Best Seattle Reader Tips

We asked Seattle for advice. We received over 250 comments. If you’re heading to Seattle soon, read the top 67 comments in the Staff section of the original post. But if you just want to give it a try, read the best of the best below.

Seattleperson presents the city beautifully :

When Americans are looking for a new place to live, we all say the same thing: I want to live in the city, but also in the countryside. I want to live not only by the ocean, but also in the mountains. Great news guys, this is Seattle.

Bypass

• If you go to Pike Place, “Park at Downtown Gates and take the monorail to Westlake and then walk down to Pike Place from there,” many calls read. Or park near Battery, Wall or Vine, says RyanJW . Or grab something at Target and you can park there for two hours, says Paul Cypert .
• LizColeman cites a guide to Seattle’s worst intersections .
• SEAallday provides a complete guide to communicating with local sports fans. For starters, “you can talk about how bad the Seahawks line of attack has been in the last few years.”
• Rainyeveryday206 has a fun way to make friends: “The best way I know is to play Magic at Starbucks at noon on a weekday.”
• “The hardest part of adjusting to life in Seattle is darkness,” says Serefina . Seattle is so far north that winter nights last from 4 to 9 am “Buy a SAD lamp and a few pounds of Vitamin D gummies, and console yourself with the fact that the summer sun remains until 10:00 pm. The light will return. “
• It’s always good to know which streets have lookalikes . Manik Otti says: “There is a difference between the numbers on Pike Street and East Pike Street.

Roguerolls explains the transit system:

There are 3 systems to be aware of; Metro, Sound Transit and RapidRide. The Metro covers King County, so it’s Seattle and the cities around it, Sound Transit takes you further down Puget Sound to places like Everett and Tacoma, as well as the places that the tracks cover. RapidRide is part of Metro, but uses fixed routes and departs every 10 minutes. The ORCA card covers all 3 cards, so you plan to study it carefully, it might be worth getting it, it will cost you $ 5 + the amount you want to load onto it and can be purchased at most grocery stores (Safeway, QFC).

In another comment, roguerolls describes some of the best areas:

Fremont is a small area that considers itself “the center of the universe” and revels in its quirkiness – here is the Troll under the Fremont Bridge and the statue of Lenin.

Moxxi provides a detailed guide to the “atmosphere” of the city. Here’s an excerpt about the Seattle Freeze :

Yes, Seattle is very white and slightly Asian, especially north of the ship canal. Imagine a ScandoAsian who can explain the concept of the Seattle freeze. We are reserved, polite and somewhat friendly, but not very straightforward … You shouldn’t honk here.

Entertainment

• Boring though loves MoPOP, a pop culture museum.
• Mantequilla recommends renting an electric boat with hydromassage .
• According to Annisard , Card Kingdom is “a giant board games store with an adjoining restaurant and bar with tables and lighting for your new games.”
• Skip the Space Needle, says nish80 . “The Columbia Tower is much taller, much cheaper, there are not many pedestrians, and Pike Place Market is easily accessible on foot.”
• Klondike Goldrush National Park, as reported by RKD , “tells the story of how the gold rush brought Seattle to the map.”
• “If you’re a Bruce Lee fan, check out the Wing Luke Museum in Chinatown,” says Netrunner .
• “There are TONS of quests ,” says YeahRight , “some of the best in the country. Especially prison block # 18. “
• Some readers recommend the University of Washington campus. The artist formerly known as … loves the ATV, the Suzzallo Library Reading Room, and the “Atrium of the Allen Library, where all the crows carry letters from all languages.”

The most underrated entertainment available, says West Virginia Sue , is the husky sport:

They are all very affordable, $ 5 to $ 10 per ticket, except for football. I liked volleyball, gymnastics, men’s soccer, baseball, softball, men’s basketball, and indoor track. Student games at UW and Seattle U are affordable and excellent.

