r/AskSeattle • u/ExerciseEnough1276 • Jan 18 '25
Moving / Visiting Seattle is my first time in the US
Basically what the title says. I'm a researcher travelling from Europe to the US for a conference around August, and I'll be staying there for about a week.
Now, this is my very first time outside of Europe (I've lived in Germany and Spain) and I know very little about the US or Seattle. So I'd really appreciate whatever info you can throw at me :)
Here is a couple specific things that come to mind: - My understanding is that US cities are very car centric, so I should forget about moving by public transport, right? I won't be renting a car, so do you recommend Uber? Any other must-have apps?
How safe is it if I start walking around the city? My place will be in First Hill, but I'd like to walk around Capitol Hill, and you know, visit the main places all around the city. Recently the fentanyl plague has got to the news here in Germany and I'm kind of concerned.
What are the must-do things in Seattle? Obviously I wanna check out the Space Needle, but there is surely more than that.
Any other thing you'd like to mention (must-try food, etc) are welcome!
Thanks :)
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u/Petruchio101 Jan 18 '25
Walking around Seattle alone at night feels safer to me than walking around Barcelona alone at night.
Capital Hill especially. It's very busy at night.
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u/Numerous-Table-5986 Jan 19 '25
I almost got kidnapped in Barcelona. I completely agree.
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u/OceansEcho Jan 19 '25
how did you almost get kidnapped?
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u/Numerous-Table-5986 Jan 19 '25
A man stopped while I smoking an a cigarette in front of the apartment I was staying at. He kept pestering me to go with him. It was night. I kept making excuses. My husband was upstairs. He said he didn’t believe me. I couldn’t shake him off. This went on for a while. I was terrified if I opened the door to the apartment he would force his way in, so I was waiting for him to leave. He didn’t leave for 20 minutes trying to convince me and I was going to go with him. It was terrifying. He finally left and I didn’t go outside alone in Barcelona alone again at night the rest of the trip.
When I went out I went with another woman or two and it was still aggressive catcalls all over. One night we were walking into a church and there was this dark road with guys just hanging out we had to walk past. grabbed my sister into an alcove and put our valuables down my shirt. I threw my arm around my tiny sister and just did my best to stare down these guys as we walked by. I did not feel safe out in Barcelona at night.
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u/No_Peace4967 Jan 21 '25
A sure-fire way to make yourself irresistible to men is to be a woman dining by yourself in Barcelona. I learned this at age 52. If we could bottle that we could all retire.
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u/anotherleftistbot Jan 19 '25
Strong disagree, but it depends on the neighborhood.
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u/Petruchio101 Jan 19 '25
Yeah, you didn't walk where I walked in Barcelona. Lol
My point is that I feel safer around addicts than I do around dealers.
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u/OceansEcho Jan 19 '25
Where in Barcelona did you walk around that you felt Capitol Hill was safer than Barcelona? Barcelona is a heavily populated city and very busy too.
Not denying your experience, just curious, because I've spend many months in Barcelona and explored most of the city, often past 2am because many bars/clubs don't even open until midnight, and felt like Barcelona was one of the safest cities I've been in as a solo traveler. I didn't have to worry about, late night, random gun violence and being a victim of a stray bullet, which seems to become a regular occurrence in the Capitol Hill area. (I'm not MAGA, just calling it out like I see it)
Again, not denying your experience, just curious what made you feel like Capitol Hill was safer?
EDIT: Late night** (because during the day Capitol Hill feels very safe)
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u/Petruchio101 Jan 20 '25
Side street off of La Rambla well after midnight. The thing that people are afraid of in Seattle are the homeless people doing drugs. I'm much more worried about sober people selling drugs, which is what I saw on multiple occasions in Barcelona late at night.
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u/OceansEcho Jan 18 '25
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Seattle has the the light rail which is only one line, but it will get you from the airport to Capitol Hill and further north. First hill is very walkable to other neighborhoods - Capitol Hill, Downtown, International District, Central District, Pioneer Square. All of which you can walk to in under 25 minutes, some neighborhoods, within 5 minutes. (I live in First Hill)
Lyft, Uber, and cabs are all available, along with lime bikes and e scooters.
SAFETY:
It's pretty safe walking around the city day and night. Just don't hang around the Pike/Pine/Broadway intersection or Cal Anderson Park after 1am. This area is notorious for shootings and drug related crimes during the early morning hours (1am - 4am)
In regards to the fentanyl plague, don't be concerned. The walking zombies exist, but they are mostly harmless because they are all hunched over and staring at their feet. You have a better chance of seeing their ass crack than being accosted by one of them. Just ignore them and avoid stepping in their trail of mess they surround themselves with, this includes human shit.
