Mount Ranier National Park 1 day...

[su6oxone]

Just don't take the Duck boat tours...

[knrstz]

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

If you're cruising to Alaska from Seattle that means you're coming back here, too, so what about deferring your Rainier visit until your return? Every day/week makes a difference at that time of year. And with no disrespect to Kenmore Air, your flightseeing dollar is going to go a helluva lot further in Ketchikan or Juneau than it is in Seattle.

Unless you're one of those people that have a national park bucket list (which is fine) I'd use a free day in Seattle to see things you're not likely to see on an Alaska cruise. Maybe a day trip to the Everett Boeing plant (home of the big jets and the biggest building in the world) combined with a visit to a pretty waterfront town like Langley on Whidbey Island. Or take the ferry over to Bainbridge Island and visit the Bloedel Reserve, a glorious botanical garden. Or do a "Twin Peaks" tour out to Snoqualmie Falls and Tede's Cafe in North Bend for a piece of cherry pie and a damn fine cup of coffee. Or spend a day at Seattle's Fishermen's Terminal, home of most of the Puget Sound fishing fleet and a big part of the Alaska fleet, including the big "Deadliest Catch" crabbers and their ilk, followed by a visit to the Ballard Locks.

Lots of options.

Unfortunately the day we get back from the cruise is the same day our flight leaves. We've also kicked around the idea of doing a guided trip through Rainier NP. I found a few guides that aren't part of larger companies that have great reviews online. I kind of liked that idea because in the event of a bad weather day, we still have someone who can help us make the most out of the day. I fear that I'll make a wrong turn and not have GPS signal and get us lost for an hour or two. With only one day there isn't much room for error.

The other option we are weighing is as has been suggested, just exploring Seattle. We get in to Seattle on Thursday at 2:30 so we do have a little bit of time for exploration that afternoon and evening as well as most of the morning on Saturday. We don't depart until 4:00 PM on Saturday. Thanks so much for all of the responses.

[knrstz]

Originally Posted by su6oxone

Just don't take the Duck boat tours...

Yes we live about an hour away from where that happened so I'm all too familiar with duck boat stories.

[Gardyloo]

Originally Posted by knrstz

The other option we are weighing is as has been suggested, just exploring Seattle. We get in to Seattle on Thursday at 2:30 so we do have a little bit of time for exploration that afternoon and evening as well as most of the morning on Saturday. We don't depart until 4:00 PM on Saturday. Thanks so much for all of the responses.

I would strongly endorse this idea, but that doesn't foreclose getting a car for the day on Friday and doing some activities out of the city center.

Whidbey loop - https://goo.gl/maps/hfxqjW86ea52 . Google the places on the map. This is a very scenic loop route, including a couple of very pretty waterfront towns (La Conner and Langley) as well as fabulous Deception Pass, and maybe a stop in either/both Meerkerk Gardens on Whidbey (amazing rhododendron forest, probably still in bloom in mid-May) and/or the Future of Flight/Boeing factory tour.

Vashon loop - https://goo.gl/maps/TaPRRs6PTXN2 . This includes the scenic West Seattle waterfront as well as wonderful Vashon Island. Visit the picturesque lighthouse at Point Robinson, with its adjacent driftwood-covered beach and (hopefully) superb views of Mt. Rainier, then travel to the south end of Vashon for the ferry across to the Ruston district of Tacoma. Follow the Commencement Bay waterfront back to downtown Tacoma and visit the Museum of Glass (fee) and/or Chihuly Bridge of Glass (free) before returning to Seattle.

Seattle neighborhoods - https://goo.gl/maps/9bmUQapJoDS2 . This includes West Seattle, Seward Park and the wonderful Lake Washington waterfront, the lovely Arboretum (with Japanese garden fab in the spring) as well as Gas Works Park, the Fremont Troll, Ballard Locks, Fishermen's terminal, and terrific views from Magnolia.

Sample pictures illustrating one or two places on these routes -

Deception Pass beach (Whidbey side) -



Point Robinson lighthouse -



Mt. Rainier from Point Robinson -



Seattle from West Seattle water taxi dock -



Alki Beach -



Fishermen's Terminal -

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

I would strongly endorse this idea, but that doesn't foreclose getting a car for the day on Friday and doing some activities out of the city center.

Whidbey loop - https://goo.gl/maps/hfxqjW86ea52 . Google the places on the map. This is a very scenic loop route, including a couple of very pretty waterfront towns (La Conner and Langley) as well as fabulous Deception Pass, and maybe a stop in either/both Meerkerk Gardens on Whidbey (amazing rhododendron forest, probably still in bloom in mid-May) and/or the Future of Flight/Boeing factory tour.

