Seattle!

Moogle Pepper

I am thinking of going to sEattle soon, since I have got free mileage!! clap

When is a good month to visit?

TomCollins

Moogle Pepper wrote:

I am thinking of going to sEattle soon, since I have got free mileage!! clap

When is a good month to visit?

Right Now! Typically, we Seattlelites know that the real summer doesn't begin until July 5th. Until then it's fairly unpredictable weather. But from then through mid October the weather is great. The weather here is so good right now that we remind ouselves that it's the reason we endure the rest of the year. So come on out and enjoy.

Tom

Moogle Pepper

So October is a good month to visit?

darryl

If you're into music, I'm a big fan of Bumbershoot, which happens August 30-September 1.

$35/day for a full day's (well, from 12noon to around 11pm every night) worth of music, art, etc. is a pretty awesome deal, and there are always interesting people and things to shoot just walking around, as well as the musicians and artists.

Although officially they have a [post=877296]stupid "no professional camera" policy[/post] (I think to make some the artists' management feel good), there's no problem bringing DSLRs onto the grounds. There was one main stage where they were checking for "detachable lens" cameras, but that's it.

TomCollins

Moogle Pepper wrote:

So October is a good month to visit?

October is a great month to visit. Toward the end of the month it can be a little chilly in the evening, but otherwise it's usually pretty nice.:cool If you check with the weather underground they show month by month averages for tempratures and rainfall. Check them out at www.wunderground.com

Moogle Pepper

Sweet!! I think that is when I am going to go!

I am usually a hostel hopper, and I did check them out with bootsnall.com, but I was actually wondering about hotels. I am looking into budget/affordable hotels to stay in this time around.

fashiznitsngrins

Moogle Pepper wrote:

Sweet!! I think that is when I am going to go!

I am usually a hostel hopper, and I did check them out with bootsnall.com, but I was actually wondering about hotels. I am looking into budget/affordable hotels to stay in this time around.

Good luck on the affordable hotels - maybe price line in October. Leavenworth and areas around the mountains in the fall can be great photo ops, as well as the Japanese gardens in Seattle but of course you will be at the mercy of all our rain too

Moogle Pepper

Ok.. I think I am finalizing it to be in the first week of November to go. Hopefully there won't be too much drizzle.

Miguel Delinquento

Bring your fleece and Goretex
I'd practice grayscale dark and moody impressionist shots for early November. That tends to be the start of our dark days that can extend into early March. Bring some good rain gear and some fleece. If you are shooting a lot outdoors, something with a hood would be useful and maybe fingerless gloves if it gets cold, meaning 40s.
The rain forest is great that time of year as are ferry rides. And you compete with far fewer tourists. If you are a football fan, a U of Wash Huskies or Seattle Seahawks game would be perfect if you can score a ticket.

M

Moogle Pepper

hmm... I haven't done impressionist or grayscale photos before.. so I guess it would be a great start!

Here are the places I want to see:

Pikes Place Market
Mt. Ranier
Seattle Alki Beach
Ballard Locks
and
Pioneer Square.

I want to try to squeeze them all in within that week time frame. Which may not be possible, but at least most of them.

Miguel Delinquento

You can certainly achieve those goals within a week. Pike Place Market is the heart of Seattle and right downtown. Great for everything including eating, shooting, and consuming.
Pioneer Square is the old city (I work there) and is fun. Shooting is great there around 7:30am at that time. You can take a free bus on 1st Ave down from the market, but I would suggest you walk the mile south along Western Ave, west of 1st, which is quieter and more interesting.
Alkai is in West Seattle, a very long beach with nice biking/jogging alongside. It, along with Green Lake (north), are Seattle's two Central Park-type of locations. Alkai in November, when sunny with clouds, is lovely. Easy to take a cheap Metro bus there. Phoenica is a wonderful restaurant for dinner there.
The Ballard Locks are unique and lots of fun. Great for shooting. Ballard is a booming old neighborhood and great taverns.
That's three days.
Mr. Rainier is awesome of course. There are multiple entrances so do your homework. Most folks go to Paradise in the Nisqually entrance, but I prefer Sunrise. If you like to hike, Carbon River is good too, though check on accessibility as the storms last year destroyed a lot of roads. Some of those entrances have you go nearer to Tacoma and if you have time check out the Museum of Glass which is outstanding.
Well, that's 5 days at most so there's lots more. If you like to eat, November is a great time for fish and seafood. Seattle excels at Asian food more than anything. Our Korean restaurants I cannot get enough of.
M

