1.75 hour drive from downtown Seattle. Not accessible with public transit.
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Museum of Flight
What: One of the largest air and space museums in the world.
Price: $19 (or $16 in a group of 10 or more).
Hours: 10am -5 pm
Website:
http://www.museumofflight.org/
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Museum of History and Industry
What: Largest private heritage organization in the State of Washington. MOHAI collects, preserves, and presents the rich history of the Pacific Northwest.
Price: $17
Hours: Wed 10am - 5pm, Thu 10am - 8pm
Website:
http://www.seattlehistory.org/
Additional Notes: they currently have an
exhibit about chocolate.
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Old Ballard Liquor Co
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Olympic Sculpture Park
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Pacific Science Center
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Pier 57 Ferris Wheel
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Pike Place Market
What: A Market. Wander around, do some shopping, watch the fish throwers, marvel at the gum wall. This is always our meetup place, so you're practically guaranteed time to walk around.
Price: Free to visit.
Hours: 6am - 1:30am
Website:
http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/frameset.asp?flash=true
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Pioneer Square/Historical District
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Public Library
What: A library. With some cool architecture.
Price: Free!
Hours: 10am - 8pm
Website:
http://www.spl.org/
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Qwest Field (now CenturyLink Field)
What: 90 minute tour of this football and soccer stadium.
Price: $12
Hours: 10:30, 12:30pm & 2:30pm
Website:
http://www.centurylinkfield.com/tour-centurylink-field/
Additional Notes: Arrive ~30 minutes early. Groups need advance warning. No tours August 28 (game day). Tour can be wheelchair accessible.
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Safeco Field
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Seattle Aquarium
What: An aquarium. Otters, octopi, fish, anemone, etc.
Price: $21.95
Hours: 9:30am - 5pm
Website:
http://www.seattleaquarium.org/
Additional Notes: Group rates (20+ people) available if purchased in advance.
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Seattle Art Museum (downtown location)
What: Culture! Look at the art!
Price: $19.50
Hours: Wed 10am - 5pm, Thu 10am - 9pm
Website:
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/
Additional Notes: Group rate (10+ people) with advance purchase.
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Seattle Asian Art Museum
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Seattle Center
What: In addition to the big things already on this list (EMP, Pacific Science Center, Monorail, Space Needle), there are a number of smaller museums, gardens, and shops. (Like the
Chihuly Garden and Glass.)
Price: Free to wander, some spots (like the museums) have their own admission prices.
Hours: Outside is always open. Shops and museums will have their own individual hours.
Website:
http://www.seattlecenter.com/
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Seattle Harbor Tour (Argosy Cruises)
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Shorty's Pinball Bar
What: Full service bar with pinball and arcade machines.
Price: Free to enter, pay to eat/drink/play.
Hours: 12pm - 2am
Website:
http://www.shortydog.com/
Additional Notes: 21+
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Smith Tower
What: Once the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, you can now visit the observation deck for 360 degree views. And you get to ride an old-fashioned manually operated elevator. (Less famous than the Space Needle, but also significantly cheaper.)
Price: $7.50
Hours: 10am - 7pm
Website:
http://smithtower.com/observe/observation-deck-info-calendar/
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Space Needle
What: Icon of Seattle. Go up and look down on all the little people-ants.
Price: $24
Hours: 8am – 12am
Website:
http://www.spaceneedle.com/
Additional Notes: Group rates (15+ people) available.
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Theo Chocolate
What: 1 hour tour of a chocolate factory with samples.
Price: $10
Hours: 10:30am - 4:30pm, departing every 30 minutes (except 1:30)
Website:
http://www.theochocolate.com/
Additional Notes: Max group size for private tour is 25. No one can wear any perfume or cologne, must wear closed-toe shoes. Not recommended for children under 7.
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Underground Tour
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University of Washington
What: A college. Tour the campus, or take in one of the museums and exhibits. Arts UW, Burke Museum, Henry Art Gallery, The Jacob Lawrence Gallery, Meany Hall for the Performing Arts, UW Botanic Gardens, UW Libraries Exhibits, Gallager Law Library, UW Fish Collection
Price: Free to wander, but some exhibits may have a fee.
Hours: Varies depending on what you want to see.
Website:
http://www.washington.edu/discover/visit
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Walking Tours
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Wing Luke Asian Art Museum
What: Nation’s only museum devoted to the Asian Pacific American experience
Price: $12.95
Hours: 10am - 5pm
Website:
http://www.wingluke.org/home.htm
Additional Notes: Includes all-day pass to gallery exhibitions & guided tour of the 1910 Historic Hotel and Yick Fung Company.
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Woodland Park Zoo
What: A zoo. Makes faces at the animals.
Price: $18.75
Hours: 9:30am - 6pm
Website:
http://www.zoo.org/
Posts
Pfft. everything in it is wrong right now.
And put up the voting: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bE7yk4OFOoEousTlokfqrmeFkeuimSYefVCAqY79G6Q/viewform?usp=send_form Fill out the form to let me know where you do (and don't) want to go. I'll tally votes this weekend and draft up the schedule.
