SEATTLE 101 FOR ASTRONOMERS & U.W. VISITORS

Seattle is justly known for its cultural and scenic spelndors. What follows is a practical guide to the region near the University of Washington, downtown Seattle, and regions nearby.

[relief map of Northwest U.S.]
from fermi.jhuapl.edu/states/maps1/wa.gif

HYDROPOWER TO HIGH HEAVEN


Seattle is surrounded by mountains and water. Note Mt Rainier 100 km south of Seattle, Mt Baker 120 km north of Seattle, the Cascade Mountains east of Seattle, and the Olympic Range west of Seattle. Ferries connect the Seattle region with the San Juan Islands, the Olympic Peninsula, and Victoria, B.C. Whales abound in the spring, eagles in the summer, mushrooms in the fall, and salmon in the winter. Geese, bald eagles, and slugs are permanent residents.

Go Northwest and the City of Seattle Tourism site have great overviews of Seattle, the "Emerald City". Here's one armchair picture tour of the city shows Seattle at its best (in summer), and here's another.

Although Seattle rarely gets snow, accumulations of 2 meters or more are common in the mountain passes and even more at the tops of our ski runs. Hence the Seattle area offers a rich array of outdoor-oriented activities including downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, biking, boating, kayaking, among other activities -- much of this within a one-to-two-hour drive from downtown. Bus service to ski areas is available (206-632-5162).

Learn the local lingo.

 GORE-TEX AND SUNGLASSES

Really, the weather is highly temperate and perhaps not as bad as we try to portray to visitors. Snow and downpours are rare -- but not without precedent. Spring starts in February and lingers through June. Summer is July 15 through September. Fall is October. Then comes the damp, dark, dank, dreary winter!

Summer is Seattle is glorious - dry, highs around 80F (27C), lows about 55F (13C), with long days. Most houses and many stores have no air conditioning. You'll find the residents out on their neighborhood streets, parks, and boats enjoying the summer. Mosquitos are rare. Blackberries rule the land in summer, and their scent permeates marshes and parks. True natives are those with pockets filled with sunglasses and skin cream.

Seattle's winter weather is normally incessant drizzle with occasional "sunbreaks", highs in the 40s, lows in the 30s. Whereas desert peoples rail against winter; Seattle winters are so pervasive that the natives bear it in silence. They wear gore-tex jackets and sweaters (umbrellas are rare), underneath which dress is informal -- astronomers generally blend right in. Seattelites have widely distended pupils in order to adjust to the short winter days and heavy overcast. They all carry emergency sunglasses to cope with infrequent but blinding attacks of sunshine, which, of course, mean that most sunglasses are misplaced in virgin condition. Warmth comes from snuggling and lots of hot coffee, which helps to explain why people here are so stoked. But the flowers in February slowly break the gloominess, and by March the call of a lawnmower can be heard in the afternoon.

 SEATTLE ORIENTATION

[Seattle region]    [Seattle region]
The Seattle region and the central UW campus. Click either map for larger verion.

Downtown is 20 miles north of the SeaTac Airport. Take a cab ($30-$35), a hotel limo bus ($8.50; every 30 mins), or the Metro express city bus (route 194 -- not 174! $1.25 off peak and $2 peak fares (exact change), every 30 mins). Directions to bus, taxi, and shuttle pickup points within the ariport are posted; for a web map click here.

The University of Washington campus is about 5 miles northest of downtown. Like downtown it is a major hub for local transportation of various modes, or about a $10 cab ride. Express bus service runs at peak hours between downtown and the university: routes 70-73 are suggested. From the airport, cabs cost about $40 each way. There is also a shuttle service (1-800-487-7433) to selected hotels in the "U-District" for $19 or less. Contact your hotel for schedule and reservation information.