Vashon loop - https://goo.gl/maps/TaPRRs6PTXN2 . This includes the scenic West Seattle waterfront as well as wonderful Vashon Island. Visit the picturesque lighthouse at Point Robinson, with its adjacent driftwood-covered beach and (hopefully) superb views of Mt. Rainier, then travel to the south end of Vashon for the ferry across to the Ruston district of Tacoma. Follow the Commencement Bay waterfront back to downtown Tacoma and visit the Museum of Glass (fee) and/or Chihuly Bridge of Glass (free) before returning to Seattle.

Seattle neighborhoods - https://goo.gl/maps/9bmUQapJoDS2 . This includes West Seattle, Seward Park and the wonderful Lake Washington waterfront, the lovely Arboretum (with Japanese garden fab in the spring) as well as Gas Works Park, the Fremont Troll, Ballard Locks, Fishermen's terminal, and terrific views from Magnolia.

Sample pictures illustrating one or two places on these routes -

Deception Pass beach (Whidbey side) -



Point Robinson lighthouse -



Mt. Rainier from Point Robinson -



Seattle from West Seattle water taxi dock -



Alki Beach -



Fishermen's Terminal -

Good stuff, Gardy.

[knrstz]

Thanks again for the replies and recommendations. I had another question in regard to eating some crab. Is the crab that I can get in Seattle as good as what I can get in Alaska? Looking at our itinerary it looks like we will have more time for a nice restaurant or two in Seattle since we will be doing excursions on limited time on the cruise. Any restaurant recommendations? We will be staying in west Seattle near Schmitz Preserve Park in an airbnb location.

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by knrstz

Thanks again for the replies and recommendations. I had another question in regard to eating some crab. Is the crab that I can get in Seattle as good as what I can get in Alaska? Looking at our itinerary it looks like we will have more time for a nice restaurant or two in Seattle since we will be doing excursions on limited time on the cruise. Any restaurant recommendations? We will be staying in west Seattle near Schmitz Preserve Park in an airbnb location.

Ray's Boathouse is a ways from West Seattle but worth it for the NW experience and yes, they would have crab: https://www.rays.com. Dungeness is very tasty.

Chinook's at Fisherman's terminal would be a good spot for crab too, maybe in combo with a visit to the Ballard Locks or glorious Discovery Park in Magnolia: https://www.anthonys.com/restaurants...-at-salmon-bay.

You could also just go to Pike Place Market, a number of excellent spots down there. Dungeness crab is available at most of our grocery stores, you could boil some up at your place and save some money too.

[Diana Holbrook]

If you buy King Crab or Snow Crab that will all come from Alaska.

Much of any Dungeness you get may be local... off the straights and off the coast. Definitely get that if you have the option.

[Gardyloo]

Originally Posted by knrstz

Thanks again for the replies and recommendations. I had another question in regard to eating some crab. Is the crab that I can get in Seattle as good as what I can get in Alaska? Looking at our itinerary it looks like we will have more time for a nice restaurant or two in Seattle since we will be doing excursions on limited time on the cruise. Any restaurant recommendations? We will be staying in west Seattle near Schmitz Preserve Park in an airbnb location.

If you mean Dungeness crab, the product you'll get in Seattle will be just as good (maybe better) than what you'll get in Alaska, and probably cheaper too. I don't know what Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau now charges for Dungeness; their King Crab offerings are nosebleed-expensive. And by the way, the season for King Crab is the middle of the winter, so any King Crab you get in either Alaska or Seattle will have been frozen for months.

I heartily endorse a do-it-yourself plan for crab in Seattle. Buy a couple of Dungies at Pike Place or (better IMO) at Uwajimaya in the International district, and have them cleaned before taking them home. Crab, green salad, melted butter and a loaf of good bread (and a bottle of some terrific Columbia Valley wine) and you've got the definitive "company's coming" Seattle dinner. Don't forget a couple of nutcrackers.

For restaurants that don't require a long car or cab ride, have a look at Duke's Chowder House opposite Alki Beach - https://www.dukesseafood.com/locations/alki/ or (splurge time) Salty's, which has one of the best views in town - https://www.saltys.com/seattle/

[Diana Holbrook]

Oh and knrstz! You're on vacation, you shouldn't have to choose... Plan on a couple of crab dinners, at least one in each location.