Seattle, Washington

Seattle, Washington is a popular cruise port for Alaskan cruises.  There are lots of options to get from the airport to either your hotel or cruise port..

Shuttle xpress has various packages and quite inexpensive 

https://shuttleexpress.com/seattle-cruise-transfers/

Travelling from the UK we booked www.rideways.com there app is easy and service very good. An alternative is Lyft or Uber who always give great service. You really will not be stuck and the airport is only 15-20 mins to downtown Seattle

We booked a couple of days pre-cruise to explore the City. The highlights are The Space Needle, Chihuly Glass Garden, Pike Place Market, Boeing Factory much more. Hotels are quite expensive but good deals can be found on one of the websites in my ‘planning and research’ in the menu. There are many places to eat and all kinds of food on offer, you won’t go hungry. The cruise terminal is not far from Pike Place Market so very central. Best times to visit is May to Sept where temps are an average of 22 degrees. Seattle has a Hop On Hop Off bus which is a great for a snapshot  of the best places to re-visit. We paid about £33 for a day pass. Language is English and currency Dollar $.

Space Needle

Experience two entirely new levels of thrills! 

Skyrisers:

Lean into breathtaking views through floor-to-forever glass on our glass benches.

The Loupe

Step onto The Loupe, the world’s first and only rotating glass

Stratos VR

Take your visit over the edge with our heart-racing virtual reality bungee jump.

There is a bar in the observational deck but no food service.

Tickets approx £30. We bought a combo ticket to Chihuly Gardens and this came in at about £40. 

 This really is a place to visit! the Garden, the Glasshouse, and the Interior Exhibits, with significant secondary spaces including a 90-seat café with additional outdoor dining, retail and lobby spaces, and extensive public site enhancements beyond the Garden. The 100-foot-long installation inside of the Glasshouse is one of Chihuly's largest suspended sculptures. We bought a combo ticket with the Space Needle which worked out a little cheaper.

This really is a must when in Seattle and the highlight is the fish throwing I have never seen anything quite like it and it draws massive crowds. Get down early in the morning so you can explore before it gets very busy.  There is so much to see from flower stalls to souvenirs you will get everything here. 

 Next pop across the road and visit Starbucks where this chain started out.  Get your photo with Rachel...The famous bronze piggybank weighs 550 pounds. Put a few coins or bills in Rachel and pose for a photo! Proceeds benefit social services in the Market.

Watch the buskers which are plenty dotted around the market.

 Within the nine-acre historic district you'll discover dozens of farmers, a bustling crafts market, and more than 200 unique owner-operated shops. There are more than 80 restaurants to tempt you, from take-out counters specializing in donuts to fine dining establishments. Bring your appetite and enjoy exploring Pike Place Market. 

 Pick and choose what you want to see in Seattle with a City Sightseeing Hop-On, Hop-Off Seattle Tour! Fly by the seat of your pants and save a few bucks while doing it with a Seattle Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour ticket! Hop off the bus and see what you want. Then, hop back on and skip what you don’t. Touring Seattle has never been this flexible!

With over a dozen convenient stops, a City Sightseeing Hop-On, Hop-Off Seattle Tour drops you off at all of Seattle’s most popular attractions! See the Space Needle, Seattle Center, Occidental Park, and more!. Then, visit King Street Station, Chinatown, Pike Place Market, and other attractions! When and where you go is up to you! The included audio narration will make sure you soak in some of Seattle’s history and culture along the way!

As part of the Seattle Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour, you’ll also gain access to the Pioneer Square Historic District walking tour on your smartphone! Take a leisurely stroll through the oldest neighborhood in Seattle.

Price from £33.00

 See where (and how) airplanes are built on this guided small-group tour of the Boeing factory near Seattle. Tour the massive Boeing assembly plant, the world’s largest building by volume, and see signature Boeing planes in production. Explore the interactive exhibits and displays in the 28,000-square-foot Aviation Center Gallery and visit the educational Future of Flight Aviation Center museum. Guided tour of Seattle's Boeing factory See the 747, 767, 777 and Dreamliner aircraft Future of Flight interpretive center and Boeing Tour Transfers included from downtown Seattle. Price from £66