California Jill needs vacation advice

[Karl]

You are correct! I liked the gardens so much, I forgot where I was at.

[Seanfromseattle]

You should consider flying to the San Juan's from Seattle on Kenmore air, on one of their float planes. They take off on lake union dodging boats along the way.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Lots "O" good suggestions for that Vacation

Jill, If you make it to Friday Harbor, I'll make sure you and your crew "downshift" into "Island Time". What time is McSkagit taking us out on the 31 Skagit? Said he's on island time.....so....whenever!

Wherever you decide to go, remember, summer here in the Northwest is on Thursday!

Cheers,

Tim aka McSkagit

[Sammamish1]

Not much to do?

Jill I don't know about your Dad, but it seems to me that "not much to do" could be a very busy day at 79. It sounds wonderful to me. :snail1:

[Jill_S]

A plan has formed. Yipee!!! No definate dates yet until tomorrow but it looks like the 17th to the 23ish of August. We found a 1 bedroom plus loft home 2 miles North of Friday Harbor which they say has a cozy oceanview waterfront-ish home. We probably will fly into Seattle and rent our car there where we will drive to Anacortes for a ferry ride to the island hopefully for a weeks stay.

Captain Tim I'm looking forward to a much needed "downshift" into some "Island Time" as you say

Thanks all I really appreciate it.......not done yet. Still lots of planning to do...to be continued.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Voice mail

Jill, received your voice mail this evening. Will call you back tomorrow....

Tim

[Jill_S]

Its a go!!!!! We secured airline tickets to Seattle for Friday to Friday 17th to 24th. Also rental mentioned 2 miles from Friday Harbor.

Tim Jones I sent you an e-mail thru your wonderfully informative site. Tim Mattson I don't think the back seat offered will fit in my luggage so I sent you an e-mail for contact information.

Chuck it was nice chatting with you yesterday. Thanks for the additional touring tips.

One more question if you please? We definately want to go to Seattle but I think to get the most of it all done in a day it would be best to either fly both ways from Friday Harbor to Seattle or fly one way and use the ferry system for the other. Problem is we won't have our car so my question is how would we get around from the sites we want to try and see. Definately would like to use the sea plane to Lake Union and want to go to Space Needle for lunch or dinner and we love Aquariums too. Dad scoots around pretty well with a bad hip but don't want to push him since he'll be freaked out without the security of the wheels of our car.

[Helmar]

Ok, this will be up to someone on the Seattle Side to find out out for you. Kenmore air will get you from the Islands back to Seattle but not sure who has what to get you to the Space Needle and Aquarium??
Anyone ?

[Skagitguy]

Joe, Jill and family can take a taxi from Kenmore Air at the south end of Lake Union to the Space Needle ( about 5 long blocks ) and from there to the Aquarium on the waterfront. Jill ask Kenmore Air what is the last flight back to Friday Harbour. Maybe you will have to do a Lunch and get a afternoon flight back to FH. Chuck

[Jill_S]

Spent some time computer time :Shocked: checking it all out with many options and the best way of course is to fly both ways. First flight out is 9:00 am and last flight back to Friday Harbor is 4:30 pm as a quick 1 hr flight..... but my thought of a ferry ride back to Friday Harbor to save on $$$ is not an option. I forget how far the San Juans are from Seattle. I also forget how this is a big city like spread unlike my poe dunk country bunkin town of Bakersfield plopped in the middle of the oilfields and farmland.

Fortunately the Lake Union Sea Plane terminal to Space Needle is only 1 mile where we could walk or take a 4 minute taxi ride. Fortunately again getting a 90 minute Duck ride is just across the street from the Space Needle. Then a 1.5 mile taxi ride gets us to the Aquarium. That should pretty much fill the day.....or something like that?:shocked2:

Once again... thanks all for answering my call for suggestions on planning a NW vacation. But most important to me is the use of your forum which makes communication much easier to get this done.

Although I don't lurk or post much in this/your forum I believe in $supporting these worthwile sites that promote our passion to gather as a community who love old boats and manage to keep using and enjoying the old fiberglass boats.

