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Seattle question


KristieB
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We have a question about getting around Seattle. I'm sure there will be more questions to come, but for now...There are 8 of us booked for next June out of Seattle. We will probably stay close to the airport. We will arrive Wednesday and the cruise leaves Saturday. Originally I thought we would rent a vehicle for sight seeing. Is parking an issue downtown for Pike Market, the ferry, etc.. Would it be better to just take public transportation?

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The key issue here is going to be the mobility of every one in your group. How is it?

 

Yes, parking in the downtown, including Pike Place, is challenging and expensive. If mobility is no issue, you could be looking light rail, which is discussed here frequently. So, look around at the many threads here on Seattle, transportation and such, and fill the blanks on the walking abilities of your group.

 

A rental for out of Seattle sights, like Boeing facilities, would be a good idea.

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The best way from the airport to downtown will be the light rail once you get downtown there will be either buses or taxis you can get around with and the Pike Place area while somewhat hilly is compact. Anybody with mobility issues will have a problem.

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The best way from the airport to downtown will be the light rail once you get downtown there will be either buses or taxis you can get around with and the Pike Place area while somewhat hilly is compact. Anybody with mobility issues will have a problem.

 

 

 

So you don't recommend renting a car?

 

 

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With a party of eight you'd probably be looking at two cars; a van big enough for everybody is going to be pretty expensive, but you can shop around as you have plenty of time.

 

Let me address a couple of things.

 

1. The light rail from the airport to downtown is $3 per person each way and takes around 40 minutes, plus time needed to get to and from the stations and any waits you have for the train; I'd mentally allocate an hour. So for eight people that's $48 in train fare, just to downtown. By comparison, most parking lots and garages near the main attractions (Pike Place market, Seattle Center/Space Needle for example) will cost around $10 per hour at most; there are plenty a few blocks from these places where it will be quite a lot cheaper. So you can do the math - cost of the rental divided by 4 or 8, cost of parking divided by 4 or 8, etc. In a car you can reach downtown from the airport in around 20-30 minutes, so your (collective) time has got to be worth something.

 

2. Seattle is very hilly. If anybody in your group has any mobility issues, relying on public transport is probably going to impede their enjoyment at some point, or else they'll have to skip some activities.

 

3. Many of Seattle's best experiences are NOT downtown. Google Ballard Locks, Alki Beach, Fishermen's Terminal, Washington Park Arboretum, Snoqualmie Falls, Whidbey Island, Boeing factory tour, Lake Washington Boulevard, Kerry Park...

 

4. Locally we say that summer starts on the 5th of July (the morning after the fireworks went off in the middle of clouds.) Rain is not unknown in Seattle then, and a car can also provide shelter as well as transportation.

 

5. There are some hotels in the city proper that offer cheap or free parking. Google Silver Cloud Lake Union, University Inn, Maxwell Hotel. Some of these hotels also have free shuttles that will take you from their non-downtown locations to the Pike market or Seattle Center, so even if you only rent a car for day trips (using downtown car rental branches) you can still save money using these shuttles.

 

So I'd do some math and some research before committing one way or the other.

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With a party of eight you'd probably be looking at two cars; a van big enough for everybody is going to be pretty expensive, but you can shop around as you have plenty of time.

 

 

 

Let me address a couple of things.

 

 

 

1. The light rail from the airport to downtown is $3 per person each way and takes around 40 minutes, plus time needed to get to and from the stations and any waits you have for the train; I'd mentally allocate an hour. So for eight people that's $48 in train fare, just to downtown. By comparison, most parking lots and garages near the main attractions (Pike Place market, Seattle Center/Space Needle for example) will cost around $10 per hour at most; there are plenty a few blocks from these places where it will be quite a lot cheaper. So you can do the math - cost of the rental divided by 4 or 8, cost of parking divided by 4 or 8, etc. In a car you can reach downtown from the airport in around 20-30 minutes, so your (collective) time has got to be worth something.

 

 

 

2. Seattle is very hilly. If anybody in your group has any mobility issues, relying on public transport is probably going to impede their enjoyment at some point, or else they'll have to skip some activities.

 

 

 

3. Many of Seattle's best experiences are NOT downtown. Google Ballard Locks, Alki Beach, Fishermen's Terminal, Washington Park Arboretum, Snoqualmie Falls, Whidbey Island, Boeing factory tour, Lake Washington Boulevard, Kerry Park...

 

 

 

4. Locally we say that summer starts on the 5th of July (the morning after the fireworks went off in the middle of clouds.) Rain is not unknown in Seattle then, and a car can also provide shelter as well as transportation.

 

 

 

5. There are some hotels in the city proper that offer cheap or free parking. Google Silver Cloud Lake Union, University Inn, Maxwell Hotel. Some of these hotels also have free shuttles that will take you from their non-downtown locations to the Pike market or Seattle Center, so even if you only rent a car for day trips (using downtown car rental branches) you can still save money using these shuttles.

 

 

 

So I'd do some math and some research before committing one way or the other.

 

 

 

We have rental car points to use so that would reduce the cost for a large vehicle. My husband travels for work so we get points for that, hotels and airline.

 

 

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We have rental car points to use so that would reduce the cost for a large vehicle. My husband travels for work so we get points for that, hotels and airline.

Then I would definitely look at staying someplace besides the airport (but not downtown where things are ridiculously expensive) and using a car/van strategically. You might look at some hotels that have 2-bedroom units, or even Airbnb, with that many people. Look at https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6977095 for example.
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The deciding factor would probably be what you want to see. Roughly three days only gives you so much time to see stuff. Wanting to see stuff outside of the downtown area would probably make renting a vehicle or several Vehicles worthwhile. You can get a quote from Uber on how much a vehicle might cost. Uber will save having to worry about parking. The light rail runs every 6 minutes to 15 minutes depending on the time of day so wait times aren't an issue.

