SEATTLE SHUTTLE
2016 GTOAA Nationals Convention
DATE: Sunday July 17th, 2016
TIME: 9 AM – 3:30 PM
FEE:
$34 / person
Shuttles will be running on Sunday from the Bellevue Hilton to downtown Seattle so that attendees can tour the many attractions of downtown Seattle without the hassle of driving their prized Pontiac and paying for ridiculously high parking fees. There will be two drop off/pick up points in downtown Seattle that will bring you very close to many of city’s most famous attractions. The buses will travel south on I‐405, then westward on I‐90 to Mercer Island and onto the I‐90 floating bridge across Lake Washington. Then they travel through the Mt. Baker tunnel and finally exiting onto Rainier Ave. The trip will proceed through Seattle’s Chinatown – the International District. The International District, one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods is rich with history and is the cultural hub for Asian Americans with Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese and Southeast Asians living and working together. From the International District, the trip will continue past CenturyLink Field – home of the Seahawks and Sounders, and Safeco Field – home of the Mariners. From there the route will turn north through Seattle’s oldest neighborhood and its original downtown – Pioneer Square. The district is characterized by late nineteenth century brick and stone buildings, and is one of the nation's best surviving collections of Romanesque Revival style urban architecture. Pioneer Square is home to art galleries, cafes, sports bars, nightclubs, bookstores, and the Seattle Underground. The popular Seattle Underground Tour visits the eerie sunken storefronts of what was ground level prior to the Great Fire of 1889. Pike Place Market/Seattle Waterfront Stop
After traveling through Pioneer Square, the trip will proceed to the first drop off/pick up stop ‐ the historic, beloved downtown Pike Place Market. The public market has been in business since 1907. It’s a year‐round farmers market and visual enclave of vegetables, seafood, cheese and flower stalls along with handicrafts and tourist‐friendly knickknacks. And, of course, there is the flying fish. Vendors at Pike Place Fish Market gleefully toss salmon to each other, always drawing a crowd at the fish stall by the market’s main entrance. For less of a crowd, take the stairs to “Down Under”, a wood‐floored maze of small shops beneath the main‐level of the market. Find your way into the shops across the street from the main market, including what is touted as the “original” Starbucks. Walk the stairs (or take an elevator) down to Seattle’s fabulous Puget Sound waterfront. There you will find a broad sidewalk with harbor front shops, eateries and wooden piers jutting out into the bay. Stop by the Seattle Aquarium or ride the Seattle Great Wheel, a 175‐foot tall Ferris wheel with enclosed gondola‐type cabins. Harbor tours are also available here or you can take a Washington State Ferry ride across Elliott Bay. Approximately one block south of the Market is the Seattle Art Museum. Here you will see everything from European masters’ paintings and ancient Asian artwork to Native American carvings and contemporary sculpture. After about a 3 hour stay at Pikes Market, buses will pick you up and proceed northward through the Westlake area – the heart of downtown Seattle shopping. Downtown Seattle is a regional shopping destination providing a blend of top national retailers, including the flagship store for Nordstrom as well as independent boutiques not found anywhere else. Seattle Center Stop
After a short ride, the buses will arrive at the Seattle Center, a 74‐acre urban park that was originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair. Its landmark feature is the iconic 605 feet tall Space Needle, which features an observation deck and a revolving restaurant. No trip to Seattle is complete without visiting the Space Needle. The views from the observation deck are spectacular. Looking to the west over the Puget Sound is the Olympic Mountain Range. To the east, you will see Lake Washington, downtown Bellevue and the Cascade Mountain Range. The majestic Mt. Rainier and the Seattle skyline is your southerly view. Also located at the Seattle Center are the Pacific Science Center, International Fountain, the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum and the Experience Music Project (EMP). After approximately 2 hours, the buses will again arrive and pick you up at the Seattle Center stop to transport you back to the Hilton. This time the trip takes you through the South Lake Union neighborhood – headquarters to Amazon. The South Lake Union district is going through a rapid transformation from a marine oriented industrial district to a neighborhood of shops, parks and restaurants, as well as, mid‐rise housing and office complexes. The trip will proceed eastward on SR 520 past the Seattle Yacht Club, the University of Washington and Husky Stadium. Notice the houseboats that are dotted along the edge of Portage Bay. Finally you will cross the “520” floating bridge and back to the Hilton.