Things to Do in Seattle in October

The weather in October is quite changeable since it’s a transitional month from the dry season into the wet season.  It can be quite nice but also wet at times.  Hopefully the wedding weekend will see some dry weather.  The average temperature at this time of year is a high temperature of 62 degrees with an average rainfall of about one inch for the week.   Bring some warm clothing and umbrellas just in case. 

Distance from Hotel Max/FareStart:

0.0 to 0.5 Miles (walking)

  • Westlake Center Transit Hub: About four blocks from the hotel.  Located at about 5th Avenue and Pine Area.  The underground Link Light Rail is located about here. The Monorail to Seattle Center is located on one of the upper floors of the Westlake Center shopping atrium. The south end of the surface Street Car Line starts here and runs about 1.0 mile to the north to Lake Union and restaurants (Chandlers Crab house, Daniels Broiler, and Joey Lake Union). Also, the Street Car has a stop at 7th and Westlake just to the north of the hotel (every 15 minutes).  
  • Westlake Center – An atrium shopping and eating complex on four floors is located next to Westlake Park on Pine Street.  This is situated between 4th and 5th Aves. on   Pine and Olive about four blocks from the hotel.  The Monorail station is also located upstairs inside this building
  • The Monorail can take you from Westlake to the Seattle Center about one mile to the north.  Walk around the Center, visit the Pacific Science Center exhibits and the Experimental Music Project (EMP)  
  • Light Rail Station – The station is at the end of the first leg of the rail system under construction in Seattle. This is an underground facility located near Westlake Park, so follow the signs. Entrances are near Macy’s and Nordstrom’s on Pine Street.  For a few bucks one way, you can take the rail through downtown, south Seattle and out to the airport. 
  • Shopping/Movie Theatre – Macys and Nordstrom’s are located a few blocks south of the hotel on the way to Westlake Center. The Pacific Place Theatres (11 screens) is located at 6th Avenue and Pine Street (3 blocks from Hotel Max) across from Nordstrom’s in the Pacific Place Shopping Center area.

0.5 to 1.0 Miles (Walk-able but with some hill climbing up and down to waterfront)

  • Pike Place Market (0.4 m) – A bit of a longer walk, maybe about 9 blocks south of the hotel.  Follow Steward Street downhill towards the water and it will terminate at the Market area.  The Market spans several blocks and also includes the small Post Alley area.  The celebrated fish tossing in the seafood market, the world’s first Starbucks (rebuilt), flower shops, and boutique shops are all located in the Market. 
  • Waterfront (0.5m) – From the Market, stairwells and elevator complexes can take you down the slope to the waterfront level (ask for directions). It’s a nice stroll along the waterfront with shops and restaurants. The Seattle Aquarium (0.6m) lies on the waterfront directly below the Pile Place Market area.
  • Seattle Art Museum (SAM) (0.6m) – Located at Union St. and 1st Avenue.  Telephone is 206-654-3100
  • Theatres – The Paramount is located on 9th Avenue about four blocks from the hotel.  They will be showing “The Blue Man Group” during the wedding (877-686-5366).  The Fifth Avenue Theatre is located about six to seven blocks away and will be showing “Saving Aimee” during the wedding (206-625-1900).

 
1.0 to 2.0 Miles   (by car probably)

  • Waterfront North- Funky shops at Pier 70 (1 m), museums, Ivar’s Salmon House, the Myrtle Edwards Park and Sculpture Gardens (1.5 m) are located at the north end of the waterfront strip along Alaskan Way.  Parking is mostly “pay” under the viaduct or in lots. 
  • Ferry Terminals (1.2 m) – Take the ferry, with or without car, to Bainbridge Island (one-half hour) or Bremerton (one-hour).  Walk-on is nice since you can get off the boat and walk up to each town.  Bainbridge is a funky small town on an island and has small shops and cafes up about a one-quarter mile walk from terminal. 
  • Seattle Underground Tour (1.0 m) – Most of the downtown center burned in 1896 during the Great Fire.  After that, they lowered the hill in the Hotel Max area about 30 feet and pushed the dirt into the bay and over the burned ruins of south downtown.  Parts of the buried sections of the City can be viewed under the Pioneer Square streets.  This organized tour is supposed to be great.  Located at 1st Avenue and James Street (206-682-4646). Tour runs every hour.

Further Away (With a car trip)

  • University of Washington – if the weather’ nice, park on campus and walk around the buildings and admire the views. If it’s nice out, rent a canoe from the boat house and paddle across the channel to the Seattle Arboretum.
  • Fisherman’ Terminal – North of downtown about 20 minutes.  Park and walk around the fishing boats, Puget Sound and Alaskan.  Small restaurants on the water.  Near the 600 acre Discovery Park which has great trails and bluff top views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Combine this trip with a visit across the bridge to Scandinavian-oriented Ballard and the nearby Ballard Boat Locks.

 

Much Further Away

  • Downtown Tacoma - “Museum of Glass”   www.museumofglass.org , and next door the Traver Gallery with some Dale Chihuly works.  I think Chihuly had a falling out with the Museum of Glass. 
  • San Juan Islands – Drive 1.5 hours north of Seattle, park at the ferry terminal at Anacortes, and walk-on to the San Juan ferry to Friday Harbor.  See Wash State Dept. of Transp. for schedule.   A fun little town to walk-about, with the U of W Oceanography department facility on the harbor next door.

FOR THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS and LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FANS (there are certainly more, but these are some of the greats)

  • Seattle – Gas Works Park (3.5 miles) - http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=293 and http://www.seattle.gov/tour/union.htm, a 19.1 acre public park on the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant.  Designed by Richard Haag. 
  • Seattle – Olympic Sculpture Park (< 1 mile) - http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/osp/AboutOSP/default.asp, designed by Weiss/ManfrediArchitects, this post-industrial site, turned waterfront art park, has received numerous awards for design, engineering, and environmental restoration.
  • Seattle –Freeway Park (0.6 miles) - http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=312, Completed in 1976 by the office of Lawrence Halprin, this park bridges over the I-5 Freeway, an unusual mixture of brutalist architecture and greenery.”
  • Bainbridge Island – The Bloedel Reserve (17 miles, includes a ferry ride, fun!) – If you have time, this estate is definitely worth a visit.  Home to the famous reflection garden, moss garden, and Japanese garden, the work of such esteemed landscape architects as Thomas Church and Richard Haag.  Check their site for hours and directions: www.bloedelreserve.org.