Experience the city from a beer-lover’s and chocolate-lover’s perspective on this afternoon ramble. Seattle’s wealth of micro-breweries that craft distinguished beers is touted worldwide. There are over 180 breweries in Washington now and Seattle is home to many of them. Many of these breweries are “micro” or “craft” breweries, producing less than 20,000 barrels per year. You will sample stouts, ambers, and ales at two of the region’s superb breweries. Included in the afternoon is a tour of the renowned Theo chocolate factory with a tasting of Theo chocolate. Also, the Theo showroom offers an opportunity to purchase souvenirs to take home.

Barb Lewellen
Excursion Committee

The Emerald City is defined by its natural beauty and eclectic urban charm. We will visit iconic landmarks, historic districts, locks and generally get a feel for some of the reasons why Seattle was selected for the Symposium.

Pike Place Market is a colorful market and is the oldest continually operating farmer’s market in the nation. Pike’s Place features crafts, restaurants, a farmer’s market, seafood and international foods. This is an interesting venue that gives you an opportunity to purchase Seattle memories.

The City Tour finishes with the fascinating and hilarious Underground Tour of Seattle. The tour gives an historical view of a city that was rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire. Please be prepared for uneven terrain and for stairs and come dressed accordingly.

Lunch is on your own and our guide that day will give suggestions of different possibilities of places to eat.

Lee Lampo
Excursion Committee

Seattle is nicknamed Jet City for a reason. As the birthplace of Boeing, aviation history is ingrained in the culture. Join this exploration of the Museum of Flight just South of downtown Seattle, partially housed in the original Boeing factory called “the Barn.” The Museum holds one of the largest and most comprehensive air and space collections in the United States, containing millions of rare photographs and negatives, a world-class library, tens of thousands of artifacts, and over 150 rare aircraft and space vehicles. Exhibits include the supersonic Concorde, the first jet Air Force One, 28 planes from World Wars I and II and mock-ups of the Lunar Roving Vehicle, Apollo 17 Lunar Module Ascent and more. Interactive displays let you share the experiences of astronauts from the Pacific Northwest and climb inside a full size replica of the International Space Station’s Destiny Research Laboratory. Discover how Mission Control works to keep astronauts safe, see the only Mars Viking lander left on Earth and so much more!

Lunch is on your own and our guide that day will give suggestions of different possibilities of places to eat.

Kathy Gullberg
Excursion Committee

This tour takes you to three distinctly different museums including the Washington State History Museum, the world-famous Museum of Glass and the relatively new and totally unique LeMay – America’s Car Museum.

Washington State History Museum

Discover Washington State’s extraordinary people, unique places and their impact on the world through treasured artifacts, interactive exhibits and captivating storytelling.

Museum of Glass

Museum of Glass is an energetic cornerstone of Tacoma’s arts community and the American Studio Glass movement. In 2002, Museum of Glass opened its doors to a world-class facility designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. Located on the Foss Waterway, the Museum architecture has become an icon in the Pacific Northwest. The 75,000 sq. ft. facility combines exhibition galleries, an education studio, a theater, a one-of-a-kind 500-ft. long pedestrian Chihuly Bridge of Glass and the west coast's most active museum glass studio – the Hot Shop, which rises 90 vertical feet and is clad in stainless steel panels.

LeMay – America’s Car Museum

Since 2012, LeMay Museum has been a place to spotlight America’s love affair with the automobile. Featuring a nine-acre campus – with a four-story museum as the centerpiece –it is one of the world’s largest auto museums and attractions. ACM is designed to preserve history and celebrate the world’s automotive culture. The spacious facility houses up to 350 cars, trucks and motorcycles from private owners, corporations, and the LeMay collection, which amassed a Guinness Book record of more than 3,500 vehicles in the mid-‘90s. Conceived on the premise that there is an important, unique automotive story to tell about the past, present and future of cars, trucks and motorcycles, this museum attracts young and old alike, inspiring and educating everybody who enters.

Lunch is on your own and our guide that day will give suggestions of different possibilities of places to eat.

Donna Roscoe
Excursion Committee

Seattle’s distillery business is all the rage so an Excursion Program must include a Distillery Tour. We will explore the craft of cocktails while offering a fun and informative tour of Seattle’s most unique and exciting distilleries. Relax in a luxurious Mercedes-Benz Sprinter while we negotiate the most scenic routes of downtown and its adjacent neighborhoods. Sipping your way through the stills of Seattle, you will find each master distiller is excited to share their unique and individual story. Come learn about the prohibition era as well as gain insight into the intriguing history and industry of spirits in Seattle. Upon commencement of the tour, you will be accompanied by a talented libation expert who will be teaching some tricks of the cocktail trade and creating a unique, seasonal beverage for you to enjoy throughout the experience!

Barb Lewellen
Excursion Committee

This tour will take you through the two iconic attractions flanking the Space Needle in Seattle Center.

Dale Chihuly, born in Tacoma and residing in Seattle, is renowned for his ambitious architectural installations of glass found around the world in historic cities, museums, gardens and even casinos. Opening in 2012, the Chihuly Garden and Glass is a long-term exhibition of his work, which includes an Exhibition Hall, the centerpiece Glasshouse and a lush Garden filled with amazing outdoor glass pieces. The Exhibition Hall contains eight galleries and three Drawing Walls, offering visitors a comprehensive look at Chihuly’s significant series of work and several of his collections; the gorgeous Glasshouse presents a suspended 1,400-piece, 100-foot-long sculpture suspended below the view of the Space Needle; and the Garden is a backdrop for four monumental sculptures and other installations. His work is filled with bold color, is astonishingly creative and looks amazing in photographs, so be sure to bring your camera along!

Next you’ll visit the EMP, or Experience Music Project, an interactive “museum” dedicated to music, fantasy and pop-culture, built by huge Jimi Hendrix fan and co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen. Housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry designed building, the building itself is a breathtaking work of art, designed to look like a smashed electric guitar! The building includes multiple innovative galleries; an interactive Sound Lab where you get to make music; and a significant historic music collection of approximately 140,000 objects, including 80% of all musical output produced in the Northwest during the last century. There is also a Science Fiction exhibit inside (one of Paul Allen’s other obsessions) featuring iconic artifacts from sci-fi literature, film, television, and art, including an Imperial Dalek from Doctor Who, the command chair from the classic television series Star Trek, and Neo’s coat from The Matrix Reloaded. These two museums offer aspects of Seattle at its best. Don't miss them!

Lunch is on your own and our guide that day will give suggestions of different possibilities of places to eat.

Jan Kouzes
Excursion Committee

One of Seattle's favorite aviation attractions, this is where the Boeing Factory Tour begins, the only opportunity to tour a commercial jet assembly plant in North America. Aviation has changed dramatically since William Boeing filled his first production order of Model C Seaplanes for the U.S. Navy during World War I. Through the interactive learning zones of the Future of Flight Aviation Center Gallery, you’ll learn just how far we’ve come in aviation design and where we’re headed to in the future.

Begin your journey in the Airplane Design Zone, where you’ll explore the dynamics of flight and experience new aviation innovations. Step up to one of the design zone computers to begin digitally designing a commercial jet of your own. Then “taxi” on over to the other Gallery zones where you’ll be able to modify, test and finalize your design at touch-screen computers before printing off the final schematic of your jet in the Future of Flight Store. Strap yourself into the Innovator for an exhilarating trip to virtual destinations and experiences like the Battle for Iwo Jima, a Grand Prix Race or a barnstorming stunt plane. Then go behind the scenes at Boeing—in the world’s largest building—to watch the very same jets you may one day be a passenger on being assembled.

Lunch is on your own and our guide that day will give suggestions of different possibilities of places to eat.

Peggie Woody
Excursion Committee

From hundreds of galleries, to a diverse array of museums, public artworks and the Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle has a thriving art scene rivaling cities of much larger sizes. On this 3-hour tour, experience a selection of art galleries, learn about the Northwest style and fuel your creative fire.

The three private art galleries have been personally selected by Harold Garner, the Excursions Committee member, who is a designer of toys. Participate in a tour that is both enjoyable and enlightening.

Harold Garner
Excursion Committee

Thanks to world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly, glass blown art has become an icon of Seattle, seen throughout the city in public buildings, concert halls and museums. Get a first hand look at the fiery technique in a demonstration that is sure to educate and inspire.

Then head to the Space Needle, which is arguably the most visited attraction in Seattle. It is both an observation tower and landmark of the Pacific Northwest and a symbol of Seattle. It was built as a vision of the future at the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors. Once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, it is 605 ft high, has an observation deck, gift shop and rotating SkyCity restaurant. From the top of the Needle, one can see not only the downtown Seattle skyline, but also the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Elliott Bay, and surrounding islands.

Lunch is on your own and our guide that day will give suggestions of different possibilities of places to eat.

Merry Keyser
Excursion Committee