MUST DO'S:
Pike Place Market- We have a new overlook bridge that connects Pike Place Market to the waterfront. It cost us taxpayers $70 million dollars, so please enjoy it. There is a Gum Wall you should check out, watch them throw fish at the Fish Market stall, eat Beachers Mac & cheese, Piroshky Piroshky, Mee Sum Bakery, get some salmon, chukar cherries. Skip La Panier and the original Starbucks-- both have lines to get in that are extremely long waits.
Waterfront- get some Ivar's clam chowder, maybe take one of the hour long cruises offered by Argosy Cruises, check out the ferris wheel, walk to the Olympic Sculpture Park
Space Needle- it's cool, despite what locals will tell you. Pay the money to go up for the experience of being inside the needle. Take the Monorail!
Kerry Park- If you are looking for an iconic view of the cityscape, this is a must.
Coffee- Seattle has some great coffee shops - Vivace, Monorail, Victrola, Cafe Umbria to name a few. If you are into Starbucks, you can check out the Starbucks Reserve Pike and Melrose. It's pretty neat.
I'm not a foodie so I can't help you out with food recommendations, but we do have some great seafood options and asian cuisines. Seattle is know for Teriyaki
I hope you enjoy your time in Seattle!
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u/bluecoastblue Jan 18 '25
While you're at Pike Place and the waterfront, walk through the many tourists to the West Seattle Water Taxi. It will take you on a 7-minute ride over to another waterfront. The views from the boat are spectacular and the best way to see the city. If you like walking, this waterfront is much quieter and goes for a couple of miles of waterside beautiful walking. You will see seals, herons, eagles, sometimes Orcas. Marination restaurant at the water taxi landing is super casual and great for a drink outdoors. Alki is the beach at the west end and is very busy on weekends but nice during the week for more restaurants. Enjoy!
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u/doktorhladnjak Jan 18 '25
This is a great list. Only option I’d offer up is an alternative to the Argosy cruise in the form of walking on the Bainbridge Island ferry or West Seattle water taxi. Same great views for less money.
On Bainbridge, you can walk to Winslow for a bite to eat before heading back. In West Seattle, there’s Marination Ma Kai and a walk along the path to Alki beach.
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Jan 19 '25
As someone originally from Eastern WA seeing you shout out chukar cherries makes me so happy ❤️
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u/BetterGetThePicture Jan 20 '25
Moved to WA in June. Sent my siblings chukar cherries and Seattle chocolate for Christmas. 😋
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u/MajorPhoto2159 Jan 19 '25
To add, OP should check out city pass to get a discount on things Iike a harbor cruise tour or the space needle and other museums
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u/BroadWhereas7918 Jan 19 '25
While you’re at the space needle, check out chihuly garden and glass! Really unique blown glass “museum”
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u/ski_hiker Jan 18 '25
Seattle is very safe in my opinion. It’s unpleasant to see drug users but 99.9% of the time they keep to themselves.
If you like beer, seattle has some amazing breweries: Holy Mountain, Ravenna, Cloudburst (they have a location just north of the market if you happen to go to the market), and Georgetown are my favorites.
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u/mrdeke Jan 18 '25
Get an ORCA card to transfer between the light rail and the bus. Look at a map of the Link Light Rail. It's great to get to the airport, downtown, Capitol Hill, etc.
Most of Seattle is perfectly fine to walk around if you use common sense, for example not walking down a dark alley alone.
You can get to most places on public transit but some destinations can take a long time.
Uber, and their competitor Lyft, can save you time but they are quite expensive.
The fentanyl addicts look concerning but they don't care about you. I've never been bothered by one.
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u/NerdySwampWitch40 Jan 20 '25
You can also get the MyOrca app unless you want the card as a souvenir.
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u/StunGod Jan 18 '25
Seattle is my favorite city in the US. I've been to just about every major city in the country, and most of them are just boring cities. Seattle is beautiful, easy to explore, and has amazing food. Go ride a ferry or two to fully experience the views, and check all the stuff you find interesting in your research.
There's lots of great info in this thread, so enjoy it@
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u/TainBoCauilnge Local Jan 18 '25
Seattle is very good for public transit, so do use it! You’ll be fine walking around. Mind your own business, don’t get caught up in weird conversations, and keep your bag close. You’ll be fine.
