The Seattle Traveler

One of the many beautiful light displays this time of year is the Parade of Christmas Ships.
 

 
The Christmas Ship is Argosy Cruise Line’s Spirit of Seattle, and it leads off the parade.  Onboard will be music and entertainment, including scheduled shore-side caroling.  Santa will be there checking to see who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, and helping to keep the festivities merry.  There are lots of activities for children (activity corner, sing-a-longs, etc.), you can order a box lunch to eat onboard, and for adults, a cash bar is available.
Don’t worry if the weather is a little chilly; …read more

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The fall weather has been cold and crisp, but it’s still not time to hang up the bicycle for the year!  If you’re a year round cyclist, you won’t need this information, but for those of us who tend toward the fair-weather ride, there are probably only another few weeks to get out for a ride.
The Pierce County Bike Map serves as a great guide for rides this fall.  You’ll find the major business centers, attractions, and other key destinations throughout the county listed, along with shared use trails, on-road bikeways, and other bike-friendly routes throughout the county.
The publication …read more

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Take a peek into some of Seattle’s Haunted past with the Georgetown Haunted History Tour. 
The historical tour is accompanied by creepy stories, ghoulish music, and some theatrics provide by Theatre off Jackson.Along the way you’ll learn about some of the city’s colorful past and even more colorful characters. 
Tours start at Coliman Restaurant in Georgetown, and wend through the neighborhood eventually arriving at the original Rainier Brewery on Airport Way. 
Location:  6932 Carleton Ave South (at East Marginal), in Georgetown (map it)
Dates & Time:  October 24 – 25th.  Tours start at 6 pm, with four tours nightly.
Tickets:  Available …read more

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At Boehms Candies you can taste candy, buy candy, and with a little planning, you can even see it being made.
Located in an Edelweiss Chalet in a park-like setting in Issaquah, Boehms Candies was founded by Julius Boehm.  Although Mr. Boehm died some years back, the candy making traditions and standards of excellence continue and today, Boehms Candies make over 150 varieties of chocolates, produced by Master Candy Makers. 
You can visit the factory and retail shop anytime during business hours and have a free, self-guided window tour.  There are windows along the side of the factory where you …read more

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Details:  The Pioneer Building is located in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square at the corner of First Avenue and James Street.  I was completed in 1891, after the Great Seattle Fire (1889). 
The building is made of stone, red brick, terra cotta and cast iron.  The exterior walls are made of Bellingham Bay gray sandstone for the basement and first floor, and then red brick on the upper five floors.  Ornamental elements are terra cotta, and the three projecting bays are of cast iron.
The Pioneer Building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is just of the fabulous …read more

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Whenever I fly into Seattle and look out the window at its skyline I see something new.  Despite living in the area all of my life, looking down on the city gives me a new perspective on its landscape and architecture.  But you don’t need a fly over to appreciate the history and significance of Seattle’s architecture.  All you need is a little energy and some foot power.
The downtown Seattle core, and many of its neighborhoods, are quite walkable.  In fact, it’s the best way to take in the city.  Yes, there are hills, but you can go at your …read more

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I spent most of this afternoon wandering the aisles at the Adventure Travel Expo. 
One thing that I’ve always liked about this show is that there is always great signage showing you where you need to go.  In a venue as large as the Washington State Convention Center, and with other events going on, it’s nice to have the way clearly marked so that you aren’t stumbling around.
Unfortunately, the Seattle show is small compared to other venues, but still there was lots of good stuff to see.  Because today was also a big home Husky football game, attendance was …read more

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Have you ever wondered about what it’s like to live on a houseboat?   In the movies (remember Sleepless in Seattle?), houseboats always look so spacious and inviting, but I know that space is at a premium and there must be lots to consider when choosing a floating home lifestyle.
A floating home is defined as a house on a raft that is semi-permanently moored to a dock, and is attached to city utilities.  It is different from a live-aboard board in that it is subject to a variety of governmental regulations.
While there were once several thousand houseboats in Seattle, it …read more

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Beautiful blooms await you year round at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory in Tacoma’s Wright Park. 
The 1908 Victorian building is home to over 700 mature trees, representing about 100 native and exotic species, and also has more than 550 plant species in its permanent collection.  It also houses a year round rotating exhibit of floral displays, which generally means between 300-500 blooming plants at any one time.
Guided tours are available that will explain the plant collections and a little history of the Conservatory and Wright Park.  Self-guided tour books are also available if you’d prefer exploring on …read more

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The fifth annual Greenway Days Festival is slated for the end of the month, and is a celebration of the Mountains to Sound Greenway, 100 miles of designated scenic byways.  The greenway runs along the I-90 corridor, going from the shores of Puget Sound, over Snoqualmie Pass, and into Central Washington.
Most of the greenway is public land, and encompasses forests, lakes and rivers, trails and campgrounds, farms and historic towns, and wildlife habitat.  The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, a non-profit organization, is charged with protecting this land for the public benefit through conscientious environmental stewardship.
The annual festival gives …read more

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