Tours and Events

67th Annual International Conference on Mass Properties Engineering
Seattle, Washington
May 17-22, 2008
Seattle Renaissance Hotel

Sunday – 18 May 2008 – Seattle Center - Day Tour - Sold Out!

Ride the Ducks

Ride the Ducks

You haven't seen Seattle until you've seen it from a Duck! The Duck will pick us up at the hotel and give us a 1.5 hour land and sea tour of Seattle. We will see Pike’s Place Market, Pioneer Square, Freemont, and downtown Seattle from the street and then splash into Lake Union to explore Seattle from the water, including a sight of the famous Seattle houseboats (including the houseboat from Sleepless in Seattle)!

Seattle Space Needle

After the tour, we will walk across the street to have lunch at the Space Needle! Enjoy a delicious lunch and Seattle’s famous skyline from one of the best vantage points in the city. Included is a trip to the observation deck where you can read about the history of Seattle and of Washington State. And used the interactive video cameras to explore close-up views of Seattle, Lake Washington, Mt Rainier, and even Mt St Helens and Mt Adams on a clear day!

Experience Music Project & Science Fiction Museum

Science Fiction Museums

After lunch, we will visit the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museums. Discover your inner musician and walk through Hollywood’s portrayal of the future! Learn about milestones in music and the diversity of music across history. Interactive exhibits allow you to discover your inner musician! The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame houses items like the coneheads masks, Star Trek phaser pistols, Captain Kirk’s command chair, a scale model of the Death Star used in filming, and even Klaatu the Robot. See how Hollywood and popular culture have portrayed the future and let yourself remember how you watched all those science fiction shows in the past!

After the museums, we will hop onto Seattle’s Monorail for a 20-minute ride to Pacific Place, Seattle’s premier shopping locale, and then we will have a short walk back to the hotel. This event will take approximately 6 hours. Please be advised that this tour does include walking. The majority of the tour will be gentle walking, but there will be some uphill walking also.

Monday – 19 May 2008 – Pioneer Square - Day Tour

Pioneer Square

Pioneer Square

Take a trip down to Historic Pioneer Square to do some shopping! Wander Pioneer Square on your own to visit the Smith Tower, Seattle’s first sky scraper, or see a Seattle landmark in Utili-Kilts, or even have some chocolate at The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. There are many shopping venues in and around Pioneer Square that range from local foods to clothing to toys. But if shopping isn’t for you, check out some of the museums in the area, to include the Gold Rush Museum and Smith Tower (which is MY favorite view of the city by the way). Enjoy a nice lunch and then meet the rest of the tour group under the Pergola for the Underground Tour!

Underground Tour

See where Seattle REALLY began! Like a lot of older cities, Seattle’s current street level used to be on the second story. Come down to Pioneer Square and take a tour of Seattle’s Historic Underground, where storefronts used to be. Discover Seattle’s colorful history and learn why the streets became as complicated as they are today. Enjoy the first few minutes of the tour in Doc Maynard’s Public House and then walk through history! This tour lasts approximately 2 hours.

The Day Event will last approximately 6 hours and will include transportation back to the hotel. We will walk to Pioneer Square as a group, or you may get there on your own. Please be advised that most of this day will be spent on your feet. Although return transportation hotel is provided, the Underground Tour is a walking tour that requires climbing some stairs.

Monday – 19 May 2008 – Tillicum Village - Evening Event

Tillicum Village

Tillicum

What is more stereotypical Pacific-Northwest than a visit to Blake Island and Tillicum Village? We will take a short boat ride from the Seattle Waterfront across Puget Sound to Blake Island. Upon arrival to Blake Island, we will sit down to a traditional Native American salmon bake and a wonderful ‘Dance on the Wind’ stage show featuring Northwest Coast First Nations dances and legends. Dinner includes salmon, clams, potatoes, vegetables, rice, bread, several toppings and garnishes, and dessert. Chicken may be requested for those unable to eat seafood. Transportation to and from the hotel is included. The tour is approximately 4 hours and begins at 6:30 pm. Departure from the hotel will be at 6 pm.