 "U-DISTRICT" ATTRACTIONS

  
At the top of the list of places to visit is U.W. itself, one of the loveliest campuses in the U.S. Here's a virtual picture tour. More campus walk information is given here; of special note are the Burke Museum, the campus tree tour, the medicinal herb garden, the waterfronts and marshes that define the south and east borders of the campus, and the Washington Park Arboretum, all of which are a pleasure in spring and summer. Another very popular place to visit is the vast faculty/student-owned cooperative bookstore, the "U Bookstore". However, most of the tourists are elsewhere, as described below.

 DOWNTOWN ATTRACTIONS


Photo courtesy of Fabio Governato (copyright www.seattledigitalart.com/seattle)

The downtown area is a bustling and safe region, especially during the day. An essential tool for city tourists is this commercial clickable map which has locations, descriptions, and links to all major sites of interest. A paper version is available at information kiosks at the airport and elsewhere.

Tidbits
  • Public "Metro" busses in the downtown zone are absolutely free from 6 A.M. to 7 P.M.! (exception: the waterfront trolley).
  • There are over 40 book stores within a 1-mile radius of downtown. Seattlites revere both their natural trees and tree pulp without noticing the irony.
  • There are over0 coffee bars within the same radius as the bookstores. Hence book stores are good places to find public rest rooms.
  • The views and attendant costs of real estate are highest in the Downtown -- University -- Queen Anne area and adjacent hills, much like San Francisco and Vancouver B.C.
  • Crime is low for U.S. cities; nonetheless, the relatively pedestiran-free areas adjacent to the south and north ends of downtown should be avoided after 9 P.M.
  • Boeing and Microsoft are in the 'burbs.

 SEATTLE CENTER

The Seatttle Center is located on the grounds of the famous 1962 World's Fair north of downtown. Get there from downtown on the Monorail. Many of the city's most interesting, if not unusual, musea and attractions and sports events are here. We particularly recommend the Experience Music Project, funded by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, which is an eclectic tribute to 25 years of popular music that culminated with Jimi Hendrix. The controversial building is an eyepopping rendering of a smashed guitar designed by Frank Gehry (Bilbao MoMA). Also of interest is the Pacific Science Center, the former U.S Pavillion of the 1962 fair. The Seattle Repertory Theater, the Intiman Theater, Seattle Opera, and the Space Needle are here.

 SEATTLE'S CULTURAL & CULINARY SCENE

The arts and theaters scene rocks, with more theaters per capita than New York City! The lifestyle is diverse, the natives are very hospitable, the downtown restaurants and more restaurants, and vegetarian restaurants are among the best in the country, the night life is vibrant, and the brewpubs are famous around the world. Click the event guide.

Bruce Balick's recommendations for enjoyable and convenient university-area restaurants are
  • The District, NE 45th & Brooklyn NE, 206-547-4134 (below the University Towers Hotel; enter from NE 45st). Fabulous food, an eclectic menu, and half the price of comparable restaurants.
  • Thaiger Room, 4228 University Way NE, 206-632-9299, not the best Thai food ever, but pretty close. Cheap!
  • Agua Verde Mexican Cafe and Paddle Club, 1303 NE Boat St, 206-545-8570. A block from the Physics-Astro Building right on the water with good views. Crowded for lunch M-F, so go early or late. Closed Sundays.
Long list of U-Distruct Restaurants.

 OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Strung out west to east near the Lake Washington Ship Canal that bisects Seattle are
  • Shilshole Bay where the yachts dock and the ducks yak.
  • Ballard Bait & Tackle. Best crab caesar salad in town, great canal views, hard to find!
  • Hiram M. Chittenden ("Ballard") Locks and fish ladder
  • Archie McPhee's store of goofy stuff for the mentally juvenile
  • Zany, festive Fremont and the infamous troll under the bridge (see -->)
  • Woodland Park Zoo
  • University of Washington and visit your friends in the Astronomy Department
  • Washington Park Arboretum

    You might want to take a bus tour of these and other sites.


    • dest.travelocity.com/website/destinations/photos/035_204.jpg
    The tour of the Boeing assembly plant near Mukulteo and Everett is impressive (25 miles north on I-5 to exit 189/route 526, then 2 miles west).

