Author Topic: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle  (Read 4782 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« on: January 18, 2013, 09:45:58 am »
Hey,

The wife and I are planning a road trip to Vancouver, Portland and Seattle in April. Vancouver we know very well, but Seattle and Portland, less so.

Im looking for recommendations on places to stay (not too much $$), places to eat and things to do.

Thanks!

- Z
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline snackers

  • WSC Pot Stick Posse
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 9082
  • More uneven camber than the Westerner lot
  • Location: Deadmonchuk
  • Ride: Bucket of bolts and sadness
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2013, 10:05:39 am »
I haven't done it, but I plan on doing it on my next drive down the PCH.

http://ridetheoregondunes.com/

Offline Perfect Dark

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 6559
  • Location: Calgary
  • Ride: Wagoon!
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2013, 11:27:20 am »
I beleive El Presidente made a trip to Seattle, you could probably pry some good info from him!

Offline teacherman

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 1327
  • Location: Calgary
  • Ride: 02 Forester Limited STi (soon...), 98 Legacy GT Wagon aka. The Family Truckster
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2013, 11:50:21 am »
There are a couple of cool tours in Seattle. Go see the largest building in the world, the Boeing plant.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/tours/index.html

In Renton (suburb of Seattle) there is the Jimi Hendrix Experience Museum.

http://www.empmuseum.org/

If you are going through Tacoma, stop and have a meal at the Southern Kitchen. It was featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and dives. I ate there, and the food was just amazing (if you like southern soul food)

http://www.southernkitchen-tacoma.com/
You can't teach someone common sense

Times I've counted other people's counts in their sig: countless

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2013, 12:21:41 pm »
Awesome. Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming...

Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline jer

  • Admin
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 3251
  • Location: not edmonton, AB
  • Ride: 06 WRX Wagon
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2013, 12:30:59 pm »
There's a flight museum out by the seattle airport. Personally, loved it.
Pike's market was also mentioned. If you're a coffee drinker that's where the original Starbucks is. I *strongly* recommend getting some of their special reserve (in a brown paper bag)
Otherwise, yes, the outlets are crazy.

Offline Hound

  • Inarguably bearded
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • ****
  • Posts: 1646
  • Location: Edmonton
  • Ride: 2016 DGM BMW wannabe.
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2013, 12:50:01 pm »
I've always heard that Red Mill Burgers is a must eat at place.

Offline silent

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 4160
  • Location: Calgary
  • Ride: A3
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2013, 01:01:15 pm »
Red Mill is absolutely unreal.  They have a mountain of bacon you can see as you order.  My roommate in Thailand is from Seattle and brought me out to some really nice eateries.  There was one breakfast place that had a fresh fruit buffet for sides/toppings on your breakfast.  It's probably some of the best breakfast ive ever had.  I'll ask around and get some more info.

I'll be back there in a month and can update this when I get back.

Offline Prelude

  • Beards Comin in Nice
  • ****
  • Posts: 942
  • Location: Edmonton
  • Ride: Black WRX Sedan "B-Rex"
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2013, 02:17:25 pm »
April I think is the start of baseball season. I would go check out the Mariners and SafeCo Field. I am not a baseball fan but i went with some friends who were also not baseball fans and we had a blast. Plus the food there is amazing (Restaurant, did get anything from the stand). We got Nacho and it was huge and covered in cheese.  They were Probably the best nacho i have ever eaten.We payed $70/ticket at the windows and our seat were just off the first base line. The Outlet in Portland i thought was better than Seattle and it was a little less busy. If you do plan to go to Portland and have a little extra time drive out to Astoria and Cannon beach. It was amazing there. beautiful views of the Ocean and a great place to relax. http://visittheoregoncoast.com/cities/cannon-beach/

Avatar Photo taken by gscratch

Offline bigdl

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 2323
  • Location: Calgary
  • Ride: 09 2.5i Hatch RIP
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2013, 02:23:24 pm »
If you do the Boeing tour show up early, the last few tours were full when I showed up on my way back to Vancouver :(

Offline dnizzle

  • Stubbly Faced
  • **
  • Posts: 125
  • Ride: 16' M3
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2013, 02:27:18 pm »
Best sushi I ever had in North America was in seattle at japonessa. Latin/jap fusion... Sounds weird but it was outstanding

Sent from my android


Offline BIGNERD

  • Patchy Faced
  • ***
  • Posts: 414
  • Nothing!
  • Location: Wild Rose Country
  • Ride: WW 11 Evo Mr
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2013, 11:20:22 pm »
Beside the space needle they have another center of some type, they had a Chihuly glass exhibit-it is still there until the middle of March at least. It was pretty cool to see, go at night though then you can walk through the glass outside at night, it is all lit up.

