Gyms and Fitness

If you like to work out, the YMCAs are a great bet in Seattle. They have a sliding scale for membership fees (currently members pay $11 a month) and a few good locations. Bring your 2000 tax form (1040 or equivalent) or a current paycheck for the cheapest rate. All of the facilities are good, but check out the Downtown YMCA on Madison and 4th, even just to see it. It's a seven-story building with pool, sauna, hot tub...by far the most posh Y we've ever seen.

There are lots of other things to do in Seattle. Depsite the rain, people are outside all year long. Seattle is a bike-friendly town: there are many bike trails and urban bike routes.

There are almost as many Yoga classes in Seattle as there are coffee houses. Ask Liz for some recommendations.

If you're a climber, there are two great climbing gyms, Vertical World and Stone Gardens. There is also a free climbing structure next to the UW Husky Staduim.

Seattle is surrounded by water: Puget Sound, Lake Washington, and Lake Union. Everywhere there are canoes, kayaks, sailboats, and other kinds of watercraft. Renting a boat is easy. There are lots of places.To get you started, check out the UW Waterfront Activities Center (WAC), where you can rent a canoe for $6 an hour.

Then there are the mountains. The Cascades and Olympics are both just a short drive (or ferry and drive) away. If you want information on hiking and camping, or eventually snowshoeing and skiing, ask Wellesley.

There's lots more to do, and studies show that regular exercise can help ward off the seasonally depressing effects of the dark Seattle winter (and fall and spring). So keep active. It'll help you get through the challenges ahead.