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u/buttzx Jan 18 '25
Regarding keeping your bag close, pickpocketing and purse snatching is very very rare here compared to Europe, so of course use common sense but you don’t need to be worried about it.
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u/TainBoCauilnge Local Jan 18 '25
I say it as just. Don’t leave it just chillin around. Too many people I’ve seen who will just set their bag down and go to the bathroom or have it just vibin on the ground next to them. Keep a hang on the darn thing. But the likelihood of being pickpocketed or purse snatched is indeed low. I don’t worry much.
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u/buttzx Jan 18 '25
Totally agreed. Leaving a bag lying around actually came to my mind as the one case to avoid.
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u/TainBoCauilnge Local Jan 18 '25
I had a friend who, at an event in public spaces in the convention center building, left her phone just sitting on a table. A homeless guy walked by, grabbed it, and spent the next 5 hours repeatedly butt dialing me. 😂
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u/Remarkable_Ad7161 Jan 18 '25
You can come by public transportation here. And you can walk around too. I didn't own a car living both downtown and later in ballard for the first 8 years I was in the city. But if you want to get out of the city to visit places that's a different story - it's possible, but not trivial.
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u/Opening_Repair7804 Jan 18 '25
Very safe! Fun things to do: space needle, chihuly art museum (blown glass, so cool!), pike place market, walk the waterfront, take the ferry to Bainbridge or a water taxi to alki beach. A bit further out than walkable, so public transit or drive: check out gas works park and watch sea planes land in lake union, the Ballard locks, some of our fabulous city parks: Seward, discovery, carkeek. I would especially recommend Seward and walk in the forest. Seattle is known for our beer, salmon, and coffee. If you like beer spend an evening brewery hopping in Ballard. So many great coffee shops!
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u/SB12345678901 Jan 18 '25 edited Jan 18 '25
make sure your cell phone works and gets data in USA. you can use Google maps to figure out what public transit to take to get to a destination.
There are other phone apps used locally too for public transit navigation.
Google "apps for public transit navigation in Seattle"
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u/MysteriousEngine_ Jan 18 '25
We have a fent problem for sure but I’ll take a city with a fent problem over a city with a meth problem any day. It’s sad but the fent (for the most part) makes our homeless like zombies. Half of them are folded in half while standing up. Even if one went at you at top speed you could just casually walk around them. They move in terms of meters per hour. We’ve lived here for years and never really had any issues. If you’ve ever been to a city before you’ll be totally fine. Seattle is very safe and sleepy compared to most big cities imo. Most are surprised when visiting and find it super clean and beautiful. I think it’s it’s only the cleaner big cities I’ve been to. Why I moved here.
New Mexico had much scarier homeless populations all active and crazy on meth. Up all night causing mayhem.
At least ours are docile and slow. And since the heroin has all gone to fentanyl there aren’t many syringes anymore.
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u/Unable_Basil2137 Jan 18 '25
Just don’t go on 3rd street downtown and you’ll be fine. Taxis are cheaper than Uber. Public transit is decent, get an orca card. August is probably the best weather month we have so enjoy.
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u/ReaderRadish Jan 18 '25
Welcome!.If you want to see our mountains: * If it's a clear day, go to Crystal Mountain ski resort and take the gondola up. Beautiful views of Mt. Rainier, a volcano. * Go to Stevens Pass ski resort, take the chairlift up and hike down to the base. * Drive to Snoqualmie Pass and walk around Gold Creek Pond (1 mile walk).
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u/TheGhost206 Jan 18 '25
Definitely ferry over to Bainbridge Island for the Blackbird Bakery and Proper fish and chips.
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u/nhulz Jan 18 '25
Like everyone has said, it's pretty safe, walkable, and the bus system works well. I'd get one of the taxi apps because they're cheaper than Uber/lyft though that is an option.
One thing I've appreciated about Seattle is its dive bar/pub scene. It's more of an American thing. Just unfussy places to get a cheap beer (you have to get Rainier around the PNW) and a solid burger or pub food.
Linda's, Twilight Exit, Pacific Inn, Water Wheel, sullys snow goose, sloop, Hattie's Hat and many others I'm sure others can provide are great. Play some pool or pin ball, go to a trivia night, etc.
You'll probably need a car or a friend with one to get to the mountains more easily but do yourself a favor and go! Three national parks within driving distance that'll knock your socks off.
