posted
I know there are a lot of folks on here familiar with Seattle and the ferry system. I'll be taking the Coast Starlight for the Tehachapi/Altamont detour next month, and I'm thinking about taking a ferry somewhere. I've been to Seattle many times over the years, however, I have never stepped foot onto a ferry!
Can someone suggest a trip that I might take which would be a nice little cruise where I could do an easy round-trip in one day? I don't want to be gone the whole day---I'm looking to do this more for the experience of riding a ferry, and not for the destination itself. What would be a nice "touristy" route for me to take? I am not familiar with any of the locations or routes. Thanks!
(PS: I would like to leave some time for me to tour the Seattle Museum of Flight as well, so I don't want to be on a ferry for the entire day).
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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The ferry trip to Victoria is fantastic and Victoria is a great destination. The old ferry service took several hours but a high speed ferry replaced it. Not sure if it runs in winter. For a horter ride, the trip to Bremerton offers a quick roundtrip yet a nice ferryboat experience and great views of the Seattle skyline. Are you going to the Boing museum north of Seattle? It's a good way from the city, actually near Everett but well worth a vist.
Posts: 561 | Registered: Jul 2003
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Hmmm, that's a good question. I thought there was only one, but I just Googled and it looks like there's at least two (maybe three?). My plan was to go to the one that's about 10 minutes south of Seattle, but now that I am looking at the other one that is up near Everett, that's actually the one that I wanted to go to (I thought the one south of Seattle was the Boeing field). This could definitely alter my plans. Well, I can drop the museum plan if I have to in order to accommodate a trip on the ferry.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I sailed her during 1974 on one of my trips to Seattle while I was with the MILW.
Of course I wholly defer to Mr. Vincent should he choose to add thoughts to this topic, as the last time I was in Seattle, Microsoft was headquartered in someone's garage.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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The Museum of Flight is south of the city at Boeing Field. It is well worth the visit if only to walk through the Concorde and Air Force One. You can get there by taking a city bus (#124 -- Help us out here, Vincent.) that stops right in front.
The Boeing Factory tour and small museum are in Everett. That's more difficult to get to without a car. You, however, can easily book an inclusive tour from Seattle that includes admission and transportation.
Mr. Norman--
My last "cruise" on the Princess Marguerite was to Victoria from Seattle the summer of the World's Fair in Vancouver. I think she was withdrawn from service shortly afterwards.
Frank in sunny but cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Okay, here is some updated info. I found a tour company (not Gray Line Tours---they do not offer this tour during the winter months) that runs three times a day, and picks up at my hotel to tour the Boeing Factory up in Everett. It's about a 4 hour tour that I will take in the morning.
For the afternoon, this is when I will take a ferry ride. But I could still use some help here. In looking at the Washington State Ferry web page, am I reading it correctly in that there is only ONE ferry route out of Seattle? You can only go from Seattle to Bremerton? That can't be right--there has to be more than one destination out of Seattle. If anyone can shed some light here, I would sure appreciate it.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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You need to take another look at the ferry schedule. From Seattle you an also go to Bainbridge Island and I think there is a passenger only ferry to Vashon but Vincent can fill us in on that.
When you do the Boeing tour be prepared to surrender just about everything at security -- no cameras, cell phones, blue tooth devices, etc. There is a complimentary check area.
Frank in dark and cool and possibly soon damp SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
I am understanding the ferry schedule a bit more now. I somehow ended up on a weird page. But now in looking at it "correctly", it seems you are right---only two ferries out of Seattle. All these years that I've been going to Seattle and have seen the ferries coming and going, I just assumed that they were taking people to all sorts of different places. Nope--just two: Bainbridge and Bremerton. Huh...interesting. I guess I'll do a round-trip to Bremerton then.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Sorry, I've been out of touch for recently.
Ferries: Correct, the ferries out of Colman Dock in downtown Seattle sail to Bremerton or Bainbridge Island. If you are interested in the journey only, take the Bremerton ferry. The trip takes about 60 minutes, but there isn't much to do near the Bremerton ferry dock, unless you might be interested in seeing the Puget Sound Naval Shipyards. If you are interested in the trip and the destination, take the Bainbridge ferry. The sailing time is shorter (35 minutes), but there is a commercial/tourist area near the Bainbridge ferry dock where you could walk around and maybe get some lunch if the weather is nice.
Boeing/Museum of Flight: The Museum of Flight is located at Boeing Field in south Seattle. Take Metro route 124 (leaves downtown every 30 minutes). Older guidebooks will list route 174 as the route to MoF, but the 174 no longer goes anywhere near the museum.
It's also possible to tour the Boeing manufacturing plant in Everett/Mukilteo where the 747/777/787 assembly lines are located. It's a very popular tour, but from downtown Seattle the journey to Mukilteo on public transit will be a grind.
If you are planning to use public transportation during your trip to the Puget Sound area, look into getting an ORCA card from a Sound Transit ticket vending machine. The card costs $5 to purchase, but it allows you to transfer between the different trains and buses without paying a new fare. If you are paying with cash you will have to pay a new fare everytime you change between mode or agency. With the ORCA card you will recoup your $5 investment quickly. ORCA is also accepted on the ferry system.
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Fantastic information, Vincent! Thanks much. I think I've settled on what I'm going to do based upon this information. I will take the scheduled 9:30AM tour of the Boeing plant up in Everett, which they tell me is about 4 hours door-to-door (staying at the Grand Hyatt Seattle). Once they dump me off back at the hotel, I'm going to walk to the ferry dock (I think it's a walkable distance?) and cruise over to Bremerton. I'm not really interested in the destination---just the cruise. However, if I hit it right and it's a nice day, my backup plan will be to take the Bainbridge Island ferry and walk around the area that you suggested. It sounds like this will all work out very well! Thanks again.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Sounds like a good plan, Smitty. You might want to time your ferry ride to catch the sunset on the return trip.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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