Feature.

#7 ; :

A student’ 5 guide to _touri ing Seattle

By Stephanie Trembath

inter break usually consists of two parts: rushing around preparing

for the holiday prior to December 25,

and rushing around trying to cram as many festivities and events into the last week of December—which is why so many people need to take a few days off for a holiday after the holidays.

Personally, after school fees, textbooks, and Christmas presents, I’m usually left in a financial wasteland until mid-May, which often makes vacationing a bit difficult. However, after a bit of resourceful planning and research,

I treated myself to a short winter break vacay that was both affordable and entertaining. Since I didn’t have time to travel far, I chose to visit Seattle—it’s just across the border and easy to get to.

Transportation I recommend taking a Greyhound bus to Seattle rather than driving

12

\

because it is cheaper (considering gas prices), and you don’t have to worry about your vehicle. On the Greyhound, a round trip to Seattle costs $43 plus tax, and is just over four hours each way travel time.

Unlike our buses here in Vancouver, Seattle Metro Transit is free downtown during the day and is easy to navigate. Also, many hotels in downtown Seattle offer daytime shuttle buses with various pickup and drop-off locations throughout the city free of charge.

During my stay in Seattle, | was as bus savvy as I am in Vancouver— meaning I missed every bus by three minutes and wound up walking pretty much everywhere in a pair of high-heeled shoes. This usually annoys me, but since I didn’t have a schedule to follow and didn’t know the area well, it was one of the best ways to get acquainted with a new city.

After missing the bus on the second night in town, instead of busing down Fremont Street to get to our location, we walked for

/

]

gs Vii

A

two hours and discovered various boutiques, restaurants, parks, and shops along the way. Now, my feet probably wouldn’t have made the voyage without the help of a few glasses of wine and a plate of funeral fries (fries covered in mozzarella cheese sauce and mini mushrooms), so [recommend starting your journey with your beverage of choice if you plan on taking the heel- toe express while you’re away. Or just be on time for the bus.

Accommodation

I recommend the University Inn

to any student visiting Seattle. A room with two double beds, free Wi-Fi, microwave, and mini fridge (you have to call ahead and request the fridge) only costs $84. Split between four people, and with the free breakfast (plus, if you try what I always do and load up your purse with fresh fruit and bagels to eat for lunch), this hotel was inexpensive.

Attractions Before I went to Seattle, I wanted to

plan a few activities and places to see, and the Internet led me to the typical tourist traps everyone sees: the outlet malls, the Space Needle, the Seattle Zoo, and Pike Place Market—which is where the very first Starbucks is located. Usually I would jump at the chance to visit a Starbucks, but since our hotel offered free breakfast until 11 a.m. and served fresh Starbucks coffee for free ALL DAY, I had no need to spend money on hot beverages.

University District

Rather than frequent the regular tourist locations, I recommend visiting the University of Washington, which is a short walk from the University Inn. University Way in Seattle is comparable to Vancouver’s Granville Street area, only there are more parks and residential areas as the University is close by. This area of Seattle caters to students, with tons of places to shop, cheap places to eat, and bars that line the boulevard.