<p>I'm coming from out of state at the end of may to take placement tests. I have a couple days in Seattle so does anyone have any advice as to what there is to do around campus? I wont have a car but I obviously dont want to sit around in my hotel all day :).</p>
<p>There are two museums right on campus. The Burke is a natural history museum focusing on Washington State. The Henry has contemporary art. Just steps away from campus is University Way, known as The Ave. Interesting shops and inexpensive restaurants, although a bit seedy in places. Fun to stroll, but don't go there alone at night.</p>
<p>A longer walk to the east will get you to University Village, an open-air, upscale shopping center, with fancier restaurants and shops. Lots of students seem to hang out there. </p>
<p>Get information about bus service, and you can get to Pike Place Market pretty easily, then walk downhill to the waterfront. Yet more shops, and also the Seattle Aqaurium. Walk further south along the waterfront and you can get a "walk-on" fare on the ferry to Bainbridge Island, about $3. It's about a 30 minute ride and you'll get a great view of the city from the water, plus you can stroll in the charming town of Bainbridge, right at the ferry landing.</p>
<p>Also, Seattle Center is fun -- that's where the Space Needle is. It about a mile and a quarter from Pike Place -- walkable, or take the monorail from Westlake Center (near Pike Place) back up north to Seattle Center. The Space Needle has an amazing view, but it's expensive to go up -- about $12-15. If you like rock'n'roll, check out the Experience Music Project, and if you like science fiction, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. They are both in the same building, an amazing, swoopy, silver/gold/blue/purple thing designed by Frank Gehry. Expensive -- admission to both is $27, but there's hours of stuff to look at and do. Also at Seattle Center, the Pacific Science Center, carnival-type rides, and several live performance theaters.</p>
<p>Get a copy of the free weekly newspapers, The Stranger and Seattle Weekly, and you can find out about various clubs playing live music -- make sure it's an all-ages venue if you're under 21, though.</p>
<p>Seattle is a pretty compact city, so things aren't too spread out.</p>
<p>Where part of the country are you coming from? </p>
<p>I hope you enjoy your visit!</p>
<p>I'm coming from Madison, WI. Origionally i'm from san diego california but i've been here since i began high school. Thanks for all the great suggestions i'm definately looking forward to my trip. :)</p>
<p>From Madison, and you're not going to U of Michigan? I hear it's a great school in a neat town. What prompted you to go for UW?</p>
<p>My son will be taking the Japanese placement test on May 21 -- is that when you'll be in town?</p>
<p>Ooops, of course, I meant to say U of Wisconsin! (The other UW:)</p>
<p>Yup may 21st but i'll be taking the adv. math placement test. I chose UW- seattle over madison because I just wanted to get out. Haha Madison a great town but I feel like I've been here long enough and my parents are here so I can always come back. Anyway I love seattle and i'm going into pre-med so it was a pretty good fit for me. :)</p>
<p>Is University Way near some slums, explaining why it's seedy? Or is it due to hyperactive university students?</p>
<p>No, it's not near slums, but there is a noticable population of homeless youth there, attracted by cheap food, a food bank, and services keyed to homeless youth -- as well as enough foot traffic to panhandle. The Ave used to be a middle-class shopping district, and still is in spots, but there are some empty storefronts as well. About a mile to the east, University Village is a shopping center that's had a major facelift and infusion of upscale shops, so the student population will tend to go over there to buy Levi's, dorm chatchkies, CDs, etc, rather than ferret out the U district shops that might carry those things. </p>
<p>This is a broad generalization, of course, and The Ave is certainly worth strolling along. Good used bookstores, plus University Books, which is a great store for new books, owned by UW. It carries not only textbooks, but pretty much everything else you might want to read. Also, a perk I wasn't aware of until recently -- students, staff and faculty get an annual rebate/dividend on purchases, 10% for this year, so save your receipts!</p>
<p>Thanks for the informaation!</p>
<p>I know this is a silly question but are there any movie theatres right near the UW campus? Thanks...</p>
<p>The Neptune Theater, an "art house", is at 45th and Brooklyn. 45th is the northern border of the UW campus, and Brooklyn is two blocks west of 15th Ave., which is the western border. Here's a great site that gives you a very detailed map with business names -- <a href="http://www.lostinseattle.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.lostinseattle.com/</a> -- type in Neptune Theater for keyword, at the next page click on Neptune theater, then click on Neptune theater neighborhood map, and you can take a virtual tour of the area.</p>
<p>There is also the Varsity theatre (if it is still there) which is right across from the UW bookstore on the "Ave". I believe it is also a rather artsy type moviehouse. However, for a more current selection of movies, the Metro is located several blocks west of the Neptune on 45th. It is a newer complex with multiple screens--maybe 6 or 8? It has a nice selection of newly released movies and is within easy walking distance from the NW corner of campus.
In addition to "things to see around Seattle", I have to mention I was there last weekend seeing my D-a UW Sr. We spent some time up on Queen Anne Hill, a very hip residential area for many upperclassmen/UW grad students. Wow. What an incredible place. I thoroughly enjoyed my tour. All the older homes seem to have been redone in recent years, and are simply beautiful. The landscaping everywhere is mature and lush--the rhododendrens, azaleas--everything in bloom! There are zillions of restaurants, coffeeshops, and boutiques that have popped up all along the main avenue, and the views from every perspective were just breathtaking. What a wonderful area to live, with close proximity to the city and the UDub. While seeing Queen Anne Hill might not make the "Top 10" things to do for my teenagers, as a mother who subscribes to Sunset magazine, it was definitely a highlight for the weekend! I came back to Ca. with new ideas about where I wanted to retire...That city has everything--love it!</p>
<p>You're right, caseyatbat, the Varsity is still there, although the frontage it has on The Ave is so small, it didn't stick in my memory. And Metro Cinemas is a quite nice urban multiplex.</p>
<p>Queen Anne is a treat to wander around. When I have to drop my daughter off in the summer for drama class at Seattle Children's Theater at Seattle Center, the class is only 2 hours, so there's no point in heading home. I'll often go up to Queen Anne and get some lunch, window shop, pick up something for dinner at the Metropolitan Market, then collect her. Too bad the class only lasts two weeks!</p>
<p>Goinloki, I just realized that the University District Street Fair will be happening this weekend when you're in town for test taking! It's a lot of fun, and just steps away from campus. Here's a link with details: <a href="http://www.udistrictstreetfair.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.udistrictstreetfair.org/</a> . Much better than going to a movie, unless you track down the Seattle International Film Festival, (<a href="http://www.seattlefilm.com/index.aspx?detect=yes%5B/url%5D">http://www.seattlefilm.com/index.aspx?detect=yes</a>) which will be screening things at many venues around town. Things aren't always this "happening", but you picked a great weekend to be in town.</p>
<p>Sounds pretty sweet. Thanks for letting me know i'll definatly look into those events. I'm leaving sunday morning but i should hopefully have some time friday or saturday night to check out those events. Thanks again, let me know if you have any other suggestions.</p>
<p>Must be some kind of unofficial student exchange going on. We have about 30 Seattle area kids enrolling at Wisconsin in the Fall. Several said a change of scenery was a big reason.</p>