Shannnon’s Weekend in Seattle
Entrance to the Science Fiction Museum
Photo uploaded by Go Card USA
On occasion, we bloggers over here at Smart Destinations have a chance to step away from our desks and enjoy the cities and attractions we’re so happily sharing with our customers. Back in early October, I packed my ancient, olive green bags (with the questionable zippers), grabbed my travel-illiterate boyfriend Russ, and jetted off to spend 5 fun-filled days in the Pacific Northwest (for less than $600).
The Hotel
If you’re traveling on a budget (as I always am), I recommend grabbing a room at the impossibly hip Ace Hotel in Seattle. Not only will you be nestled in the heart of Belltown, where the mod, artistic types roam, but this quirky, minimalist hotel is only a few short blocks to Seattle Center and just around the corner from tons of free galleries and yummy dining. Plus, if you’re budgeting the Ace Hotel not only provides reduced parking 2 blocks away and an included continental breakfast featuring granola, toast, and coffee, but it’s set up to be ridiculously affordable.
For $99 (split between us) we got a comfortable bed, earplugs (since Belltown can be loud at night) and enough free magazines to keep Russ busy while I got ready in the morning. The only catch? In exchange for the $99 deal, you must have a shared bath, but I assure you it’s practically a steal. The showers are A.) Super Clean B.) Always Available. C.) There is a Sink and Mirror in your room as well.
But, in the off chance you don’t play nicely with others—you can always pay $75 more for a Delux room complete with a private bath.
The Food
Don’t miss out on Macrina Bakery, across the street from the Ace Hotel. Their fresh-daily bread, pastries, and cakes would make any Atkins disciple a pastry-loving Judas. For breakfast, grab a savory Dill Scone with Salmon and Cream Cheese or a Rocket Muffin, a delicious, light and filling treat chop full of banana, carrots, hazelnuts, topped with raspberry jam—but be warned! The line is often out the door on Saturday and weekday mornings (and for very good reason!)
If you’re dining in Belltown but can’t afford Belltown, stop on in to Wasabi Bistro for their delicious happy hour. Your belly and wallet will thank you for the $2 house sake and $3 draft beers (I recommend nursing a Pyramid since it’s a Seattle brew). Even bar snacks range from $1-$6 which means that between you and a friend you can enjoy a high-class meal (complete with drinks) for less than $20!
Hot Mama’s pizza is where you want to be at 2 am after hitting up your fair share of Capitol Hill bars. Delicious, hot and open until 2am, this pizza place still has my mouth watering and I’m 3,000 miles away. For $2 a slice, you can easily buy the whole pie at $10 and plop down outside to share with a new Seattle friend.
Attractions
With my trusty Go Seattle Card, I was able to check out most of the Seattle Center’s attractions before noon. Our first stop was the Space Needle, which towers above the city. Now, if the Space Needle was just a fantastic view that would be one thing, but the most incredible part about the Space Needle are the interactive exhibits inside, which give travelers helpful information about the city. Points of interest are identified on a touch-screen map so as you look down on the city, it’s easy to gauge what you’re looking at!
After taking in the city views, Russ and I enjoyed the Pacific Science Center, the most enjoyable science museum I’ve been to as an adult. Parents with children will be thrilled to take a walk through the Butterfly Garden and experience science and technology through larger than life interactive exhibits which easily cater to both children and adults.
For the music and science fiction fans, you can revisit your passions at the incredible Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum. Russ and I spent more than enough time in the Sound Lab where we got 10 minutes of private time to jam out on guitar and play the drums (poorly) before turning the room over to another guest. Later at the Science Fiction Museum, we took a journey through all of science fictions greatest hits. If you love your geek like I do, you’ll smile and nod while he pours over Star Trek mini-sets and Griff Tannen’s hoverboard from Back to the Future.
Day Trips
For an easy day trip, hop in your car and enjoy a leisurely ride to Snoqualmie Falls, the very same falls featured in the opening credits of the hit show Twin Peaks. If you’ve chosen to visit the falls with your honey, you could also nestle in at the Salish Lodge & Spa for some R & R or fine dining at the Attic Bistro.
For more photos of my trip, check out my Seattle photoset on Flickr!
Planning a trip to Seattle? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go Seattle Card.
I really liked the information on this site regarding Seattle. I just returned from my first visit of Seattle and I did purchase a Go Seattle Card - what a terrific way to see the Seattle. Keep the info flowing.
Awesome Heather! I hope you enjoy your Go Seattle Card and trip as much as I did. I didn’t get to mention it in this post as that it was pretty long already…but I also visited Portland and Olympia while I was in town. So, if you have some time and are up for a road trip, those can be awesome side-trips as well. I especially loved the shops in Portland, very hip and very cool. Also, if you do end up in Portland don’t miss Voodoo Doughnut — they have a glazed donut the size of your head and if you eat it under a minute (Which Russ failed to do) you get the whole thing for free!
[…] Shannon Bullard of Go Seattle Travel Blog shows us first hand to have a great time on a budget in Shannnon’s Weekend in Seattle. I have always wanted to visit the space needle, before. Now that I know there are interactive maps […]
[…] Bullard presents Shannnon’s Weekend in Seattle at Go Seattle Travel Blog. Shannon and her companion spent less than $300 each for 5 days in the […]
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