Moogle Pepper wrote:

hmm... I haven't done impressionist or grayscale photos before.. so I guess it would be a great start!

Here are the places I want to see:

Pikes Place Market
Mt. Ranier
Seattle Alki Beach
Ballard Locks
and
Pioneer Square.

I want to try to squeeze them all in within that week time frame. Which may not be possible, but at least most of them.

Moogle Pepper

Ok so I booked my ticket, with my miles , for Nov. 3rd to the 10th of November! Now to book hotel and rental car.

Given what you said, miguel, how are those places in the beginning of November?

Miguel Delinquento

Well, you know, each month brings with it some special charm, it really depends on what you favor when you travel. From a photographer perspective, I love to shoot weather and active skies in both water and urban settings. Seattle and Puget Sound are lively that time of year.
The weather can be tricky then: we could get a week of clear 55 degree days, or we could be socked in by dull gray clouds and drizzle. Fortunately each of your locations should offer interest.

Pikes Place Market--is all about people, the stuff they sell, and the flavor of the market. Much of this is in covered, though somewhat exposed settings, so bring your flash and bracket. The market is always good.
Mt. Rainier--It may be totally clear up at 6-7000 feet where the roads end. Or it may be soggy or snowing. Lowlands have incredible forests with lush growth. I also take a lot of forest and macro shots that time of year and you'll have neat mushrooms around.
Seattle Alki Beach--It will be windy, maybe chilly, maybe just brisk, but you 'll have great views of the water, shoreline, and maybe the Olympic mountains if it is clear. And people. They may still be running a water taxi from Alki to Downtown, so check that out. You can also take a free bus from Alki to West Seattle junction shopping district. Husky Deli there has remarkable milkshakes and ice cream. At night, Mashiko next door has some of the most creative sushi in the city.
Ballard Locks--the locks are great no matter what the season.
and Near the Locks is Archie McFee's a fun store of strange gags that everyone loves.
Pioneer Square-good any season, photography will depend on the wetness and your shooting style. Be sure to take the Underground Tour. I tend to avoid that kind of thing but this is special. Seattle had a big fire in the late 1800's and they just built Pioneer Square on top of the old city. The tour goes below via obscure stairways. The tour is well written, funny, and intelligent so I always recommend it.
Our International District is just a free bus ride east 5 minutes of Pioneer Square so I recommend you do that as well. Saturday mornings with produce stands being opened and whole families coming out to shop are a lot of fun. Dim Sum can be pretty decent too.
Downtown Seattle is very walkable. The rebuilt Art Museum has been improved immensely and worth checking. There is a second excellent Asian Art Museum up on Capitol Hill that your ticket will get you into. Art Wolfe has a nice gallery on First Avenue south of Pioneer Square by 1/2 mile, near the Starbucks headquarters. Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington is quite nice too. You might as well visit REI's flagship store here, it is quite a tourist attaction and fun. Starbucks tiny first (1971) store in Pike Place Market always has lines of visitors.
The Museum of Flight south of Seattle is very fascinating and great for photos. Bring a very wide angle. The architecture is excellent and the planes are diverse. This is the home of Boeing after all.
Finally do tour the downtown Seattle Public Library. It has been called one of the best designed buildings in the country. Great for pictures. Just a great vibe, I always take out of town guests there for the formal tour.
What do you like to do when visiting new cities?