You can buy a combo ticket and do the glass at night and come back the next day and do the space needle. There is a small monorail behind the space needle that will take you a little closer to down town and back again, cost a couple of bucks. Parking is a little cheaper near the space needle.

There is a science center as well, when we were there they had the King Tut exhibit on, might want to see if they have something interesting-if there is no special exhibit there that interests you I would skip it, was mostly for kids from what we saw.

Pikes Place is obviously a must, some cool stores, like a farmers market. Super super cheap flowers-the fresh cut flowers in there go for blocks. Very first Starbucks ever is also on the same street. Cool just to walk around downtown as well.

 If you drive stick downtown-be aware, there are LOTS of very steep hills with lights at the top, and I mean steep. The taxi cabs all have bushguards on the front of their cars and will pull up right behind you. I have driven stick for 15+ years and was a tad uncomfortable with this arrangement.  Down the hill from Pikes Place Market is where all the cruise ships pull in. Sometimes you can find parking down there, you will have to pay anywhere you go. Downtown Seattle parking rates are like Calgary.

The Woodlands Park Zoo is nice as far as zoo's go, comparable to ours.

There is a big shopping mall downtown, I would skip it. A lot of the stores are the same that we have here.

We ate one night at Gorditos, it is somewhere not downtown lol, burritos as big as babies. Pretty good Mexican food.

I have been there about half a dozen times but have friends that live outside of Seattle so usually stay with them.

Oh and Washington State Ferries are relatively cheap compared to BC ferries if you need to take one.
I just hit V-TEC YO!! That's why my plate says ITLL GO!!


Offline THE EDJ

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 4328
    • THE EDJ on Flickr
  • Location: The Promised Land
  • Ride: Explorer
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2013, 11:48:01 pm »
Having spent no more than a weekend in either place, and being on a budget...

Seattle... head across the bridge to West Seattle/Alki Ave. and go have some a bowl of a chowder at Duke's Chowder House. Go check out Pike's Place Market, go early, it gets really busy. The Museum of Aviation was AWESOME.

Portland... I love Portland. Do you like beer? Of course you do. Portland has more GOOD craft breweries than all of BC and Alberta combined. If you're lucky enough to be there during the annual Brewers Festival (I was), go to that for sure, otherwise check out one of the Hopworks Urban Brewery establishments, Lucky Lab Brewery, and Amnesia (best IPA I had in Portland). Go see Powell's City of Books. Get coffee at Stumptown Coffee downtown. Go shopping/explore Hawthorne Blvd (Look up a shop called Really Good Stuff).

Some of my experiences can be found here:
http://www.westernsubaruclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=16838.0
"Experiencing the world through endless second hand information isn't enough. If we want authenticity, we have to initiate it." ~ Travis Rice
THE EDJ on flickr

Offline yellow sub

  • Stubbly Faced
  • **
  • Posts: 81
  • Location: Calgary
  • Ride: 03 WRX SPEC R1 #32
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2013, 08:48:48 am »

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2013, 12:55:39 pm »
^^ thanks guys. We'll definitely look into all those suggestions.

We'll be in Vancouver first and I just bought tickets to a Whitecaps game, so that'll be fun. Might try to get in a Mariners game, but we'll see.
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #15 on: April 02, 2013, 09:50:50 am »
This is the planned route. Vancouver to Portland in 1 day is very doable but could be a long day if we try to do too much of the pacific coast highway.



Its possible we'll take a ferry in seattle and be able to hit up more of the Pacific Coast Highway on the way down, but Im not sure at this point.

I think, after looking at it for a bit, if we get an early start from Vancouver and dont have a long wait at the border, we'll take the long route. If there's delays, we'll do the route I've highlighted.
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline Claw

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 4462
  • Location: Edmonton
  • Ride: 05LGT | [s]06S2k[/s]
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #16 on: April 02, 2013, 10:06:50 am »
Remember to show your AB Drivers License wherever you go.. good chance you'll save the state taxes all through Washington State.

Includes the Outlet Malls and other shopping.

