Places to see in Seattle?

I'm going to be in Seattle from Thursday till Monday for Substrata Festival, and would like to make the most of my time there. I'm primarily looking for cool nature locations to check out; would like to do some field recording. Olympic National Park isn't feasible for this trip, unfortunately, and I think the same goes for the San Juan Islands. I'm planning on checking out Bainbridge Island and Whidbey Island, though. Not familiar with much else. Any good food recommendations would be appreciated also (especially Thai). I was up a couple years ago and ate at Mae Phim Thai, which was pretty phenomenal.

Why not visit the first ever Starbucks?

Alki beach is gorgeous, especially if you're the only one there. It's just a bus ride away and there's a good pizza place on the shore front.

Go anywhere but Starbucks. Stumptown on Capitol Hill is decent enough, if you ignore the checked shirt/handlebar moustached folk. There's a good beer specialist in Georgetown (again a shortish bus ride from Downtown). In fact, Georgetown is a pretty awesome place. They also have a very good comic bookshop.

I'd avoid Pike Place unless it's early, but it's worth seeing I suppose. The art gallery is good and has a few free exhibitions for free.

Oh, I also went to a place called Wendy's, but It's a little further out - unlimited coffee and hash browns... Nuff said really.

I'll try yo think of more..,

I saw squarepusher & luke vibert at a club called "chop suey" (I think was the name) in Seattle. Maybe check to see if there's something good going on there. Also there's a big Jimi Hendrix music museum that was pretty cool. It wasn't just Hendrix, they seemed to have areas for lots of different genres, and some interactive areas.

Also if you have a vehicle and are down for driving, head to Columbia Gorge, or the coast.

Nature locations within the city: Discovery Park, the Arboretum, Carkeek Park, The Ballard Locks (if you like civil engineering feats, salmon, and boats, anyway -- and it's really close to Discovery). Those are my typical nature haunts anyway. Don't go to Starbucks or to Stumptown please, lol (find a cafe fiore if you need some good coffee, that's my recommendation!). The first starbucks is pretty boring. Sprillian has a good tip with Georgetown -- some cool bars and places to see down there. I like me a good amount of hillbilly and jug music, and Slim's Last Chance in Georgetown used to deliver good shows pretty often a few years ago.

People say Capitol Hill is the "cool" neighborhood, but I don't know if I buy it. Definitely a good place to see shows from time to time though. Chop Suey is a decent venue (just saw Acid Mothers Temple there about a month ago) but the venue itself is kinda weird and meh.

If you want something fun to do and you're around Ballard, hit up Full Tilt Ice Cream, get some beer, and play some pinball. Might even catch a noise show while you're there. :D

edit: Re more nature stuff, why not get out of the city and go see Rainier? Or if you just want a day hike, Mt Si is always there for you. It gets a little crowded in the summer but it's still fun. The islands are fun too (Bainbridge etc) but they're pretty much rich yuppie traps imo, and to get to most of the parkland, you'll want to take a bike on the ferry with you (or drive on the ferry, but that's expensive, and who drives to an island?)

ask these chiquitas. I bet they're in the know.

  On 7/16/2013 at 10:37 AM, MadameChaos said:

Why not visit the first ever Starbucks?

When I was in Pike Place last October there was a line of people out the door there. Might be better off browsing some of the inner shops or going to the nearby park where the air is rife with ganja smoke.

I recommend the international district as well, but don't know the area well enough to recommend scenic nature spots on the outskirts.

go to vancouver.

  On 7/16/2013 at 11:10 PM, essines said:

go to vancouver.

  On 7/16/2013 at 11:50 PM, delet... said:

 

  On 7/16/2013 at 11:10 PM, essines said:

go to vancouver.

 

I've been to Vancouver a couple times, and Vancouver Island once. Hoping to go back soon enough.

@Luke and Sprillian: Thanks, will look into those nature spots and Georgetown. We're actually going to Discovery Park for the last day of the festival. In the past they've gone to the Cascades for the last day; disappointed that that's not happening this year. I am renting a car, so I think anything that's not more than 3 hours away is doable (each show starts around 7 pm). How far is Rainier from Seattle?

space needle is an obvious first choice. then head down to 3rd street (skid row). this is where all the squats, hookers, junkies and vagabonds of the pacific north west do their thang and should be a poppy field of field-recording goodies. for the evening, head over to the seattle repertory theatre for entertainment.

