Seattle - seeking advice

Triathlon Forum
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Hello All –

Helen (aka Positive Splits) and I will be spending next weekend in Seattle, and are looking for advice. I know the city some, or rather I know the downtown/by the water parts some. But I’m looking for more advice about where to head. We’ll be staying in a hotel downtown. May have a rental car for a few days, may not, but don’t mind taking public transportation to get places.

So, SBR stuff, in order of likeliness:

Good places to run?
Preferably with soft surfaces. Trail running is a big plus!
Also, any organized runs that we could jump in with would be fun.

Good places to swim? Pools that aren’t super expensive or super crowded. Open water swimming is obviously better, but I imagine the sound is quite cold right now.

And if anyone wants to lend me a 52cm-ish road bike for a ride or two they’ll have my eternal gratitude, of course. (That one’s the hail-mary of the bunch).

But also…
Any good restaurants, or good nightlife streets to check out?

We’re not really space-needle types, but we like seeing cities, parks, etc.

So I’m calling on the collective wisdom of ST, thanks in advance for any advice.

-Charles

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I love Seattle. Can’t help you with a bike, pool or trail running (I tend to run through the city - love urban running) but I can point you to a few good spots.

http://www.saltys.com/
Great seafood and one of the best views of the city, bar none.

http://www.thetripledoor.net/
Great little concert hall with an excellent kitchen. Check the calendar to see who’s playing while you’re there and if the music is your sytle.

http://www.trufflecafe.com
If you like to cook, this is the place for you! Sample amazing wares, imported direct from Italy. They have an amazing chef who whips up incredible dishes for takeaway, and once a month or so have wine tastings where they pair 5 or 6 wines with small plates - absolutely worthwhile if your timing is right. (This place would be heaven for kittycat)

http://www.theochocolate.com/
I never made it here, but QRgirl tells me it’s worthwhile. They have daily tours, and Oompa Loompas, I think.

http://www.elliottbaybicycles.com/
As if I can spend any amount of time in a city without exploring the local bike shops… This one is far from tri specific, but I really dig it. It is also home to Davidson Bicycles, although I was disappointed to learn that Mr. Davidson doesn’t really build them any more. Still, they’re beautiful bikes.

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Thanks for the suggestions. I like urban running as well. What areas are nice to run in in the city?

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Greenlake is a popular running area, IIRC. You might want to check with Super Jock ‘n’ Jill about organized runs. Also, IIRC, there are some good trail runs in the Issaquah area (Cougar Mountain) that Jock ‘n’ Jill might be able to fill you in on. If you get down to Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, it has a trail network that has about 12-15 miles of trail. There are three main trails: Square, circle and triangle and each are signed with little signs about a foot off the ground. They intersect at various places. I usually park down at Owen’s Beach parking area and walk up the hill to the Rhodedenderon(sp?) House and p/u the main “arterial” and go from there.

If I get some time @ lunch, I’ll try and post some links.

FWIW, down here in Olympia, some of the shallower lakes are warming up to the mid 50’s or more and you might find some lakes up there that are tolerable with a wetsuit. I’m pretty sure SpeedyReedy.com and triumph-multisport.com rent tri suits and SJ&J might also too. Lake Washington pushes 200 feet deep in places, so I don’t imagine it’s warming up as quickly as the South Sound’s shallower bodies of fresh water.

HTH

Brett

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from an ex-seattle-ite now stuck in phila …

swim: lake washington is the obvious choice. head over to mt baker beach (i think the #4 bus will take you right there). don’t get in on the beach itself - the lifeguards will complain. walk down the shoreline a bit and jump in, and swim. nice temperatures by now. shower after to reduce chance of swimmers itch (there are showers at baker beach IIRC).

run on paved trail: lake washington is one great idea, starting in or near leschi or mt baker, head south to seward park, do the gorgeous 2 mile loop around the park, and back along the lake. one of the great runs in seattle. alternatively, the elliot bay trail heads north out of downtown on the sound, and can be rather pleasant too, with more industry/boat centered views. there is also the everlasting meatmarket of the loop around green lake, just north of downtown. finally, the burke gilman, heading north from the U(niversity) District along the NW side of Lake Washington.

run on unpaved trail: not as easy to find in seattle as you might hope. ravenna park has a nice trail but its very very short. seward park has some too, but again, not a lot of distance options unless you keep looping back on yourself. might want to try discovery park on the west side. otherwise, find a way to get out to cougar mtn wildland park or better still, tiger mtn state forest (both out on I-90). fabulous trails, some hard hills if you want (running up tiger mtn is a blast, but the top is killer steep from most approaches). read this for info on tiger mtn:
http://www.nwsource.com/outdoors/scr/of_detail.cfm?category=hiking&rt=45508

bike: too much to even think about. besides, you probably won’t have a bike.

