Things to Do in White Center

A descendant of fishermen and boat captains who have called the area's coastal waters home for more than a century, Captain Arch regales visitors with nautical stories while showing off his fleet of rental boats. Watercraft ranges from electric Duffy boats to sailboats, which allows the captain to equip renters for adventures such as fishing, waterskiing, or leisurely scenic floats. Beyond rentals, Arch's crew arranges guided trips, including visits to Blake Island, or beverage and appetizer cruises fortified with local wines, smoked salmon, and waiters imported from France.

When Brian McInerney reflects on the humble beginnings of Wheel Fun Rentals, he points to his childhood passion for bikes. "As far back as I can remember, I had a real love affair with bicycles," he recalls. During a trip to Italy in 1987, Brian's affinity for cycling blossomed into a full-fledged obsession when he spotted locals' transporter of choice, the surrey. Inspired, he began importing the Italian four-wheelers to a rental business in the U.S. that eventually expanded into Wheel Fun Rentals, now a nationwide web of shops that also loans out bikes, electric cars and mopeds, and man-powered watercraft.

Atop bicycles and surreys built for solo riders or entire families, patrons embark on self-guided tours of major U.S. cities. Led by maps and lists of nearby sites of historical or cultural significance, riders zoom down bike paths and safe, lightly trafficked streets. Adventuresome athletes can also compete in activities such as surrey scavenger hunts and blindfold obstacle courses navigated via shouted instructions from a seeing teammate or exceptionally long rounds of trial and error.

As a nonprofit organization rather than a sailing club or boat-rental shop, Sail Sand Point floats an enriching nautical experience over come-and-go boating. The five-use open boating punch card grants access to SSP's sailboats, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards for a quintet of 90-minute excursions during open boating hours through October 27. Although only the vessel's captain has to fulfill all five of SSP's open-boating requirements and pen a Whitman-worthy schooner sonnet, any passengers must complete a medical/liability waiver. The craft-curious can get a taste of sailing in the adult two-hour intro course before deciding to commit to a wardrobe of lifejackets and whale pants. After learning some sailing 101 from a US Sailing–certified instructor, students board a boat and practice newly-learned techniques on the waves of Lake Washington.

In 1979, a job repairing and restoring church windows illuminated Richard Heath's passion for glass art, which is now embodied in his design and teaching studio, Glassique. Working with the church's leaded glass spurred Heath to earn a certificate in the restoration of Tiffany works and delve into other fabrication methods such as fusing and foiling. Thereafter, he opened Glassique's first incarnation in San Diego and announced the event by making the stained-glass sign that still decorates the shop.

Missing family, Heath relocated Glassique to be with his four children in Seattle, settling the business in a 2,000-square-foot showroom with a studio for the creation of original commissions and custom reproductions. He and a small team of artists also hold comprehensive 2-D glass art classes. Heath's intricate commissioned work—including a glass portrait of John Wayne—proves that he thinks big. “We don’t teach little things,” Heath told Maple Leaf Life in 2011. “We teach the real art of stained glass.”

Lined with Swarovski Elements crystal pendants, gemstones, Japanese seed beads, sterling-silver findings, and handmade glass beads, Fusion Beads seems to glimmer. For the experienced beader, it's a treasure trove of all the materials necessary to create stunning pieces, and the knowledgeable staff help beginners sift through the stock to find everything they need to start a necklace or bracelet. The team also hosts several classes each week, covering everything from the techniques of basic beading to the more advanced metalsmithing, precious-metal clay manipulation, and bead weaving. Because the shop only hires dedicated beaders, each employee has firsthand knowledge to help shoppers with their projects, whether they want to create the perfect gift for a loved one or make the perfect earrings for their look-alike bobble head.

Master storyteller Anthony McDonald has a gift for the supernatural that he has honed since his childhood in New Orleans, one of the most haunted cities in the United States. He led fearless guests on his first ghost tour through the French Quarter in 1984, and today he points out specters along the streets and alleyways of Pioneer Square. During the 72-minute tours, McDonald recounts historical yarns about the twilight-shrouded town and shares local lore including the legend of the singing rain and its long-standing rivalry with Gene Kelly.