Jeff Dickey: Both of my choices are a few blocks north of downtown in the Belltown neighborhood. Macrina has great breakfasts, pastries, cinnamon rolls, tarts, and various other tasty treats, while Dahlia Bakery, about seven blocks away, has all of the above, plus scrumptious sandwiches and the virtue of being near one of Seattle best restaurants, Dahlia Lounge.

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San Rafael, Calif.: Weather, weather, weather! What specific places in and around Seattle (50 miles) are more or less rain-swept and what months are the rainiest? Thanks.

Jeff Dickey: From mid-June through September, you're on safe, and dry, ground if you're looking to visit the city without being caught in a downpour. Indeed, summer months are some of the favorite times for visiting Seattle, but keep in mind that prices for lodging and other costs rise accordingly. January and February end up being quite wet, even snowy at times, but if you're sticking to an indoor itinerary and focusing on saving money, you'll be satisfied despite the gloom. That said, if you'd like to venture into a truly rainy climate (though a bit further than 50 miles away), try the Hoh, Queets and Quinault rainforests of Olympic National Park, among the rainiest—and most beautiful—places in the country, where all that moisture contributes to some truly stunning scenery and record-sized giant trees.

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Cedar Rapids, Iowa: What's going on in Seattle the weekend of August 16-17? Rooms are hard to find.

Jeff Dickey: Although it's tempting to look for culprits in the form of major events (that weekend it's BrasilFest at Seattle Center), most of Seattle's huge shindigs are in the weeks before and after mid-August. So the reason for the lack of vacancy is likely that it's the height of the summer season, when the city is temperate and lovely, and everyone's who's heard good things about Seattle wants to go there. If you're calling around and having no luck finding accommodation, try the concierge service at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, located downtown at Seventh Ave at Pike (206/461-5840, visitseattle.org), one of whose aims is provide assistance to visitors to the city, especially for hotel reservations and the like. Alternatively, you can try A Pacific Reservation Service (206/439-7677 or 1-800/684-2932, seattlebedandbreakfast.com) or Seattle Bed and Breakfast Association (206/547-1020 or 1-800/348-5630, lodginginseattle.com), if you're interested in staying in one of the city's handsome B&Bs.

Although it's going beyond the scope of the question a bit, I should add that the Emerald City has a bevy of good places to stay, provided you aren't thwarted like the Iowa visitor above at the height of summer. Some recommendations would have to include the funky boutique atmosphere of the Ace Hotel in Belltown; downtown's ultra-plush and chic Alexis, Andra, Monaco, W and Vintage Park hotels; the arty Hotel Max, also downtown; B&Bs like Pensione Nichols near Pike Place Market, or the majestic Shafer-Baillie Mansion on Capitol Hill; and cheaper getaways like the University Inn near the U District, Bacon Mansion on Capitol Hill, and, cheapest of all, downtown's Green Tortoise hostel, hardly the most private spot in the world, but one of the most relaxed and convivial.

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Auburn Hills, Mich.: Hi, My husband and I would like to take a train from Detroit to Seattle but we do not know where to begin. We definitely are looking for the scenic route. We would also like to avoid a car rental in Seattle, Is that possible? We plan to travel the last two weeks in August. Any suggestions?

Jeff Dickey: To go by train, you basically have one choice: Amtrak's Empire Builder line, which runs once daily from Chicago to Seattle (with another line going to Portland, Ore.), traveling through the Dakotas, Montana's stunning Glacier National Park, Spokane, and the Washington Cascade Mountains along the way. It's a good trip, but on such a lengthy route, it may be worth the extra money to upgrade to a sleeper cabin so you can get some rest along the way. Once you arrive in Seattle, you can easily avoid renting a car if you don't mind getting around by bus. The Metro system is safe and extensive, and there's a Downtown Ride Free Area which allows for free transit rides between 6am and 7pm. Other transit options are light rail (generally in the suburbs), monorail (from Downtown to Seattle Center), and waterfront streetcar (now undergoing refurbishment). If all else fails, you can walk. Seattle is quite pedestrian-friendly in places, though it has its traffic congestion in spots, and areas from Pioneer Square to downtown to Belltown, Seattle Center, and Capitol Hill can easily be explored by hearty walkers who don't mind a few hills—the views from which, toward Elliott Bay, are generally outstanding, especially in the upper Queen Anne district north of Seattle Center.

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Milwaukee, Wis.: We'll be in Seattle at the end of this month with two kids, 2 and 4 years old. We're in town about 24 hours. What's the best Seattle experience for all of us? Thank you!