The City of Seattle: A Sexy Tour

Last Updated: October 13, 2006

Introduction

This urban cycling route takes you on a tour of some of Seattle's most famous (and in some cases infamous) sexy businesses and clubs. Even if you never get off your bike, you'll hopefully gain an increased appreciation for the many forms which sex-based and/or alternative culture can take in this remarkable city.

Several points bear mention before proceeding:

• In sharp contrast to Portland, the club favored by most "swingers" in the Seattle area (a legendary place in the city of Lynnwood called New Horizons) is located too far away from dowtown to be easily reached by even that club's must enthusiastic cyclists. However, given that New Horizons is widely considered to be the finest swinger's club in the entire world, we couldn't in good conscience fail to at least mention it here...
• There are several sex-positive organizations in our area which choose not to publicize their address. However, at the time this tour was written every business or organization included in it was listing their full street address on their public web site, along with accurate information about what they have to offer: if this weren't the case, then out of respect for their privacy wishes they wouldn't have been included in the tour. Contact information for organizations not included in this tour (for either the aforementioned reason or simply because they don't have a dedicated venue) may be found in the Seattle Sexuality Resources guide.
• It's worth mentioning that insofar as not all of the men who attend them may always practice safer sex, many of the sex clubs and bathhouses intended for men who have sex with men are controversial even within the gay community. Should you decide to visit one of them, you would be well-advised to consider safer sex an absolute must, and never show up drunk or high.
• The best map to have with you the first time you do this route is the Seattle Bicycling Guide Map: it contains detailed enough information on streets, but also details the path of the Burke-Gilman Trail and offers bike path maps for the bridge crossings.

The Route

1. Start at 3rd Ave and Pike St in downtown Seattle.
2. Head east on Pike St (i.e. toward 4th Ave).
3. Just after crossing Boren Ave, look to the right side to see Club Z. Club Z is a gay men's sex club similar to Club Seattle. It's set up as a private club, but provided you have a valid photo ID you can become a member at any time. Members of Seattle Men in Leather get a discount on the 2nd Thursday of each month, and they have a "no feminine attire" rule. It's open from 4pm-9am Mon-Thu, and 24 hours Fri-Sun.
4. Just after crossing Minor Ave, look to the left to see the Seattle Eagle. The Seattle Eagle is a classic men's leather bar, similar to The Cuff but with a rougher feel and less dance space. Hours are 2pm-2am, seven days a week.
5. At Summit Ave, look left to see Club Seattle Baths. This is another gay men's sex club, similar to Club Z. Like Club Z it's set up as a private club, but once again provided you have a valid photo ID you can become a member at any time. It's open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and your Club Seattle membership is also valid at Club Portland.
6. Just after crossing Boylston Ave, look to the right to see the famous Babeland store. In fact, stop by: it's probably the best sex toy store in the entire world, and also features DVD rentals, a terrific book selection, and an on-site class schedule. Hours are 11am-10pm Mon-Sat, and noon-7pm Sun.
7. At 10th Ave, look to the left to see Basic Plumbing (it's on the west side of the street, with the non-descript "BP" logo in the entry way). This is another gay/bi men's sex club, distinguished from Club Seattle or Club Z by the much greater focus on oral sex which its layout encourages. Hours are 4pm-9am Mon-Thu, and 24 hours Fri-Sun, just like Club Z. Like Club Z and Club Seattle you can become a member at any time provided you have a valid photo ID. Like Club Z, they prohibit female drag while in their club.
8. Turn right on 10th Ave, then turn left on E Union St to note The Mercury on your right (under the auto battery shop, with its entrance on the east side of that building beneath the "members only" sign). The Mercury is a private club which offers music and dancing for the goth community (though there's a lot of BDSM/fetish community crossover). HOWEVER, NOTE CAREFULLY: you can only become a member by referral from an existing member, and furthermore according to their web site you need to have attended their club enough times as a guest of one of their existing members to where the door people know you on sight. In other words, if you're not already a member there is no point in just knocking on their door, so please don't waste anyone's time trying :)
9. At 11th Ave, turn left and continue back to E Pike St.
10. Turn right on E Pike St and continue east.
11. Turn left on 13th Ave E and note The Cuff to your left. The Cuff is the leather bar which serves as the home bar of Seattle Men in Leather. On some nights it has more of a mixed crowd than the Seattle Eagle, and also offers a substantial amount of dance space. Hours are the same as the Seattle Eagle: 2pm-2am seven days a week.
12. Turn left on E Pine St.
13. Turn right on Harvard Ave.
14. Turn left on E Denny Way and follow it to cross over to the west side of I-5.
15. From the left lane of E Denny Way, turn into the leftmost lane of Stewart St.
16. Turn left on Yale Ave.
17. Turn left on Howell St.
18. Continue on Eastlake Ave E.
19. Continue on Eastlake Ave E across the University Bridge bike path.
20. Turn right onto Lincoln Way (this is the first exit that curves around to the right at the end of the University Bridge).
21. Turn right (i.e. west, away from the University of Washington main campus) and follow the street that you're on under the University Bridge.
22. Continue west on the Burke-Gilman Trail, once an access point for it appears on your left at 7th Ave NE.
23. At Stone Way N, transition from the Burke-Gilman Trail to N 34th St and continue west.
24. Turn right on Phinney Ave N. It's worth noting that there are a bunch of unique shops and venues on Phinney Ave N between N 34th St and N 36th St, including the location used for Fremont Outdoor Movies, The Indoor Sun Shoppe, the "Piece of Mind" glass shop at 315 N 36th St, Brouwer's (specializing in Belgian ales and cuisine), and the Theo Chocolate Factory (which also offers tours).
25. Turn left on N 36th St.
26. Continue west on N 36th St.
27. Bear right onto Leary Way NW.
28. Turn left on NW 39th St.
29. Turn right onto the Burke-Gilman Trail, via the access point just in front of Lakeside Industries.
30. Continue west on the Burke-Gilman Trail until it ends at 11th Ave NW. At that point, if time permits you can turn right on 11th Ave NW and continue north to NW Leary Ave to find the Wild at Heart sex toy shop, which also offers a variety of fetish and club clothing, along with an on-site class schedule. Their hours are currently noon-10pm Mon-Thu, noon-11pm Fri-Sat, or noon-5pm Sun. Return to the end point of the Burke-Gilman Trail at 11th Ave NW when you're done.
31. Starting from the end point of the Burke-Gilman Trail at 11th Ave NW, continue west on NW 45th St. While on NW 45th St, remember to stay to the left of the railroad tracks, and when you must cross railroad tracks to do so only at a 90 degree angle to them.
32. Bear right on Shilshole Ave NW.
33. Turn right on 17th Ave NW.
34. Turn right on NW Ballard Way.
35. Turn right onto the 15th Ave W sidewalk and continue south on 15th Ave W. Unfortunately due to the lack of a shoulder this avenue is not ideal for cyclists, and you should exhibit care on it. When crossing the bridge chances are you'll prefer to walk your bike along the sidewalk rather than riding it, particularly if there are high winds. At W Emerson St after you've crossed the bridge, note the cut in the concrete wall that lets you cross W Emerson St: be sure to look back before proceeding and use extreme caution, or else use the stairs to your right to cross under W Emerson St rather than over it. After that point, chance are you'll want to mainly use the sidewalk rather than the street (you can jog to the right at W Bartona St if you want to avoid being on the street itself in that particular area). If this entire avenue bothers you too much and you find you aren't enjoying the ride, then you can always hop on bus 15 or 18 at any one of its stops: either of these busses will stop right in front of the SPCC on the other side of the street.
36. Just before W Garfield St, look to the left to see the non-profit Seattle Sex-Positive Community Center. To the best of my knowledge there is nothing like this organization anywhere else in the world, and almost anyone who finds sex (in any of its myriad forms) to be interesting, and either wants to learn more about it or else simply enjoy the social company of other people who find it interesting, would probably benefit by becoming an SPCC member. Unlike The Mercury, you don't have to be referred by an existing member to join the SPCC. However, unlike the Club Z / Basic Plumbing / Club Seattle, you can't just show up at any random time and become a member: attendance at a brief (and informative) orientation is required, and those are only held at set times of the week. See their web site for a full schedule. Unfortunately finding a good bicycle lock-up spot can be an issue: currently your best bet is probably to lock your bike to one of the SPCC building's external pipes, ideally the one on the front of the building by the door.
37. Bear left on Elliott Ave W.
38. Turn left on Vine St.
39. Turn right on 3rd Ave, continuing until you reach Pike St (i.e. where you started).