If you're planning a trip to Seattle in the near future, you've probably already discovered that Frommer's Seattle is an invaluable planning tool. Here, in this online update to our book, you'll find recent changes and other up-to-the-minute information.
Seattle has become infamous in recent years for its traffic congestion and inability to solve its transportation problems, so the recent loss of two public transit lines is a particularly bitter pill to swallow. Both the Seattle Monorail (tel. 206/905-2620; www.seattlemonorail.com) and the George Benson Waterfront Streetcar Line (tel. 800/542-7876 in Washington or 206/553-3000; https://transit.metrokc.gov) are currently out of commission -the former for an indefinite period of time and the latter for two years. The monorail, which runs from downtown to Seattle Center, had to shut down for major repairs after two monorail trains sideswiped each other, causing damage to both trains. Until such time that the trains are up and running again, you can take a bus shuttle. The waterfront streetcar will be off the tracks for up to two years due to the loss of its trolley maintenance building, which was blocking the view from the Seattle Art Museum's new Olympic Sculpture Park . A new maintenance barn will be constructed in the Pioneer Square neighborhood.
Where To Stay
Seattle has recently added yet another hip hotel to its roster of stylish digs. In the building that long was home to the economical Vance Hotel, you'll now find the new Hotel Max, 620 Stewart St. (tel. 866/833-6299 or 206/728-6299; www.hotelmaxseattle.com), which has adopted modern art and photography as its design theme. Although not nearly as luxurious as some of the city's other hip hotels, Hotel Max is definitely a pretty place and is worth checking out. Rooms, however, are small. Expect to pay between $200 and $250 per night for a double room.
Over at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University St. (tel. 800/223-8772 or 206/621-1700; www.fairmont.com/seattle), which is Seattle's classiest historic hotel, the grand lobby, modeled after an Italian Renaissance palace, has just been completely redone and is looking more elegant than ever.
Restaurants
Red Fin, 612 Stewart St (tel. 206/441-4340; www.redfinsushi.com), located in the new Hotel Max serves sushi and pan-Asian food and is a new project from the chef/owner of Belltown's Wasabi Bistro, which is one of my favorite Belltown haunts.
Tamarind Tree, 1036 S. Jackson St., Suite A (tel. 206/860-1404), in the International District, may be a bit out of the tourist mainstream but is well worth searching out for great Vietnamese food at reasonable prices.
Veil, 555 Aloha St. (tel. 206/216-0600; www.veilrestaurant.com), is located near Seattle Center and has a chef who spent time at Napa Valley's famed French Laundry. The décor is tres moderne and the food is absolutely cutting edge (with prices to prove it).
Black Bottle, 2600 First Ave. (tel. 206/441-1500; www.blackbottleseattle.com), which bills itself as a gastro-tavern, is a new Belltown bistro that ranges all over the globe with its flavor-packed dishes. The menu offers primarily tapas-style small dishes at very reasonable prices.
The Boat Street Café, 3131 Western Ave. (tel. 206/632-4602; www.boatstreetcafe.com), a hidden gem that was a perennial local's favorite, is back after being forced out of its original location on, you guessed it, Boat Street. The restaurant is now located just north of Belltown near the intersection of Western Avenue and Denny Way.
Attractions
Just a reminder: Due to a major expansion project, the Seattle Art Museum, 100 University St. (tel. 206/654-3100; www.seattleartmuseum.org), will be closed for the entire year of 2006 and will not reopen until spring of 2007. In the meantime, there will be plenty going on at the affiliated Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E. Prospect St. (tel. 206/654-3100; www.seattleartmuseum.org), which is located in Volunteer Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. This latter museum was scheduled to reopen in mid-January 2006, after being closed for several months for reroofing. While the main museum is closed, the Seattle Asian Art Museum will broaden the scope of its exhibits to include artwork that is not from Asia. The Seattle Art Museum is also in the process of constructing the 8.5-acre Olympic Sculpture Park at the north end of the waterfront. This sculpture garden is currently scheduled to open some time in the summer of 2006.
Don't despair if you arrive at the Seattle Aquarium, Pier 59, 1483 Alaskan Way (tel. 206/386-4300; www.seattleaquarium.org), and find yourself in the middle of a large construction project. The aquarium is open for business as usual (well almost), while the pier on which it stands gets new pilings.
The new Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour, 8415 Paine Field Blvd., Mukilteo (tel. 888/467-4777 or 425/349-3200; www.futureofflight.org), opened in mid-December giving fans of big planes, big rooms, and industrial tours a new major attraction to explore 30 miles north of Seattle near the city of Everett. Boeing has long been a major economic presence in Seattle, and it still does much of its manufacturing in the area. The company's Everett assembly plant is the largest building, by volume, in the world and could easily hold 911 basketball courts, 74 football fields, 2,142 average-size homes, or all of Disneyland (with room left over for covered parking). Tours of the building let you see how they assemble huge passenger jets, while hands-on interactive exhibits about commercial jet aviation and manufacturing provide interesting background information on the industry. The new exhibits here provide plenty to entertain you while you wait for your tour to begin. You can design your own jet on a computer, go for a ride in a flight simulator, or head up to the roof to check out the action at Paine Field. Guided 1-hour tours are offered on the hour from 9am to 4pm, and tickets for same-day use are sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8:30am; in summer, tickets for any given day's tours usually sell out by noon. It is also possible to make reservations in advance by calling one of the numbers below or by visiting the website. The Future of Flight is open daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm, and admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, $8 for children 6-15, and free for children under 6. To find the Future of Flight, head north from Seattle on I-5, take exit 189 to Wash. 526 West, and continue 4 miles to the intersection of Paine Field Blvd. and 84th St. SW.
Nightlife
As you can imagine, it can be a real challenge keeping up with Seattle's ever-changing nightlife scene, and by the time you visit, there are bound to be plenty of other new hot spots around town. Currently, new places worth checking out include Suite 410, 410 Stewart St. (tel. 206/624-9911), a swanky, unpretentious (and unmarked) cocktail bar serving wildly creative cocktails; the Starlite Lounge, 1921 First Ave. (tel. 206/448-STAR; www.thestarlitelounge.com), where you can relive the days of the Rat Pack; and Del Rey, 2332 First Ave. (tel. 206/770-3228; www.delreyseattle.com), another swanky Belltown bar, where DJs spin dance music Thursday through Saturday nights.
Excursions
If you're on your way to the San Juan Islands and can't make the ferry, you now have a good hotel option in Anacortes, the town from which the ferries sail for the San Juans. The Majestic Inn and Spa, 419 Commercial Ave., Anacortes (tel. 877/370-0100 or 360/299-1400; www.majesticinnandspa.com), is housed in a historic building in downtown Anacortes. Guest rooms are a tasteful blend of classic and contemporary, with rates ranging from $99 to $169 for doubles. This hotel also has the best restaurant in town.
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