4 Frightfully Fun Halloween Activities
With Halloween right around the corner, there are tons of scary and not-so-scary activities for all ages! Check out these ideas for some fun ways to celebrate everyone’s favorite scary holiday.
Scavenger Hunt
Anytime
Downtown Seattle
Turn Seattle into your own fun game board! Following clues on your smart phone, start at Seattle Center making your way south through the city. Who knows, maybe this scavenger hunt will show you some parts of Seattle you didn’t even know existed!
Costume Carnival
October 31st, 4pm-8pm
Seattle Children’s Museum
Bring your family to the Seattle Children’s Museum for the kids costume party, where they can experience a haunted mountain, scavenger hunt, games and treats.
Run Scared
October 31st, 10am
Seattle’s Seward Park
Have some Halloween fun with a dash around Seward Park! Choose from a 5K run, 4K walk, or the free Kids Dash. After the race, enjoy pumpkin bread, a candy corn tasting bar, and (of course), a costume contest. The best part? All the proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!
Fright Fest
October 30-31st
Wild Waves Theme Park
If you’re looking for something a little more on the scary side, Fright Fest at Wild Waves offers rides at night plus two amazing haunted houses. Want something a little more kid-friendly? Check out Booville, perfect for kids 12 and under, featuring a giant inflatable slide, obstacle course, and more. Be sure to wear your costumes!
If you need transportation for Halloween, or any special occasion, let Shuttle Express take care of you—e-mail us at sales@shuttleexpress.net. Have a safe and fun Halloween!
-Kimberly Kong and Jana Heinrichs, Sales and Marketing
A-B-Cs of Hassle-Free Conference Transportation
Stress-free transportation is a critical part of any successful conference, but oftentimes it’s forgotten about until the last minute because, let’s face it, planning a conference is hard work and something’s bound to slip through! Our Shuttle Express sales coordinators understand, and they’ve compiled these tips to help make planning your conference transportation just a little easier.
A is for Airport
The first and last impression that all attendees will have of the conference is their transportation between the airport and the hotel. Unfortunately, this is also that little detail that most attendees forget about. They remember to book their flights and hotel rooms, but many don’t even consider how they’ll get from the airport to the hotel and back.
Give your attendees options. Find shuttle services in the area that are willing to work with your conference. Many services, like Shuttle Express, will offer discounts based on the anticipated volume, which means the bigger your conference the more likely you are to get discounted rates for your attendees! Look for online booking portals (similar to hotel booking portals), that you can place right on the conference website. We provide this option, which makes it easy for your attendees to book and will ensure they have a positive experience right from the start.
B is for Bigwigs
Once you’ve identified transportation options for attendees, find out if the shuttle company offers professional town car service for your VIPs and speakers. These are the guests you want to impress, so set them up with a little luxury.
If you get quotes from different companies, make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Are they licensed and fully-insured? Where does the driver meet the guest–in Baggage Claim, or does the guest have to call the driver? Is gratuity included? Are there any discounts for the conference?
Talk to your headquarter hotel. Many hotels work with a town car company that they can recommend, and you know your VIPs will be taken care of. We partner with many hotels in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area to provide professional car service.
C is for Charters
Did you plan some fun activities for your attendees? Many conferences offer fantastic galas or parties at off-site locations or have different tours and activities planned that attendees can sign up for at registration.
Usually, you’ll need transportation for these events, so head back to your shuttle company and find out if they offer charter service. Chances are, if they have those vehicles for their airport service, they can provide private service for your events. For example, Shuttle Express has a large fleet of 14- to 55-passenger coaches available for most-sized groups.
The Best Advice?
Hand over your full itinerary and anticipated attendance and let the shuttle company take care of the transportation details. You have enough on your plate planning a conference, and this is what they do all day long!
When planning a conference or convention in the Seattle area, contact Shuttle Express for all of your transportation needs. As the region’s transportation experts, we can offer full-service transportation, from your attendees’ airport service, town cars for your VIPs, and charter service for those off-site events.
If you need help with your conference transportation, contact us at sales@shuttleexpress.net, or call 425-981-7096 and ask for the sales team. We’re happy to help!