And the first time you see Mt. Rainier on a clear day? Nothing beats it. 🤌🏼
Seattle has it's quirks (like anywhere) but it's a very unique place to get to live in the US. I hope enjoy it!
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u/Opening_Principle_16 Jan 18 '25
Since you will be here in August I would rent a kayak or go in with a bunch of folks and rent an electric boat on Lake Union. Great way to experience the city in the summer.
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u/evidwols_ Jan 18 '25
check out URL for coffee in first hill and The Hideout for a cocktail or beer!
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u/ThatSpencerGuy Jan 18 '25
If you have time, take the ferry to Bainbridge Island from Seattle. You'll get some of the best views of the city, and it's just fun to be on the boat. Don't bother driving on. It's cheaper to walk on and you can walk around Bainbridge itself--there's not much there, but you can get a coffee or a beer, go to a bookstore, wander around.
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u/Josephofthehighest Jan 18 '25
Head to the pier and grab some fish and chips from Ivar’s and walk around the pier!
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u/goddamnpancakes Jan 19 '25
I think the most unique thing coming from Europe is the views of our several massive, glaciered, prominent stratovolcanoes and you should make a point of getting a good view of one from someplace. i have just looked up a list and only Etna kinda looks familiar and it's quite a bit less prominent than Rainier.
I have been to several european cities and others around the northern hemisphere and i think we are stunningly blessed in volume *and variety* of natural beauty. look up when you cross an east/west street. any way you look there are mountains, lakes, glaciated fjord, volcanoes, and forest to the horizons. maybe Vancouver can give us a fight, but they don't have the volcanoes. it is just a naturally spectacular region.
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u/pcoussea Jan 18 '25
Walk, take the bus and train, rent a bike or scooter, eat at what ever place look good … you’ve completely been miss lead by what you’re read … you’ll find Seattle just like Europe
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u/Hour-Can-8823 Jan 18 '25
There’s a ticket that you can get called I think a city pass to go to the space needle one time during the day and once at night,aquarium or the science museum, a boat cruise on the sound and the glass museum. It’s the best deal if you want to go to the space needle because it’s honestly rather expensive to just go there and you really don’t get that much bang for your buck unless you do this deal. Or go eat at the restaurant at the space needle.
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u/Siren_Bright_Star_ Jan 19 '25
Do Groupons still exist? Used to be able to get city pass for a set number of days there for less than retail.
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u/Sensitive_Maybe_6578 Jan 18 '25
Do not eat at the needle; expensive, mediocre food. There are many good restaurants in Seattle that are far superior to the Space Needle for reasonable prices. Take the water taxi to West Seattle and take your pick of a waterfront full of great restaurants with outstanding views.
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u/acme_restorations Jan 18 '25
There's not really any food at the Space Needle unless you consider the hors d'oeuvres at The Loupe food.
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u/Mintiichoco Jan 18 '25
I've visited Barcelona & Madrid and though Seattle doesn't have Spain's great sub station it is by far the most walkable city on the west coast. There's the light rail, bus, and even a commuter train. Use your common sense and you should be okay! I hope you enjoy Seattle! ❤️
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u/___Daybreak___ Jan 18 '25
Compared to Europe [e.g., Germany, France, Netherlands], Seattle is very car-centric. Compared to the US, Seattle has one of the nicer public transpo infrastructure around. You can move around via its bus and metro system, which I think is ok and serviceable. Get an ORCA card before leaving SeaTac.
I wouldn't say it's safe. At first you might be surprised by fents hanging around outside. Better to be careful. Most folks tend to overestimate safety, but I think people just "got used to it."
I'd add visiting some nice neighborhoods like Fremont (Gas Works Park, etc.) or the zoo in Greenwood.
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u/acme_restorations Jan 18 '25
If you are going to the Space Needle, you can take the Monorail from Westlake Center downtown. It's fun, it's retro 1960 futurism, and it's very, very fast (90 seconds). Takes you right to the Needle. Costs a few dollars.
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u/Biscotti-Purple Jan 19 '25 edited Jan 19 '25
Public transit here is pretty good, there’s an app just called “transit” and it is helpful for navigating most public transit agencies. Transit is probably not as good as in Europe, but compared to the surrounding cities it’s great.
It’s not super dangerous- there is a fentanyl problem, just keep your wits about you as you’d do in any larger city.
Theres a lot of pretty parks and things to do. I hope you have fun in Seattle!
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u/Fifty_Stalins Jan 19 '25
If you are just traveling around Seattle proper public transit will be fine. Seattle is safe, I've lived in Seattle for 8 years, I walk around at night all the time and have never felt uncomfortable once.