man, i can’t bear to think about this any more. the wissahickon is a godsend, but compared to the cascades …

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Check out mary meyer fitness for swims. She holds a lot of tri-specific camps and every Saturday morning in the Summer she holds an open water swim from Leschi on Lake Washington which I believe she has a permit for and has guys in kayaks as guides, etc. I’ve done the swim before and its nice. The lake isn’t bad at all with a wetsuit and IMO you could do it sans if necessary. Also, its only about 5 miles from downtown. for a run I would recommend running along Alki beach which is directly across the Bay - excellent views of the city, stunning in fact. It is paved though. You could run around Greenlake which is 5 or so miles north of downtown and it has a trail that runs around the lake which is ~3 miles.

One more thing about the swim is its practically next to Triumph multisports and Il Vecchio bikes. One is a tri shop, the other is a old-school bike shop with lots of steel. Elliot bay bicycles is a good shop too and if you talk to the owner ask him to show you his collection of about 20 old school stell bikes in the back. he has a thing for English bikes and has about 10 jack taylor’s and some are stunning.

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From Green Lake (by Gregg’s Cycles/Road Runner Sports), you can follow Ravenna Blvd away from the lake (goes under I-5), almost all on grass/dirt, then into COWEN (oops, I previously called this “Coleman”) Park (more dirt trails) for about as much trail running as you want (there’s another park at the other end, but I don’t remember the name of it). Hooks onto the Burke-Gilman trail at the far end (one block away) which has a gravel side trail next to the paved path. On the opposite Side of Green Lake from Gregg’s is another big area with a lot of trails that head up the hill…

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That’s funny - I didn’t know you were from out there.
I’m actually in Philly by choice, but I grew up here, so it’s different.

The cougar and tiger parks sound good. Surprising that there isn’t more in Seattle itself. Thanks for the advice.

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One more thing about the swim is its practically next to Triumph multisports and Il Vecchio bikes. One is a tri shop, the other is a old-school bike shop with lots of steel. Elliot bay bicycles is a good shop too and if you talk to the owner ask him to show you his collection of about 20 old school stell bikes in the back. he has a thing for English bikes and has about 10 jack taylor’s and some are stunning.

I actually don’t do that much bike-shop tourism, but that sounds awesome. I love steel bikes.

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Hi Bob,

That’s great that you’re coming to Seattle. We’ve had pretty dicey weather so far this June so I hope it improves before you arrive.

Some swim/run suggestions:
Open water - There’s almost always a group or two that swims from the beach at Madison Park to the tennis club or Denny Blaine. Usually this is about 1-2 mile swim. The swim follows the shoreline and typically leaves around 6am so the boat traffic is minimal. If you’re here on Friday morning, I swim with a group that takes off from under I90 on the Seattle side and swims to Mercer Island and back (just under 3 miles). We hit the water at 6am and you can park in the little lot under the bridge. Here’s a link to the lake/beach temperatures. It’s been pretty chilly so a wetsuit would be helpful.
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/...imbeach/default.aspx.

Pools - If you don’t bring your wetsuit and don’t feel like renting one, check out Colman Pool if you get a chance. It’s a 50m, 8 lane, heated saltwater, outdoor pool in West Seattle that sits right on the sound. It’s a bit of a hike down to the pool since you can’t drive straight down but it’s awesome and there’s a great seawall as well for running or walking or having a little picnic after your big swim. http://www.seattle.gov/.../Aquatics/colman.htm

Running: Somebody else mentioned Discovery Park http://www.seattle.gov/tour/discov.htm. It’s probably the best bet for in-city trail running. Plus it’s really pretty too. You can always run along the waterfront to Myrtle Edwards Park and beyond. However, unless you get out really early you’ll be dodging alot of tourists which can be a bit frustrating. As has been mentioned, Cougar and Tiger are great for trail running as well.
As Dawhead said, Lake Washington Blvd is a great place to run. It’s 6.7 miles from Madison Park - Seward Park and S. Park is an extra 2.2 miles around so you can make the run as long or as short as you want. There’s little parks and beaches along the way so you can refill water bottles and take bathroom breaks as needed. I couldn’t find a really good link but here’s one that show’s a couple of pictures and gives you a map http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/...s/72426_bike30.shtml

Now after all that training it’s on to the good stuff. Food, food, food!! Seattle has some awesome restaurants. Here’s a few off the top of my head that are good and will give you a feel for the Northwesty type style:

The Pink Door - http://thepinkdoor.net/, Located in the Market. Make a reservation and see if you can get on the balcony. It overlooks the ferries coming in and the food and atmosphere are almost always reliable.