We also have a thing for ice cream parlors.. I think it started in San Francisco, but every big US city wifey and I like to look for Ice Cream shops.

http://www.mollymoonicecream.com/
http://www.bottegaitaliana.com/
http://fulltilticecream.com/
http://www.oldschoolfrozencustard.com/

Just bring lots of Lactaid if you're lactose intolerant like I am.  ;)

Have fun.
They're going to park their car over there. You're going to park your car over here. Get it?

Offline THE EDJ

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 4328
    • THE EDJ on Flickr
  • Location: The Promised Land
  • Ride: Explorer
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #17 on: April 02, 2013, 06:59:04 pm »
The stretch of road from Spokane to east side of the Cascades is horrendously boring. Like driving through Saskatchewan/Manitoba boring. It's a necessary part of the route, but make sure you can do something to occupy your time if you aren't in the drivers seat (or even if you are). There's one spot that's pretty cool where the road drops down into a river valley and there's a big bridge that is good for some photo ops.

Astoria is really cool too, just the way the road approaches it and reveals itself.
"Experiencing the world through endless second hand information isn't enough. If we want authenticity, we have to initiate it." ~ Travis Rice
THE EDJ on flickr

Offline scoobySTi

  • Patchy Faced
  • ***
  • Posts: 244
  • Location: Saskatoon
  • Ride: 06 STi
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #18 on: April 02, 2013, 07:10:34 pm »
I have driven the road from Calgary through to Spokane I enjoyed it a lot. It has some nice twisties in it.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2


Offline THE EDJ

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 4328
    • THE EDJ on Flickr
  • Location: The Promised Land
  • Ride: Explorer
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #19 on: April 02, 2013, 07:24:33 pm »
I have driven the road from Calgary through to Spokane I enjoyed it a lot. It has some nice twisties in it.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

Yeah it does, it's just after Spokane where it gets booooooring.
"Experiencing the world through endless second hand information isn't enough. If we want authenticity, we have to initiate it." ~ Travis Rice
THE EDJ on flickr

Offline Ead

  • Patchy Faced
  • ***
  • Posts: 429
  • Location: YVR
  • Ride: 2018 WRX Sport CVT (CBS)
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #20 on: April 10, 2013, 10:42:37 pm »
Any plans to stop by the VIC Byrne Road mini-meet on Friday?  :)
Because... hoodscoop.  :P

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #21 on: April 21, 2013, 09:09:06 pm »
Any plans to stop by the VIC Byrne Road mini-meet on Friday?  :)

I missed this, but I didn't have time... my trip into Vancouver was crazy busy trying to see old friends and, at the same time, go and do stuff with the wife to make sure she didn't get annoyed at being dragged along everywhere... I think a car meet would have been pushing her too far.

Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline Tricky [RCAF]

  • Patchy Faced
  • ***
  • Posts: 455
  • Ride: WRX swap Impreza coupe For Sale, 06 WRX wagon
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #22 on: April 21, 2013, 10:24:26 pm »
I recently stayed at the Alexis hotel in Seattle, I would recommend it and would definitely stay there again. They have bikes you can borrow if you like that sort of thing. The Alexis is walking distance to the Pike Place Market too. While at the market I would be sure to eat at Matt's in the Market,it was one of the tastiest meals I ever have eaten.

In Vancouver I recently ate at a placed named Baru Latino and they had the tastiest Ceviché I have ever had, if you like seafood. Bella Sushi was really tasty too.


Offline NinjaFracman

  • Stubbly Faced
  • **
  • Posts: 23
  • Location: Red Deer
  • Ride: 1997 vr3 JDM WRX
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #23 on: April 21, 2013, 11:04:17 pm »
hello all also planning a trip in about the same direction in may. u guys have some really great suggestions. was planning on camping along the way. and taking the new car if I ever get it.

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: Recommendations for Portland/Seattle
« Reply #24 on: April 22, 2013, 09:16:28 am »
My wife is writing up blog entries on the restaurants we at at.  Here is the entry for Vancouver. http://currentlycraving.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/vancouver-what-i-ate/

I'll post up Portland's and Seattle's when she writes them.

Quote
Kadoya Sushi

Kadoya has long been a favorite of mine. I believe that Z and I went to this small sushi spot the very first time we road tripped out to the coast together only three weeks into our relationship (what??) and we’ve been going back as often as possible ever since. With creative rolls, super reasonable prices, and quality that is above and beyond anything that I’ve ever found in Calgary, I dream about this place on a regular basis and count down the days until I can make it back for another visit. My favorite roll is the Snow White – prawn tempura, ebi, tamago, and a delicious dusting of coconut on top. I think that a great measure of a place is if they can make something seemingly mundane into something memorable, and Kadoya does that with their Spicy Salmon roll, with the perfect amount of spice and the crunch from the tempura bits on the inside making this menu staple an irresistible treat.

