Downtown Seattle to Woodinville

Last Updated: February 9, 2007

Introduction

This route takes you along the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River trails to Woodinville wine country, for tours of the Chateau Ste Michelle or Columbia wineries, and the Redhook Brewery. A range of exotic options for ending the evening are offered, depending on your budget.

In terms of maps, your best bets would be to take your copy of the King County Bicycling Guidemap along with any kind of street-level road map that covers the Woodinville and Bellevue areas.

The Route

N   3rd Ave
R   Blanchard St
L   7th Ave
R   Dexter Ave N
C   Fremont Bridge
R   N 34th St
C   Burke-Gilman Trail (transition at Stone Way N intersection)
C   Sammamish River Trail
R   NE 145th St (done by taking the left fork in the trail to cross the 
    bicycle/pedestrian bridge to the opposite side of the Sammamish River, 
    just as the Redhook Brewery appears on your right - note that the 
    right fork, which goes under that same bridge, is the continuation of 
    the Sammamish River Trail)

At that point you have several options for afternoon entertainment: the Redhook Brewery (on your right) currently offers fascinating tours at 2pm and 4pm (weekdays) and 1pm/3pm/5pm on Sat/Sun from Labor Day weekend through Memorial Day weekend, and during other times of the year at 1pm/3pm/5pm (weekdays) and noon/1pm/2pm/3pm/4pm/5pm Sat/Sun. The Chateau Ste Michelle winery (on your left) currently offers tours from 10:30am-4:30pm daily, and the Columbia Winery (on your right) offers tasting tours at 3:30pm weekdays, and at 11am, noon, 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm on weekends. Both wineries offer a tasting room during the times they're open.

For evening entertainment, here are several options:

• During Summer: one of the evening outdoor concerts at the Chateau Ste Michelle winery.
• At any time of the year: food, live music, or live comedy at the Forecaster Pub (which is attached to the Redhook Brewery).
• Dinner at the Herbfarm, widely considered to be one of the finest restaurants in our entire state: it's located right across from the Willows Lodge on the same side of the street as the Redhook Brewery. If that's beyond your budget, then perhaps dinner (or lunch) at the Barking Frog, right next to The Herbfarm.

At the end of your evening, you have several options:

• If money is not a concern (for example if you're planning to have dinner at The Herbfarm) then perhaps book a room at the luxurious Willows Lodge, right across from The Herbfarm.
• If you're wanting to get home, cycle back to the Woodinville Park and Ride and from there take Sound Transit route 522 back to Seattle (it currently leaves as late as 11:41pm weekdays and 11:08pm weekends, so you have plenty of time). To get there, backtrack on the Sammamish River Trail until you reach the Wilmot Gate Park, take the trail fork which turns to the right just after the park, continue on NE 175th St (presumably first on the sidewalk and then on the bike path), turn left on 140th Ave NE, and continue until you find the Park and Ride on your right.
• If you still want to ride, then instead return to the Sammamish River Trail and continue south (i.e. in the same direction you were heading before you stopped to see the brewery and the wineries). Turn right (i.e. onto and over the bridge) at Leary Way NE, then continue west on the SR-520 bike path unil you can exit into the strip mall on 140th Ave NE which contains the Bellevue Skate King. From there you can: (1) go roller skating at the Skate King, (2) if it's after 5pm Mon-Sat and you're hungry enjoy the best all-you-can-eat sushi in the entire state at the remarkable restaurant Sushi-Ten, or else (3) continue to the nearby intersection 136th Place NE / NE 20th Street and - if they'll let you - test drive a Lotus, Lamborghini, Bentley, or Rolls-Royce automobile (click here and here for dealership information). Finally, follow your map to the Bellevue Transit Center at 108th Ave NE / NE 6th St, and take Sound Transit route 550 back to downtown Seattle. The last bus currently leaves at 11:50pm seven days a week, so once again you have plenty of time.

Abbreviations Used

N/S/E/W  North/South/East/West
L/R      Left/Right
C        Continues as