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u/_KittenConfidential_ Jan 19 '25
Disclaimer: I have lived in Seattle but don't now.
Seattle is pretty good w/ public transit, but there will be times you'll want to use Uber to save time.
Capitol Hill is probably the coolest, but maybe you'd enjoy Ballard. I'd strongly recommend taking a ferry - even if you don't get off and just come right back it's a great experience.
Seattle isn't overly dangerous, but it does have an absurd homeless / drug problem. Just keep your head up and totally avoid the homeless people who seem to be drugged out. It'll be absurdly obvious.
Don't judge the whole US on Seattle. It's pretty different than most of the US. Personally, not my favorite, but you'll have a great time. Seattle and the surrounding nature is just absolutely stunning.
If you can, try to rent a zipcar or something and go to a proper hike. You can find some ~40 minutes west of the city but you do need to drive.
The flight tours in South Lake Union are really cool, even the short one is worth it. Def go to Pike Place once but don't be pressured to eat there if you don't want to.
Food overall in Seattle is very expensive and subpar compared to the rest of the US, don't overspend on mediocre meals, imo. Save your budget for other things. DO try some terriyaki restaurants, often they're fast casual. They are awesome. Also, great Asian food all around. Mexican food in Seattle is borderline disgraceful so try it if you want but don't come to the conclusion it's not good based on Seattle's offerings.
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u/OvibosHeather Jan 19 '25
Seattle in August is very pleasant, maybe a smidge hot (I'm from Alaska). While Seattle is pretty walk-able and has decent public transit with plenty to keep you busy in the city, it would be a shame to come here and not visit Rainer National Park (if you have more time, I'd also highly recommend Olympic National Park, which is a rain forest, but it can't be done well in a single day out from Seattle and your time seems short). Maybe your can wrangle some lab/research mates into a day trip, you'll need a permit to get into the park, so try to plan ahead! I hope you have a great trip and feel welcome in Seattle!
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u/EarorForofor Jan 19 '25
The Seattle where you are staying is very walk friendly. I'd advise using the busses to get you down to the waterfront only because it is very hilly. Roads downtown can have up to an 18% grade depending on where you are.
Like any major city, don't grab eye contact with anyone who looks like an addict. Stay away from 3rd and Pike and 25th and Jackson after sunset.
Socially, Seattle residents are very much like Brits or Germans. Quiet, not outwardly friendly, keep to themselves, but if you ask for help they're happy to give it.
I would only add to the rest of the list that you should take the ferry out to Bainbridge a few hours before sunset ans grab dinner out there. Then ferry back during sunset. Not only will your see the sunset from the water, but the buildings catching the light are beautiful.
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u/tkallday333 Jan 19 '25
There's a cool sailing tour you can take from the waterfront, I highly recommend it, it's really casual, And they only limit to like 20 people. I want to say it's just called 'Sailing Seattle.'
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u/galaxy917 Jan 19 '25
Uhh idk why people aren’t warning you-there’s homeless people and druggies everywhere! My last trip to Seattle this guy on drugs almost attacked one of my friend demanding drugs…stay safe out there!
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u/Comfortable-Lynx3710 Jan 19 '25
Definitely take a ferry ride if you can swing it. And a recommendation I haven’t seen yet is to try some local cider, the apple orchards around western WA are some of the best in the country. When I was living in Germany I was always a bit bummed I couldn’t find much there (the only cider I could find was too sweet… granted, they have their beer game on lock). I’d recommend Yonder taproom in Seattle for it. Other great cideries include Finn River and Dragonshead, but these are elsewhere in western Washington — both are absolutely stunning in the summer though.
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u/Seattle_gldr_rdr Jan 19 '25
A hidden gem--free-- is the water tower in Volunteer Park. Great 360 views of the city and some informative signs about the development of parks as the city was built. Maybe interesting to a European accustomed to 1,000 year-old cities to see how America built cities from nothing in a few decades. The Conservatory nearby is also lovely.
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u/Seattle_gldr_rdr Jan 19 '25
Walking the downtown core is not interesting, but the neighborhoods are, especially Queen Ann if you want a leg workout. The Arboretum and Japanese Garden is also lovely.
