WATER
Tours Ride the Ducks
Rainier Tours Northwest
FROM PARADISE’S paved Alta Vista trail, where the alpine meadows are peppered with lupine and paintbrush, the glacier-clad summit of Mount Rainier looks close enough to touch. And that’s the whole point of a trip to Washington’s iconic peak and its surrounding national park—to awe at nature in all its glory. Along the way, tourgoers get a chance to hug massive old-growth trees, admire thundering waterfalls, gaze at placid lakes, and stretch their legs in the shadow of the majestic mountain. Pristine summer weather is the perfect reason to stop at Whittaker’s Bunkhouse in Ashford for a scoop of huckleberry ice cream, but in late spring, when snow can still blanket the foothills, guides make sure to bring snowshoes and poles for cold-weather hiking. toursnorthwest.com —AC WHY GO To get an up-close look at Rainier and its scenic foothills DON’T FORGET Wear comfortable shoes, dress in warm layers, and have your cameras ready for breathtaking sights GREAT FOR Outdoor lovers and groups COST $119 LENGTH OF TOUR 10 hours STARTING LOCATION Curbside in front of your hotel ALSO TRY Customized Tours, toursof seattle.com; EverGreen Escapes, evergreenescapes.com
28
VISIT SEATTLE
WHY GO A unique on-land and in-water experience DON’T FORGET Your cameras—the views from Lake Union are unbeatable. GREAT FOR Families COST $28 (adults); $17 (ages 3–12); $1 (ages 0–2) LENGTH OF TOUR 1.5 hours STARTING LOCATION Fourth Ave and Pine St (April 1–December 31) or 516 Broad St (year-round) ALSO TRY Alki Kayak Tours, kayakalki.com; Argosy Cruises, argosycruises.com; Waterways Cruises, waterwayscruises.com
Aviation AND INDUSTRY Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour
A FOREST OF SCAFFOLDING obscures the floor inside Boeing’s Everett manufacturing facility, a boxy beige warehouse that happens to be the largest building by volume in the world. It looks like organized chaos from the third-floor viewing deck, where tour groups peer over the railing to ogle the fleet of sea-green 747 jumbo jets in various stages of assembly. We started in the sleek Future of Flight Aviation Center and, after boarding a motor coach and strolling through one of Boeing’s massive underground tunnels, made our way high above the factory floor. It feels like engineering nirvana. The construction hum fades away as we descend in a freight elevator to reboard the bus for our next stop: the 777 and 787 side of the factory. After some more airplane rubbernecking, we’re whisked back to the Future of Flight, where we scatter throughout the interactive galleries to gaze at a 787’s fuselage and clamber into a pilot seat. futureofflight.org —AC
WHY GO To get an exclusive, behind-thewings look at airplanes in the making DON’T FORGET Safety regulations restrict
STARTING LOCATION Future of Flight Aviation Center, 8415 Paine Field Blvd, Everett ALSO TRY Museum of History and
this tour to those four feet and taller GREAT FOR Groups and families with
Industry, mohai.org; Museum of Flight, museumof flight.org
older kids COST $16–$20 (adults); $9–$18 (ages 0–15) LENGTH OF TOUR 1.5 hours
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK, COURTESY RIDE THE DUCKS, COURTESY FUTURE OF FLIGHT AVIATION CENTER AND BOEING TOUR
MOUNT
AS CAPTAIN BJORN WARBLES along to a peppy One Direction song, the propeller on his colorful beanie twirls wildly in the wind. Everyone aboard the open-air “duck bus” can’t help but grin. It’s the perfect day in Seattle, and the soundtrack of pop hits only adds to the sunny mood. We rumble through downtown from the splashy EMP Museum, along the waterfront, and past Seattle Art Museum. The whole while, Captain Bjorn unleashes a steady repartee about the city’s attractions, donning an array of goofy hats. Then we make our way across the Aurora Bridge for a final cruise in Lake Union. As our amphibious craft plies the water, passengers snap photos of the skyline and the Sleepless in Seattle floating home. Our tour ends back on dry land, zipping toward the Space Needle, with the cool breeze brushing across our faces. ridetheducksofseattle.com —AC