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Hotel Accommodations
W
Seattle
1112 Fourth
Ave.
Seattle, WA
98101
Reservations:
888.627.8552
AGA Rate: $158 + Tax (Single/Double)
Discount Deadline: Oct. 23, 2009
AGA has reserved a block of rooms at the W Seattle for PMC attendees. This 26-story, contemporary hotel represents the latest in modern luxury. The W is centrally located in the heart of downtown and is close to art and music centers, financial and retail hubs, shopping, restaurants, and popular attractions such as Seattle Art Museum, GameWorks, The Space Needle, Safeco Field and Pike Place Market.
The room rate is $158 (plus tax) for single and double occupancy. Rates are guaranteed until Oct. 23, 2009, or until the block is sold out. We encourage you to make your hotel reservations early, for the best price and availability.
To make a reservation, please call the hotel at 888.627.8552 and mention you are attending the “AGA PMC” to ensure you receive the discounted rate. Or, you may also reserve a room online.
Air Travel
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), also known as “Sea-Tac,” is only 30 minutes from downtown Seattle and provides convenient travel to the conference. Recent renovations make Sea-Tac a good place to shop, eat or view the more than 100 works of art scattered throughout the facility. There's something for every taste at Sea-Tac and, of course, a wide variety of specialty coffee options.
Please contact your favorite airline or travel agent to make reservations. Many websites allow you to search for and purchase airline tickets online, including Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity. For the best rates and discounts you should make reservations at least 30 days prior to departure.
Ground Transportation
Attendees can rely on the area's taxi and shuttle services for getting to the conference. Please refer to the information below when planning your trip to Seattle.
Taxis
Taxicabs are available on the third floor of the parking garage.
Please call 206.246.9999, or use the curbside phones on the
baggage claim level for assistance. A ride from the airport to
the hotel takes approximately 30 minutes (depending on time of
day and traffic) and costs approximately $35.
Gray Line Downtown Airporter
PH: 206.626.6088 or 800.426.7532
$10.25 One Way
$17 Roundtrip
Downtown Airporter by Gray Line serves the airport outside Door 00 on the baggage claim (lower) level. Shuttles depart twice an hour from 5:30 a.m.–11 p.m., with service to and from downtown. This is a shared-ride van service, so the shuttle may make several stops before reaching the W Seattle Hotel.
Car Rental
Nine rental car companies have information counters in the baggage claim area, and five have car pick-up and drop-off at the airport on the first floor of the garage across from the Main Terminal. In addition, off-airport rental car companies provide courtesy van service to the airport.
Please contact your favorite car rental company to make reservations for your trip to Seattle.
Parking
Parking is available at the W Seattle for $44.21 per day. Unlimited in/out privileges are available for hotel guests only. If you are not a guest at the hotel, you will be charged for each time you enter and exit the garage. Parking is also available just a few blocks away at the Seattle Olympic Parking Garage for $26 per day.
*Rates are subject to change without notice.
Explore City
Seattle blurs the lines between city and nature. Set on the Puget Sound and surrounded by dramatically beautiful mountains and forests, the city is home to a population that enjoys nature to its fullest—all the while cultivating a technologically, culturally and creatively advanced community.
Whether it’s the international flavors of the city, abundant arts and culture, shopping, nightlife or simply the gorgeous setting, Seattle has something that appeals to everyone.
Dining: Be sure to enjoy Seattle’s liquid assets: coffee, beer and wine! Home to the original Starbucks, Seattle is well known as coffee central and an amazing cup of Joe can be had at countless cozy coffee houses. But did you know Seattle is also one of the microbrew capitals of the country? There are plenty of great bars and pubs make ideal post-conference gathering spots. And nearby wine region has made a splash on the national scene with award-winning wines—many of which can be ordered at local restaurants.
Ignited by chefs attracted to quality local produce,
wild salmon and other delights from nearby
waters, Seattle has
become one of the nation's top cities for dining out, a place
where influences from
Asia,
France and elsewhere
have marked regional cuisine. Top restaurants are scattered all
over the city. Pike Place Market, home of World Class Chili, and
Pioneer Square, home of Pecos Pit BBQ, are Seattle’s prime
hotspots for lunch and quick snacks.