Lol, third street isn't that bad. All along Belltown from 1st to 5th or so is pretty much skid row though... pretty unsavory cultural combination of ultra-posh and totally down-trodden people everywhere you look. If you're looking for loud homeless field recordings: Pioneer Square.

Rainier is probably around 2-3 hours out of town, depending on the route you take to get there. There's some cool stuff up north too, and a park on the Eastside called Cougar Mountain (not as sexy or dangerous as it sounds) Wildland Park -- lots of hike descriptions here: http://www.everytrail.com/best/hiking-seattle-washington (I've never been on any of them so can't comment, but have enjoyed many Cougar Mountain cookies over the years)

Go to Wong's in Wedgewood. Open late, food served until 1am, awesome smoking area right off the bar, American movies played quietly with Chinese subtitles.

Ebey on Whidbey. Trust me, its the shiz nizz. I tried to upload pics, but watmmz wont let me :(

Secret spot in Magnolia, by discovery... kindof. (47.636756, -122.407702) keep heading down to the dead end, keep going down the trail at the end and you are now at one of the most unique and slightly secret spots in Seattle. A bunch of houses slid into the water there when the hill gave way, their remains are still there. This spot is actually the foundation of one of the old houses retrofitted to be a hang-out spot. Great views and a rope swing to boot!

+1 to all the stuff luke said too! Addition of Richmond Beach in shoreline. its pretty cool for a local spot.

There's a great barbers/record store/toaster repair shop combo on the corner of 32nd Osmond Slot Half and Wakbury Junction, they do a really good kimchee latte, worth tracking down.

Pioneer Square is great, I work there. People watching and dodging the crazies is daily fare. Its a nice walk, with the aforementioned transients and old brick buildings. Zeitgeist = damn good coffee. Dont go to starbucks..

I quite like the Olympic Sculpture Park. Free / outdoor sculptures, a spot viewing puget sound to picnic.

Cougar Mountain is nothing special, save a few mining remnants. Its a nice place for a hike, but If you're going to the Eastside, just go a bit further to great hiking trails along Snoqualmie Pass

If you're interested in architecture like me (*crickets..) the Chapel of St Ignatius and Central Library are absolutely incredible

flol i lost it at the last line. but really... halfway there: http://www.radarhairandrecords.com/

All this sounds great, thanks. I'd probably be kicking myself if I didn't end up going to Rainier. That secret spot sounds crazy; will have to check that out as well. Also, is Union Bay worth going to?

If you guys are interested, there's a few tickets left for Saturday's performances: http://www.substratafestival.com

I was going to go but i am back at work on friday. have fun

Mt. Pilchuck was fun. I think it was one of the "easier" mountains to climb. Mind you, I smoke and was wearing some really terrible new balance sneakers, so I can't really say it was all that easy for me. That said, it was awesome.

Oh, if you come to vancouver, i will take you on a personalized tour of the downtown eastside. nothing in seattle can fuck with that. very few places can.

  On 7/17/2013 at 11:11 PM, essines said:

I was going to go but i am back at work on friday. have fun

Should be fun, though not sure what to expect from Kim Cascone's set; not too familiar with his stuff. I may take you up on that tour. I'm extending my trip to next Sunday to check out the city more, since I'm hoping to move up there (if only I could live in BC...). I should be able to come up to Vancouver for a day.

Karmakramer

get an inflatable raft and find a good river to float down with some beer and whatever and probably meet some other cool floaters out partying on the river

  On 7/18/2013 at 6:55 AM, Enter a new display name said:

Karmakramer

lol .

  On 7/17/2013 at 5:14 AM, Keith said:

There's a great barbers/record store/toaster repair shop combo on the corner of 32nd Osmond Slot Half and Wakbury Junction, they do a really good kimchee latte, worth tracking down.

Kimchee? Latte? Kimchee latte????