Frommer's Seattle 2004
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01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page i Seattle 2004 by Karl Samson Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s: “Amazingly easy to use. Very portable, very complete.” —Booklist “Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.” —Glamour Magazine “Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.” —Des Moines Sunday Register “Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.” —Knight Ridder Newspapers 01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page ii About the Author Karl Samson makes his home in the Northwest. He also covers the rest of Wash- ington for Frommer’s. In addition, Karl is the author of Frommer’s Arizona. Published by: Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys- tem or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo- copying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for per- mission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317/572-3447, fax 317/572-4447, E-Mail: [email protected]. Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. ISBN 0-7645-4127-7 ISSN 1045-9308 Editor: Christina Summers Production Editor: Ian Skinnari Cartographer: John Decamillis Photo Editor: Richard Fox Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800/762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317/572-3993 or fax 317/572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. Manufactured in the United States of America 54321 01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page iii Contents List of Maps vi What’s New in Seattle 1 1 The Best of Seattle 3 1 Frommer’s Favorite Seattle 2 Best Hotel Bets . .6 Experiences . .5 3 Best Dining Bets . .8 2 Planning Your Trip to Seattle 10 1 Visitor Information . .10 Frommers.com: The Complete 2 Money . .10 Travel Resource . .20 3 When to Go . .11 7 The 21st-Century Traveler . .21 Seattle Calendar of Events . .12 Online Traveler’s Toolbox . .22 4 Travel Insurance, 8 Getting There . .23 Health & Safety . .14 9 Tips on Accommodations . .27 5 Specialized Travel Resources . .16 Suggested Itineraries . .27 6 Planning Your Trip Online . .19 3 For International Visitors 29 1 Preparing for Your Trip . .29 Fast Facts: For the 2 Getting to the U.S. .35 International Traveler . .37 3 Getting Around the United States . .36 4 Getting to Know Seattle 42 1 Orientation . .42 Driving a Bargain in Seattle . .52 The Neighborhoods in Brief . .45 Fast Facts: Seattle . .53 2 Getting Around . .49 5 Where to Stay in Seattle 56 1 The Waterfront . .57 7 Lake Union . .72 2 Downtown & First Hill . .60 8 Capitol Hill & East Seattle . .73 3 Belltown . .66 Family-Friendly Hotels . .74 4 Pike Place Market . .67 9 North Seattle (The University 5 Pioneer Square & the District) . .74 International District . .68 10 Near Sea-Tac Airport . .76 6 Queen Anne & Seattle Center . .68 11 The Eastside . .76 01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page iv iv CONTENTS 6 Where to Dine in Seattle 79 1 Restaurants by Cuisine . .80 9 Capitol Hill & East Seattle . .102 2 The Waterfront . .83 10 North Seattle (Including 3 Downtown & First Hill . .83 Fremont, Wallingford & the University District) . .103 Family-Friendly Restaurants . .87 11 West Seattle . .105 4 Belltown . .88 12 The Eastside (Including 5 Pike Place Market . .92 Bellevue & Kirkland) . .106 6 Pioneer Square & the 13 Coffee, Tea, Bakeries & International District . .95 Pastry Shops . .106 7 Queen Anne & Seattle Center . .96 14 Quick Bites . .109 8 Lake Union . .100 7 Exploring Seattle 111 1 On the Waterfront . .111 Fish Gotta Swim . .129 2 Pike Place Market to 6 Especially for Kids . .130 Pioneer Square . .114 7 Organized Tours . .131 Good Times in Bad Taste . .115 Won’t You Let Me Take 3 Seattle Center & Lake You on a Sea Cruise? . .134 Union Attractions . .117 8 Outdoor Pursuits . .136 Space Needle Alternatives . .120 9 Spectator Sports . .140 4 The Neighborhoods . .122 10 Day Spas . .142 5 Parks & Public Gardens . .127 8 Strolling Around Seattle 143 Walking Tour 1: Pike Walking Tour 3: Fun, Place Market . .143 Funky Fremont . .151 Walking Tour 2: The Pioneer Square Area . .147 9 Seattle Shopping 154 1 The Shopping Scene . .154 2 Shopping A to Z . .155 10 Seattle After Dark 166 1 The Performing Arts . .166 3 The Bar Scene . .174 2 The Club & Music Scene . .171 4 The Gay & Lesbian Scene . .176 So Who Needs Cirque 5 More Entertainment . .177 du Soleil, Anyway? . .173 6 Only in Seattle . .177 01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page v CONTENTS v 11 Side Trips from Seattle 179 1 The San Juan Islands . .179 7 The Woodinville 2 Port Townsend: A Restored Wine Country . .216 Victorian Seaport . .194 8 Kirkland: Art Galleries on 3 Olympic National Park Lake Washington . .218 & Environs . .199 9 Snohomish: Antiques 4 Mount Rainier . .209 Capital of the Northwest . .218 5 Ferry Excursions from Seattle . .211 10 Tacoma’s New Museums . .219 6 Snoqualmie Falls & 11 Mount St. Helens National the Snoqualmie Valley . .214 Volcanic Monument . .220 Appendix A: Seattle in Depth 223 1 Seattle Past & Present . .223 Dateline . .223 Appendix B: Useful Toll-Free Numbers & Websites 227 Index 230 General Index . .230 Restaurant Index . .239 Accommodations Index . .238 01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page vi List of Maps Greater Seattle Orientation 47 North: Queen Anne, Seattle Center, Accommodations: The Waterfront, Capitol Hill, East Seattle & Downtown, First Hill, Belltown, North Seattle 118 Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square Seattle Center 121 & the International District 58 Walking Tour: Pike Place Market Accommodations: Seattle Center, 145 Lake Union, Capitol Hill & the Walking Tour: Pioneer Square 149 “U” District 70 Walking Tour: Fremont 153 Dining: The Waterfront, Downtown, First Hill, Belltown, Pike Place Seattle Excursions 181 Market, Pioneer Square & the The San Juan Islands 183 International District 84 Mount Rainier National Park 211 Dining: Queen Anne/Seattle Center, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Lake Union, Capitol Hill & North Monument 221 Seattle 98 The Waterfront, Downtown, First Hill, Belltown, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square & the International District 113 01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page vii An Invitation to the Reader In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Seattle 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 An Additional Note Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma- tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets. Other Great Guides for Your Trip: Frommer’s Washington State Seattle & Portland For Dummies Frommer’s Vancouver & Victoria 01 541277 FM.qxd 11/17/03 9:37 AM Page viii Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (rec- ommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see). In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for: Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun Kids Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money Value Great values—where to get the best deals The following abbreviations are used for credit cards: AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa DC Diners Club MC MasterCard Frommers.com Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations.