My USA Trip – Sleepless in Seattle

After our night at the casino hotel it was an early start for an extremely busy day as we headed over to Seattle. The jetlag was hitting hard and we were all literally sleepless in Seattle. En route to the city was a tour of the Boeing Museum of Flight which as travel agents we were all really looking forward to. It was great insight in to the history of aviation and a rare chance to see planes literally being constructed right before our eyes. The size of the place was unreal as it would have to be, constructing the largest passenger aircraft on earth, the A380.

On arrival in Seattle we had lunch Wolfgang Puck’s Culture Cafe in the Museum of Pop Culture. A juicy burger was on the menu for me to set me up for the rest of the day. When in Rome….

The museum itself was a great place to while away a few hours with exhibitions covering horror, pop music, gaming, films & fantasy. Our group’s favourite part was the Sound Lab which was an interactive space with guitars and drums that you could learn to play as well as recording booths where you could have a jamming session.

Next on the itinerary was a brilliant Duck Tour on one of the amphibious landing craft. It took you by road around the city and then turned in to a boat sailing on Lake Union which provided fantastic views of the city skyline. The lake also doubled up as an airport with seaplanes taking off and landing around us. Our guide was a colourful character and brought much hilarity to the trip as well as teaching us about the city & some of it’s history. We were given ‘quackers’ to blow at unassuming passers-by which made very loud duck sounds. There were some funny looks given but most people joined in waving & laughing. This was a great trip for both kids and adults alike. Highly recommended.

The adrenaline filled activities continued as we then took a ride 500 feet up to the top of the iconic Space Needle that dominates the city’s skyline. Unfortunately there were renovations going on which meant we couldn’t go the whole way around the observation deck. These should now be just about finished as they were putting a rotating glass floor in, however the views were still amazing and you can see what a beautiful city Seattle is with water all around. It would be nice to go back & see the end result.

Onwards we marched around the corner to the Chihuly Garden & Glass. Now I have to admit that this was the part of the day that I thought would least appeal, but I was pleasantly surprised. Dale Chihuly is a world acclaimed glass blower/artist and his creations were mesmerising. You can buy a duo ticket with the Space Needle for just a few dollars more then the Needle alone so worth having a look.

So after a very busy day we went to a local craft beer pub for some dinner then a nightcap at our stunning hotel the 5 star Loews Hotel 1000. Exhaustion was creeping in and with another jam-packed day ahead of us it was time for bed.

My next instalment will cover more things to do in Seattle. This really is a city where you could spend a good few days with plenty to see and do. see you in Seattle…..