Extra day in PDX or SEA?

If you're flying in/out of PDX, if you don't want to pay for a rent-a-racer, I'd suggest Bolt Bus up to Seattle. As far as what to do with an extra day, Bolt Bus up Bellingham isn't the worst suggestion you'll hear. You could Bolt from PDX to Bham, Bolt down to SEA, and back to PDX.

 

say this paragraph 5 times fast

 

As a Seattle born-and-bred, I yield to no one in my parochialism.

But I'd still say Portland.

However, I'll admit that I might be unintentionally channeling the late-great Emmett Watson. Points to anyone who can explain my deliberately obscure Emmett Watson reference (without googling, of course).

 

KBO

(No Googling required, Scout's honor...Though, admittedly, I had to flout that organization's principles when I was determined to move here myself from Boston 10 years ago. If you can adopt one of my sports teams and its greatest hero as your own, I can adopt your hometown. Let's call it even.)

 

There are just too many ways to cut this up. I used to travel a lot for work and and if I had the time I often would take road less traveled. I dunno...if you were heading from Seaside to Astoria you could linger there and jump over the river at Longview and take back roads thru Centralia and then to Olympia. Then linger there. Meander to Seattle thru Tacoma or via the Kitsap Peninsula.

Or do Bellingham for a day..........

 

This is where that "Visiting I-5 Corridor" thread would have been perfect.

 

Very SAD!

 

Emmett would recognize a lot of the attitudes on this forum: no rare beer here, nothing to see, move along. @EdwardAbbey, if you really want to up your Puget Sound Emmett Watson karma, learn "The Old Settler" and then look up his annual Thompson's turkey recipe. If you can't find those, PM me. I don't want to completely thread-jack.

 

Yeah, hit Dicks for beer and meat, then find a hiking trail in the area. Hit Tacoma for E9 and Red Hot. Or go over and hit some of the breweries on the Bottom of the peninsula, and catch a ferry over to Seattle. There's options.

 

If anyone in my party has not seen much of the beer scene in the Washington, I sometimes will hit up the Olympic Club Hotel in Centrailia. Yes, I know who owns it. Beer is not the greatest but it has a great old school vibe. Like a 1990s or 1890s vibe............

 

Leave it to a Bawston guy to come up with KBO first. And I don't like your team.

 

Dystopian State is also worth checking out in Tacoma.

 

No, they're really new. Hazy IPAs, sour stuff and the regular PNW styles.

http://www.dystopianstate.com/the_brewery

 

Oh and Emmett's Chowder House is still at the Market. (threadjack completed)

 

Uh, that would be Emmett's Oyster Bar. Founded in the late 70s, and he was co owner. The story was that he started the restaurant so he could have a place to eat oysters and drink beer. Before there were so many other beer options in town, I used to go there to eat oysters and drink whatever they had. I think it might have been Anchor Steam, as he got started before the micro/craft brewers got going around here.

And, for old timers, it's pretty close to the original Starbucks, which used to be just a coffee store, no lattes or other fancy drinks.

...[threadjack resumed]...

 

Was going to PM you, but now I see the thread has just reopened for all business, and these lyrics are too good (and apropos) not to share publicly on the NW forum anyway:

"No longer the slave of ambition,
I laugh at the world and its shams
And think of my happy condition,
Surrounded by acres of clams." **

**(Will someone please cross-post this on the Tillamook thread, where it would be especially pertinent?)

With respect to Thompson's turkey, as a vegetarian, I'll have to give that recipe a shot with a Tofurkey loaf next Thanksgiving. I know it won't be the same, but I remain fully determined to assimilate and honor the local customs and traditions of my adopted home to the utmost extent that I can.

 

I've been spending several days a year in Astoria for about the last six years, so I know that area OK. Seaside Brewing has a nice location, but the beer has a ways to go before it's worth a stop IMO.
Not sure you're into liquor, but Cannon Beach Distillery is fun to stop by, even for someone like me that isn't into hard alcohol. Bill's Tavern & Brewhouse, also in Cannon Beach is OK.
Tillamook has de Garde (I probably don't even need to say how awesome a stop de Garde is), and Pelican (which I have yet to visit). The Pelican location in Pacific City, not too far from Tillamook, is one of the most breathtaking brewery locations I've had the pleasure of seeing.
And finally, Astoria, which is one of my favorite places to spend time. Fort George has three areas to drink, the main bar, upstairs, and the taproom, which is located inside the brewery and only open Wed-Sun. All three areas have different menus and taplists. The taproom is my favorite place to drink at Fort George due to the vibe and always killer draft lineup. Definitely spend some time there!
Also in Astoria is Buoy Beer Company. Their location is awesome, right on the water and usually surrounded by barking sea lions. There are windows in the floor so you'll surely see seals lounging in the water below. Beer there is delicious and the food is wonderful.
Other fun things in Astoria: the Astoria Column which is on a hill that overlooks the town, the Arc Arcade, the Goonies house (which last I heard you can no longer walk up to), the film museum, and Ecola State Park. Hope you enjoy yourself!