-Jana Heinrichs, Sales and Marketing Coordinator
5 Fun Father’s Day Events
Still need ideas to show dad that he’s the best? Father’s Day is just around the corner on Sunday, June 21st, so don’t wait to make plans that dad and the rest of the family can enjoy.
Car Show
June 21st
Burien Town Square Park, Front St., Issaquah
All dads love cars! Whether you’re on the eastside or the westside, there’s a cool car show for you to take dad to. Head to Burien Town Square Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a Father’s Day Car Show and Chili Cook Off, plus some sweet 50s and 60s tunes to go with the cars! Then, cruise Front St. in Issaquah and stop by Fender’s on Front street from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Finish up with an ice cold root beer (or make it a float!) at the Triple XXX to finish off the day.
Dance Party
June 21st, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
EMP Museum
Does dad love to dance? KEXP is throwing a dance party at EMP on Father’s Day, featuring break dancing by the Vicious Puppies Crew, crafts and activities, and of course DJs Riz and Darek Mazzone. When you’re done dancing, head over to the EMP and use your dance party ticket for discount admission to the museum.
Brewer’s Festival
June 19-21st, various times
Marymoor Park
If dad’s a beer lover, check out the Washington Brewer’s Festival at Marymoor Park. Featuring more than 400 different beers from 105 Washington breweries, dad is sure to enjoy himself. If there are kids in the family, be sure to go on Saturday and Sunday, when they’ll have a root beer garden and kids area and playground set up. Another idea to make the day stress-free for dad—arrange private town car or SUV service, so you don’t have to worry about driving home!
Museum of Flight
June 21st, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Museum of Flight is opening a little early on Father’s Day, and this year they’re honoring dads by letting them in for free – just be sure to bring the kids with you! In addition to all the cool planes you can normally see, Dan “The Lego Man” Parker will be there for Lego building, plus the World War II B-17 bomber will be open for summer tours for the first time.
Play Ball!
June 19-21st
Safeco Field
Tickets are still available for the baseball games this weekend, so why not take dad to a game? Have dinner at the Hard Rock Café in Seattle first – show your ticket to enjoy a FREE Java Lava Burger with an entrée purchase. But make sure you get to the game early; the first 10,000 dads in the stadium on Sunday will receive a new Mike Zunino BBQ apron, then watch the Little Leaguers in a special pre-game parade on the field for Youth Baseball day.
For more ideas and links, visit Red Tricycle’s list of Father’s Day events and activities. If you need transportation for Father’s Day, or any special occastion, let Shuttle Express take care of you – email us at sales@shuttleexpress.net, or call 425-981-7000, option 5. Happy Father’s Day!
-Jana Heinrichs, Sales and Marketing
Kudos to SeaTac Airport for Green Efforts
We at Shuttle Express strive to be a “green” transportation option for our guests, working to reduce our carbon footprint in Seattle. So, when we heard that SeaTac Airport had earned a major accreditation for its environmentally-friendly measures, we wanted to give them a big shout out!
In September, SeaTac Airport was recognized by the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Carbon Accreditation Program for its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by 8% over three years, officially becoming the first airport in North America to do so. The amount of carbon emissions saved is equivalent to about 50,000 tons of CO2 annually, the same amount produced by 700 single family homes each year. That’s a lot of saved CO2, folks.
To earn this accreditation, SeaTac Airport implemented several major initiatives, including installing 576 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the airport and installing a centralized heating and air conditioning system. SeaTac has ongoing plans to continue to decrease their carbon footprint in the future. To read the full story, check out this Puget Sound Business Journal article.
Speaking of reducing emissions, over the past three years we’ve converted the majority of our van fleet to clean-burning propane, saving an estimated 1,525 metric tons of CO2 each year. Our Share Ride service itself is an environmentally-friendly choice, eliminating an estimated 1 million car trips in and out of SeaTac Airport every year.
Shuttle Express also does its best to stay green in other ways–we recycle more than 600 gallons of oil and 300 gallons of antifreeze each year. In addition, our three-bay wash rack uses recycled water.
