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Seattle Tourism for PAX Prime 2015

forbiddenvoidforbiddenvoid Seattle, WARegistered User regular
Hi everyone,

My wife and I are heading back to Seattle for PAX Prime next year, but we want to spend a couple extra days in Seattle before the convention. Other than the Space Needle, what other attractions should we consider visiting while we're there?

ewnk2szpswv2.png

PAX. PAX. PAX. Boom.
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Posts

  • lokar82lokar82 Registered User regular
    I would suggest checking out tripadvisor, I do not work for them or anything but I have found them invaluable for trip planning and local attraction listings.

  • MetricalSkyMetricalSky Vancouver, BCRegistered User regular
    You should check out the Magical Mystery Tour that @punzie organizes before each PAX (link to this year's MMT).

    ItrVoTt.png
  • RyanPMRyanPM Registered User new member
    Didn't get too much time to travel outside the Convention Center area this year, but we checked out the Fremont area, as well as the waterfront and sculpture park area. Both were great - plenty of places to eat, drink and take in the scenery.

  • DuelLadySDuelLadyS Registered User regular
    Basically everything in the Magical Mystery Tour is good.

    The Ballard Locks are kind of nice, especially if there's a good salmon run going.

    There's a Pinball Museum on Maynard Ave in the International District, which is fun by itself if you like Japanese snacks- Uwajimaya is huge Japanese grocery store. There's also a Japanese bookstore attached (Kinokuniya) and one of the Pink Gorilla locales just around the corner... of course, if you're up for PAX they'll have the really good stuff packed up for the show.

    That's all I've got off the top of my head, unless you wanna go south... I know the Tacoma area better than the Seattle one.

  • punziepunzie Cookie Pimp Registered User regular
    I was just coming in here to suggest either joining me (us) on next year's MMT, or just combing the thread for ideas, but @MetricalSky‌ pretty much already did that. So I'll just be over there, reading some other thread o:)

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  • adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
    We did the museum of flight this year. It was awesome! Cost us $15 with uber to get there but well worth the money. EMP museum was also very neat. Next year we are doing Theo's chocolate factory tour. ;)

    Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    Check out the MMT link above - it has a great list of All the Places, with simple details like hours, cost, and description.

    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • SolelronSolelron Wandering Gamer Cornelius, ORRegistered User regular
    MMT hits all the great spots, Seattle Center, Aquarium, zoo, duck ride, museum...all different every year :)

  • STIRISH509 STIRISH509 Registered User new member
    The troll under the bridge. And Bruce lees grave site if u liked his movies.

  • forbiddenvoidforbiddenvoid Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    Just came back to check on this. The MMT looks awesome. I'll definitely get in on that. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

    ewnk2szpswv2.png

    PAX. PAX. PAX. Boom.
  • gamersmomgamersmom Registered User new member
    Hello-this will be my sons first Pax experience. This trip will be Christmas,bday,etc. etc. so I want to make it great. From past attendees which hotels are connected or across from the event? Which hotels will block rooms? I'm already looking into flights (from FL) & wanted to get a budget idea...? Any advice appreciated. :)

  • RavengerRavenger Trolololo Registered User regular
    gamersmom wrote: »
    Hello-this will be my sons first Pax experience. This trip will be Christmas,bday,etc. etc. so I want to make it great. From past attendees which hotels are connected or across from the event? Which hotels will block rooms? I'm already looking into flights (from FL) & wanted to get a budget idea...? Any advice appreciated. :)

    Sheraton, Motif, Westin, Paramount, etc. If you look up the address of the WSCC you can see some of the hotels in the area. Your budget depends on how many days you are staying, if you plan on eating out every meal, etc. If you are staying thurs night-tuesday morning, im guessing airfare+1500. All depends on how you vacation, though

    <@heels&gt; Ravenger: i do not talk to anyone
    <+Ravenger> you are talking to me
    <@heels&gt; oh god, what am i doing
  • jamsyarbotsjamsyarbots Wilmington, DERegistered User regular
    I just did the math for what I spent in 2013. Only counting badges, hotel, and airfare I spent $1,920. That's not including the money I spent just food, swag, and just goofing around in Seattle.

  • triodugtriodug Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    I live in Belltown and i have to say that it's one of the best areas to visit, especially if you're over 21. There are a lot of great restaurants and bars here (belltown pub hosts Geeks Who Drink events) and being so close to the Seattle center means you can take the monorail to downtown whenever you please.

    Another good place to check out would be the Public Market (a given) and while you're there check out Golden Age.

    I also recommend checking out Blue-C Sushi on 7th(right by convention center)

  • DreamwriterDreamwriter Registered User regular
    You could allocate a day to visit Mt. Rainier, it's beautiful that time of year

  • jamsyarbotsjamsyarbots Wilmington, DERegistered User regular
    You could allocate a day to visit Mt. Rainier, it's beautiful that time of year
    My girlfriend and I have been looking into doing that this year pre-pax. So far it looks like a really worthwhile idea.

  • LazorzLazorz Tokyo, JPRegistered User regular
    My friend and I went to Archie McPhee and Card Kingdom last year before the convention started. It wasn't too hard figuring out the bus paths, but it's definitely a learning experience. My suggestion is to join a group with the MMT link listed above. Veterans of Seattle are going to make it much easier to NOT get lost.

  • fueledbyginfueledbygin Registered User regular
    The first page of a Google Search will tell you all the most touristy locations in Seattle (Pike Place Market, Space Needle, etc). I'm no Seattle native (last year, for PAX, was the first time I'd been in almost 20 years, the prior time being when I was a kid), but here are a few Seattle things I enjoyed that might not be found on the first page of Google:

    1) Kayaking in Lake Union. You can rent kayaks for a pretty reasonable hourly rate (we rented from Aqua Verde) and I'd go on a weekday; the lakes are far more busy on the weekends. Don't let them put you in a "beginner's" kayak (unless you're really hesitant and it's like your first time in a kayak). It's day and night less ergonomic than their normal ones. We went that Friday morning of PAX 2014, and it was great. Hardly anyone else on the water.

    2) As an alternative to Pike Place Market, I'd suggest the Fremont Sunday Market. Almost made me wish I lived in the area, with the sheer amount of things I wanted to buy for my own home.

    3) My first breakfast in Seattle was at Portage Bay Cafe. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and food (had the Miga w/maple pork sausage and mushrooms), though you probably want to make a reservation.

    4) On the other side of the breakfast experience, there's Beth's Cafe. We went after driving back from Dave Matthews at The Gorge, so it was sometime in the early morning of Sunday, during PAX, and there were a bunch of cosplayers there (presumably from PAX). It's a grungy diner, where the walls are completely covered with (uncensored) drawings by patrons. Lot of geeks have obviously frequented the place. :)

    5) Walking around Green Lake and people watching.

    The most touristy thing I did in Seattle that you'll likely see on the first page of Google that I thought was a complete waste of time and money? The Seattle Great Wheel. Unless you're going to go at night and make out or something. We went during the middle of the day, and it was borderline miserable with how hot it was in the enclosed cars (and if your group doesn't fill the car, they'll try to put other people in with you; luckily we had four of us together). It's not nearly as big in person as you'd expect, either.

    I actually ended up spending more time outside Seattle. Some of the highlights I really enjoyed:

    1) San Juan Islands. The kayaking is great. Didn't have even remotely enough time to spend there (two days). When I go back, I'm not making that mistake again. Orcas Island was my favorite. The pot stickers from The Kitchen in Eastbrook sustained me (and were delicious) while hiking in Moran State Park. Bring cash to the islands. A number of businesses don't run cards (or have minimum purchase requirements). Mami's Cafe at the Orcas Island ferry was another memorable eaterie. She has some fairly negative anti-Obama stickers plastered everywhere (I'm about as apolitical as a person can get), but she was the sweetest thing, mothering me while waiting on the ferry. The Yelp reviews reflect people's objections to her political views, I'd guess. As long as you don't really care what someone else's political views are, I'd give it a shot.

    2) Mount Rainier. Obviously. :) There was construction going on that had closed several of the day trails, so the available day hikes were a bit limited. But, it's Rainier. You've got to go. If you leave early (6ish), you also get to smile as you leave Seattle and see everyone who's working stuck in traffic, while you aren't. :twisted: (Btw, the traffic during rush hour in the Seattle area generally blows, going south out of Seattle in the morning was one exception; plan accordingly).

    3) The Gorge. I'm not actually much of a concert person. I'm one of those blasphemous people who thinks artists sound far better from a recording studio while wearing my headphones, but The Gorge is definitely one of the most picturesque concert venues I've ever been to. It's absolutely stunning, especially as the sun is setting. Though, for some reason, they didn't actually start the concert until dusk, which kind of defeated the whole picturesque part of the venue for the actual concert. Worth driving out for the scenery, even if there's nothing playing.

    4) Lots of hikes, but my favorite was Mount Pilchuck. The road leading up the mountain to the trail head is not paved (and lack of signage made me wonder if my GPS was insane), and I probably shouldn't have taken a rental car on it, but it's not too rough a road, take it moderately, regardless of how crazy local drivers are taking it. Just run the rental through a car wash when you're done. Absolutely breathtaking view (I have to say, the numerous mountains in Washington make for some great vistas) at the top, from an old firewatch tower.

    5) AFK Tavern. The food isn't fantastic or anything (it is plentiful, however), so I'd take some of the reviews talking up the food with a grain of salt, but there's something to be said about a restaurant that caters specifically to gamers/geeks. We went to the one in Everett, twice, and it was packed both times. Really great to see such a thing seeming to thrive. They keep a stock of games which you can play while waiting for your food/eating. Definitely a lot of interesting people watching to be had as well.

  • MrPulsarMrPulsar Registered User regular
    fueledbygin's suggestions are magnificent. I used to live near Green Lake and can definitely recommend it (It's also near Beth's Cafe so there's a way to knock two birds with one stone). It's a fun place to go and walk. There's also a dog park there if you have a canine family member you're bringing. Another fun park is Karkeek Park (known best for where Pearl Jam performed), and there's a lot to do on the port. I definitely wouldn't limit yourself to Pike Place. Also it's a little sketchy at times but there is a lot of great restaurants and interesting shops in the University District. It's one of the parts of the city you're bound to see as the previous post said 'interesting people'.

    Oddly enough I don't think anyone mentioned A Sound Garden, either! You can probably tell I am into the grunge scene. >_____>

    Another couple fun places to go is the EMP Museum, which is a wonderful museum dedicated to not just music but a lot of Seattle based musicians. There's also a science-fiction part of the museum and the theater there puts on laser shows now and then. I got to see a Pink Floyd laser show of 'The Wall' once... was great. The other place is Woodland Park Zoo if you're feeling like seeing animals.

    Other than that, I don't know, the previous posts have you covered in a lot. Perhaps stick around for Bumbershoot as well? It either runs during PAX or the weekend after/before. Great music festival.

  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    MrPulsar wrote: »
    fueledbygin's suggestions are magnificent. I used to live near Green Lake and can definitely recommend it (It's also near Beth's Cafe so there's a way to knock two birds with one stone). It's a fun place to go and walk. There's also a dog park there if you have a canine family member you're bringing. Another fun park is Karkeek Park (known best for where Pearl Jam performed), and there's a lot to do on the port. I definitely wouldn't limit yourself to Pike Place. Also it's a little sketchy at times but there is a lot of great restaurants and interesting shops in the University District. It's one of the parts of the city you're bound to see as the previous post said 'interesting people'.

    Oddly enough I don't think anyone mentioned A Sound Garden, either! You can probably tell I am into the grunge scene. >_____>

    Another couple fun places to go is the EMP Museum, which is a wonderful museum dedicated to not just music but a lot of Seattle based musicians. There's also a science-fiction part of the museum and the theater there puts on laser shows now and then. I got to see a Pink Floyd laser show of 'The Wall' once... was great. The other place is Woodland Park Zoo if you're feeling like seeing animals.

    Other than that, I don't know, the previous posts have you covered in a lot. Perhaps stick around for Bumbershoot as well? It either runs during PAX or the weekend after/before. Great music festival.

    Seattle Native chipping in here with a couple of clarifications. These are great suggestions!

    If you're looking for Karkeek Carkeek Park, it's easily accessible by the D-Line (I think it's the last stop on the line). A great place to go have a short urban hike in the woods and visit the beach. There's a large grocery store at the bus stop and you can grab some noshies to take to the terrific barbeque and kids' play area overlooking Puget Sound. There's also an overpass where you can walk over the train tracks and watch the trains go underneath you. The views are stunning and you can even pick berries along the paths!

    Regarding the Sound Garden (Not "A" Sound Garden. I'm a grammar freak :) it's on property owned by NOAA at Magnuson Park / Sand Point Park. You will need to check in at the guard booth to get there but it's totally worth it. If you're not sure, just call them up and find out if there are specific hours or restrictions. Go on a windy day to really get the experience, because it's an art installation of a couple of dozen windpipes up on a hill over the lake that catch the breeze and play different chords and sounds. It's eerie and amazing and also has a stunningly beautiful 270 degree view of Lake Washington and the Cascades.

    Bumbershoot is a massive outdoor music festival held on Labor Day Weekend every year. It's at the Seattle Center and is a medium-ish walk from the Con. Get ready for crushing crowds, hefty entrance fees, lotsa loud music, mosh pits, street food, and lots and lots of weed. IMO everyone should go at least once.



    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    edited March 2015
    You could allocate a day to visit Mt. Rainier, it's beautiful that time of year
    My girlfriend and I have been looking into doing that this year pre-pax. So far it looks like a really worthwhile idea.

    If you're planning a day trip all the way down there, consider going a little further and visiting Mt. St. Helens - the volcano that erupted in 1982 1980 (local fail!). It's beautiful like Rainier, but also really really interesting. The Visitor Center and hike to the crater are not to be missed.

    LexiconGrrl on
    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • MrPulsarMrPulsar Registered User regular
    edited March 2015
    You could allocate a day to visit Mt. Rainier, it's beautiful that time of year
    My girlfriend and I have been looking into doing that this year pre-pax. So far it looks like a really worthwhile idea.

    If you're planning a day trip all the way down there, consider going a little further and visiting Mt. St. Helens - the volcano that erupted in 1982. It's beautiful like Rainier, but also really really interesting. The Visitor Center and hike to the crater are not to be missed.

    Thanks for your corrections on a few things I suggested! :) (I should have noted I moved out of Seattle in 2011 so I am just going off what I remember. I don't think Sound Garden had been taped off by that point)

    Great suggestion on Mt. St. Helens. That was a crazy eruption I'm told and an interesting place to visit. Also what about the park at the port? I forget the name of it... I wanna say it's monument park? It has a bunch of statues of really bizarre/interesting stuff. Just don't take pictures there!

    Oh also, Mt. St. Helens blew up in 1980. I only know because my father was a first responder (police officer in the area at the time).

    MrPulsar on
  • jumbotojumboto Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    If you're planning a day trip all the way down there, consider going a little further and visiting Mt. St. Helens - the volcano that erupted in 1982. It's beautiful like Rainier, but also really really interesting. The Visitor Center and hike to the crater are not to be missed.

    If you're hiking near Mt. St. Helens you have to hike the Ape Caves. It's one of the most unique hiking experiences in the United States.

    boTdSSK.png
  • YoungFreyYoungFrey Registered User regular
    DuelLadyS wrote: »
    Basically everything in the Magical Mystery Tour is good.

    The Ballard Locks are kind of nice, especially if there's a good salmon run going.

    There's a Pinball Museum on Maynard Ave in the International District, which is fun by itself if you like Japanese snacks- Uwajimaya is huge Japanese grocery store. There's also a Japanese bookstore attached (Kinokuniya) and one of the Pink Gorilla locales just around the corner... of course, if you're up for PAX they'll have the really good stuff packed up for the show.

    That's all I've got off the top of my head, unless you wanna go south... I know the Tacoma area better than the Seattle one.

    Pink Gorilla isn't a great visit before PAX. They pack up all their stock to bring to their booth. So the store is pretty picked over. The International District is still a good visit though.

  • nohomeJeromenohomeJerome Emerald City, WA Registered User regular
    A ton of great suggestions already that I'll add just two:

    Bill Speidel's Underground Tour is a fun 75 minutes and a relatively short distance from the Convention Center. You can find it in Pioneer Square.

    I second a trip to the EMP, a bunch of great exhibits running right now and should still be around when PAX arrives. Star Wars and the Indie Games Revolution are two worth checking out. Plus you can ride the monorail there, an added bonus!

  • fueledbyginfueledbygin Registered User regular
    This year we're going early and lining PAX up at the tail end of the trip. The "big" part will be a week spent doing the Olympic Peninsula + Victoria loop. Always be happy for any off the beaten path type of suggestions for either area. :)

  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    This year we're going early and lining PAX up at the tail end of the trip. The "big" part will be a week spent doing the Olympic Peninsula + Victoria loop. Always be happy for any off the beaten path type of suggestions for either area. :)

    Think about checking out the Emily Carr museum in Victoria. It doesn't get much more NW than that.

    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • SanDogWepsSanDogWeps Limerick Monger San DiegoRegistered User regular
    I will repeat my warning from last year...

    If you are inclined to take a free bus from downtown to any of the casinos, keep very tight control of your belongings. Purse, wallet, whatever. May have been a random event for my trip, but the folks who use the bus tend to scrum/zerg the bus when boarding, leaving ample opportunities for pickpocketing. I felt the hand in my back left pocket, and left a person I never managed to see with a wrenched finger. The missus was not so lucky - her wallet was stolen out of her zipped up purse.