    TACOMA is to Seattle what Baltimore is to Washington D.C. -- long eclipsed and fighting back hard. Once just a train and port terminal, Tacoma is developing its downtown with musea, galleries, and nice people places. A potentially exciting new museum, the Tacoma Museum of Glass designed by renowned architect Arthur Erickson, opened July 2002. It features "The Chihuly Bridge of Glass" by famous local glass blower Dale Chihuly and exhibits by international artists. The U.W. Tacoma campus is one of the finest examples of urban architecture that is true to the area's history. Various museums and restaurants are across the street. Take the train to Tacoma from Seattle's King Street Station.

     FURTHER AFIELD

    A huge variety of other attractions lie within an easy drive of Seattle. Taking a few days to do one or two of them will make your visit much more memorable. Here's a short list:

    Seattle for astronomers:
    Interative map of parks and wilderness areas:
        www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=stateView&state=wa&map=wawest
    Vancouver B.C. tourism:
        www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/
    Victoria B.C. tourism:
        victoriabc.com/
    Mt. Rainier National Park
        www.nps.gov/mora
    Mt. St.Helens National Monument:
        www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/
    North Cascades National Park:
        www.nps.gov/noca/
    Olympic National Park:
        wwww.nps.gov/olym
    San Juan Island:
        www.sanjuanisland.com
    Yakima region wineries (for something completely different!):
        www.winesnw.com/yak.html
    Washington State Bed & Breakfast Guide
        www.wbbg.com
    Washington State Parks:
        www.parks.wa.gov/parks

    CANADA, EH?
    The boundary between Canada and the U.W. wasn't settled until the Pig War ended on San Juan Island WA in 1872. Queues at Customs have pointed the way to the border ever since. Vancouver and Victoria are well worth the effort. Did you know that Canada's lovely Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, (map), is on Vancouver Island near Victoria, just 70 scenic miles from Seattle.

    YOU MUST HAVE A VALID PASSPORT TO ENTER THE U.S. FROM CANADA! DON'T LEAVE THE U.S. WITHOUT ONE!

    VICTORIA The garden town of Canada, home of Bucchart Gardens and the spectacular Provincial Museum. It's easy to imagine that you are in England as you stroll the Inner Harbour. High tea is a religious ritual at 4 P.M. -- and a major source of tourist income!
    • By car: Although the driving time is 2-3 hours, you must add to the time to catch a ferry: 100 minutes sailing time plus queues. Plan a 5-hour trip. If you're driving from the U.S. you should have proof of auto insurance, which most rental car companies will provide on short notice.
    • By ferry: From Seattle drive I-5 to Canadian customs and follow Rte 99 to the signs to the Tsawassen ferry terminal. For ferry information and schedules: www.bcferries.bc.ca.
    • By high-speed boat: A 2-hour ride from Seattle's downtown Pier 69 on the Victoria Clipper. Scenic in good weather; however, Seas can be choppy at times. $99 round trip, though much cheaper advance-purchase round trip fares are available. Choose one-day round trip or various overnight packages. For schedules and fares see www.victoriaclipper.com.
    VANCOUVER Many say that Vancouver the nicest city in the Americas, more scenic than San Francisco, and more diverse too. Chinatown thrives, as do many other strong ethnic neighborhoods that remain culturally distinct and vigorous. The combiation of mountains and bays that define the city's limits are spectracular.
    • By car: It's a simple 3-hour 150-mile drive up I-5, through Canadian customs, along BC Rte 99, into downtown Vancouver. Once you cross the Granville Bridge drive westbound along any of 4th, 10th, 16th, or 41st Avenues into Southwest Marine Drive and thence to UBC at the western tip of the peninsula. If you're driving from the U.S. you should have proof of auto insurance, which most rental car companies will provide on short notice.
    • By train: Take the Amtrack Cascades from King Street Station to downtown Vancouver by way of the Puget Sound coastline. Three express trains or locals daily. For train information and schedules: www.cwrr.com/Amtrak/wc_cascad.html.