SQLPASS Seattle 101

Things to See and Do in Seattle with Your New Friends

The 2010 SQLPass Summit is coming  up on November 8-11 in Seattle, so as a local I thought I’d put together some information for y’all out of towners.

If you’re new to the Summit, it’s a great time to meet people, and the experience is even better if you explore Seattle with new friends in the evening. So one way or another, look into some things you might want to see and do, it will come in useful while you’re in town.

With minor exceptions, I’ve only listed things which are pretty convenient to downtown and are easy to reach without a car. Neighborhood names are listed for each place and a corresponding neighborhood map is below.

Let me know if you have questions! Happy to help.

Ride Light Rail to Your Hotel

If you’re staying downtown, you can probably take a quick ride from SeaTac Airport to your hotel on Light Rail for $2.50. Check  out how!

Getting Around

Don’t be afraid to ride the bus in Seattle- this section has links to help figure it out, including links to learn about the new train from the airport.

Shopping

There are a lot of chain retail stores downtown which you can visit back at home, but we have a few places that are truly out of the ordinary.

Coffee n Chocolate n Donuts

Let’s face it: these are the truly important things in life.

We have a lot of donuts, delicious chocolate, and more local coffee houses than you can imagine. I’ve listed my favorites, but this is just the beginning. Check all the independents out and pick your favorite.

Breakfast

It’s the most important meal of the day, after all.

Healthy Stuff

After eating all those donuts and staying out late at the bar, this is what you need- juice bars, a good walk, and yoga.

Live Music

It’s not all grunge these days. We have a fun live music scene.

Pool, Games, and Unspeakable Karaoke

Yep. There’s karaoke. Not my fault.

Tours and Smart Stuff

For the writers: Hugo House. For the readers: The Central Library. For the curious: a few tours.

Dinner n Drinx

We can has good food. Here are some of my favorites, many of which are on the cheap.

The Parks Dept

Seattle has so many wonderful parks. All free. Here’s a few.

Neighborhood Map (reference for the links above)

The 2010 SQLPass Summit will be held at the Washington State Convention & Trace Center, which is in the Downtown neighborhood at 800 Convention Place, Seattle, WA 98101.