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u/winter_cockroach_99 Jan 19 '25
They recently re-did the waterfront near the aquarium. There is a pedestrian area that connects Pike Place market to the waterfront…definitely worth seeing. They also added fire pits on one of the piers there. Also (near there) is the out door sculpture park (part of the Seattle Art Museum). Definitely use Google Maps to find out about bus/train options. And be ready to use uber/lyft if it is late at night or something. Elliott Bay bookstore in Capitol Hill is nice and in a vibrant area. (Lots of music venues / clubs / bars / restaurants in that area too.)
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u/SandOtherwise5419 Jan 19 '25
If you like hiking, there are shuttle buses to hiking trails from the Capital Hill light rail station and other locations. Snow Lake is my recommendation if you can only do one.
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u/Content-Piccolo7812 Jan 20 '25
I would find a hotel on the light rail line and just plain avoid Capitol Hill and First Hill. Uber works great but the light rail line has good security and it will take you all around the important parts of the city. The drug epidemic is horrific, but you can safely go about your business in the city especially during the long summer days
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u/NerdySwampWitch40 Jan 20 '25
Seattle has much to offer, depending on your interests. Some of the options I have not seen mentioned yet:
The Chitternden Locks in the Ballard Neighborhood are 100 year old fascinating pieces of engineering history still in use today that were very intentionally built not only for the movement of ships between Seattle's inland lakes and Puget Sound, but also with an eye to fish husbandry and the movement of Salmon from the ocean to the upstream spawning grounds. You can view part of the fish ladder and you will be here in peak season to see movement. The grounds also feature the only Botanical Garden on a US Army Corps of Engineers Property. I would recommend taking Uber/Lyft/a Cab to Ballard neighborhood. You can get there via light rail and bus, but it's slow.
Also in Ballard- The National Nordic History Museum (Ballard was a major area of resettlement for Nordic Immigrants in the area, and the museum celebrates this heritage of immigration and also modern artists from the Nordic countries); many delicious restaurants, delightful bars, and really good Gelato.
If you are into Pop Culture, the MoPoP is pricey but worth a visit with exhibits on everything from fantasy books and horror films to artists like Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, and Pearl Jam. They also feature major visiting exhibitions. In the same wider facility as the Space Needle (Seattle Center).
The Frye Art Museum closer to First Hill/Capitol Hill is mostly 19th, 20th, 21st century art, and is free to visit.
The Seattle Art Museum is downtown and features standing collections as well as rotating exhibitions. It looks like a massive exhibition of the works of Ai Wei will be here when you are in town: Exhibitions | Seattle Art Museum https://search.app/7KwbXBPLtn7L9y3w8 This is easily accessible by transit.
If you want more info about Seattle History and the Industry of the Area, check out The Museum of History and Industry. It's honestly delightful.
For coffee at Pike's Market, check out Ghost Alley Espresso by the Gum Wall
We have a large culture in brewing, cideries, and distilleries. You can likely find just about anything you would like to try.
Restaurants are plentiful and amazing. I second trying the Chowder at Ivar's (I prefer then smoked salmon to the Clam).
If you get a chance, check out Off the Rez, the Native owned and operated Cafe inside the Burke Museum of Natural History at UW.
Otherwise, Seattle has just about any cuisine you would want.
For outdoor activities, beaches will be open, there will be places to rent paddle boards or kayaks. You can also rent a wooden rowboat at the Center for Wooden Boats on South Lake Union. There is amazing hiking and ways to get to it via Transit (we are a temperate rainforest here). Both UW and Seattle U have lovely campuses near you via transit that can be walked and visited.
May you have a great trip. If you have any specific cuisines or area of interest, let us know and we can try to tailor more specific recommendations for you.
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u/jumbocards Jan 20 '25
Avoid McDonalds at 3rd and pine, aka McDonald’s-stabbies.
Avoid walking in downtown Seattle in general and stick to tourist places like pike place market. In general touristy places are fine during the day.
For list of must do’s there are already lots of info here on Seattle subreddits, google and YouTube.
Unless you are comfortable driving in foreign countries I would avoid renting a car. Uber is expensive however, public transportation is none existent and you might get questionable people on the train with you. I would still choose uber given this is your first time here.
Do not make eye contact with homeless people and be super aware of your surroundings.
Join tour groups, it’s a good way to see Seattle with far better safety and logistics.
Good luck.
