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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Seattle In Season Golden Opportunity To See Best Side Of Emerald City

Graham Vink Travel Editor

Seattle in winter: cold, windy, rainy, hurried, noisy.

Add another adjective: delightful - especially during the holiday season, when the lights, the crowds, the decorations and the festivities come together to create a sense of excitement that you’ll discover only in a big city.

At this time of year, children of all ages will find something appealing in the Emerald City, from power shopping to holiday celebrations to Christmas cruises. When the pace gets too frantic, slow down for an elegant afternoon tea, or brave the omnipresent drizzle for a stroll through Woodland Park Zoo.

A good place to start is the heart of downtown, Westlake Center. Although Seattle voters recently turned down an expensive plan to expand it into a Commons stretching to Lake Union, and Nordstrom is forcing the city to reopen a block of Pine Street, currently a pedestrian mall, this is still an excellent example of what a downtown should be.

The monorail terminal to the Seattle Center is just around the corner. Pike Place Market is a few blocks downhill. The Bon, Nordstrom and a wide range of other stores are in surrounding blocks. Pioneer Square is a 15-minute walk (or a free bus ride) to the south. And it’s hard to walk a block without passing a coffee bar, often contained inside a bookstore.

When you’ve shopped until you’ve dropped, consider relaxing for an hour with afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Olympic, Seattle’s premier downtown hotel. It’s served in the elegant Garden Court, a beautiful, high-ceilinged room with soaring windows, illuminated trees and wicker chairs.

The full tea, for $13.75 per person, includes scones with thick Devonshire cream and strawberry jam; elegant, crust-less sandwiches of salmon and ham; bread pinwheels layered with cucumber and asparagus; and a selection of dainty pastries and petits fours, including tiny fruit tarts.

Each guest receives a pot of tea, choosing among 11 different varieties ranging from English breakfast to black currant. Champagne and sherry are available, too.

If you’d like to economize, the ambience is equally enjoyable with a $2.25 pot of tea alone. The hotel also has a variety of other holiday events, including Santa breakfasts and holiday caroling by local school choirs. Four Seasons Olympic, 411 University St. Afternoon tea served daily; reservations recommended. Call (206) 621-1700.

Seattle’s official Christmas Ship, the Spirit of Seattle, sails nightly from Dec. 4 through Dec. 23, visiting waterfront locations throughout Seattle, Lake Washington and Puget Sound. On each cruise, guests are entertained by a different local choir.

The ship, decorated with hundreds of white lights, is trailed by yachts, sailboats and other small craft, creating the world’s largest holiday flotilla. The festival benefits the Seattle Times Fund for the Needy.

Argosy Christmas Ship Festival. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children, and reservations are required. Call (206) 623-1445 for information.

Two other Christmas cruises of interest:

About 2,500 people with development disabilities are the guests at Seafair’s Special People’s Christmas Cruise, the largest boat parade of its kind in the country. This year’s event is from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 3 on lakes Union and Washington; shorebound spectators will have an excellent view from Montlake Cut. Call Seafair at (206) 728-0123 for information.

The historic wooden steamship Virginia V is hosting evening cruises as part of the Christmas Ship flotilla on Dec. 6, Dec. 17 and Dec. 23. Tickets are $35 per person and include a buffet dinner and live entertainment. Reservations are required two days in advance; call (206) 624-9119.

Dinner at the Space Needle is always fun for out-of-towners, especially children, who love the revolving restaurant and the view of the city at night. The food is expensive (most entrees are in the mid $20s; most kid meals are close to $10), but good (try the filet mignon topped with blue cheese and wild mushrooms). Casual attire is welcome; if you’re dressing up, ask for the more formal Emerald Suite, though the view and the menu are the same in both sections of the restaurant.

And if you don’t feel like dining, tickets to the 520-foot-tall observation deck are $7 for adults, $3.50 for children 5-12.

Space Needle, Seattle Center. Building open daily 8 a.m. to midnight; restaurant open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 5 to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Call (800) 937-9582 or (206) 443-2100.

The Children’s Museum, also at the Seattle Center, reopened Oct. 7 after a $4.1 million renovation that tripled its size.

Its centerpiece is a two-story mountain that rises from the basement through a hole in the first floor, with a winding path up its side featuring surprises for children: animal costumes to try on, hinged rocks that flip up to reveal secrets underneath, a climbing wall, hollow logs to crawl through.