Find the secret park, says Liz Coleman :

Seattle is a great place to walk as there are many hidden small parks. If you go to Kerry Park (where the cover image was taken), leave the crowd behind and continue west along the road to the end, where you will find a tiny park with few visitors. The views of the city center are not so good, but the views of the bay, strait and mountains are top notch. If you turn around, there is a square hidden behind the wall of the hedge.

Hike the Cascades , says AlpineBelle :

Looking for an easy hike for the whole family? Visit the Coal Creek Trail, Franklin Falls, or simply stroll through Discovery Park, home to Fort Lawton, with stunning views of Puget Sound.

Or head south to Mount St. Helens, says steve.w.schow :

Try the Lake Trail in the Mount St Helens area. The lake didn’t even exist before the eruption. Obviously, there are many new growths, wildflowers, and the water is very blue-green. The best sights are the hillsides dotted with tree stumps … you can only imagine how the whole area was pelted with lava and ash, and the trees were swept away. Still frozen in time almost 40 years later.

Visit the Aviation Museum, says CrossTraffic :

You can board one of Air Force One’s 707-based jets that have flown Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ and Nixon, as well as the first decent flight 747 and Concorde. You can also head to Renton to tour Boeing on assembly lines 737 and 787.

While you’re there, says DogRidingRodeoMonkey , ” go to Randy’s for breakfast with a greasy spoon frozen in time.”

Here’s how to cool down for an hour after crinkling :

If you want to see some of the happiest dogs on a summer day, take a walk in Magnusson Park and go to the off-leash dog park. There is a rocky beach on Lake Washington where you can see packs of dogs playing in the water.

Even when you warn you about disconnecting an attraction, taraas is of great importance:

The Washington State Arboretum mostly sucks. Nature reigns around Seattle, so it’s best to just leave the city for the mountains, the valley, the ocean, or the State Olympic Park. The arboretum is just dumb. I mean it would be cool in the Great Plains, but it doesn’t make sense in PNW: just get out of town.

I want to fully convey the joy of this commentator:

And one last museum tip:

Food and drink

• “If you want coffee, go to Victrola, Milstead, Herkimer, Seattle Coffee Works or Porchlight,” says 1025dsgn .
• Avoid Italian, BBQ, Mexican or French, advises PlaystoomuchHALO . “Asian cuisine, fusion and seafood reign here.”
• Valuaz recommends restaurant Ivar’s Salmon House is , who is also a copy of the long cedar home of Native Americans.
• “Eat at Long Provincial. Get the bun, says Nathan E. Milos .
• If you still want Mexican, ZimmWisdom recommends Taqueria El Rinconcito and El Toreador.
• Gluten-free food and beer at Ghostfish Brewery is said by many . “Suitable for children and dogs.” There is also a Capitol Cider, but the parking is poor.
• Vegans should try the metal-themed Highline, says GGxGG , plus Vegan Haven, Wayward, Plum Bistro, and the Cookie Counter, Phyzzi says.
• Avoid the crowds in Pike Place and walk the block to Pochtoviy Lane, says steve.w.schow . “The pink door is a great stop. At night there is a burlesque show. Not really my type, but you can enjoy the giant indoor swing at lunch. ”
• “The pasta on Spinassa was excellent,” says Tikallion the Baptist . “One of the top 3 pasta dishes I’ve ever eaten.”
• Piroshki Piroshki are fantastic pastries, both savory and sweet, says drsteinhaus .
• DJbeardo ‘s detailed guide includes this extensive recommendation: “Any teriyaki store in any mall next to any tanning salon / hairdresser / nail salon. All teriyaki are the same: bad for you, too sweet, next to a weirdly sad salad, and delicious! “
• Our very own Virginia K. Smith offers “Ezell’s for fried chicken so delicious Oprah used to deliver it to Chicago.”

FieldofTears recommends over a dozen establishments , including a coffee shop:

Slate coffee roasters. If you want to completely pretend this is the place. They take coffee very seriously and you can see it. You pay for it financially and with dignity, as baristas are known to be wildly condescending.

And we really shouldn’t be encouraging this behavior, but:

Come back Monday when we cross the Pacific Ocean.

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