Things to Do in Burien

Within the century-old confines of Uptown Glassworks' warehouse, furnaces melt handfuls of kaleidoscopic frit into malleable shapes manipulated by a team of professional glass blowers. But these tradesmen don't just create works for the gallery; they also share their secrets with students in a variety of activities, from introductory courses on making beads and paperweights to advanced instruction that can be applied toward college credit or used to fix the pockmarked walls of glass houses.

During the shop's Blow-Your-Own sessions, participants apply color to clear, molten glass that has recently emerged from a 2,000-degree furnace, then blow their mixture into 1 of 20 different shapes. The next day, patrons can pick up their cooled and packaged creations, comparing their handiwork to the gallery's collection of products, which are made by more than 90 local and regional glass artists.

On a trip out of town in 1996, a group of eight friends tried dragon boating for the first time. With a festive 40-foot boat powered by 20 paddlers, a steersman in the back, and a drummer in the front, the more than 2,000-year-old sport stands as one of the oldest forms of boat racing—and it stole the friends' hearts. Upon returning to Seattle, the group told others about the sport and soon gathered enough participants to form a team, practice with fire-breathing canoes, and eventually raise enough money to buy a dragon boat of their own. Thus, Seattle Sake Dragonboat Club was born.

Today, the club boasts more than 250 members and 7 different racing teams, which travel throughout the world to take part in competitions. For the uninitiated, Seattle Sake hosts introductory courses that teach students the skills necessary to join a dragon-boat team and introduce them to other boating enthusiasts.

Maxrider's “4D” theater safely jets participants off into fantastical, three-dimensional worlds bursting with stunning imagery and educational discoveries. During each three- to five-minute adventure, a 12.5-foot screen projects jaw-dropping locales into the eyes of up to six riders, who bounce, rattle, and shake up cartons of orange juice from within the simulator's oscillating cart. Patrons will have the opportunity to choose from up to 23 different experiences, which may include a roaring spin around a rocky canyon, an information-packed journey through the human body, or an adrenaline-pumping plunge into a mother-in-law's infamous meatloaf. To further forge an authentic experience and re-create reality, rides also spritz explorers with water and blow wind on them depending on the chosen enterprise.

Tucked into a two-story loft space, Mind Unwind is both an art gallery and a happening events space with a sweeping view of the glistening skyline. Visitors can peruse the rotating art that cascades across the long stretch of walls or join classes such as cartooning or painting. Though only recently established, Mind Unwind holds fast to its vision of becoming a collective for local artists, a community outreach organization, and a space for all types of performances, as evidenced by its current open mic nights.

Finding a ride home from the bars can be a tricky situation, but at CycleSaloon the bar is your ride home. Designed to look like a rustic Western saloon, the group bike sits up to 16 people during leisurely paced tours of the city’s bars and nightlife. Under the guidance of a steering driver, the vehicle transports bachelor parties, birthday guests, or up to two octopuses through the easily navigable landscape of the Ballard neighborhood. When guests get thirsty for more than the BYO soft drinks they packed inside the onboard coolers, they can stop off at a bar for drink before continuing their two-hour jaunt.

Towering trees surround Puget Sound's shores, where mountains wrapped in hazy gauze loom in the background as wild animals serenely drink from the open waters and winding Hood Canal waterways. It's here that Olympic Outdoor Center decided to stake its headquarters more than 25 years ago, and where their instructors now lead paddlers onto the water for kayak and standup paddleboard lessons. The coaches also guide salmon-fishing tours and other extended trips, as well as youth adventure camps in which kids learn to maneuver kayaks and paddleboats and master fending off sea monsters with a swift paddle-bop to the noggin.

On land, staff members guide adventurers through mountain-biking camps and competitive races on the surrounding 4,000 acres of forested trails. The staffers help organize outdoor recreation events such as annual adventure sports festivals, paddling and biking triathlons, and overnight paddling trips.