planning your trip to seattle?

we're starting to hear from many folks that they'll be coming out here for our wedding, and we're super duper excited about that! if you've never been to seattle, you're in for a treat. there are more things to do in this city than you can shake an umbrella at, and we're already doing the rain dance to ensure that the weather over memorial day weekend is clear and sunny. but even if it isn't, we promise you won't be bored!

some of our favorite activities:

• taking the ferry over to bainbridge island. the ferry system is a bona fide method of commuting for thousands of people per day and provides breathtaking views of the seattle waterfront. less than $7/person will get you there and back. sailing to bainbridge island and strolling around the town of winslow, then coming back, is a great way to fill half a day.
  
• kayaking on lake union. rent a single or double kayak and paddle around the beautiful lake, peeking at the houseboats like the one tom hanks lived on in sleepless in seattle.
  
• taking a walk around green lake. the native peoples of the region called green lake dxWTLusH. no clue what that means or how to pronounce it, but this gorgeous lake only a few minutes north of downtown seattle is the perfect place to walk or run. the inner loop is 2.8 miles of paved walkway, thronged with strollers, dogs on leashes, rollerbladers and folks on foot.
  
• heading out to the beach at golden gardens or alki. not many people associate seattle with sunny, sandy beaches, but if the weather is good, golden gardens and alki beach give santa monica a run for its money.
  
• picnicking at the ballard locks and watching the ships go through the channel. the locks are a fascinating piece of engineering work set in a beautiful english-style garden. stroll around, wave to the boats going through, and check out the fish ladder to see if any salmon are swimming upstream.
  
• riding the ducks. not real ducks, which would be cruel, but amphibious vehicles that show you all the best sights by land and sea! the drivers all have fantastic senses of humor and usually wear crazy headgear. 'you haven't seen seattle until you've seen it from a duck' -- so true!
  
• visiting pike place market, the oldest farmer's market in the nation. you haven't really experienced seattle until you've gone to pike place market and watched them throw fish around, listened to one of the many talented buskers, bought a bunch of fresh flowers for $3 and seen the original starbucks location.
  
• relaxing at one of seattle's many beautiful parks. you could spend a year and not see 'em all! our favorites:

1. kerry park has hands-down the best view. better than the space needle because 1) the space needle will be IN the photo you take and 2) it's free!
2. seward park is a funny little peninsula jutting into lake washington, it's got a great walking/running path, and it has an old-growth forest in the center of it.
3. carkeek park is still within seattle proper, but its location down a winding road ensures that it's never as crowded as golden gardens or discovery park. we're kinda partial to it because we got engaged there. :D
   

• walking around downtown, historic pioneer square and the international district. so much to see and do! the seattle art museum, the waterfront and piers, chinatown...
• the experience music project (EMP). if you're a rock music fan, you'll want to visit the experience music project, a multicolored wavy building next to the space needle that is packed full of musical artifacts and history, interactive exhibits and live shows.
  
• taking the informative seattle underground tour. I had no idea that seattle burned to the ground in the early 20th century and that an entirely new city was built on top of it! this fascinating tour shows you the literal underbelly of seattle by taking you through the maze of tunnels in the historic pioneer square neighborhood.
• attending a seattle mariners game at brand-new safeco field. for all you ichiro lovers, the mariners play the minnesota twins the day after our wedding - and tickets are half price at $10! go git you some!
  

see? you're going to need a month to do it all! yay!