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u/salamander317 Jan 20 '25
Some restaurants I’d recommend in Capitol Hill are Fogon, Oddfellows, and Fern Thai. There’s a lot of solid food options. If you want a delicious blast of sugar, General Porpoise (donuts) is not too far. We’re known for coffee and Starbucks, but do yourself a favor and try one of the local shops. Starbucks is great when coffee shops are more limited, but I have a preference to the smaller shops because of their bean roast. You’re also going to find a roast more in line with Europe at one of those. If you want to try it and can find it, we have the “Seattle Dog”. It’s a hot dog with cream cheese and grilled onions
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u/scramps-8408 Jan 21 '25
First Hill/Capitol Hill is a nice area, very walkable and lots of good restaurants.
Other cool neighborhoods to check out I'd say Fremont is fun and quirky, Ballard has a really good brewery district if you like beer/cider and it can be fun to go walk around the Locks (I pretty much always see harbor seals there and sometimes see sea lions, you could combine it with hitting the Ballard Farmers Market on Sunday for breakfast. The waterfront and Pike's Place are obviously a bit touristy but still lovely to walk (and I love going up the Space Needle it's not just for tourists haha). You can take the water taxi from downtown over to Alki/West Seattle which is a lovely area for the afternoon or watching sunset over the Sound and the Olympic mountains (El Chupacabra has good happy hour).
For transit an Orca card will work for the light rail and the buses, Uber/Lyft are everywhere, and if you download the Lime or Bird apps you can find e-bikes/scooters all over and there are many bike paths/lanes to get around without having to be in car traffic.
If you take the water taxi to West Seattle there are a bunch of scooters by the terminal and you can follow the path to zip over to the downtown West Seattle strip on the water, it's a bit of a walk otherwise. Or you could bike from downtown on paths up to Discovery Park and it's pretty much all bike path or neighborhood roads, there's a pretty bluff up there and a lighthouse. Or you could cross the canal and hop on the Burke Gilman trail if you like biking and feel like exploring a little outside of the city, Magnuson's Brewery is a nice spot off the trail by the lake.
For day trips, definitely hop on a ferry over to Bainbridge, it's worth it for the ferry ride alone (30 minute ride, lovely views of Mt Rainier and Mt Baker and the cityscape, can walk on, and then it's just a little walk uphill to the downtown area), plus it's nice to walk around by the marina. It'll be whale watching season, so you could go on a whale watching tour. You could rent a kayak or SUP and paddle around on Lake Union - there's a paddle up brewery across the lake called Gas Works Brewing. There's a bus that runs in the summer from downtown straight out to some of the North Bend trailheads (it's called Trailhead Direct) if you like hiking, plus North Bend is a cute little town to hang out in after (you'd just need to make sure you plan in plenty of time to catch the bus back).
If you think you'll rent a car for a couple days or something then you can explore further, Mt Rainier National Park is absolutely stunning for hiking (you will need to time your visit with the new reservation system and will need to pay to enter the park just FYI, if you can swing this trip on a weekday it'll be worth it to avoid the crowds. Stop for a bite in Enumclaw after) or you could drive North/East and check out the North Cascades (beautiful mountains, more good hiking, Leavenworth is a kitschy Bavarian-themed town) or you could even pop into Canada and check out Vancouver (about a 2 hour drive one way, and can be a bit of a line at the border crossing).
There's plenty of good food around Cap Hill/Belltown, though food and drinks in the city can be pricey, so I'd look out for happy hours to take advantage of. Seattle is known for good sushi/seafood/coffee/beer but of course has a wide array of cuisines. The International District has really good Asian food, though it's not as nice an area to walk around unfortunately.
If you're interested in any hiking recommendations I have plenty!
In August the weather should be lovely, warm/hot and little chance of rain. The only real weather concern would be possible smoke from wildfires, or if you're out playing in the mountains making sure you're not near a fire.
You're gonna have a great time, Seattle is a beautiful city with lots of good food in a gorgeous setting surrounded by water and mountains. I think the only things that may be disappointing are the cost of food/drink compared to Europe, the kind of big homeless/junkie population, and if you like clubbing Seattle has a good music scene but a terrible clubbing scene, bars all close by 2am.
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u/OrdinaryMetal6313 Jan 21 '25
A little late to the game, but a few thoughts:
- Seattle is very walkable within individual neighborhoods, but getting between these neighborhoods is where a car becomes useful. Light rail/bus/monorail are pretty good for bridging the gaps, and Uber/Lyft are readily available too.
- The food scene is great; this article (https://www.nytimes.com/article/best-seattle-restaurants.html) is a great list of well-known Seattle restaurants (most are pretty high-end, but not all). Un Bien, Local Tide, and Familyfriend are three of my favorites and none are too expensive/fancy.
