U.S. holiday booked!

[Aerosim Solutions]

Hi all,
It's a definite first visit to the US for the wife and I as I've just paid for my trip in December. We have three nights in Seattle I think it's 16th, 17th & 18th with the aim of doing the Boeing tour at Everett, space needle and whatever else we can find in our left hand drive Ford Focus hire car. Driving on the other side of the road should be fun! Then it's over to Manhattan Island for 16 nights to check out New York before leaving for Paris on the 5th of January to see my daughter Lauren who is a dancer at the Moulin Rouge, it is her 21st on the 6th and her twin my son Alex will be there as well. So if anyone wants to catch up for a beer and chat that's our plan! Cheers Gwyn

[jackpilot]

You mean January 2019 ?
Tempting to meet you if I'm still alive...serious!! 

[RayS]

Definitely do the Boeing plant tour! (No cameras allowed though...) There's also the Boeing Flight Museum south of downtown Seattle.

As for the space needle, it's kind of hit or miss. I was never really all that impressed with it and the food is mediocre at best. (It's also undergoing a massive construction project so parts of it may be off limits. You might not be able to get outside because they are installing a glass floor around the perimeter.

One thing you might consider, and something that's not really broadcast to the general public is the Boeing Restoration hangar also at the Everett plant. If you ask the locals they will tell you it's at the northern side of the smaller 34R runway on the access road. It's a bit hard to find but once you do, the inside is like a walk back in time and you can sightsee to your heart's content! I find it's more fun at the restoration facility!

http://www.museumofflight.org/Explore-The-Museum/Aircraft-Restoration

Above all though, avoid using I-5 through downtown Seattle... Avoid it like the plague. You can use 509, 518 to hwy99, then pick up I 5 north of Seattle. Same story going South. Pick up 99 off I-5 before hitting downtown Seattle.

Otherwise you'll get a nice uninterrupted view of the bumper in front of you for HOURS. ;-)

[fsaviator]

Wish I was still in the PNW!  Sorry I'll miss it

[Aerosim Solutions]

Cheers guys and thanks for all that info Ray. I'll check out Google maps to check out the road system. If we have a traffic jam in Perth it generally makes the news!!

[Aerosim Solutions]

The time is nearly here for my 30 hour trip to begin - YPPH-YSSY 5 hours, 5 hour wait then YSSY-KSFO 14 hours, 4 hour wait then KSFO-KSEA 2hours. We arrive in Seattle on the night of the 16th and will be doing the Boeing plant tour on the 18th at 1pm. I have to figure out driving a hire car with the wheel on the left and the road lane on the right that will be fun, look out locals! Three days in Seattle then 16 nights in Manhattan, Intrepid museum and 911 memorial are high on the priority list. Apparently it's not stinking hot like Perth at this time of year!! Can't wait for my first visit to the USA....

Cheers Gwyn

[bernard S]

stop by austin tx

[Trevor Hale]

Intrepid museum and 911 memorial are high on the priority list. Apparently it's not stinking hot like Perth at this time of year!! Can't wait for my first visit to the USA....

I Did both those when I was there, and I loved it.  Fun place..  You will need a heavy coat and likely long johns LOL.. 

Trev