Lark - http://larkseattle.com/, No view and not a terribly special neighborhood but awesome food. You won’t regret it if you go. There’s a snazzy new bar that opened up right next door that I can’t remember the name of but it’s fun too.

Crush - http://chefjasonwilson.com, Really, really good.

Any of the Tom Douglas restaurants are reliable (Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s Seafood, Lola’s, Palace Kitchen) and all located downtown.

For lunch Macrina Bakery and the Noodle Ranch (both in Belltown, walking distance from downtown), or grabbing lunch from any of the vendors or restaurants in the Mkt would be fun. Also, if you’re driving by a Red Mill Burgers and feeling like a nibble get their onion rings. I don’t even like onion rings but I love these ones. Plus they’ve get excellent burgers (meat, chicken or veggie).

If you’re into chocolate then I second Khai and QRGirl’s suggestion of Theos Chocolates. They’re located in Fremont so you need to take a bus or car but they’re definitely something special. Fremont also has alot of good restaurants (35th Street Bistro, Tawon Thai, Brad’s Swingside, etc) and it’s fun to poke around in some of the unique shops; definitely no chain store around. Also, Speedy Reedy, a terrific place for all things triathlon (http://speedyreedy.com) is located nearby.

Okay, I’m pretty much starving now so I’m going to eat my lunch! Have a great stay in Seattle.

halliet

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Lived there 9 yrs. Left last year.

A very nice run: start at Coleman Park on lake washington, goes south around Seward Park and back.

then get dinner at Blue Water Bistro - the spagetti & meatballs. Grandpa makes the meatballs daily behind locked doors - and they rule.

Take your borrowed road-bike in your rental car up to Skagit Valley and ride around the fields with the mts in the background. Chuckanut drive is a sweet drive, but dangerous for bikes. Stop at Skagit Brewing for lunch.

Or get to Marymoor park early and ride the trail to Univ of WA & back. stop at Redhook on the way home for lunch. pitcher of ESB and cheese board mmmm

Best Italian food I’ve found anywhere: Firenze in Bellevue

I will vouch for Elliot Bay Bicycles. Awesome shop.

Nightlife: pinball at Shorty’s then chill at the Virginia Inn. my 2 all-time favs.

another good run: get up REALLY early and run downtown, thru the market area (normally touristy), 2nd & 3rd aves (normally drugs & gangs), blaze thru pioneer square area (sleeping bums). You get all the great views & scenes without all the riff-raff.

another great lunch spot is agua verde in the U-dist. rent a kayak there. check out recycled cycles nearby. realize you’ve just relaxed at one of the coolest areas on the planet.

OK, that’s all I’ve got off the top-o-my head. PM me if you need more detail.

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Open water - There’s almost always a group or two that swims from the beach at Madison Park to the tennis club or Denny Blaine. Usually this is about 1-2 mile swim. The swim follows the shoreline and typically leaves around 6am so the boat traffic is minimal. If you’re here on Friday morning, I swim with a group that takes off from under I90 on the Seattle side and swims to Mercer Island and back (just under 3 miles). We hit the water at 6am and you can park in the little lot under the bridge. Here’s a link to the lake/beach temperatures. It’s been pretty chilly so a wetsuit would be helpful.

Wow. That sounds cool
3 miles is way too far for me - what do you know about the other swim? I’m a pretty mediocre ‘mendoza line’ swimmer (I tend to average somewhere around 2:00/100m). But it would be good to get a swim like that in.

Thanks for all the info! I’m going to print all of this stuff up before heading out.

-Charles

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stop at Redhook on the way home for lunch. pitcher of ESB and cheese board mmmm

is the ESB the one that used to be Ballard Bitter? (Ya Sure, Ya Betcha, or something like that?)

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Nope… the Ya Sure Ya Betchya is their IPA… now named Longhammer or something trendy like that. not sure if they changed their recipe since the old days. ESB is just ESB.

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Wow. That sounds cool
3 miles is way too far for me - what do you know about the other swim? I’m a pretty mediocre ‘mendoza line’ swimmer (I tend to average somewhere around 2:00/100m). But it would be good to get a swim like that in.