[bham-rick]

Seattle stay

Jill : Here is an option for you , Nice mid priced hotel in downtown Seattle and they offer shuttle bus rides to the area. You could walk to Space needle shuttle Pike place, Seattle aquarium Etc. If you rented a car at the Airport you could drive to Anacortes and ride the ferry to San Juan Island - It's only about an Hr. Drive then you would have a car to get to Roach Harbor on San Juan Island and tour the island. Its Quite a distance from Friday Harbor to Roach Harbor. One day do the walk on ferry and make a trip to the other islands while you are on San Juan or just sit and see the sights on a tour of all the ferry stops. That hotel is pretty close to the Wooden boat museum on Lake Union also !

BEST WESTERN PLUS Executive Inn. 200 Taylor Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109-5016. Phone: 206-448-9444; Fax: 206-441-7836.
http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwest...ertyCode=48068

Our smoke-free, full service location is just one block from the Space Needle and only seconds from downtown waterfront, retail shopping centers and major sports venues. High-speed wireless Internet access is free. We offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner with weekly specials. Our sports lounge serves an assortment of Northwest microbrews and award-winning Washington wines and our Brella's Restaurant and Lounge features Northwest inspired cuisine. We offer free shuttle service to ensure that you see all that Seattle has to offer. Guest rooms feature brand new Hypnos Pillowtop Beds, Cable or satellite television and in-room movies are available.

Here is another lower cost option that is also close
http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwest...=true&sob=C109

Bakersfield is not so small - I spent a year there when we opened the "Red Lion " hotel . I was the opening Beverage Manager and Night Manager of the Hotel. It was hot and dusty I remember,and the wind was constantly blowing that real fine grit . That was the first time I ever left Bellingham in my life and it was a real shock especially the Heat ! I liked it though - met alot of really nice people.

[Tim_Mattson]

And there`s more...

Jill,
The Lake Union area does have a ton of Houseboats and liveaboards who will rent there place`s for a day or even a week.
Another option would be reserving a day or day/night aboard the M/V Linmar,which came from San Fran Bay and is one of the coolest places to have a 5 star chef prepare your food or what they offer for bit more ....I`d say a trip to the Pike Place Market for a Side of fresh King(peek of run is Aug 14 th here in Elliott Bay/Mid -Sound).
Could use the Hotel as a base but I know you could see more than the avg visitor if we dig a little.
I could offer some driving from Kenmore Air to a couple stops as I am on that strip of docks I frequent with seat and dinghy service.....
I am working on securing a Glasspar "loaner boat" I once owned so you could poke around the Ship Canal and UW.His steering was stuck(now better) so he owe`s me a favor........and a few tickets to Safeco Field I`ve failed to use over the past few years of "College Ball".
There is also a High-speed ferry to Friday harbor ,the Victoria Clipper I thought did the Islands too.....but the drive to Anacortes could shorten the open-water time and keep you closer to sights.
Hope you don`t get too overwhelmed with all the options......
TimM

[Skagitguy]

Jill, One more idea. You could take the Victoria Clipper from Friday Harbor on one day of your days over to Victoria to see Butchart Gardens....Or you can take the car on a Washington State Ferry over to Canada from Friday Harbour round trip for about $125.00 RT or little less for the day. Btw , one of our NWCBC member is a tour guide person on the Duck rides. His name is Greg Silcox. I think you have all of the idea's you will need now.Chuck

[Jill_S]

All I know is we are going to have a blast no matter what we do. We did consider staying in Seattle a few days at the beginning or end of this short 7 day vacation but we elected to stay at the island only so we don't have to load and unload our stuff at 2 different locations. We get to Seattle at 10:30 so we'll have a chance to poke around for awhile before we travel North to Anacortes to catch the Ferry.

There are lots of options and sites to see and now that my sisters husband has decided to come it'll be easier to ditch the boys a few times so we can go have some "girls just wanna have fun" play time.

Tim Mattson, thats a sweet thought for a loaner boat but a scary thought since I'll be out of my comfortable California cage/box.....but I do hope to meet up with you for a quick hey since you are in the area. Once we get this trip done I'm sure I'll want to come back to join in on one of your meets.....minus a boat?? It'd be really cool if we get a duck ride we by chance have Greg Wilcox as our driver. Maybe we could work on making the odds better for that. Chuck, I saw your pics of Lake Union and that makes me really want that sea plane ride which I hope to take for the "ditch the boys" day with my sister. We love Aquariums and want to get that in too.

Once again more to come when we get closer to the trip and now that I re-upped my NW membership dues there will soon be contact info in the membership directory for offline communication as needed.

Thanks