Hey all, greetings from Sunny So. Cal

I was thinking about coming up to visit Seattle for kicks for a couple days. I've never been, so I'm unfamiliar with the sites and attractions, etc. etc.

My question is: How is your public transportation system? Would it be necessary to rent a car for the whole trip, or could one survive on busses, cabs and *gasp* foot?

Also, can anyone recommend a cool area (neighborhood) to stay that would be in the middle of stuff? Is there a downtown-ish area?

Thanks a bunch!

 

Welcome. Seattle's public transportation system is.... passable.

I guess it depends on what you're going to do. If you just want to spend a weekend in downtown, there are plenty of hotels there and you'd be within walking distance of the waterfront, Pikes Place Market, clubs, resturants, shops, malls, etc.

Seattle is very spread out though with a lot of different districts. If you want to explore around more, see anything outside of downtown or meet other S2000 members, I'd definately pick up a rental car.

Something I might suggest is spending a day in downtown Seattle, and then driving over Lake Washington to the East Side and checking out Snoqualmie Falls, etc.

Do you have any more specifics on what you'd like to do while in the Seattle area?

 

The public transportation (busses) is pretty good within the city proper. But in the outlying areas, it really is only adequate to go to/from the city.

It depends on what you want to do. If you want to do the urban stuff (museums, symphony, waterfront, zoo, aquarium, shopping, etc.) then renting a car would be more hassle than it is worth.

If you want to go to Mount Rainier or the Olympics, renting a car is a must.

 

look us up when you're here, we can meet up! downtown is a lot of fun, check out fremont, ballard, west seattle. the needle is cool, pikes place is an expirence. oh and stay out of pioneer square after dark!!!

 

Ah, Pioneer Square isn't that bad; you just can't let the homeless people or bikers intimidate you

 

or the drunk defensive tackles!

 

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys, keep 'em coming!

Right now I (we?) are undecided as to the specifics of the trip. I think a car will most likely be necessary for at least a day or two, because I'd love to drive out to the Pac. NW coast and see how it compares to PCH down here . Basically, I'd like to do some exploring of the area.

Any suggestions as to what to see or do, would be GREAT!!! As first-time visitors to Seattle, what would you say we absolutely HAVE to see before we leave? Come on... Sell the city to me! Where's the best place to eat seafood? Where's the best sunset? What's the best road out to the coast (in a rental car). What's the touristy thing that you HAVE to do? Where's the best place to take a photo with the skyline in the background? Sorry, I'm just trying to pick your brains

Also, I'd love to meet up with the S2ki guys, and cross the border to AJ... but I don't think it'll be that kind of trip .

 

The Washington coast is more rocky and remote. There are some sandy beaches you can drive to, but the best coastal areas are part of Olympic National Park and are generally accessible only by hiking several miles.

The PCH rules as a driving road. Nothing quite like that here in terms of scenery and road quality.

However, a trip out to the Olympic Peninsula does have some advantages. You can take a ferry ride across the sound (the best "road to the coast"), then drive up to Port Townsend which has some cool touristy stuff, then head over to Port Angeles and up to Hurricane Ridge, then keep going around the Peninsula past Lake Crescent to the beach part of the park. You can also check out the Hoh River area and see the rain forest. There is easily several days worth of stuff to see out there.

I personally also think that spending a day driving and hiking around Mount Rainier is a must. Mount Rainier has about half the glacier ice in the entire lower 48. There is nothing else like it this side of the Canadian border.

Mt St. Helens is also quite interesting.

The classic place to take a photo with the city in the background is out on Alki Beach in West Seattle. You can get a shot of the city across Elliot Bay.

 

^^Thanks! Hiking might actually not be a bad idea, as long as the view is worth it in the end.

More more more!

 

you should rent a car if you're coming up here, also get some maps of seattle and learn how the streets work, it's real simple if you learn it..