Bucket List #27 - Boeing Factory Tour

When we were first gathering ideas for our bucket list, more than one person told us that the Boeing tour was a must-see. Although Boeing's headquarters are not technically in Seattle anymore, there are still several large factories here, and Boeing is definitely part of the region's history and culture. It took us a long time to get there, because they don't allow children inside, and it's a long time to be gone and impose on someone to watch Walt. Oh, and at $18/each, it's pretty expensive.

When the Jacksons came to visit, they were super generous, and got us tickets for Landon's birthday! So we were both able to go. Thanks Mom and Dad! And thanks to a good friend, we didn't even have to pay a babysitter. Thanks, Sharlie!

You aren't allowed to take photos on the tour (these are from the parking lot and museum), so you'll have to take my word for it. It was pretty awesome. The building where they assemble the large planes in the largest building (by volume) in the entire world. Whoa.

The tour lasts about 90 minutes, which my Mom didn't think was long enough - you are sort of rushed between floors of the factory. I thought it was about right though, I can only take so many airplanes facts at a time. Landon probably would have moved in if that had been an option. 

The process was pretty fascinating. They are apparently always innovating and coming up with ways to build quality planes more efficiently. Seeing the Dreamliner rolling along through the factory was definitely impressive. We even bought Walt his own Dreamliner model at the gift shop. 'Cuz we're indulgent like that. And because Landon was excited about it. :)

Overall, we decided to give the Boeing Factory:

We were wavering between 4 and 5, but Landon said it was "B-17 Awesome," whatever that means. And for a tourist stop, it definitely beats the Space Needle. :)

We had a ton of fun. Thanks again, Mom and Dad!

Bucket List #27 | Museum of Flight

Our Seattle bucket list is a list of adventures we're hoping to have while Landon studies at the University of Washington for the next several years. To view all of our bucket list posts, click here.

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Seattle has a cool tradition called "First Thursdays." On the first Thursday of each month, many of the city's museums stay open late and admission is free in the evening. We decided to take advantage of this and visit the Museum of Flight, which is prohibitively expensive on a normal day.

Landon has been dying to go here. He has a love of all things transportation: trains, boats, old cars...but especially airplanes. And spaceships. Boeing's museum has plenty of both.

We have been to a lot of flight museums. The Legacy Flight Museum in Rexburg, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in D.C., the Hill Air Force Base Museum, and the NASA visitor's center in Florida...

Pssst! Jesse, that one was for you!

So when we say this place is awesome, we mean it.

We loved how almost everything there was either an actual artifact or something used in training missions. And although we didn't have time to read many of the signs, the bits of history we did pick up were well-chosen and extremely interesting.

We definitely rate the Museum of Flight:

I love it when an idea that should be really, really cool actually fulfills its promise. And yay Seattle, for making this resource available to local families who could never afford the $18/person admission. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we will be back!