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Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Ski and snowboard passes, a new Seattle hotel, and a lightweight pack for hiking adventures
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Pats Peak lets you secure an early-season rate on one of 10 different pass options through Aug. 18. Pats Peak Advertisement THERE Advertisement A new Seattle hotel with a luxury feel and nature-based vibe Feel connected to nature in the middle of a bustling city at 1 Hotel Seattle, a new hotel in the South Lake Union neighborhood that's within eyeshot of the Space Needle and within walking distance of the Museum of History and Industry on Lake Union and the Pike Place Market area less than a mile away. The hotel, formerly the Pan Pacific Seattle, has an earthy yet upscale Pacific Northwest feel with wooden room keys, mossy wall murals, driftwood sculptures, a giant chandelier made of lichen in the gift shop, and live-edge tables throughout, plus numerous potted plants and a wonderful woodsy aroma in the lobby. Sit on a fur-lined chair in the lobby and enjoy locally distilled spirits from Drift, the onsite bar, and enjoy a creative fusion of Mediterranean, Spanish, and Japanese cuisine at La Loba restaurant. The hotel, part of the Starwood Hotels group, has 108 rooms and 45 suites. Each one has a tree branch-style coat rack on the wall, furnishings made from reclaimed wood, plants, a faucet with filtered water in the bathroom, and a small wooden board that explains the hotel's '1 Less Thing' program, offering guests a chance to leave behind unneeded clothing that will be donated to a local family shelter. The hotel has an outdoor patio with Space Needle views, but cozier furniture in little sitting areas overlooking a two-story mural made from moss, sticks, and leaves. The onsite gym, called the Field House, has Peloton bikes, free weights, and cardio machines, but guests also get free access to sessions at DRYP Yoga Studio across the street. Advertisement The new 1 Hotel Seattle, located in the South Lake Union neighborhood and within eyeshot of the Space Needle, has an earthy yet upscale Pacific Northwest feel. 1 Hotel Seattle EVERYWHERE A lightweight pack for hiking adventures When it comes time to pack up all your favorite gear and hit the trail, consider Gregory's new Paragon (men's) or Maven (women's) lightweight backpack. One of my favorite features: The FreeFloat hipbelt, which enables the pack to fit securely at your hips yet move freely from the pack's frame for added comfort over the trail miles. The honeycombed Air-Cushion mesh back panel allows for great air flow when temps — or efforts — spike, helping to keep the pack off your back and the air circulating. Each pack has an adjustable torso and hipbelt (great for growing kids), two zippered pockets in the lid and on the hipbelt, mesh water bottle sleeves, a mesh stuff pouch up front for stashing rain gear, a whistle, and an internal pouch for your hydration bladder. It also comes with a zippered bottom compartment — offering a second access point — and color-coded side straps that make it easier to pair up straps correctly. The other top feature: An easy-access pocket on one shoulder strap with a built-in elastic bungee that's specifically designed to hold your Garmin inReach Mini or Messenger (or any small satellite communicator) — perfect for keeping it within reach but from bouncing around while you hike. The Paragon comes in 50, 60, and 70 liters (ranging from 3.3 to 3.8 pounds), while the Maven is available in 48, 58, and 68 liters (3.2 to 3.6 pounds). $239.95-$289.95. KARI BODNARCHUK Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at
Axios
12-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Seattle's spray parks keep kids cool — and save the city money
Going to the pool or running through a backyard sprinkler is so 1993. These days, Seattle kids can cool off at nearly a dozen city-owned spray parks — no lifeguards (or garden hoses) required. The big picture: Over the past 25 years, Seattle's parks department has steadily added spray parks — also known as splash pads — around the city, partly because they're cheaper to operate than swimming or wading pools. Unlike those water features, spray parks don't require a lifeguard or attendant. Between the lines: At times in recent years, the city has converted wading pools to water-spray features to help save money, city records show. In addition to requiring less staffing, spray parks use less water than wading pools, making them more environmentally friendly, according to city documents. Catch up quick: Seattle's parks department built its first water spray feature at Miller Park on Capitol Hill in 2000, and now operates 11 across the city, parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin told Axios. Most recently, the city opened a renovated spray park at Pratt Park in the Central District in 2022 and built a splash pad at Yesler Terrace Park in 2018. Kids have splashed in the International Fountain at Seattle Center for decades, too — although it's not a formal spray park operated by the parks department. How it works: Spray park season began on Memorial Day weekend and continues through Labor Day, with the splash pads operating from 11am to 8pm. Wading pools have more limited hours and aren't opening this year until June 21, partly on account of the parks department needing to staff them. 💭 Melissa's thought bubble: The splash pad at Lake Union Park is one of my local favorites, offering views of boats, seaplanes and the nearby Museum of History and Industry, which make the trip enjoyable for adults, too. I'm also fond of the spray park at Pratt Park, with its bright colors and playful design, and the one at Georgetown Playfield, which offers shade for us parents.