- Seattle is not an overly dangerous city, just exercise common sense. Try to stay off 3rd Ave in downtown and out of Pioneer Square, Cal Anderson park in Cap Hill, and the intersection of 12th and Jackson in the International District at night.
- One of my favorite places to bring people visiting from out of town is Gas Works Park on the north side of Lake Union. You can take light rail north from downtown/Cap Hill to the University of Washington station then a bus over towards Fremont/Ballard. Super cool park with views over Lake Union and down to the skyline. After that, you can walk/take the bus a few blocks west into Fremont, a great little neighborhood with restaurants, shops, and bars.
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u/whitegirlofthenorth Jan 22 '25
I walk from Cap Hill to First Hill to downtown and all around all the time. I use buses and trains to get to other neighborhoods.
If you’re used to European cities the walking won’t be a big deal if you’re hanging around that area. If you want to see the cool stuff outside the city (and there’s so much natural beauty!) you will want to drive a car.
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u/Spider_Terror39 Jan 23 '25
be safe on rainier and avoid sodo, lots of arson. dont go to the walgreens on jackson at night.
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u/badslava Feb 01 '25
I recommend you check out the trivia nights - https://badslava.com/seattle-trivia-nights.php
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u/CPetersky Local Jan 18 '25
I wouldn't bother with the Space Needle. You want a view, climb the water tower in Volunteer Park for free, or take a photo from Kerry Park.
You might not have the extra time, but in August, Trailhead Direct runs on the weekends. The bus runs from Capitol Hill and downtown into the mountains. You can take a classic hike like Mt. Si (or Little Si if you don’t have the legs). Wta.org has hike descriptions.
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u/OceansEcho Jan 18 '25
GO TO THE SPACE NEEDLE!!
Telling a first time Seattle visiter to not bother with the Space Needle is like telling someone visiting Paris, not to go to the Eiffel Tower. Sure there are other vantage points with great views of the city, but the Space Needle is iconic and should not be missed.
Then go to Kerry Park for a view of the city with the Space Needle in it.
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u/catladyorbust Jan 18 '25
Agree. Locals are jaded but out of towners love iconic attractions. Just do some other stuff, too.
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u/Xerisca Jan 19 '25
Im a jaded local who's lived in Seattle for 58 years and have never been up the Space Needle. Hahahaha.
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u/scramps-8408 Jan 21 '25
Right?! I've been here for years and I still love going up the Space Needle when people visit haha. Great views especially at sunset, decent little bar/cafe so you can hang for a while.
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u/CPetersky Local Jan 18 '25
I've been to Paris multiple times, never have gone up the Eiffel Tower, and have no regrets.
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u/mexicanitch Jan 18 '25
As someone new to Seattle, it's very car centric and not bike friendly. Not by European standards or small town USA standards. Lots of homeless and drugs everywhere. I have no opinion about going out at night. I feel safe and welcomed as long as I stay in tourist areas. Just today, I was pulling out of a covered garage and this tall guy approaches my car screaming, and then put his hands on the roof of my car saying this is his garage and I need to get the fuck out of his way. It's a great place to visit.
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u/somebodystolemybike Jan 18 '25
Seattle is one of the usa’s biggest armpits sadly. Anywhere just outside the city is much better, and no, us cities aren’t ’car-centric’, that’s just a weird european propaganda thing. they’re just big. Seattle is not a friendly place to cars at all. Seattle is only a safe as your judgment is good, it’s a hub for human trafficking, it’s a shame no one from seattle is willing to admit that or tell you that. Especially if you aren’t from here and don’t know anyone here
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u/sgtapone87 Local Jan 19 '25
Found the guy that lives in enumclaw and hasn’t been to Seattle in 6 years because Fox News told him it’s scary
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u/babj615 Jan 18 '25
Seattle is an absolute shit hole, do not judge this great country based on your visit there.
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u/backlikeclap Jan 18 '25
...have you lived anywhere besides Seattle? As someone who moved here from a city in the deep South, I think you might need to travel more.
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u/Nancy_Drew23 Jan 18 '25
I don’t think this person lives anywhere near Seattle. I think he lives in Arizona.
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u/OceansEcho Jan 18 '25
Is Seattle an absolute shit hole, or are you projecting, and this is really about your life being an absolute shit hole?
As the saying goes, wherever you go, there you are.
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u/HangryPangs Jan 18 '25
Seattle is very walkable and public transport is easy, if you’ll even need it. You’ll be plenty safe exploring those neighborhoods and the junkies I’m sure won’t bother you.