Find cheap flights to Seattle

Seattle is a large metropolis with a compact downtown area that is home to many of the major tourist attractions. If your accommodation is located in Downtown Seattle, you can explore many of the popular sights on foot. To get around to other parts of the city, you will need to rely on some mode of transportation. The city is notorious for traffic jams, so public transport may be a more efficient way to travel.

Link Light Rail

Sound Transit operates Link light rail that connects the University of Washington to Downtown Seattle and includes 14 stops along the way. Trains run every 6 – 15 minutes and one-way fares range from $2.25 USD – $3.25 USD.

Bus

King County Metro Transit operates buses in Downtown Seattle as well as the neighboring King County. Fares range from $2.50 USD – $3.25 USD based on the time of day and zones traveled. An ORCA regional day pass costing $8.00 USD per person, allows unlimited use of light rail and buses for a period of 24 hours.

Streetcars

There are 2 main streetcar routes in the city. The South Lake Union Streetcar has 11 stops and arrives every 10 – 15 minutes. The First Hill Streetcar operates from Chinatown-International District over to Capitol Hill and has 10 stops in between. Streetcars run every 10 – 25 minutes. The fare is $2.25 USD per person for both the lines.

Monorail

The Seattle Center Monorail goes from Westlake Center to downtown and then over to the base of Queen Anne hill. One-way fares are $2.25 USD per person.

Taxis and ride sharing

Taxis are easily available throughout the city and you can flag one down from the curb, especially in downtown. The meter starts at $2.60 USD followed by $2.70 USD per mile with a wait time charge of $0.50 USD per minute. Ride sharing services from Uber and Lyft are also easily available through their mobile-based app.

No visa is required for domestic travelers within the U.S. For foreign nationals, please check the U.S. Department of State website.

Things to do and places of interest in Seattle

With an excellent oceanside location, opportunities for year-round outdoor activities, a thriving arts scene, and delectable fish and farm markets, Seattle caters to a wide range of travelers. For an authentic Seattle experience try to include some of these activities in your itinerary.

• Visit the Seattle Centre complex and ride to the top of the 605-foot tall iconic Space Needle.
• Admire the art and sculptures of renowned artists at the Seattle Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park. Don’t miss a trip to the Museum of History and Industry for interesting exhibits on a variety of subjects, including technology, culture, and Puget Sound’s maritime past.
• Spend a few hours at the famous Pike Place Market, a vibrant, historic, 1907-dated marketplace, open all year round. Take in the colorful flowers, the aroma of hot-out-of-the-oven breads, and fresh fish straight from the sea. Shop for a range of local produce and cheeses, and don’t miss the ‘flying fish’ show.
• Grab a cup of coffee at the ‘Original Starbucks’, the first store of the Seattle-born brand, Starbucks Coffee.
• See airplanes such as the 747, 767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner being built at the gigantic Boeing factory facility, 25 miles outside of Seattle.
• If you’re traveling with kids, make a trip to the Seattle Aquarium, ride on the 175-foot tall Seattle Great Wheel, and visit the Woodland Park Zoo.
• Enjoy a leisurely stroll at the waterfront in Myrtle Edwards Park.
• Hop on a ferry to Bainbridge Island for a day of hiking, biking, or walking around the Bloedel Reserve or Fort Ward State Park.

Tips and tricks for visiting Seattle

Discover the city under the city

Book the Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour, a 75-minute guided walking tour to discover subterranean storefronts and sidewalks entombed when the city rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire of 1889. The tour begins beneath Doc Maynard’s Public House, then spills into Pioneer Square, before plunging underground for an exclusive, time-capsule view of the buried city.

Invest in a Seattle CityPASS

Pick up a Seattle CityPASS priced at $79.00 USD per adult and $59.00 USD per child (ages 4 – 12) to get significant savings and easy access to several popular sights and attractions.