<+Ravenger> you are talking to me
<@heels> oh god, what am i doing
<+Ravenger> you are talking to me
<@heels> oh god, what am i doing
clt
Their website's here - http://www.skyviewobservatory.com/
I don't ink we've had anyone under 10 on the tour before and most people are adults, but almost everything on the list is kid friendly. The 2 pinball bars (add-a-ball and shorty's) and the nighttime underground tour are 21+. A couple other spots have things you'd have to consider (like walking distance/time or height restrictions). I've tried to make a note of any of those things in my short descriptions in the OP and the websites have more info if you're seeking it.
I swear this place doesn't want us to visit. It used to be on the list, but the info on their site was really confusing and hard to find. Then I think it disappeared altogether. I think this site you linked is different than the one I checked in previous years, but it doesn't want to load for me. I'll try it again tomorrow.
Yes, please join us. I'd love to have you Tourist traps are more fun with groups of like-minded people. Plus you'll make a couple new friends you can run into during the show.
Thursday is pretty much guaranteed to be something(s) in Seattle Center. The transportation there is much friendlier to our larger group size that day, and there are just so many options in that one area.
If I fit it in, it'll most likely be on Wednesday.
You go Punzie! :)you deserve a Quadruple vote
I'll probably go to some/most of it, but since I'll be training in from Van with the illustrious @MagnusCarter I am not yet sure on schedule.
Do it. I will totally be there if this happens on Wednesday.
Thanks for organizing this, punzie.
pinnypals.com/pals/Zombicus
Pull Rank. Otherwise, what good is it to coordinate if you don't get any perks?
I am local and have been to most of these places already but I was more curious about the people rather than the places. I have an 8 year old (but she's a child of the internet so that's either awesome or terrible depending on your point of view) and a sullen 15 year old who probably wouldn't go but maybe he'd go just to hang out with other gamers.
Usually I have to work and can't do MMT but this year we are free on Thursday so that's why I'm wondering about it. Thanks for the answers!
Hey, sometimes people buy me lunch
Ah, well the conversations can definitely be...questionable (ok, out right filthy at times). Expect the same sort of language and conversation you might run into at any given point during PAX. No one should be harassing you or your kids for simply being there though. If you want to talk to other parents who've been on the tour, @macrogeek has brought his surly teen and @abbynormal brought his 10ish-year-old (if memory serves) daughter this past east. They might be willing to give their opinions.
Trade me pins, yo: https://www.pinnypals.com/pals/Lazorz
2. You should probably read up on and see about acquiring an Orca card. It's the bus pass thingy in Seattle. Getting the card is more difficult than adding money to it, as not many places seem to distribute the actual cards. I'm pretty sure I got one when I took the light rail from the airport to downtown last year. If that's not in your plans, I think you can have one mailed to you (or to your hotel so it'll be there waiting for you- just call the hotel to let them know you're having something sent there). Having a card will be a huge help [on wednesday*] because the bus drivers in Seattle hate when we all jump on their bus at once and everyone is paying cash. Website of info: https://www.orcacard.com/ERG-Seattle/p1_001.do
*we're probably just going to walk/use the monorail on Thursday because it's often just too many people for the bus
DS Friend Code - 5300-9697-9935
It's also a matter of time. Don't want the whole group to wait for a couple of people to get their passes.
Wednesday:
09:00a meetup at Pike Place Market
09:30a travel time
11:00a Beoing factory tour
12:30p travel time
02:30p lunch @ Lunchbox Laboratory
04:00p travel time
04:30p Shorty's pinball bar (21+)
05:30p dinner break
07:00p travel time
08:00p Underground Underworld Tour (21+)
Thursday:
09:00a meetup @ Pike Place Market
09:30a Walking tour of Pike Place Market
10:30a travel time
11:00a Aquarium
12:00p travel time
12:30p lunch @ Westlake Center
01:30p travel time- Monorail!
02:00p EMP/SciFi Museum
03:00p Seattle Center
THIS IS NOT FINAL AT THIS POINT! It will likely be the final schedule, but a) I'm waiting to hear back from the walking tour people and b) I may look at it tomorrow and wonder what I was thinking.
Things of note:
Morning meet ups:
- We'll be meeting by the bronze pig in front of the fish throwers. Walk straight down pike st, towards the water and then head just below the giant pike place market sign.
- The point of the meet ups is to find each other, make a friend, do some button exchanging, take a group photo with the pig, etc. It's not strictly necessary. If you want to go to the first stop and just wait for the nerd herd to arrive, that's ok. But you'll miss out on the wonderful sight of me trying to look put together and social while half asleep and trying to eat a bagel-wrapped hotdog
Wednesday:
- I hope you like busses! The trip to the beoing factory is going to be rough. Bring your coffe and ds, or take a nap on your neighbor. Just don't hate me.
- I'm trying out a "late night" activity. Personally, I find the underground to be a weird mixture of boring and interesting. Maybe the 21+ version is better. And if not, at least it comes with a drink!
- Lunchbox Labs was our spur of the moment schedule change last year and I think everyone enjoyed it. You can order a dork burger and an alcoholic milkshake. I tried to hold a council meeting at our round table complete with fire pit, but they wouldn't light the fire, so it wasn't official.
Thursday:
- I hope you like walking! Not only are we doing a walking tour (assuming the response to my email isn't "we can't accommodate 40 people"...), but then we'll be walking to the aquarium and from there to Westlake Center.
Sounds fun, regardless of whether I join! Hope you all have fun.