So, rest assured your airport and airport transportation are working to keep our environment and our air clean!
-Jana Heinrichs, Sales and Marketing
September 2014 Newsletter
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Need Help with Large Group Transportation?
You’ve just been delegated the task of finding transportation for 50 co-workers from your office to a downtown restaurant, all at the same time. Need some help? As Seattle’s large group transportation experts, the Shuttle Express team coordinates large and small group travel every day! Here is advice from our seasoned sales coordinators to help make any large group transportation successful from the start.
- Plan ahead. Start looking for your transportation as soon as you have the details. Our fleet of 14-28-passenger mini-coaches and 55-passenger motor coaches gets snapped up quickly, especially during the busy summer season when tourists and cruise ship passengers hit Seattle. The earlier you get pricing and availability, the better.
- Provide details. Have as much information as you can when calling for quotes, including a basic itinerary and a general idea of budget. When our sales team has all the information, we are better able offer transportation options that work.
- Compare “apples to apples.” When considering quotes, make sure you look at all charges, including gratuity, fuel surcharge, and any additional fees so you aren’t surprised when the bill comes. And always ask about minimum booking requirements. Some companies require you to book three or four hours, even if all you need is a one or two hour transfer. The minimum booking time for our 14-55 passenger coaches is two hours, including travel time, so you don’t pay for time you don’t need.
- Check safety ratings. Safety is a critical when it comes to transportation. Check on the safety rating of any company you’re considering. We’re proud of our safety and driver training programs; we work hard at earning and maintaining the government’s highest safety rating.
- Be open to suggestions. Sometimes, two mini-coaches make more sense than one larger coach when transporting a large group, it just depends on your needs. For example, it may be more convenient for your group if departure times are staggered.
Need a ride? As Seattle’s local transportation experts, our professional, friendly drivers have been getting people to where they need to go for nearly 30 years, safely and on time. We’re best known for our iconic Sea-Tac Airport van service, but we do so much more—luxury cars, large and small coaches, private vans. We partner with corporations, hotels, meeting planners, or anyone who needs reliable, comfortable transportation with a friendly attitude.
So whether your company needs VIP black car service or group transportation for 50 of your favorite colleagues, our experienced, caring team will make it happen. Reach us at sales@shuttleexpress.net. We’re here to help!
Shuttle Express adds propane autogas-fueled buses
Shuttle Express takes environmental commitment to the next level
Shuttle Express continues to make good on its commitment to go green by adding two propane autogas-fueled luxury buses to its extensive fleet. The coaches are the nation’s first two Ford F-550 buses built with the ROUSH® CleanTech dedicated liquid propane autogas fuel system. They recently traveled across 10 states from Kansas to Renton, WA, refueling at publicly-accessible propane autogas stations. Read More
Barrel Wine Tours, Shuttle Express Partner to Offer Premier Wine Tours
Barrel Wine Tours and Shuttle Express proudly announce their exclusive partnership, effective February 8, 2013. Barrel Wine Tours Powered by Shuttle Express now offers luxury public and private tours of Washington wineries. Barrel Wine Tours is the premier provider of wine excursions in the greater Seattle area and Shuttle Express is the region’s premier transportation company, providing full-service transportation since 1987.
Guests of Barrel Wine Tours powered by Shuttle Express enjoy a full afternoon of quality wine immersion, getting an inside look at how Washington’s highly sought after boutique wines are produced. Read More
Shuttle Express upgrades SeaTac experience
Expanded airport waiting area, new amenities for Seattle Airport Shuttle Service
Aiming to improve the guest experience at SeaTac Airport, Shuttle Express has spruced up its airport digs, with further improvements on the way for its Seattle airport shuttle service.
The Shuttle Express service desk and check-in area at SeaTac Airport have been moved from the curbside area to the adjacent Ground Transportation Plaza, expanding into a well-lit, semi-enclosed area where customers have a place to relax, read and have a cup of coffee while they wait for the van. (The Ground Transportation Plaza is located on the 3rd floor of the parking garage, near the elevators.) Friendly Shuttle Express representatives are stationed at the new circular desk, on hand to greet guests, check them in and answer questions. Read More