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Then I would definitely look at staying someplace besides the airport (but not downtown where things are ridiculously expensive) and using a car/van strategically. You might look at some hotels that have 2-bedroom units, or even Airbnb, with that many people. Look at https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6977095 for example.

 

Thank you for your input. You are a wealth of info and gave me some things to think about and look at. We are going in June. In the research I've done so far for things to do I hadn't come across any of those things. I've looked at Pike Market, ferry rides, and some things downtown. What do you think about the Underground Tour?

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Thank you for your input. You are a wealth of info and gave me some things to think about and look at. We are going in June. In the research I've done so far for things to do I hadn't come across any of those things. I've looked at Pike Market, ferry rides, and some things downtown. What do you think about the Underground Tour?

 

I enjoy the Underground Tour a lot of history with humor

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It's okay, quite touristy.

 

You have quite a long time to plot out your days here, use the time to see what appeals to you. You might also want to check out the boards on TripAdvisor - https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28968-i73-Washington.html

,

 

 

I do use tripadvisor.com and google searches. I know it's a long ways out. I enjoy researching and looking at everything so I'm not just "winging it", that's part of the fun for me. :) Most of those things you listed hadn't been mentioned on other boards so I'm glad I asked.

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Unless you're planning to take the ferry as a simple out/back round-trip, you're going to want a car (or two) for at least one of those days. There's stuff to be seen on the far side of the ferries by car, depending on where you go, and I'd venture a guess that there's next to nothing worthwhile just off the (far side) ferry docks (on foot).

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Unless you're planning to take the ferry as a simple out/back round-trip, you're going to want a car (or two) for at least one of those days. There's stuff to be seen on the far side of the ferries by car, depending on where you go, and I'd venture a guess that there's next to nothing worthwhile just off the (far side) ferry docks (on foot).

 

there is a winery, kids museum, cycle shop, bakery, ice cream shop and a photo gallery within walking distance.

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Unless you're planning to take the ferry as a simple out/back round-trip, you're going to want a car (or two) for at least one of those days. There's stuff to be seen on the far side of the ferries by car, depending on where you go, and I'd venture a guess that there's next to nothing worthwhile just off the (far side) ferry docks (on foot).

 

 

 

Good point, I hadn't thought that far. I just thought it would be fun and a good way to see the scenery. That's another thing for me to look into.

 

 

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Just to illustrate, here are some things or places that are difficult to see using public transport, easy with a car.

 

Kerry Park, Queen Anne Hill, Seattle, 10 minutes from downtown -

HDR-Trial-011010aS.jpg

 

Fishermen's Terminal, Ballard, 20 minutes from downtown

P1000106as.jpg

 

Mukilteo lighthouse and Whidbey Island ferry, 30 minutes from downtown

20140531_3Ha.jpg

 

Mt. Rainier from Vashon Island, 1 hour from downtown (via ferry)

Rainier-from-Vashon-1.jpg

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there is a winery, kids museum, cycle shop, bakery, ice cream shop and a photo gallery within walking distance.

Dude, there are 8 ferry routes serving 18 docks, only 2 routes/1 dock that's in Seattle downtown. Someone not familiar with the WSDOT ferry system could easily hop on the Seattle-Bremerton ferry and spend an hour (or more, given how many problems seem to happen on that run, including today), only to find not this list of opportunities when they got off. List specifics by port, or don't grumble when someone says they are going to do some research.

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We have a question about getting around Seattle. I'm sure there will be more questions to come, but for now...There are 8 of us booked for next June out of Seattle. We will probably stay close to the airport. We will arrive Wednesday and the cruise leaves Saturday. Originally I thought we would rent a vehicle for sight seeing. Is parking an issue downtown for Pike Market, the ferry, etc.. Would it be better to just take public transportation?

 

Just back from this same route, so here is what we did.

 

We rented a car at the airport and stayed south of there in Puyallup (got a good rate - about $120- and nice room at Fairfield Inn and there was a Hampton nearby). Explored the small town and dined there. Stayed 2 nights.

 

Next day we took a trip to Mt. Rainer and drove all around it (did both the Paradise and Sunrise areas). Hit the mall area in Puyallup for diner - lots of options to chose from.

 

Day 3 we drove into Seattle, leaving at 8 am. Traffic was BAD and it took two hours! Returned our car at the Hertz counter in the Marriott Courtyard near the Space Needle. Did the Space Needle area and then took the monorail ($1 for seniors) into downtown area (Westgate Plaza). Walked the area and toured Pikes Market (dinner there). Then called the hotel's shuttle (stayed at Hyatt Place by the Space Needle) for a pickup. CRASHED at ther hotel - long day!

 

Day 4 - travel to ship.

 

Hope this helps. We had a great time doing this route.

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Dude, there are 8 ferry routes serving 18 docks, only 2 routes/1 dock that's in Seattle downtown. Someone not familiar with the WSDOT ferry system could easily hop on the Seattle-Bremerton ferry and spend an hour (or more, given how many problems seem to happen on that run, including today), only to find not this list of opportunities when they got off. List specifics by port, or don't grumble when someone says they are going to do some research.

 

yes, I should have mentioned my comments pertained to the Bainbridge Island route. Thanks for pointing that out dude.

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There are some good suggestions here. I'll definitely direct people here who have the same questions. I can't wait for this trip. I'm sure we can't go wrong with whatever we decide. [emoji928][emoji902][emoji924]

Edited by KristieB
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