    I am not saying do not go. I am not saying casinos or those that go to them are evil. I am saying wait a bit for the zerg rush to end before boarding or disembarking said bus, and keep a firm grip on your wallets even then.

    keyanEQ2_100x400.gif
  • Ollie_oooOllie_ooo Registered User new member
    If your looking for some site seeing with some educational stuff mixed in there's a google app called (Field Trip) Shows interesting points of interest and usually has some interesting info about things nearby when you travel.
    nice app tho it can drain your battery with its notifications :)

  • Bladed CicadaBladed Cicada Registered User regular
    This year we're going early and lining PAX up at the tail end of the trip. The "big" part will be a week spent doing the Olympic Peninsula + Victoria loop. Always be happy for any off the beaten path type of suggestions for either area. :)
    For the peninsula, definitely check out Ruby beach which is on the west side, if you want a decent size ocean town check out Long Beach or Ocean Shores (Long Beach is better IMO). Depending on which way you start you can stop by the numbered beaches on the way north or south along the western coast, Rialto Beach and La Push have amazing rocky beaches (google image search). Cape Flattery is the Northwestern most tip of WA, and the lower 48, and also has unbelievable views if you can do a little hiking. The rain forest over there has at least 3 species-specimines of the worlds largest trees. I think douglas fir is one? Dunno, but also amazing in general as it is a non-tropical rain forest. The straight is a nice drive, I would highly recommend Hurricane Ridge as you feel like you are on the top on the world and can drive up. Port Townsend is a nice little town as well as Port Angeles. Though I prefer Port Townsend cause it has an awesome little brew-pub-cade that has good locally brewed beer, a bunch of pinball games (x-files!!!) and a few arcades. That loop if alone if you have about 4 or more days is amazing and you can do it in less if needed. Oh and Lake Crescent!!! Sooo yeah, WA is great :D I mean... no it's not. Shhhhhhhhhh.....

  • DreamwriterDreamwriter Registered User regular
    Bumbershoot is a massive outdoor music festival held on Labor Day Weekend every year. It's at the Seattle Center and is a medium-ish walk from the Con. Get ready for crushing crowds, hefty entrance fees, lotsa loud music, mosh pits, street food, and lots and lots of weed. IMO everyone should go at least once.
    Note that this year Bumbershoot doesn't overlap with PAX, since PAX is the weekend before Labor Day weekend this year.

  • kylechukylechu Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    I highly recommend the Sky View Observatory in the Columbia Tower (the tallest building in Seattle) - http://www.skyviewobservatory.com/

    Unfortunately, it's all indoor, but it's way cheaper than the Space Needle, considerably higher up, and right in the middle of downtown, so you can pretty much see the entire city, and quite a bit more on a clear day. Probably my favorite place in the city.

    kylechu on
  • YoungFreyYoungFrey Registered User regular
    As mentioned above, there is a Star Wars exhibit at the EMP during PAX. It has limited ticketing. I have no idea how limited tickets to this are, but if it was going to sell out on any particular weekend, it'd be the one of PAX.

  • mcdermottmcdermott Registered User regular
    kylechu wrote: »
    I highly recommend the Sky View Observatory in the Columbia Tower (the tallest building in Seattle) - http://www.skyviewobservatory.com/

    Unfortunately, it's all indoor, but it's way cheaper than the Space Needle, considerably higher up, and right in the middle of downtown, so you can pretty much see the entire city, and quite a bit more on a clear day. Probably my favorite place in the city.

    Sky View definitely has the better view. I feel like Space Needle has more charm though. Also the Columbia Tower has really jacked the rate...it used to be much cheaper. It's still seven bucks less than the Space Needle, but it's closed the gap enough now that I could maybe justify doing the Space Needle for greater tourist value. Especially if you're already at the Seattle Center doing anything else (EMP, etc).

  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited May 2015
    YoungFrey wrote: »
    As mentioned above, there is a Star Wars exhibit at the EMP during PAX. It has limited ticketing. I have no idea how limited tickets to this are, but if it was going to sell out on any particular weekend, it'd be the one of PAX.

    Ooooh, I just secured tickets for Tuesday, September 1st, at 1PM. Thanks for the heads up!

