Sheraton Hotel - downtown Seattle?

[ccmg]

Will be arriving 2 days before our cruise. Was told this hotel would be more central to most of the "tourist" attractions. Also, any pros and cons about the hotel would be appreciated.

[Gardyloo]

Great big hotel, very central, beloved of business meetings and conventions, comfortable rooms, surprisingly good cafe/restaurant (Daily Grill) but many other places to eat in walking distance, as are shopping centers, movies etc. Solid choice.

[Mytime2014]

Great big hotel, very central, beloved of business meetings and conventions, comfortable rooms, surprisingly good cafe/restaurant (Daily Grill) but many other places to eat in walking distance, as are shopping centers, movies etc. Solid choice.

 

Glad to hear this! We're going to be there 2 nights 7/3 -5/14

an issue with our HAL booking - originally was told this hotel was included in the price we were quoted, then they called the other party and said oops, it wasn't. I would have booked a much less expensive hotel near SeaTac and used public transport or a rental! but she agreed to it....so I am hoping its worth it.

Plus - it is within walking distance of Pike and on some bus lines, so I think we'll be okay.

[ccmg]

Thanks for the info Gardyloo! It's always a relief to hear good things about the hotel you booked. The biggest complaint I've read about on another site was not having free wifi in the rooms. It was only available in the common areas. That won't be an issue for us.

 

Mytime2014, are you on HAL's July 6th departure? We will be at the Sheraton 7/4 & 5.

[Mytime2014]

We're on the Westerdam sailing on July 5th, the original plan was the David Jeremiah cruise on the 6th but nothing available we could afford...

We're trying to figure out what to do on the 4th and it looks like the streetcar to South Union Lake [??] park is a possibility for fireworks. Although....once I find out about ferry schedules, I would think about Bainbridge Island in the evening.

[Casagordita]

We're on the Westerdam sailing on July 5th, the original plan was the David Jeremiah cruise on the 6th but nothing available we could afford...

We're trying to figure out what to do on the 4th and it looks like the streetcar to South Union Lake [??] park is a possibility for fireworks. Although....once I find out about ferry schedules, I would think about Bainbridge Island in the evening.

 

Seattle's big fireworks display is on Lake Union. There are lots of restaurants and bars along the lake, but you'd need to get there EARLY and keep ordering to have a table when you want it! I'm not sure--some places might take reservations for a window table for the fireworks, but it's not a big thing--I've never heard about people doing it. There are two main ways that people go out and watch the Lake Union fireworks: 1) Spend the day on a blanket at Gasworks Park at the north end of the lake, with many thousands of other people; or 2) get out on the lake in a boat. If you didn't pack yours, you can take one of the excursion boats that do this every year. Argosy Cruises always has their boats out there. I've been on a boat for the fireworks here, and it's big fun.

 

One thing to look for, if you do take an excursion boat: try to find one that lets you off somewhere on the lake after the show, and not one that has to go back through the Ship Canal. There are enough boats on the lake that evening that you could almost walk across and not get your feet wet--and a whole lot of them are going back through the bottleneck of Ship Canal and the Ballard Locks after the fireworks. It can take HOURS.

 

Bainbridge Island does a festival on the Fourth, but no fireworks. You might see Seattle's from there, but barely. It could be a fun way to spend the day, but if you need to get your fireworks fix, not so much. You'll find the ferry schedule here (but they're on Winter schedule now, so check back closer to your visit for the Summer one).

Edited March 9, 2014 by Casagordita

[Gardyloo]

Argosy Cruises always has their boats out there. I've been on a boat for the fireworks here, and it's big fun.

 

One thing to look for, if you do take an excursion boat: try to find one that lets you off somewhere on the lake after the show, and not one that has to go back through the Ship Canal.

The Argosy boats start downtown, go through the Ship Canal to Lake Union, then after the show they drop passengers next to Kenmore Air's floatplane dock at the southwest lake shore, where buses take the pax back downtown to the Argosy dock.

 

We've done this a couple of times and have enjoyed it immensely.

 

Photos -

 

Passing through the ship canal

Houseboats and people waiting for the show

People waiting at Gasworks Park

Last light

Kaboom

Kaboomboom

[Mytime2014]

Thanks for the suggestions! Off to research Argosy

 

I don't suppose you can see the fireworks from the Sheraton...

[Casagordita]

Thanks for the suggestions! Off to research Argosy

 

I don't suppose you can see the fireworks from the Sheraton...

 

Nope! Maybe from the Courtyard, the Residence Inn, or the Silver Cloud on Lake Union, if you have a room facing the lake. But from any of the downtown hotels, you might get really lucky and see an occasional distant flash between buildings, but I doubt it.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Love the suggestion to take a bus after the fireworks display. I've been caught in some major traffic jams heading home after the fireworks in my car, to the point that now I usually don't venture out that evening. I'd hate to be in a taxi with the meter running in this kind of traffic jam bordering on gridlock.

[ccmg]

We're on the Westerdam sailing on July 5th, the original plan was the David Jeremiah cruise on the 6th but nothing available we could afford...

 

So you were actually trying to do the Michael W Smith & Friends cruise. That's the cruise we are on. Yes, David Jeremiah will be on this cruise. Unfortunately, Darlene Zschech had to cancel due to her cancer diagnosis. She will still be going through chemo, or just ending her treatments right around the time of the cruise. Laura Story will be joining us in her place. The cruise is sold out however there is a waiting list. Final payment is due in a few weeks and a few people have been able to book due to cancelations.