WA Weekend: Autumn at Husky Harbor

Travel traditions run strong in the Pacific Northwest. One of the longest is travel prompted by -- and for -- college football games. With two major universities and several four-year college's, there's a bit of football fever to be found in every corner of Washington State.

But one of the most beautiful locales is our WA Weekend destination:

But what does a football game have to do with travel, you are probably asking yourself.  Well, quite a bit in Seattle, home of the University of Washington Huskies. It's impact on roadways before and after games, hotel availability on game day, boat traffic, and restaurant  is major.

Looking east over Lake Washington (boaters anchor for the game) and Mt. Rainier

The football stadium at the eastside of the campus, sits on the Seattle shore of Lake Washington.  It provides fans postcard perfect views of the adjacent lake, Kirkland and Bellevue to the east and Mount Rainier, to the southeast.

Boaters bring a new definition to 'tailgating' pre- and post-game celebrations

Fans, alumni, students and those supporting the visiting teams -- some 70,000 of them --  flock by bus, car, boat and RV to Husky Stadium. Hotels fill quickly on home game weekends and accommodation prices can soar. Last weekend’s season opener commanded hotel rates of more than $260 a night in some places.

Tour boats pictured center and to the right at 'Husky Harbor'

For those, like us, who are ‘Boatless in Seattle’ there are tour boats originating in Kirkland and south Lake Union (the lake connected to Lake Washington by the waterway called the Montlake Cut)  that bring hundreds of fans to the game. Two such boats are pictured above.

While many fans opt to arrive at the stadium by boat, some tying up at the dock or anchoring in “Husky Harbor” as we showed you above, others bring their recreational vehicles and set up ‘tailgating’ pre-game parties that start hours before kick-off. The RV above has been 'a regular' for decades. Most are like this one: decor - purple and gold from top to bottom!

The “Fan Van” featured in the collage above served party-goers buffet-style food and drinks were obtained nearby from a serving window on the side of the van. (Note the satellite dish and television - those are found throughout the parking/party lot).

Still others set up grills, chairs and tents throughout the parking and lawn areas near the lake, like those pictured to the left.

University of Washington's Husky Stadium Re-opening 2013

The stadium re-opened last weekend following a $280 million remodel and refurbishing . The resulting stadium is so impressive that representatives of the construction crew (pictured on the new whiz-bang scoreboard/video screen) formed the on-field tunnel through which the team emerged from the locker room.

The crowd went  nuts for the construction crew and the crescendo built for the team's appearance. One of the best traditions of the games here is the unfurling of the American flag and singing of the National Anthem.

The atmosphere before, during and after the game was electric – think Mardi Gras in New Orleans or New Year’s Eve in Times Square. 

And the best part was, our un-ranked Huskies blew out the ranked Boise (Idaho) Broncos. (As of this writing, the Huskies are now #20!)

 "Go Dawgs!" as they say at Husky Harbor!

If You Go:

Husky tickets:  Schedules and ticket information can be found at www.GoHuskies.com

Seattle lodging:  www.visitseattle.org

Getting to the Game: Your hotel will be able to tell you the options available for getting to the game from their location. Ask the concierge  about tour boat. One of the easiest ways to get to the game is aboard one of the several special shuttle buses operated by Metro.  A $5 round-trip ticket will get you to the game and back to your starting point. For information:  http://www.huskystadium.com/2013-game-day/transportation

Thanks for spending time with us today. Have a great weekend! See you back here next week~

WA Weekend: Kirkland ~ Where the Livin’ is Lakeside

Even those of us lucky enough to live in Kirkland, just across Lake Washington from Seattle, sometimes take this Pacific Northwest gem for granted.  Kirkland should be the poster child for lakeside living and here are some reasons why:



1. Waterfront Parks:  Take a stroll along the mile-long stretch of Lake Washington Blvd. from Carillon Point to downtown Kirkland to explore the city’s many waterfront parks. Open free of charge to the public, they are great places for picnics, sunbathing or just reading a book.  (Winter storm watching is also fun from these vantage points.) For those not content to sit around, rent a paddle board or join a game of volleyball.



 Marina Park, in the photo below, is a popular place for kids who can wade into the shallow water along its crescent-shaped beach, while  dogs chase out into the deeper waters to retrieve sticks and balls and pesky water fowl angle for a handouts. It’s also center stage for the town’s many festivals.

2. Get out on Lake Washington: If you want to really experience the water. . .

but you don’t have a boat to tie up at Marina Park’s public dock, don’t despair because.  .  .



Argosy Cruises (800-642-7816, www.argosycruises.com) has got you covered. The tour boat departs from the Kirkland Dock at Marina Park for a 1.5 hour cruise that – on a sunny day – will provide stunning views of Mt. Rainier, University of Washington’s Husky Stadium and takes you past the waterfront homes of the rich and famous, like Bill Gates’ place. Reservations are recommended.  Schedule and prices can be found at the web site listed above.



(BTW, these photos are should dispel the rumor that it ‘always rains in Seattle’. Not so!)

If You Visit: 

The fresh-water Lake Washington at 20-miles long and reaching a depth of 214-feet is the second largest lake in Washington State, just behind the 55-mile long Lake Chelan.

When a day at the lake comes to an end, try out some of the many eateries that dot the shoreline or are clustered in the downtown area, easy walking distance from the water.

Sip some Washington wine (we’d recommend The Grape Choice a wine merchant with its kid and dog friendly sipping area near Marina Park).

Spend a night or two  at either of the town’s luxury hotels: The Woodmark Hotel on the lake at Carillon Point and The Heathman Hotel in the downtown, two blocks from Marina Park.

For more information: Click on:  Explore Kirkland.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you’ll subscribe to receive  TravelnWrite in your inbox or follow us on Facebook at TravelnWrite.