    For those of you with extra time/money to burn there's also a Weird Al concert in Bend Oregon going on. I'm gonna be going to that as my big PAX weekend finisher. http://weirdal.com/tour/

    TOGSolid on
    wWuzwvJ.png
  • royaloliverroyaloliver Registered User regular
    edited May 2015
    AFK Elixirs and Eatery in Renton, about 20 minutes away from downtown Seattle. afkelixirsandeatery.com/
    Virtual Laser Tag (beer available) in Tukwila virtualsports.net/home/
    Indoor Skydiving in Tukwila https://seattle.iflyworld.com/
    8 Bit Arcade bar in Downtown Renton https://facebook.com/pages/8-bit-Arcade-Bar/434005613350903
    SyKart 40mph indoor go-carts in Tukwila sykart.com/wordpress1/
    Acme Bowl in Tukwila acmebowl.com/
    Family Fun Center in Tukwila (gocarts, two outdoor mini golf courses, arcade, etc) fun-center.com/

    royaloliver on
  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    Get a sandwich at Paseo.

    Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
  • YoungFreyYoungFrey Registered User regular
    TOGSolid wrote: »
    YoungFrey wrote: »
    As mentioned above, there is a Star Wars exhibit at the EMP during PAX. It has limited ticketing. I have no idea how limited tickets to this are, but if it was going to sell out on any particular weekend, it'd be the one of PAX.

    Ooooh, I just secured tickets for Tuesday, September 1st, at 1PM. Thanks for the heads up!

    For those of you with extra time/money to burn there's also a Weird Al concert in Bend Oregon going on. I'm gonna be going to that as my big PAX weekend finisher. http://weirdal.com/tour/

    Also, if you know who Justin McElroy is (editor of Polygon), 2 of his podcasts(Sawbones and My Brother, My Brother, and Me) are doing live recordings Saturday of PAX.

  • adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
    YoungFrey wrote: »
    TOGSolid wrote: »
    YoungFrey wrote: »
    As mentioned above, there is a Star Wars exhibit at the EMP during PAX. It has limited ticketing. I have no idea how limited tickets to this are, but if it was going to sell out on any particular weekend, it'd be the one of PAX.

    Ooooh, I just secured tickets for Tuesday, September 1st, at 1PM. Thanks for the heads up!

    For those of you with extra time/money to burn there's also a Weird Al concert in Bend Oregon going on. I'm gonna be going to that as my big PAX weekend finisher. http://weirdal.com/tour/

    Also, if you know who Justin McElroy is (editor of Polygon), 2 of his podcasts(Sawbones and My Brother, My Brother, and Me) are doing live recordings Saturday of PAX.

    We saw MBMBAM in Chicago and they were great. Grab tickets quick for Seattle as they are down to balcony only seating.

    Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
  • fueledbyginfueledbygin Registered User regular
    This year we're going early and lining PAX up at the tail end of the trip. The "big" part will be a week spent doing the Olympic Peninsula + Victoria loop. Always be happy for any off the beaten path type of suggestions for either area. :)
    For the peninsula, definitely check out Ruby beach which is on the west side, if you want a decent size ocean town check out Long Beach or Ocean Shores (Long Beach is better IMO). Depending on which way you start you can stop by the numbered beaches on the way north or south along the western coast, Rialto Beach and La Push have amazing rocky beaches (google image search). Cape Flattery is the Northwestern most tip of WA, and the lower 48, and also has unbelievable views if you can do a little hiking. The rain forest over there has at least 3 species-specimines of the worlds largest trees. I think douglas fir is one? Dunno, but also amazing in general as it is a non-tropical rain forest. The straight is a nice drive, I would highly recommend Hurricane Ridge as you feel like you are on the top on the world and can drive up. Port Townsend is a nice little town as well as Port Angeles. Though I prefer Port Townsend cause it has an awesome little brew-pub-cade that has good locally brewed beer, a bunch of pinball games (x-files!!!) and a few arcades. That loop if alone if you have about 4 or more days is amazing and you can do it in less if needed. Oh and Lake Crescent!!! Sooo yeah, WA is great :D I mean... no it's not. Shhhhhhhhhh.....
    We'll be starting by taking the ferry to Clinton, than Port Townsend. We might be there too early, but what's the pub-arcade called? Then make our way to Port Angeles (Hurricane Ridge is the last thing we have planned before crossing to Victoria), Victoria + their loop, cross back, then continue on counter clock wise with the Olympic Peninsula. We'll definitely be hitting as many beaches as we can, and we've got a camping reservation on one of the bluffs at Kalaloch. We're also going to try to pitch some tents (and hopefully light some bonfires) right on Shi Shi beach another night. The whole trip is during the week, so even though it's August, we're hoping the crowds are reasonable. :/

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