From: helen@nomad.urich.edu (Helen C. O'Boyle)
Subject: Re: How to see Seattle cheap?
Organization: University of Richmond
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 02:46:19 GMT

Well, I didn't see the original article, but I'll add to this anyway,
because I did what the subject line is talking about a couple years
ago.

In article <26680006@hpspkla.spk.hp.com> cicarell@hpspkla.spk.hp.com (Collen Cicarell) writes:
>Hi there,
>I was just browsing through the notes and noticed your trip to Seattle.  
>The busses are free in the city, pretty cheap everywhere else.  They seem
>to go everywhere I need to go when I visit.  I try not to drive at all when 
>I go there.  Sure you can see it without a car.  I don't know where the Youth
>Hostel is, but you can walk all around town.  Some highlights that I recommend
>are Pike Place Market,

Actually, I think the Youth Hostel is right around Pike Place Market (like
within a block or so), and very convenient to public transportation to just
about everywhere in Seattle.  Decent neighborhood, and stuff to do nearby.
This is memory from a journey around the US 2.5 years ago.... take it at
90%-95% accuracy.  Got in late first night, spent it in hotel; spent
the next three nights in the YH.  Preferred the attitude of the fellow
inhabitants and staff of the latter... no contest!

Seattle is definitely "doable" without a car.  I was busy for three
and a half days, and was still not done seeing everything that was
easily accessible.

>which is a public market right downtown, Pioneer Square,
>where the underground tour starts, and Seattle Center.

The Alweg monorail from the downtown shopping district area (you can
walk to it from the YH building... 6-8 blocks, I think) to the World's
Fair site (Seattle Center) is fun and reasonable (a dollar or two, I
think).  It's most fun to sit in the front (OK, yes, I like monorails
at the Disney parks too).

The "standard" tip about the Space Needle is to avoid the charge to
go to the sightseeing section by instead going up to the bar and
having a drink (you know, as in Coke, Pepsi, iced tea for us southern
folk ;-).  I *think* I recall that they'll let you ride up for free
if you're going to the bar at the top.  Otherwise you have to pay.

If you are into techie things, go into the science museum (Pacific
Science Center) at Seattle Center and amuse yourself with operating
the steam shovel to pick up ping pong balls if it's still there.
Look at the creativity exhibit (also neat), if it's still there.  If
you like such things, check out at least one of the laser shows
(they're $5-8 or so, not really inexpensive, but if you've never seen
one, it's neat to do).  I went back three nights in a row because after
the show one of the guys running it explained a bit about the system to
me and let me play with it. ;-) Don't know if it's still there, but the
Soviet space exhibit was pretty wild, also.  If you are a member of your
local science museum, check and see if you are eligible for a discount or
even free admission to the Pacific Science Center, since most science
museums give reciprocal membership privileges to others' members.

Also somewhere at Seattle Center there was a piece of the Berlin Wall.
Again, "I don't know if it's still there." (the refrain of someone
who saw exhibits more than two years ago ;-)

>[...] Walking along the waterfront (down about a Zillion stairs from
>Pike Place) can be interesting, especially the Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe.  They
>have some funky stuff in there, mummies, bones, curiosities, etc.

GO THERE!  It is neat!  Try not to buy one of those silly metal "try and
take me apart" puzzles.  Also try not to spend your afternoon taking
three of them apart, just to amaze the other tourists. :-)

>anyway, I hope this gives you some different ideas, and I hope you have a great
>time!!
>
>Colleen

This didn't add much, but it does confirm what the last poster said.  I
found Seattle to be a really nifty place (except for their Disney Store
in a rather "toney" shopping mall, which was lacking in the friendliness
department ;-), and am waiting for another excuse to go back there.
-- 
Helen C. O'Boyle          
U of R Usenet News Support
helen@nomad.urich.edu     
Xref: sparky rec.travel:12712 soc.culture.usa:7030