Tuesday – 20 May 2008 – Pike Place Market - Day Tour

Pike Place Market Food Tour

Pikes Place Market

Walk through Seattle’s famous public market that has over 100 years of history all dating back to the price increase for an onion. Taste some of the market’s delicious foods and learn about its history. Watch some flying fish, and it may be wise to duck every once in a while! Pike Place Market is full of all sorts of odds and ends, from World War II propaganda posters to ice cream parlors to gourmet cheese and wine shops. This 2 hour walking tour provides each participant with a personal audio device to hear the tour guide over the noisy market-goers. You will taste some of the foods from the various shops, and any food allergies will be accommodated by the tour guide so that everyone may enjoy something from every stop along the tour.

At the end of the tour, we will remain in the area for another few hours for those people who had something yummy on the tour and want to go back for more or those who would like to do some general shopping. Pike Place Market is one of the busiest places in all of Seattle, so even if you don’t enjoy shopping, there are many restaurants, coffee shops, tea shops, and even breweries around the market to keep you busy! Seattle Center, The Space Needle, the Seattle Aquarium, and the Seattle Art Museum are all only a short walk away if you would prefer to explore those also.

Transportation is not provided for this tour. We will walk from the hotel to Pike Place Market and then back to the hotel, so bring your walking shoes! Please note that it is approximately a 20-minute walk each way and includes some uphill walking. Seattle was built on the side of a hill, but we have chosen the gentlest hills to climb for our walks.

Wednesday – 21 May 2008 – Winery Tour - Day Tour

Wet Your Whistle Beverage Tour

Ste Michelle

Everyone knows that Seattle is renowned for its coffee, but we have other beverages here also, wine and beer! The Columbia Valley is home to several world-class wineries and even a few breweries. The only brand of beer that you’ll recognize around Seattle if you’re new to the area is Guiness, so be prepared to try some new things on this tour. We will visit a local coffee roaster and learn how they produce their delicious coffee and even sample some. Then we will take a tour of a great Northwest brewery, learn about their brewing process, and enjoy a few of their beers. Lastly, we will drive over to Chateau Ste Michelle Winery and discover how they’ve adapted French grapes to grow here in the Pacific Northwest. And of course we will have a taste of some of their famous wines. Not to worry, lunch will be provided with the tour.

Transportation is provided with this tour, but some walking will be required for each tour. This tour will last approximately 6 hours.

Thursday – 22 May 2008 – Boeing Tour - Day Event

Boeing Everett Factory VIP Tour - Sold Out!

Boeing

Come and tour the largest building on Earth by volume! Oh, and see Boeing’s new 787 also. We will start off the day by visiting Boeing’s Future of Flight Museum. Stand next to a real 747 vertical tail and realize just how huge this airplane really is. Learn about some of the new materials that are being used the 787. Even have your first look at a full- scale model of the passenger cabin of the 787! Or step over to one of the computer terminals and design your own airplane!

Then we’ll drive across the street for a special VIP tour of Boeing’s Everett Factory, home to the 747, 767, 777, and 787 assembly lines. We will walk the floor of the factory, and you’ll have an up close and personal view of the new 787. We’ll see what new technologies are being used to assemble the 787 versus those that are being used on the nearby 777. This is a once-in-a-lifetime offer that is not available to the general public. Cameras are not permitted inside the factory. Closed-toed shoes only.

All attendees must submit name, company, and citizenship (passport or photo ID) for a security check upon registration.

Transportation to and from the hotel is provided for this tour, but walking is required in both the museum and the factory. This tour will take approximately 5 hours. We will depart the hotel at 8 am. The factory tour begins at 11 am. Please be advised that if you plan to leave Seattle on Thursday, book your flight after 3:30 pm.