Shopping:
Seattle's
downtown retail core offers a variety of stores to suit all
tastes. Shoppers will enjoy Nordstrom's flagship store, the
upscale shopping center Pacific Place and the REI flagship store
complete with an indoor climbing pinnacle, rain booth and dirt
trail for shoppers to test their outdoor equipment.
Culture: Seattle embraces diverse cultures and creative ideas and offers unlimited opportunities to experience art, heritage and culture, all in a setting of rare natural beauty. What will you find? A thriving music, dance and theatre scene, vibrant galleries and one-of-a-kind museums, Native American, maritime and pioneer history, strong and diverse ethnic heritage influences and fun festivals for every interest. We invite you to discover the creative vitality that makes Seattle such a great place to live and to visit.
Attractions: You can't go to Paris without stopping by the Eiffel Tower. And you can't visit Seattle without checking out the view from the world-famous Space Needle. Here are a few "must see" attractions for any trip to the Emerald City.
The Space Needle
Seattle Center
400 Broad Street
PH: 206.905.2100
www.spaceneedle.com
A 41-second elevator ride takes you up 520 feet to the observation deck of the Space Needle, built for the 1962 World's Fair. Enjoy a meal at SkyCity, the restaurant at the top that revolves 360 degrees while you dine.
Pike Place Market
Between First Avenue and Western, from Pike to Virginia streets
Born in 1907, Seattle's Pike Place Market is the granddaddy of farmers' markets. Today, it's a major tourist attraction with 200 businesses operating year-round, 190 craftspeople and 120 farmer booths, plus street performers and musicians. Flowers by the bucketful, flying fish, fresh pastries and fruit, handmade cheeses, local honey, wine, an assortment of restaurants, import goods, antiques, collectibles and lots of surprises are around every corner.
Seattle Aquarium
Pier 59
PH: 206.386.4300
www.seattleaquarium.org
Meet Alki, the sea otter pup born at the Aquarium. Walk under the water in a glass dome as bluntnose sixgill sharks and other Elliott Bay creatures swim all around you. Touch a sea anemone. Learn about the lives of salmon at the world's first aquarium-based salmon ladder. Marvel at the impossibly bright-colored coral reef fish. And don't forget to wave to the giant Pacific octopus.
The Seattle Waterfront
Piers 52 to 70 on Alaskan Way
ci.seattle.wa.us/tour/water.htm
A bustling collection of attractions, restaurants and shopping, as well as starting points for ferries, cruise ships, the Victoria Clipper and Argosy boat tours are located here. Feed the seagulls at the statue of Ivar Haglund in front of Ivar's Acres of Clams, stroll by the fountains on the wooden piers of Waterfront Park, admire the view or shop for souvenirs.
Woodland Park Zoo
South Gate: 750 N. 50th St.
PH: 206.684.4800
www.zoo.org
See more than 1,000 animals of 300 different species, from elephants and gorillas to piranhas and penguins, in naturalistic exhibits at the Woodland Park Zoo. Drop by at scheduled feeding times and talk with the people who care for the animals.
Weather and Dress
Business attire is appropriate for all conference activities.
Seattle gets a bad rap for being a rainy and gray, but in reality Seattle gets less rain than New York City, Miami and plenty of other U.S. cities. Nevertheless, an umbrella in Seattle is always a good idea. Because of Seattle’s famous coffee culture and vibrant music scene, there are plenty of things to do indoors. The excellent coffee and one of your warmer sweaters will get you through the rainy days; the local brew and concerts on the rainy nights. The Seattle-area average temperature in November is 52 degrees and the average monthly rainfall is 5.08 inches. Temperatures may vary from day to day so please dress accordingly. As a reminder, meeting rooms have a tendency to be cool. For your comfort, we recommend you bring a light sweater or jacket.