Elsewhere in the museum, there’s a theater where children can put on costumes, perform plays to recorded sound tracks, or alter the lighting. Another section called “The Neighborhood” features a grocery store, a fire station and a Mexican restaurant (my children’s favorite) where kids can work behind a counter and serve up toy meals.

A health-oriented exhibit explains, in a variety of ways, how the body works. There’s a “global village,” featuring the cultures of Ghana, Japan and the Philippines. There’s an art studio where, at certain times, kids can create projects under supervision. There’s storytelling on weekends. There’s a separate area for toddlers up to age 2-1/2. In short, it’s a must visit for families with children. Children’s Museum, Center House, Seattle Center. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Special “Festival of Light” holiday activities Monday through Friday, every half hour from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Admission is $4.50 for adults and children older than 1 year old. Call (206) 441-1768.

If it’s raining during your visit (always a distinct possibility in Seattle), an interesting indoor destination is the Museum of Flight, a 15-minute drive from downtown (except at rush hour). The museum has more than 20 full-size planes on display, from a 1902 Wright glider replica to a 1929 Boeing trimotor, a 1935 Douglas DC-3 and a 1968 Aerocar - the car that converted to an airplane with bolt-on wings.

There’s also a wide variety of military planes from around the world. A very cool exhibit is the historic Lockheed “Blackbird” high-altitude spy plane, complete with its piggyback drone that was intended to be released during flight. Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way South (south of Seattle at south end of Boeing Field, exit 158 from Interstate 5). Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for children 6 to 15. Call (206) 764-5720.

Another attractive destination, rain or shine, is the Woodland Park Zoo. Its newest exhibit, the Northern Trail, features wolves, brown bears, river otters, bald eagles and mountain goats. The otters’ pool is behind a clear panel, so visitors can watch them swim, and the bears’ den is behind a plexiglass shield; children, especially, love the close-up view of the animals, only inches away.

We enjoyed ourselves even in a drizzle, especially since many of the exhibits are indoors or have sheltered spaces to watch.

Holiday events on weekends from now through Christmas include the annual Zoobilee, in which zoo-goers can enjoy visits with Santa, hear stories and keeper talks, and watch puppet shows and other live entertainment, including carolers and a gospel choir. Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Ave. North (a 15- to 20-minute drive north from downtown). Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (206) 684-4800.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Things to see and do this season in Seattle: Holiday Carousel. The restored 1906 amusement ride operates Nov. 24 through Dec. 31 at Westlake Center, downtown. Gingerbread Village. Designed by six teams of architects and the culinary staff of the Sheraton, located at Sixth and Union. On display in the hotel lobby through Dec. 20. King 5 Winterfest. Five weeks of family entertainment from Nov. 24 through Jan. 1 at the Seattle Center, featuring more than 100 free performances by local entertainers, plus displays, workshops, ice skating and Santa visits. Call (206) 684-7200. A sampling of artistic performances: “A Christmas Carol,” American Contemporary Theatre, Nov. 25-Dec. 27, Seattle, Call (206) 285-5110. “The Nutcracker,” Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dec. 1-30, Seattle Center Opera House. Call (206) 441-9411. “Celebration Especially for Children: The Art of Theatre,” Bellevue Art Museum, Dec. 9-Feb. 4, Bellevue Square. Call (206) 454-3322. Handel’s “Messiah,” Dec. 7-9, St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle. Call (206) 323-1040. “Don We Now …” holiday concert, Seattle Men’s Chorus, Dec. 9-10. Call (206) 323-2992 for locations. Winterfest Concert, Dec. 10, Seattle Center; “Messiah,” Dec. 11 and 13, Seattle Opera House; “New Year’s Eve in Old Vienna,” Dec. 31, Seattle Opera House. Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Call (206) 443-4747. Recommended reading: “Discover Washington and Seattle with Kids” (Johnston Associates, $16.95). A useful guide, mostly focusing on Seattle and its neighborhoods, but also covering the entire state. Lots of ideas and phone numbers, and the restaurant recommendations are helpful. “Seattle Best Places,” (Sasquatch, $12.95). A spinoff of the “Northwest Best Places” series from the same publisher, this book is a comprehensive guide to the city, covering nightlife, arts, sights, outings, restaurants, lodging and shopping. The fold-out map on the inside cover is convenient. Where to stay: Seattle has a wide variety of hotels, from luxurious to budget. Twenty hotels are offering the Super Saver program again this year, with discount rates of up to 50 percent through Dec. 31. From Jan. 1-March 31 the same hotels will add a complimentary coupon book to their package. For information, call (800) 535-7071 or (206) 461-5882. On this trip, my family stayed at the Mayflower Park Hotel, an elegant European-style hotel in the heart of downtown, with direct access to the Westlake Center shopping mall, indoor access to the monorail terminal for riding to the Seattle Center, and only a few blocks from downtown department stores and the Pike Place Market; we parked our car in the hotel garage and didn’t use it for two days. Through Dec. 30, the hotel is offering a “Shopper’s Special” rate of $90 per night for a single or double, which comes with a bag of discount offerings from local merchants. Mayflower Park Hotel, 405 Olive Way. Call (206) 623-7800. If you’d like a quieter getaway, the Woodmark Hotel, on the east side of Lake Washington in Kirkland, is a nice choice. The only hotel on the lake, it’s only seven miles from downtown Seattle (though that can be a long seven miles at rush hour). Most rooms have a view of the lake and faraway city lights; its restaurant has been praised by local reviewers; and both children and parents will appreciate the video players in every room and a good selection of movies to borrow, free. Woodmark Hotel, 1200 Carillon Point, Kirkland. Call (206) 822-3700.