It depends on what day you’re planning to swim. I know there’s a bunch that get in the water at 6am on Friday. The swimmers are of various abilities and some will swim further than others so you can decide when you want to turn around. Madison Park is a nifty neighborhood that’s pretty easy to get to from downtown. There’s Madison Park Bakery for some refueling afterwards too.

I don’t know if there’s anyone that goes out on Saturday mornings but check out http://www.seatri.org/. It’s the site for the Seattle Triathlon club and there’s a few postings on there about open water swimming.

Let me know if you have other questions - you’re going to have a great time!

halliet

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I second the Mary Meyer suggestion, but her open water clinics & swims don’t begin until July 7th. However, she has year-round pool clinics and swims in Queen Anne every Sunday. (See MaryMeyerLifeFitness.com). If this doesn’t work for you, then I’d go with the I-90 bridge swim as I used to do that while the sun was rising, which was absolutely beautiful!!!

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I second the Madison Park recommendations for swimming. In a previous life, I live a block from the beach.

It’s also a good place to run on quiet streets near the lake (work your way through the side-streets south of the beach).

In addition to the Madison Park Bakery already mentioned, there is an Italian restaurant -Sostanza- the only one in the world that makes porcini risotto better than mine.

– jens

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Seattle: Bay area traffic with bad weather. Otherwise, nice place to visit.

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I went to Theo Chocolate last time I was in Seattle. Very cool and we didn’t even do the tour, we just took advantage of the free tasting. Free! Chocolate!! It doesn’t get much better than that. You have to call in advance for the tour, and I’ve heard it’s very cool. It’s also close to Speedy Reedy; a great little tri-shop.

There’s a new outdoor sculpture park that goes along the waterfront and is very accessible from a downtown hotel and perfect for a run. You would have a bit of urban running, maybe 10 minutes to get to the start then it’s a nice paved trail with a packed gravel side. We ran it from a hotel on 5th Ave and it was great. From downtown head towards the Sound then north. You can stop at Le Pannier in Pike Place market for fresh pastries on when you are done. yum…

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Thanks to all for the recs. We just got back. The trip was great! Not a drop of rain the whole time.

So, in case someone later on finds this thread via a forum search, some things I found out.

-For open water swimming, the Madison Park Beach on Lake Washington worked out great. I went their twice, the first time with my wetsuit and swam a mile or so along the coast; the second time I just stayed within the roped-off area, but even that is around 100 yards long. Relatively early in the morning, but it wasn’t fully empty, which was somewhat reassuring. I just left my stuff on a bench by the shore and it was still there when I got back.

-Urban running is cool here, esp. if you like it HILLY.

-Green Lake is like a fitness neighborhood. Running stores, bike stores, crowsds of runners.

-Elliot Bay bikes is indeed super cool. It’s not big, but it’s got a whole bike museum aspect - a lot of classic bikes hanging from the ceiling. One even has that campy shifting system where you have to activate the quick release while riding.
(didn’t make it to Il Vecchio when it was open; looked in the window while it was closed, some neat bikes but small).

-Elliot Bay books is also excellent - one of the best presented book collections I’ve seen, with a lot of notes from employees.

-Seattle Running Company had one of the most impressive collections of trail running shoes I’ve seen.

-I didn’t quite get the Theo’s Chocolate thing. Nice store, but not on its own worth a trip, IMO, unless you call ahead and get the tour. But the neighborhood (Fremont) was really cool, so I’m glad we did go. But I guess I only like chocolate, don’t love chocolate like some people do.

-For anyone planning on hiking/camping in the area this year, a lot of stuff is still snowy, and it’s not clear that trails will be intact when the snow melts. Some roads that are supposed to be open in summer aren’t.

Other notes on Seattle:
-Everyone stops at the don’t walk sign! People don’t jaywalk. This was disconcertingly disconcerting. I didn’t think it would throw me as much as it did. Note to self: I’ve got too many east coast tendencies. The flip side is well worth it: cars are really good at stopping for you at crosswalks.

-Very impressive number of people getting around on their bikes.

-It’s a really good place to eat. Not as good a place to drink beer as I’d thought it would be, but a really good place to eat.

-Some of the food here is really, really spicy.

-Unlike Portland, where it is frequently rainy, the weather in Seattle is always sunny and in the 70s, although it does get cold at night. :wink:

-Finally, the shocker of shockers: I thought that the espresso was better in rural Washington than in Seattle itself. Tried 6-8 different places, the best shot I had was in Enumclaw (and cost 92 cents!)