Need help with Seattle "layover"

[dgard5th]

We are taking the LA-Vancouver 5 nt cruise on RCCL Vision of the Seas next week. We are taking the RCCL transportation from Vancouver to the SEA-TAC airport. We should arrive at the airport around 2pm, but our plane doesn't leave until 10pm! We'd love to go into the city for a few hours to see some sites. Here are the choices I've come up with - looking for any suggestions/experience with these.

 

1. Rent a car (looks like Budget or some of the others will rent for about $25) and drive to Pike Place market. Can put our luggage in the trunk. Looks to be parking near the market (for a fee, orf course) and could take the monorail over to Seattle Center. Does that work or should we park at Seattle Center and take monorail the other way?

OR

2. Store luggage at Ken's Storage in SEA-TAC (about $5/bag) and take some sort of transportation to downtown or Seattle Center. The problem is I'm not having much luck finding trans. options - Super-Shuttle type service only? No light rail service? Super-Shuttles seem pricey - $15-20 one way each - that's $80 for both of us to go there and back.

 

Are we better off renting the car??

 

Thanks for your help!!

[DaisyGal]

Hi there,

 

Yes, renting a car will likely be the easiest and quickest route for you. The drive from Sea Tac to downtown is probably 30-40 minutes, depending on the time of day. There are many parking lots in the downtown area and it's safe enough for you to leave your luggage in the trunk. There is a very clean, safe, well located, and easily accessable lot under Pacific Place (shopping mall between 5th and 6th on Pine). From here you can walk down to Pike's and catch the monorail to Seattle Center from Westlake Center (mall next to Pacific Place).

 

Have fun and welcome to Seattle!

[Relaford]

Another way to get downtown is cheaper but more casual...that is you may have to wait as much as a half hour for it. I am refering to the public bus #194 to downtown Seattle.

The fare of $1.25 to $1.75 (depending of what time of day you catch it) but it will get you downtown to the bus tunnel Westlake Station 3 blocks from The Pike Place Market in about 30 minutes. Of course this would requre checking your bags at Dave's. On the return trip you catch the same #194 bus. Another bus #174 will get you downtown and back to SeaTac but the route is longer. I can understand that you probably want to make every minute of your layover count so in that case a rental car or taxi makes more sense.. But if you are still interested....To catch the bus follow the signs down the escalators to baggage claim hang a right after you exit the doors to the street and walk abouit 5 minutes and look for Metro Bus Bay 2 with a yellow sign that will list bus #194 . For bus info and schedules click on the sight below.

 

transit.metrokc.gov/bus/schedules/s194_0_.html

[dgard5th]

Thank you both - we'll keep both in mind. I guess it will depend on how much time we really end up with!

[Ellya]

Here is another shuttle that is less expensive. It looks like they stop at a lot of hotels, so you might want to figure out where to get off so you don't spend an hour riding from hotel to hotel.

 

http://graylineseattle.com/airportexpress1.cfm

[dgard5th]

rent the car. We got into SEA-TAC much earlier than anticipated (about Noon). We had plenty of time to grab a rental car (wish I had reserved one in advance though) and drive downtown. We parked in the shopping area called Pacific Place, although there is a lot of other parking there. Walked to shopping, Pikes Place, etc and took the monorail from Westlake Center to the Space Needle. It worked out great and was perfect for the 6 hours we had to spend in Seattle. Thanks to everyone for your help!