This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Things to see and do this season in Seattle: Holiday Carousel. The restored 1906 amusement ride operates Nov. 24 through Dec. 31 at Westlake Center, downtown. Gingerbread Village. Designed by six teams of architects and the culinary staff of the Sheraton, located at Sixth and Union. On display in the hotel lobby through Dec. 20. King 5 Winterfest. Five weeks of family entertainment from Nov. 24 through Jan. 1 at the Seattle Center, featuring more than 100 free performances by local entertainers, plus displays, workshops, ice skating and Santa visits. Call (206) 684-7200. A sampling of artistic performances: “A Christmas Carol,” American Contemporary Theatre, Nov. 25-Dec. 27, Seattle, Call (206) 285-5110. “The Nutcracker,” Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dec. 1-30, Seattle Center Opera House. Call (206) 441-9411. “Celebration Especially for Children: The Art of Theatre,” Bellevue Art Museum, Dec. 9-Feb. 4, Bellevue Square. Call (206) 454-3322. Handel’s “Messiah,” Dec. 7-9, St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle. Call (206) 323-1040. “Don We Now …” holiday concert, Seattle Men’s Chorus, Dec. 9-10. Call (206) 323-2992 for locations. Winterfest Concert, Dec. 10, Seattle Center; “Messiah,” Dec. 11 and 13, Seattle Opera House; “New Year’s Eve in Old Vienna,” Dec. 31, Seattle Opera House. Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Call (206) 443-4747. Recommended reading: “Discover Washington and Seattle with Kids” (Johnston Associates, $16.95). A useful guide, mostly focusing on Seattle and its neighborhoods, but also covering the entire state. Lots of ideas and phone numbers, and the restaurant recommendations are helpful. “Seattle Best Places,” (Sasquatch, $12.95). A spinoff of the “Northwest Best Places” series from the same publisher, this book is a comprehensive guide to the city, covering nightlife, arts, sights, outings, restaurants, lodging and shopping. The fold-out map on the inside cover is convenient. Where to stay: Seattle has a wide variety of hotels, from luxurious to budget. Twenty hotels are offering the Super Saver program again this year, with discount rates of up to 50 percent through Dec. 31. From Jan. 1-March 31 the same hotels will add a complimentary coupon book to their package. For information, call (800) 535-7071 or (206) 461-5882. On this trip, my family stayed at the Mayflower Park Hotel, an elegant European-style hotel in the heart of downtown, with direct access to the Westlake Center shopping mall, indoor access to the monorail terminal for riding to the Seattle Center, and only a few blocks from downtown department stores and the Pike Place Market; we parked our car in the hotel garage and didn’t use it for two days. Through Dec. 30, the hotel is offering a “Shopper’s Special” rate of $90 per night for a single or double, which comes with a bag of discount offerings from local merchants. Mayflower Park Hotel, 405 Olive Way. Call (206) 623-7800. If you’d like a quieter getaway, the Woodmark Hotel, on the east side of Lake Washington in Kirkland, is a nice choice. The only hotel on the lake, it’s only seven miles from downtown Seattle (though that can be a long seven miles at rush hour). Most rooms have a view of the lake and faraway city lights; its restaurant has been praised by local reviewers; and both children and parents will appreciate the video players in every room and a good selection of movies to borrow, free. Woodmark Hotel, 1200 Carillon Point, Kirkland. Call (206) 822-3700.