Summer - Seattle/Mt Ranier/Portland advice?

[Anonymous]

Hi! We are planning a quick trip to Mt. Ranier next summer. Two parents and one 16 year old boy - all in decently good shape! We will have less than a day in Seattle and Portland but would like to see a little bit of each city for a few hours, then we have 4 nights in a Mt Ranier area cabin. We plan to do a lot of hiking but if you have any favorite suggestions please let us know! I have never been to WA or OR! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Paradise at Mt Raineir is gorgeous - if you’re in good shape AND the weather is good, take extra clothes and hike to Camp Muir. It’s a beautiful hike - but if the weather is iffy don’t go, and if the weather looks like it’s changing turn around.

Mt Rainier is absolutely stunning, but don’t do anything stupid.

[Anonymous]

I think planning to be in a city for 4-6 hours is stupid to be honest. You don’t get a good feel for a city that way and it seems like you’re just trying to tik a box on a list of cities you’ve set foot in. Either do it right, or don’t bother.

[Anonymous]

I think you can do Seattle highlights in that amount of time. Go to the space needle and the Chihuily museum. And then Pike Place market. Get lunch at Uwajimaya (it’s a giant version of H Mart with some food stalls).

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you only have one week in area? Then I like your split. Depending on when you get to cities, one day/night can be fine. If you have more time then maybe Cannon Beach or Mount St Helens. Olympic NP is very pretty but would require more time. Save for another trip. Rainer is beautiful.

I’d go late into summer as you can. You’ll get better chance of good weather and the area is stunning. PNW is like having a hot girlfriend who is sick 10 months of the year.

[Anonymous]

I would pick one city and spend at least two days there.

[Anonymous]

Just do Seattle and Mt Ranier. Portland is nice but the Oregon coast is amazing and you don’t have time.

[Anonymous]

I don't have any stories yet. In practice, people aren't nearly as awful as they claim to be on Dcum. If they see you looking at a seat, preparing to sit down, they'll move their stuff out of the way. If you have a kid, they'll offer to move.

But I'm thrilled that there are so many people that would be happy to sit to my 7-year-old. He doesn't know the concept of strangers, and will treat you like his best friend. He also loves laptops, and knows how much you'll like his favorite videos on youtube.

Just remember, if a parent is happy to sit apart from their child, there might be a good reason for that...

[Anonymous]

Seattle native and now frequent visitor here. If I only had one day in Seattle with a teen boy, I would probably....

- Go to Seattle Center and do the Chihuly museum, pop culture museum (look at the website to see if this is something that would interest your kid - heavy on science fiction and Seattle-area music), and Space needle.
- Head south to Pike Place market and walk around, including the waterfront.
- Maybe there is a time for a Pioneer Square underground tour? It's kind of cheesy but fun/interesting too.

I'd look for some quintessential Seattle food - any kind of Asian including strip mall teriyaki, Ivar's fish & chips/clam chowder (there is one right on the water near Pike Place Market).

This is a pretty touristy agenda.

If you want something a little more off the beaten path, and depending on your son's interests, you could:

- walk around the University of Washington, rent canoes at the boathouse, see the Olympic-winning shell from Boys on the Boat
- Go to the Chittenden locks and see the salmon ladder. There's a good fish & chips place near there.
- Walk around Fremont, have a meal, see the Fremont Troll
- Go to the flagship REI and climb the rock wall (you need a reservation to do this, I think)
- Go to a Mariners game or a Seahawks pre-season game if the schedule aligns

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for all the ideas! My 16 year old is a HS rower so the Univ of WA idea is an interesting one!

I am trying to visit all 50 states - and my husband has a friend in Portland, is how we ended up flying out of there. I know we won't do much but I have do one thing for it to "count."

Idk how *I* feel about the altitude but they'd probably love the idea of Camp Muir.

PNW is like having a hot girlfriend who is sick 10 months of the year. --> LOL. I probably never will forget that.

[Anonymous]

I tacked Oregon Coast (one night), Seattle (two nights), Mt Rainer (one night) and Hood River (one night) onto a work conference in 2024. Lot of driving, but amazing trip.

Make sure you do the Skyline Loop in Mt Rainer. Simply stunning in mid-August.

[Anonymous]

With only a day in Seattle I’d skip Seattle center. Teenage boys will be bored, unless they’re rock and roll fans. Maybe hit up the market. Take the ferry to Bainbridge, turn around and get back on. Have a couple great meals. There are a couple other points if interest you can use as an excuse to get out and about based on their interests, Hendrix statue, Bruce Lee grave, museum at UW, Ballard locks (but the amount of salmon going through has been declining), etc.

[Anonymous]

Portland is skippable. Unless you want to see a city that looks like it's a scene from the walking dead, sadly. Visiting a McMenamins property is worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Portland is skippable. Unless you want to see a city that looks like it's a scene from the walking dead, sadly. Visiting a McMenamins property is worth it.

McMenamins is like an old mall TGI Fridays. There is good food in Portland, not there. Portland is better than a few years ago. I like going to Powells.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Portland is skippable. Unless you want to see a city that looks like it's a scene from the walking dead, sadly. Visiting a McMenamins property is worth it.

There are neighborhoods in Portland that are still vibrant and alive. Just get out of the downtown area.