Hope this helps.

M

Moogle Pepper wrote:

Ok so I booked my ticket, with my miles , for Nov. 3rd to the 10th of November! Now to book hotel and rental car.

Given what you said, miguel, how are those places in the beginning of November?

Moogle Pepper

How is the distances between them? I will most likely be staying in a downtown hotel. So I am in close proximity of pikes place market, but what about the other places?

Miguel Delinquento

You should look up a visitor's map online for specific info. From your hotel you should be able to either walk to or take a free bus (all buses are free downtown) to Pike Place & Pioneer Square. Alki is a 13 minute drive southwest or $1.50 bus and you will walk a lot there. Ballard is an 18 minute drive northwest or a $1.50 bus. Mt. Rainier should take you 2-3 hours to drive or you can probably find a tour bus on a weekend. I strongly suggest you walk or bus around downtown--driving and parking in Seattle is not fun. Our freeways during an extended rush hour are awful too.

M

Moogle Pepper wrote:

How is the distances between them? I will most likely be staying in a downtown hotel. So I am in close proximity of pikes place market, but what about the other places?

Moogle Pepper

Well ..I couldn't find an accomodation in Downtown Seattle that I could afford, so my hotel is in Bellevue.

:cry

Miguel Delinquento

Ugh. Bellevue is about 25-40 minutes from many of those places, depending on the time of day you travel. The Eastside commute to and from Seattle is wretched. Bellevue is now a city, but I wish I could recommend much there for you. The only cool thing there is the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, the rest is typical high-tech suburban sprawl and sameness. The good news is that you are east and on the way to Snoqualmie Falls and the pass. Look that stuff up.
Did you check out any lodging in West Seattle? there may be a few old style, but clean motels that escape the radar. Also there are some very nice B&Bs throughout the city. Seattle is mostly residential neighborhoods with hip commercial districts. Early November is off-season and I would think you should find something. Green Lake, Fremont, Queen Anne, or Alki would be a great place to stay for a week.

M

Moogle Pepper wrote:

Well ..I couldn't find an accomodation in Downtown Seattle that I could afford, so my hotel is in Bellevue.

:cry

Moogle Pepper

I can't change my reservation, I did PRiceline bidding. :cry Well, I hope parking isn't gonna be an ass.

Is the traffic like LA or SoCal during rush hour?

Miguel Delinquento

That's OK, at least you'll be here.
I don't know southern California all that much, just a couple of week's worth. The driving up here is slower and much more passive aggressive. Everyone's doing six things at once in their car, trying to be "polite" northwest style, yet taking advantage of any gap in traffic to move ahead two feet.
There are plenty of private lots downtown.
M

Moogle Pepper wrote:

I can't change my reservation, I did PRiceline bidding. :cry Well, I hope parking isn't gonna be an ass.

Is the traffic like LA or SoCal during rush hour?

Moogle Pepper

Oh then I should be fine, as I am used to NYC driving!

Angelo

Sorry to temporarily hijack this thread but I'd love to invite you Seattlites to post some beauties for us in the "What's Happening in Your Town" forum

Moogle Pepper

haha no prob, Angelo!

Miguel, well have you been to Bellevue square?

Miguel Delinquento

Yes, I have. It is the center of the Bellevue universe. A huge, upscale indoor shopping mall.

M

Moogle Pepper wrote:

haha no prob, Angelo!

Miguel, well have you been to Bellevue square?

ebski

Moogle Pepper wrote:

I am thinking of going to sEattle soon, since I have got free mileage!! clap

When is a good month to visit?

I would invest in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Photographers-Guide-Puget-Northwest-Washington/dp/0881507563/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219789884&sr=8-1

I have a copy and love it..I use it all the time and I live in Seattle! Depending on how long you are in the area, I would say a trip out to the Olympic Peninsula is worthwhile if you are into nature photography. Lots to see out there, but its a long day-trip.

eb