And then of course there is the sashimi – I am a sucker for atlantic salmon, and Kadoya serves huge pieces of fish that melt in your mouth like butter. I always know what to expect from this great little joint, and it hasn’t disappointed me yet!

Yolk’s Breakfast

On the second morning of our visit we were headed to see a Vancouver Whitecaps and wanted to find somewhere to grab some brunch along the way. After a couple of failed attempts at nearby restaurants, we decided to give the Yolk’s breakfast cart a try. Conveniently parked right beside the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain station only a couple of minutes from BC Place, we weren’t the only soccer game goers taking advantage of their breakfast offerings.

Their special sounded amazing, but unfortunately they had run out by the time we arrived, so I settled (not unhappily) for an egg sandwich on an english muffin with ham, dijon, spinach and hollandaise. Extreme messiness aside, the sandwich certainly did not disappoint, with the tang of the dijon acting as the perfect counterpoint to the rich yolk and hollandaise sauce. I also tried the truffled-lemon hash brown skewer, and was impressed by the perfectly soft potatoes with a crispy exterior and the flavour combination of the truffle oil and the lemon. Z ordered blackberry pancakes, and although they may have been slightly underdone, they had great flavour as well. Based on what we were able to sample I would certainly go back for more!

Tacofino Commissary

We were very excited to eat at the recently-established Tacofino Commissary, having gone absolutely bananas over the original truck when we were in Tofino after our wedding last summer. Sometimes high expectations can lead to disappointment, but let me eliminate the suspense for you – pretty much everything we ate was incredible.

Tacofino is a self-described tapas type joint, where sharing is encouraged and plates come out as they are ready. As its name suggests, the menu consists mainly of tacos, with a few appetizers and desserts thrown in as well. The first dish I got was the Albacore Tuna Taco (pictured) – I had sampled this taco in Tofino and couldn’t resist going back for more. The amazing seared tuna, crunchy cabbage and salty seaweed salad made for a combination that was just as good as I remembered it. Other standouts were Z’s extremely flavourful skirt steak taco, his light and crunchy fish taco and the brussels sprouts appetizer that my sister and I shared. Unfortunately there was a ferry that needed to be caught so we didn’t have time for dessert, but when we come back (and there will be a next time, that’s for sure) I hope that the Banana Sriracha Ice Cream is still on the menu!

Fable Kitchen

Being a fan of Top Chef in all of its many incarnations, Fable, started by TC alum Trevor Bird, had been on my radar for a while, so when we were looking for a place to go for brunch with friends I jumped at the chance to try it. We managed to arrive just before the rush would have forced us to wait in line, and the hostess even agreed to break the rules a little bit and seat us before our friends arrived, so things were off to a great start. The rustic feel of the dining room really reflected their farm to table focus, and the open kitchen let us peek at what the chefs were up to as we walked in.

Unfortunately I was too busy stuffing my face with my blood sausage eggs benedict (the special of the day) to get any photos, but everyone at the table pretty much licked their plate clean, which gives you an idea of how good the food was. Though I usually love a savoury breakfast, Z’s french toast was a major standout. The bread had an almost cake-like texture and was moist and incredibly flavourful. I will most definitely be visiting again to try out their dinner menu!

Jun Sushi

Our final meal in Vancouver, other than the bagels we grabbed from the always-delicious Siegel’s on our way out of town, was at a small sushi spot recommended to us by a friend of Z’s. Since we’re usually pressed for time when we’re in the city we don’t usually stray away from what we know and love (read: Kadoya) when it comes to sushi, so I was glad to have someone steer us outside of our comfort zone.

Jun’s food far exceeded its unassuming decor. The sashimi was incredibly fresh, with the tuna being a standout for me (that’s a big deal considering we got salmon, my usual favorite, as well). The rolls were also delicious, with my favorite being the Vancouver roll – prawn and yam tempura with mango and masago and avocado on the outside. It’s hard not to be jealous of all of the amazing sushi places that charge next to nothing for something that can’t be matched in Calgary, but I guess it’s just a reason to keep visiting the coast!

I think it’s pretty evident that Vancouver is a great place to eat and of course there’s way more to offer than I had the chance to try. I can’t wait for our next visit!
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence