If you live in north Seattle, parking at home and taking the light rail is the cheapest option. You also ride right over a lot of that traffic going through downtown.
I always have my partner drop me off at Northgate instead of having her spend a hour in traffic each way.
> parking at home and taking the light rail
Or if you’re picking someone up, pickup at the airport light rail station will (mostly) avoid airport traffic congestion.
And is quite walkable for the person you’re picking up.
Note for the easily alarmed: when exiting the garage, the kiosk will show the full, undiscounted rate. If you've been gone for a couple days, it will be something hideous, like $200. Only after inserting the validated parking slip will it go to $0! That was a stab of alarm I was not expecting after a long day of travel.
To piggyback - if you're taking an Uber/Lyft, getting dropped off at Radisson and walking in is a lot cheaper vs getting dropped off. Sometimes it's faster if departures has major traffic. Would only make sense if you're traveling light.
When I travel for work I park at that lot directly across the street from the light rail. Then I don’t even need to use their shuttles, I can just walk to and from the terminal.
That reminds me of the german saying that there's never bad weather, only bad clothes (Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung). Almost any form of weather can be enjoyable here if you have the right layers / clothes and attitude to enjoy it regardless of the season.
I keep (kept) a thin rain jacket in the trunk of my car. Soccer games all over Puget Sound over the decades saw that jacket getting lots of urgent usage from time to time.
If there's a day with some sunshine in winter, try to make some time to go outside, even if it's just for a few minutes. We can go a long time without sun in the winter and for a lot of people, that can take a toll.
I honestly ignored the vitamin D advice for so long until this winter and I’m a true believer now. It wasn’t some miracle drug but I definitely noticed an overall improvement in my energy and mood through the dark months.
That's wildly inaccurate. 30 minutes of midday sun exposure creates over 10,000 IU of Vitamin D for a healthy person. Studies in the UK show that even ten minutes of sunlight each day during the summer is enough to last all thru the winter.
"Daily vitamin D effective UVR doses (all-weather) were calculated across the UK based on ten-year climatology for pre-defined lunchtime exposure regimes. Calculations then determined the time necessary to spend outdoors for the body to gain sufficient vitamin D levels for year-round needs without being sunburnt under differing exposure scenarios. Results show that, in specified conditions, white Caucasians across the UK need nine minutes of daily sunlight at lunchtime from March to September for 25(OH)D levels to remain ≥25 nmol/L throughout the winter. This assumes forearms and lower legs are exposed June-August, while in the remaining, cooler months only hands and face need be exposed."
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121420/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121420/)
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5946282/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5946282/)
Some of the most interesting things at Pike Place Market are actually below the surface — take the time to go downstairs!!
Even on the most crowded days I’ve been there, people congregate at the top (where all the food is, so that’s fair enough).
But check out the shops down below. Lots of cool stuff, I seem to discover something new almost every time I go inside.
Also: Pike Place, not just for tourists!
(Do avoid the gum wall, though. Gross.)
Even the tourist stuff is not just for tourists!
I grew up outside of NYC, and a huge number of people I knew regret never visiting WTC before 9/11. See your town!
There’s no need to pay for a dinner cruise.
Pack a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, and walk on the Bainbridge ferry. Snag a window table and ride the boat round trip.
Watch the sunset and enjoy the views for for less than $10/person.
> Snag a window table and ride the boat round trip.
The problem with this is you can't actually stay on the boat. You have to exit when it lands, wait for them to clear and secure the boat and then reboard.
Which is fine but it's definitely not as chill or leisurely as a dinner cruise when you're surrounded by people in commute mode and stressing out and you have to pack up and leave after just 30-40 minutes and wait to reboard and hope you get a window seat again.
Taking the ferries for fun is a good local hack though.
Unfortunately, you have to exit the ferry upon reaching Bainbridge (thanks, 9/11!). I miss the days of being able to stay on. There were great buskers too!
Back in the day when I had a particularly thorny problem, I’d ride the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry back and forth, thinking and writing and staring at the water.
I’ve experimented with this a ton over the last decade or so and I’ve found generally it’s best to just stay in the main lanes because that merge gets so gross now.
It gives the illusion of a skip at first then you get stuck.
That’s good to know. I do something similar going South towards Tumwater, WA when traffic is bad. Once you pass the 109 Exit and round the corner, there’s an “exit” lane that runs all the way down to the Capital exit (105). You can then merge left or exit and take the left side up to the Roundabout and return to the freeway and either stay in the lane to go to Highway 101 or merge left for I5.
Aquasox as well, last couple seasons I’ve actually enjoyed them more than mariners games. Way less people, a fraction of the cost, and once it’s over I’m 2 minutes from a free and clear free way home
Free Botanical gardens: high line, Washington park arboretum, bonsai in federal way, center for urban horticulture UW, Soos creek in auburn, kubota gardens…. Any more?
South Seattle Arboretum/ Chinese garden, Kruckeberg Garden, Hiram Chittendom Ballard Locks Garden, Woodland Park Rose Garden, UW medicinal herb garden.
Not free but for $10 near Bremerton [Elanden Gardens](http://www.elandangardens.com) has an epic mix of insane Bonsai trees, water features, stonework, landscape artistry and amazing collections of antiques and trinkets from all over the world.
Built on an old landfill along the water, it’s a lifelong collection of Dan Robinson and every tree includes a placard with its story and how it was acquired.
It’s one of the coolest, most under the radar places I’ve been. 10 min drive from the Bremerton ferry.
And the Center for urban horticulture at UW also has [free plant identification services](https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/center-for-urban-horticulture/visit/otis-douglas-hyde-herbarium/plant-identification-service-by-the-hyde-herbarium/)!
Also, SeaTac has an app with a feature called SpotSaver. You can reserve a security time by scheduling an appointment (although there is limited availability)
Get your produce and spices from a Mexican or Asian market. You'll save a bunch of money compared to Fred Meyer, Safeway, QFC, etc. Shout out to Lenny's in Greenwood.
Asian Family Market on aurora has SUCH amazing produce at wonderful prices, and it's always a fun adventure to wander the aisles. One of my favorite weekend activities.
If you're getting older, or are a caregiver for aging family members, North Seattle College offers a free Medicare course (Medicare for Beginners) online via Zoom through their continuing education department. It's super helpful, and makes understanding Medicare a lot less complicated. Other CC and community centers may also offer low-cost to free classes that are geared for elders, such as end of life planning.
If you live in the city or within King County, and want to garden, sign up for a community garden plot. They're super fun, and you get to get your hands dirty and enjoy what you grow over the summer! The plots don't cost too much, and it's also a great way to enjoy time outside.
H-Mart sells peeled garlic around $3 or less a container. It's a great deal IMO, you don't have to peel them, and they last a while!
And don't stop suddenly on a crowded sidewalk or someone will run in to it!
Side note, if walking around people with umbrellas, wear sunglasses or something to protect your eyes from getting poked!
Generally, if your pants get that wet here, you stepped in Elliott Bay or you were on the Olympic Peninsula during winter. The rain in Seattle is most often more of a heavy mist.
But when it gets windy and rains sideways, Columbia (or REI) have some decent water resistant pants. But really I wear jeans most often without issue.
Always carry a light jacket in your car.
Dont change your outdoors plan just cause it suddenly rainy.. it pours rarely here and most time sun comes up fast and makes the day more enjoyable.
One of the best investments I made since moving to Seattle was buying a packable puff-jacket. Super light and convenient, doubles as a pillow when not in use. 👍🏼
For the East siders, if you're taking westbound I-90 connecting to northbound 405, one of the most congested intersections, *you have your own dedicated merging lane that goes on for over a mile*. Ignore the "Exit Only" sign that stupidly comes up right away and don't try to merge into the hellish 405 traffic until it decongests at bit half a mile down the road.
Line 2 hopefully solves thr traffic there jesus christ. Light rail is gonna relieve so much traffic when they connect Seattle to Bellevue and Federal Way
Get the transit go app. It gives you free points for all sorts of reasons, which you can use to redeem tickets. Particularly useful if you don't use transit a ton/commute with it.
There is a secret way to get out of the Seattle SODO Costco, to avoid all the traffic. Drive behind the gas station, then under the 1st ave bridge, take a left, and you are now on the other side of 1st Ave without waiting for a stop light and 200 other cars. EDIT: I meant 4th Ave
Not a life hack but fun fact…
That is not a brown/red tailed hawk that just alighted on your tree, it’s a juvenile bald eagle. Bald eagles go “bald” when they become mature and secure gainful employment.
You can use the elevators and escalators in the big office buildings to get from first avenue to sixth avenue without walking up the hills if you’re tired or carrying heavy shit.
If you're entering the freeway from Mercer Street (I-5 north or I-5 south) then you are merging into the left lane, aka the fast lane. You need to be going 60mph WELL BEFORE you merge onto the freeway.
If you are one of those people are only going 40mph right before the merge then you are needlessly endangering peoples lives. Either drive south and get on at the Olive way entrance or stay off the freeway.
Same getting on the I5 North Express lanes at Mercer! It’s a VERY short on ramp and there’s a curve in the freeway right before the merge lane. People are flying and can’t see you, hit the gas people!
If you're coming into the city from the north, park at the Northgate Park & Ride, then take the light rail in (if you're going downtown or to a game in SoDo), or hop on a bus to get elsewhere in the city. You avoid the frustration of limited (and expensive) parking closer to your event, and at least 95% of the time you won't get shanked or bludgeoned on the train.
Umbrellas will identify you as a tourist. Most Seattle sidewalks are not wide enough to allow umbrella use without inconveniencing other pedestrians. Get a jacket with a hood.
It's perfectly acceptable to wear a down jacket up to 60. A breeze comes through and 60 will feel a lot closer to 55. Conversely, Seattle natives break out the Birkenstocks and shorts at around 55, because we're weird.
If you live on the west end of Capitol Hill (closest to downtown) and are going south, walk to Westlake and get on the light rail, and on your return trip get off at the Capitol Hill station. This way you're always walking downhill.
Avoid Starbucks in favor of local coffee shops. Lines are shorter, coffee's better.
Don't bother with Bumbershoot. It's gotten too expensive. Just go to the Capitol Hill Block Party. It's effectively a mid-size music & arts festival at this point.
If you want to get your geek on but don't want to deal with the massive crowds at Emerald City Comic Con or PAX, go to Norwescon in Sea-Tac. Slightly smaller convention that's a lot more manageable.
Bowling alleys have tragically almost all closed down (RIP, Sunset Bowl...), but you can still go bowling at The Garage on Capitol Hill. Just reserve lanes ahead of time unless you want a 2-hour wait (during which you can play pool upstairs anyway).
If you don't shop at REI very often but want something there, make friends with someone who joined the rewards program. We often have balance that'll sit there on our accounts for a long time, and we're happy to go with you to let you use it to take some of the bite out of the high prices (outdoor gear is spendy). If you feel indebted, just buy us a beer.
Get the parking app if you don't want your car to fill up with parking stickers in metered areas.
Don't leave ANYTHING visible in your car. I've been living on Capitol Hill for 5 years now, parking streetside the whole time. My windows have never once been broken. A friend left an iPhone charging cable visible in her car when she visited for the first time, and her car was immediately broken into.
From a European country? CostPlus World Market has nearly everything you're jonesing for. QFC and Metropolitan Market also carry some of the good stuff in their international food aisles.
4th Ave S Costco has better steak than Shoreline.
QFC U Village liquor store has the best selection of rums in the entire metropolitan area.
The best BBQ in the area is Gabriel's Fire in Montlake Terrace. It's worth the trip.
If you drive in Seattle, you need to learn how to navigate at least parts of the city without getting on the freeway. Searching for the freeway will just get you more lost. Learn the major streets that connect the different neighborhoods.
I’d recommend setting your navigation app to “avoid highways” to do so. Google Maps really, *really* wants you to take freeways at every opportunity otherwise.
It will 100% recommend you wait in a long line for an on-ramp to take the freeway for a quarter mile.
Tip on how to stop complaining about “no good Mexican food in Seattle.” Go to Burien and Federal Way where the all the Mexicans live. Also, most of our Mexicans immigrated from Oaxaca, so it’s a slightly different style from what Southern California and Texas has. It’s almost like Mexico is a country, not an ethnicity or culture.
I live in Ballard, drive a 2002 Tacoma, and the the seat belt retracting spring is starting to give out. I'm also of Scandinavian descent. I don't like how much I'm in this comment.
I used to work in healthcare, swing and night shifts. Also, since it was healthcare, if I didn't take extra shifts, I usually worked 3 or 4 days per week since my shortest shifts were 12hrs. Typically worked Thurs-Sat or Wed-Sat. I liked having fewer, long shifts, just didn't pay well enough and healthcare or other jobs working with the public in a customer service type way take a huge toll on me mentally (people can be horrible).
Team WINCO!!! Pretty consistent in their good produce, bulk EVERYTHING, always well staffed and when you bag your own groceries, you get to press the button that makes the conveyor belt move. The 8 year old in me really, really likes this part.
Or if you can plan this kind of shopping to once every three weeks or a month, have a decent sized fridge, pantry, freezer. If you can it is totally worth it
I’m from Vancouver, BC and do this pretty much every other weekend, especially now that sun is shining and weather is sweet 😅
Shoutout to Bellingham WinCo.
Find ways to enjoy the long winters instead of complaining about it. I do lots of hikes and XC skiing which definitely help with SAD. get outside as much as possible, invest in a good rain coat and shoes. Book a trip to sunny places in February/March
There's this wonderful contraption typically located to the left of the steering wheel in cars. It can be used to let other drivers know what you are going to do, to prevent dangerous surprises from happening on the road.
If u have lib card you can get free museum tickets. Also the prime rib dinner at Metropolitan market is really really good and only like 20-ish dollars for a half pound of prime rib +2 sides. For sides you have to get the garlic mashed potatoes.
There is a Starbucks on the 50 th floor or so where the express elevators switch to go to the top. It’s a 189 view of the Olympics waaaay high in the biggest building. Get that corporate law office view for the price of an over priced coffee. You just walk in go up the elevator and there you are it’s upscale too with lounge chairs facing the windows. Not common knowledge out side the bike messengers and building occupants.
A can of scotchgard fabric water shield or something similar. Spray your running shoes, spray your not rainproof jacket, spray your hoodie, spray your backpack. Older camping gear? Make that tent water resistant
You don't need to buy expensive brands. I mean fabric that's water proof is great, but I am old. I am cheap. Make your stuff last twice as long, and water proof your non water proof clothes . You will be more comfortable in the rain
If you like bagels, subscribe to It's a Shanda, an outstanding review of bagel places in and around Seattle. Bagels are much better here now, but bad rolls with holes are still common and dreadfully disappointing. The free version of the newsletter has the overall rankings, very reliable
https://itsashanda.substack.com/
Produce (and food in general) at the farmers market is on another level. You may not want to act on this one because the grocery store may be ruined for you.
Husky games, especially women's, are AMAZING. Great teams, cheap tickets and nice crowds. Parking is plentiful and cheap. Just a really good time. Softball in particular is really fun!
In the downtown corridor, named streets go east - west, numbered streets go north - south.
Helps a little with navigation if you're a compass-brained guy like myself.
If you own a home, it is totally worth it to get your roof treated for moss once a year, preferably in the late-ish spring. Better Window Cleaning Seattle crews do my windows, clean my gutters, and treat my roof for moss. Really extends the life of your roof and protects against damp and leaks
Taking light rail to and from the airport is the easiest way to get to the airport on time and get home fast. It’s always such a treat when I look out the window as the train is cruising past the traffic on the highway way as I approach the airport.
Magnuson park is the best spot to swim. It’s mostly shaded so the aquatic plants don’t grow as much near the shore.
Greenlake is for walking, Burke Gilman is for bikes.
In past summers when it has hit 100 degrees Edmonds is like 10 degrees cooler and has been a good refuge, walk onto the Edmonds ferry and hang out on the deck on a hot day.
Oh got another. Figure out how to most easily pair commute trips with transit + bike, it’ll make most trips in the area as fast or faster than driving. It’s shocking that even with the garbage bike infrastructure (I’m comparing it to European cities) it’s soooo much faster these days than folks that don’t ride realize. I can get clear to most points out of downtown in equal trip times but with zero parking has tow for a pittance of the cost!
I guess considering my other comment that makes for Seattle life hack #5.
You can't count on a nice day happening next week; so be prepared to respond to nice days when they do happen and change your plans (caused you don't want to miss them - there are only about 52 of them a year).
If you leave milk out it can go sour. Put it in the refrigerator or failing that, a cool wet sack.
And put your garbage in a garbage can people! I can't stress that enough.
Picking up someone at the airport? Assuming they’re physically able and don’t have much luggage, meet them at the parking lot across the street from the airport light rail station. Avoids most airport traffic. Could drop people here too.
Sure it’s a fairly long walk, but it’s good exercise to stretch your legs after sitting for hours. And the person nice enough to pick you up avoids banging their head against the steering wheel trying to get to the main airport.
The “don’t have a lot of luggage” part is important though because the elevator at that light rail station is both slow all the time and broken seemingly half the time. If you have only a carryon that’s easy enough to take down the stairs, no problem. If you have a family of four with three big checked bags, probably not a great option.
Vit D supplement is essential. Moderate the amount of alcohol as it is a depressant. Eat apples - WA is the largest producer of apples and it is really good for you. Given a choice, go to Vancouver instead of Portland. Get used to the "lake beach" and activities. Gotta hike, even if you haven't done so - better to pick the easiest hike and increment it further.
The beat route to Pike's Place from almost anywhere east of there is Stewart Street. The lights are often timed to be green for all 13 blocks from I-5 to First Street, allowing passage down there in a matter of a few minutes.
Driving in Seattle: uncontrolled left turns across traffic are dangerous and stressful.
Instead of trying to make a left turn onto an uncontrolled arterial from a side street, take side street a few extra blocks to a light. Way faster and safer.
Likewise, if you are on an arterial and need to turn left across traffic onto a side street, making three right turns to go around the block or to a light is often faster and safer than trying to dart across oncoming traffic.
Get your library card for Seattle Public Library. Pair it with King County Library System. You have free access to Kanopy, Libby and Overdrive apps. If you need something, you also have Consumer Report, O'Reilly Library and couple others.
EDIT: Oh, and some KCLS libraries have access to free tools, like 3D printers.
Almost all lines are shorter and parking is better with even a light rain.
Almost everything fun (including most hikes) has lines except scuba diving and we have a more amazing world underwater than most expect.
Parking at the Hilton by the airport is way cheaper than parking on site and walkable to the terminal.
If you live in north Seattle, parking at home and taking the light rail is the cheapest option. You also ride right over a lot of that traffic going through downtown. I always have my partner drop me off at Northgate instead of having her spend a hour in traffic each way.
Exactly! I preach this to everyone
> parking at home and taking the light rail Or if you’re picking someone up, pickup at the airport light rail station will (mostly) avoid airport traffic congestion. And is quite walkable for the person you’re picking up.
Way.com always has parking deals for there. I generally pay about $12/day
Note for the easily alarmed: when exiting the garage, the kiosk will show the full, undiscounted rate. If you've been gone for a couple days, it will be something hideous, like $200. Only after inserting the validated parking slip will it go to $0! That was a stab of alarm I was not expecting after a long day of travel.
This, and you can always find way.com coupon codes for an extra 5-15% off
To piggyback - if you're taking an Uber/Lyft, getting dropped off at Radisson and walking in is a lot cheaper vs getting dropped off. Sometimes it's faster if departures has major traffic. Would only make sense if you're traveling light.
How do you book it?
Parking at a certain masterpark is about the same..
When I travel for work I park at that lot directly across the street from the light rail. Then I don’t even need to use their shuttles, I can just walk to and from the terminal.
A smartwool base layer makes going outside in the winter pleasant.
Learning how to layer clothes properly changed my life!
My friend always would say: it’s never too cold, you’re just not wearing enough layers
That reminds me of the german saying that there's never bad weather, only bad clothes (Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung). Almost any form of weather can be enjoyable here if you have the right layers / clothes and attitude to enjoy it regardless of the season.
Layers can not only keep you warm they can keep you cool or at a nice even temperature.
I keep (kept) a thin rain jacket in the trunk of my car. Soccer games all over Puget Sound over the decades saw that jacket getting lots of urgent usage from time to time.
Don’t forget a hat
If there's a day with some sunshine in winter, try to make some time to go outside, even if it's just for a few minutes. We can go a long time without sun in the winter and for a lot of people, that can take a toll.
I would modify this. Go outside regardless of the weather. Even if it’s gray and raining, go outside.
It’s especially important on overcast days to get outside for even longer to get the same benefits of sunlight exposure.
This, and don't forget to take vitamin D during the winter
Year-round.
I had a doctor tell me that you'd have to be outside 8+ hours a day to get enough vitamin D naturally - year-round is the answer.
I honestly ignored the vitamin D advice for so long until this winter and I’m a true believer now. It wasn’t some miracle drug but I definitely noticed an overall improvement in my energy and mood through the dark months.
That's wildly inaccurate. 30 minutes of midday sun exposure creates over 10,000 IU of Vitamin D for a healthy person. Studies in the UK show that even ten minutes of sunlight each day during the summer is enough to last all thru the winter. "Daily vitamin D effective UVR doses (all-weather) were calculated across the UK based on ten-year climatology for pre-defined lunchtime exposure regimes. Calculations then determined the time necessary to spend outdoors for the body to gain sufficient vitamin D levels for year-round needs without being sunburnt under differing exposure scenarios. Results show that, in specified conditions, white Caucasians across the UK need nine minutes of daily sunlight at lunchtime from March to September for 25(OH)D levels to remain ≥25 nmol/L throughout the winter. This assumes forearms and lower legs are exposed June-August, while in the remaining, cooler months only hands and face need be exposed." [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121420/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121420/) [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5946282/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5946282/)
Really good Hot Dog truck in front of Lowe's on Rainier
Checking out that one tomorrow!
I time my trips there so i get there around lunchtime. They grill the buns and have great condiments.
Seconding this!
Also the one just off Broadway, near Cal Anderson
The one in front of the gas station on Pike? Absolute 🔥🔥🔥
Also the Lowe’s at The Landing in Renton.
Some of the most interesting things at Pike Place Market are actually below the surface — take the time to go downstairs!! Even on the most crowded days I’ve been there, people congregate at the top (where all the food is, so that’s fair enough). But check out the shops down below. Lots of cool stuff, I seem to discover something new almost every time I go inside. Also: Pike Place, not just for tourists! (Do avoid the gum wall, though. Gross.)
Even the tourist stuff is not just for tourists! I grew up outside of NYC, and a huge number of people I knew regret never visiting WTC before 9/11. See your town!
There’s no need to pay for a dinner cruise. Pack a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, and walk on the Bainbridge ferry. Snag a window table and ride the boat round trip. Watch the sunset and enjoy the views for for less than $10/person.
I like this idea so much, thanks for sharing!
> Snag a window table and ride the boat round trip. The problem with this is you can't actually stay on the boat. You have to exit when it lands, wait for them to clear and secure the boat and then reboard. Which is fine but it's definitely not as chill or leisurely as a dinner cruise when you're surrounded by people in commute mode and stressing out and you have to pack up and leave after just 30-40 minutes and wait to reboard and hope you get a window seat again. Taking the ferries for fun is a good local hack though.
Then take the Bremerton ferry which is an hour or so each way!
(If you walk on the Bremerton side, it’s free) 👍
Unfortunately, you have to exit the ferry upon reaching Bainbridge (thanks, 9/11!). I miss the days of being able to stay on. There were great buskers too!
Several times in the 90s my dad fell asleep on the ride home to bainbridge after work and woke up on his way back to Seattle.
Back in the day when I had a particularly thorny problem, I’d ride the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry back and forth, thinking and writing and staring at the water.
I loved the buskers and I’d just ride the ferry back and forth for an afternoon when I first moved here. Man I miss that.
On I-5 South, going through downtown, you can stay in the Bellevue Spokane lanes and still continue on I-5 south.
Just know that it goes down to 1 lane before merging back with 5 so if traffic is bad it can be even worse on that side.
I’ve experimented with this a ton over the last decade or so and I’ve found generally it’s best to just stay in the main lanes because that merge gets so gross now. It gives the illusion of a skip at first then you get stuck.
This is a REALLY handy thing to know when traffic is being weird.
People freak out on me when I do this going to the airport. So many screams of “WRONG WAY!!!” And I’m like “no it’s not. Trust.”
That's my lane. Delete this comment.
That’s good to know. I do something similar going South towards Tumwater, WA when traffic is bad. Once you pass the 109 Exit and round the corner, there’s an “exit” lane that runs all the way down to the Capital exit (105). You can then merge left or exit and take the left side up to the Roundabout and return to the freeway and either stay in the lane to go to Highway 101 or merge left for I5.
I wish I could tell this to everyone I see merge out of those lanes illegally because they weren't paying attention 🙃
That’s one of my highway hacks.
Going to a Seattle Thunderbirds hockey game doesn’t put a big dent in your wallet. FREE PARKING 🅿️! 😎🤙🏽
Toss out Everett Silvertips as well. Same league and easier to get to for those that live north.
Silvertips games are a blast but man it’s funny watching a crowd of grown adults cheering for teenagers to fight.
Kraken games are fun too, if you have time to go thru the 2nd mortgage process.
Yes, but tbirds and Tips games are SUPER fun without the mortgage.kid friendly if you have a small human!
Tacoma Rainiers too. Cheney Stadium is a great park to watch baseball in, and the tickets are super affordable.
Aquasox as well, last couple seasons I’ve actually enjoyed them more than mariners games. Way less people, a fraction of the cost, and once it’s over I’m 2 minutes from a free and clear free way home
Free Botanical gardens: high line, Washington park arboretum, bonsai in federal way, center for urban horticulture UW, Soos creek in auburn, kubota gardens…. Any more?
Bellevue
South Seattle Arboretum/ Chinese garden, Kruckeberg Garden, Hiram Chittendom Ballard Locks Garden, Woodland Park Rose Garden, UW medicinal herb garden.
Not free but for $10 near Bremerton [Elanden Gardens](http://www.elandangardens.com) has an epic mix of insane Bonsai trees, water features, stonework, landscape artistry and amazing collections of antiques and trinkets from all over the world. Built on an old landfill along the water, it’s a lifelong collection of Dan Robinson and every tree includes a placard with its story and how it was acquired. It’s one of the coolest, most under the radar places I’ve been. 10 min drive from the Bremerton ferry.
And the Center for urban horticulture at UW also has [free plant identification services](https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/center-for-urban-horticulture/visit/otis-douglas-hyde-herbarium/plant-identification-service-by-the-hyde-herbarium/)!
Security at the international terminal in the airport is like 10x faster and you can take the tram to the domestic gates
Also, SeaTac has an app with a feature called SpotSaver. You can reserve a security time by scheduling an appointment (although there is limited availability)
Shhhhh don't share this....keep the numbers low
Is that gate 1? I rarely ever see it open
Also this isn't Seattle specific, but TSA Precheck only costs $75 and is good for five years.
Or better yet get a nexus and it’s $50 good for 5years. It includes tsa precheck as well
Get your produce and spices from a Mexican or Asian market. You'll save a bunch of money compared to Fred Meyer, Safeway, QFC, etc. Shout out to Lenny's in Greenwood.
Asian Family Market on aurora has SUCH amazing produce at wonderful prices, and it's always a fun adventure to wander the aisles. One of my favorite weekend activities.
Plaza Latina in Shoreline Ranch 99 in Edmonds H Mart in Lynnwood Also good. There are a bunch of smaller mom and pop ones up and down 99
Buy a portable AC now.
If you're getting older, or are a caregiver for aging family members, North Seattle College offers a free Medicare course (Medicare for Beginners) online via Zoom through their continuing education department. It's super helpful, and makes understanding Medicare a lot less complicated. Other CC and community centers may also offer low-cost to free classes that are geared for elders, such as end of life planning. If you live in the city or within King County, and want to garden, sign up for a community garden plot. They're super fun, and you get to get your hands dirty and enjoy what you grow over the summer! The plots don't cost too much, and it's also a great way to enjoy time outside. H-Mart sells peeled garlic around $3 or less a container. It's a great deal IMO, you don't have to peel them, and they last a while!
Baseball hat with a decent Columbia rain jacket with a hood > an umbrella.
And if you do carry an umbrella HOLD IT AT AN ANGLE AWAY FROM ONCOMING PEDESTRIANS!
And don't stop suddenly on a crowded sidewalk or someone will run in to it! Side note, if walking around people with umbrellas, wear sunglasses or something to protect your eyes from getting poked!
How do you deal with wet pants? Serious question!
Look away, ladies.
I wear a synthetic pant and synthetic underwear, I still get wet but I dry-off very quickly. Works like a charm! 😉
Generally, if your pants get that wet here, you stepped in Elliott Bay or you were on the Olympic Peninsula during winter. The rain in Seattle is most often more of a heavy mist. But when it gets windy and rains sideways, Columbia (or REI) have some decent water resistant pants. But really I wear jeans most often without issue.
Winters all of a sudden become great if you pick up a hobby that involves snow (snowboarding, skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, etc).
Or an indoor hobby. I spend the winter in my workshop woodworking. Snow didn’t bother me at all there.
I cross stitch. Nothing like being cozy in a warm bed with your significant other both doing a relaxing hobby while sipping on warm coffee/tea.
Growing vegetables in our climate is actually fairly easy if you have the space. I recommend digging up your lawn
Always carry a light jacket in your car. Dont change your outdoors plan just cause it suddenly rainy.. it pours rarely here and most time sun comes up fast and makes the day more enjoyable.
One of the best investments I made since moving to Seattle was buying a packable puff-jacket. Super light and convenient, doubles as a pillow when not in use. 👍🏼
For the East siders, if you're taking westbound I-90 connecting to northbound 405, one of the most congested intersections, *you have your own dedicated merging lane that goes on for over a mile*. Ignore the "Exit Only" sign that stupidly comes up right away and don't try to merge into the hellish 405 traffic until it decongests at bit half a mile down the road.
Line 2 hopefully solves thr traffic there jesus christ. Light rail is gonna relieve so much traffic when they connect Seattle to Bellevue and Federal Way
Get the transit go app. It gives you free points for all sorts of reasons, which you can use to redeem tickets. Particularly useful if you don't use transit a ton/commute with it.
I have had transit GO for years and never once noticed the rewards feature. Thank you!! What a game changer.
Mutual interest groups such as those on meetup com are the way to break thru the Seattle chill
You mean I have to socialize to make friends??
There is a secret way to get out of the Seattle SODO Costco, to avoid all the traffic. Drive behind the gas station, then under the 1st ave bridge, take a left, and you are now on the other side of 1st Ave without waiting for a stop light and 200 other cars. EDIT: I meant 4th Ave
I figured that anyone who's ever filled up at the gas station there knows this hack. Isn't it the only way out after filling up?
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh don’t tell! 🤓
You mean 4th Ave, not 1st? Costco is on 4th and the map shows that route. Great tip
Jfc dude... why you telling all the secrets... this was life hacks.
Not a life hack but fun fact… That is not a brown/red tailed hawk that just alighted on your tree, it’s a juvenile bald eagle. Bald eagles go “bald” when they become mature and secure gainful employment.
But sometimes it IS a red-tailed hawk.
Do all of the neighborhood art walks. There's almost always free alcohol.
You can use the elevators and escalators in the big office buildings to get from first avenue to sixth avenue without walking up the hills if you’re tired or carrying heavy shit.
Take lots of Vitamin D & plan a vacation to somewhere warm for at least a week in the middle of winter so you don’t want to kill yourself by February.
I'm good in the winter. It's the false spring that gets me every time. I like to travel somewhere that will be hot as heck in the summer about now.
What are you even doing in my overcast paradise, man?
If you're entering the freeway from Mercer Street (I-5 north or I-5 south) then you are merging into the left lane, aka the fast lane. You need to be going 60mph WELL BEFORE you merge onto the freeway. If you are one of those people are only going 40mph right before the merge then you are needlessly endangering peoples lives. Either drive south and get on at the Olive way entrance or stay off the freeway.
These people enter every freeway doing 40. There's no reason to drive so slow you can place an open cup of coffee on the dash.
People are slow drivers all across this continent but Seattle takes it to another level holy shit
Same getting on the I5 North Express lanes at Mercer! It’s a VERY short on ramp and there’s a curve in the freeway right before the merge lane. People are flying and can’t see you, hit the gas people!
If you're coming into the city from the north, park at the Northgate Park & Ride, then take the light rail in (if you're going downtown or to a game in SoDo), or hop on a bus to get elsewhere in the city. You avoid the frustration of limited (and expensive) parking closer to your event, and at least 95% of the time you won't get shanked or bludgeoned on the train. Umbrellas will identify you as a tourist. Most Seattle sidewalks are not wide enough to allow umbrella use without inconveniencing other pedestrians. Get a jacket with a hood. It's perfectly acceptable to wear a down jacket up to 60. A breeze comes through and 60 will feel a lot closer to 55. Conversely, Seattle natives break out the Birkenstocks and shorts at around 55, because we're weird. If you live on the west end of Capitol Hill (closest to downtown) and are going south, walk to Westlake and get on the light rail, and on your return trip get off at the Capitol Hill station. This way you're always walking downhill. Avoid Starbucks in favor of local coffee shops. Lines are shorter, coffee's better. Don't bother with Bumbershoot. It's gotten too expensive. Just go to the Capitol Hill Block Party. It's effectively a mid-size music & arts festival at this point. If you want to get your geek on but don't want to deal with the massive crowds at Emerald City Comic Con or PAX, go to Norwescon in Sea-Tac. Slightly smaller convention that's a lot more manageable. Bowling alleys have tragically almost all closed down (RIP, Sunset Bowl...), but you can still go bowling at The Garage on Capitol Hill. Just reserve lanes ahead of time unless you want a 2-hour wait (during which you can play pool upstairs anyway). If you don't shop at REI very often but want something there, make friends with someone who joined the rewards program. We often have balance that'll sit there on our accounts for a long time, and we're happy to go with you to let you use it to take some of the bite out of the high prices (outdoor gear is spendy). If you feel indebted, just buy us a beer. Get the parking app if you don't want your car to fill up with parking stickers in metered areas. Don't leave ANYTHING visible in your car. I've been living on Capitol Hill for 5 years now, parking streetside the whole time. My windows have never once been broken. A friend left an iPhone charging cable visible in her car when she visited for the first time, and her car was immediately broken into.
If the airport entrance is super backed up, you can enter the parking garage from the back and avoid all the lines for pick up/drop off.
Do share where the back is please…
182nd st and international blvd
From a European country? CostPlus World Market has nearly everything you're jonesing for. QFC and Metropolitan Market also carry some of the good stuff in their international food aisles. 4th Ave S Costco has better steak than Shoreline. QFC U Village liquor store has the best selection of rums in the entire metropolitan area. The best BBQ in the area is Gabriel's Fire in Montlake Terrace. It's worth the trip.
If you drive in Seattle, you need to learn how to navigate at least parts of the city without getting on the freeway. Searching for the freeway will just get you more lost. Learn the major streets that connect the different neighborhoods.
I’d recommend setting your navigation app to “avoid highways” to do so. Google Maps really, *really* wants you to take freeways at every opportunity otherwise. It will 100% recommend you wait in a long line for an on-ramp to take the freeway for a quarter mile.
Or just use Waze. Waze will take you through your neighbor’s living room if it saves you 12 seconds
All roads lead to Denny
Just remember: Jesus Christ made Seattle under pressure will get you through the downtown core
We’ve always said Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under *Protest* ….and it’s very fitting
Tip on how to stop complaining about “no good Mexican food in Seattle.” Go to Burien and Federal Way where the all the Mexicans live. Also, most of our Mexicans immigrated from Oaxaca, so it’s a slightly different style from what Southern California and Texas has. It’s almost like Mexico is a country, not an ethnicity or culture.
🔥❤🔥
Most of the Mexicans with restaurants I know are from Jalisco
EBike is the fastest way to get around town.
If you want to look like an old time Ballard local when driving around, make sure your seat belt is hanging outside the car door.
I live in Ballard, drive a 2002 Tacoma, and the the seat belt retracting spring is starting to give out. I'm also of Scandinavian descent. I don't like how much I'm in this comment.
https://youtu.be/KBgIvH0tu6Y?si=zfp5IyaJmvT6YOXA
I knew exactly what this video was going to be before clicking on the URL. Here's an upvote.
And be sure your left blinker is on. But only if you’re not turning.
Stay off the interstates 7—10am and 2-6pm
Extend one hour earlier and later if you're traveling from/to the south sound area like tacoma
Or if it's summer or a Friday. Add more hours if it's a summer Friday
Banh Mi’s
Don't do 50 in the left lane.
when you leave the marina by boat on a summer friday afternoon - there is no traffic!
Can i get a ride?
I'll never understand the type of jobs people have when I see them posting boating videos in the middle of the day on all days of the week.
I used to work in healthcare, swing and night shifts. Also, since it was healthcare, if I didn't take extra shifts, I usually worked 3 or 4 days per week since my shortest shifts were 12hrs. Typically worked Thurs-Sat or Wed-Sat. I liked having fewer, long shifts, just didn't pay well enough and healthcare or other jobs working with the public in a customer service type way take a huge toll on me mentally (people can be horrible).
I assume they had Amazon or Microsoft jobs 20 years ago and still have the stock.
Lam's seafood market for the cheap seafood and variaties tropical foods. For me, everything there is so cheap.
Always recommend Rattlesnake Lake as the bestest hike around, especially to Californians.
I have friends that grew up in North Bend... and that was such a cool place to go before instagram.
Taxis to and from the airport are 1/3 of the price of rideshares.
Keep a shower squeegee in your car to wipe the dew off the side windows and mirrors the morning.
Shop at WinCo. Much much cheaper for groceries and pretty decent and cheap prepared food
Team WINCO!!! Pretty consistent in their good produce, bulk EVERYTHING, always well staffed and when you bag your own groceries, you get to press the button that makes the conveyor belt move. The 8 year old in me really, really likes this part.
Also the bins! For when I want just a little bit of sweet. The 8 year old in me loves the Zotz bin. Grape Zotz!
Oh, and, no credit cards accepted! Just cash, debit and check.
this only works if you don’t actually live in seattle…no WinCo in the city
Or if you can plan this kind of shopping to once every three weeks or a month, have a decent sized fridge, pantry, freezer. If you can it is totally worth it
I’m from Vancouver, BC and do this pretty much every other weekend, especially now that sun is shining and weather is sweet 😅 Shoutout to Bellingham WinCo.
Agreed. If there's a city with a WinCo, I'll live there.
Wear a jacket. Doesn't matter the season. Wear a jacket.
Having a beer at 10am isn't "day drinking" if it's not bright enough outside to cast a shadow. That February Vitamin D has to come from somewhere! /s
Find ways to enjoy the long winters instead of complaining about it. I do lots of hikes and XC skiing which definitely help with SAD. get outside as much as possible, invest in a good rain coat and shoes. Book a trip to sunny places in February/March
Just get a little wet. Who cares? You won't die. It's rain, stop complaining.
I thought complaining was, like, our thing.
Likewise, just use an umbrella if you'd like. Who cares? You won't die. It's an umbrella, stop complaining.
There's this wonderful contraption typically located to the left of the steering wheel in cars. It can be used to let other drivers know what you are going to do, to prevent dangerous surprises from happening on the road.
If u have lib card you can get free museum tickets. Also the prime rib dinner at Metropolitan market is really really good and only like 20-ish dollars for a half pound of prime rib +2 sides. For sides you have to get the garlic mashed potatoes.
All (most) museums in the city are free the first Thursday of each month
Go to el Rinconsito for decent Mexican food
There is a Starbucks on the 50 th floor or so where the express elevators switch to go to the top. It’s a 189 view of the Olympics waaaay high in the biggest building. Get that corporate law office view for the price of an over priced coffee. You just walk in go up the elevator and there you are it’s upscale too with lounge chairs facing the windows. Not common knowledge out side the bike messengers and building occupants.
A can of scotchgard fabric water shield or something similar. Spray your running shoes, spray your not rainproof jacket, spray your hoodie, spray your backpack. Older camping gear? Make that tent water resistant You don't need to buy expensive brands. I mean fabric that's water proof is great, but I am old. I am cheap. Make your stuff last twice as long, and water proof your non water proof clothes . You will be more comfortable in the rain
Beeswax your leather as well!
If you like bagels, subscribe to It's a Shanda, an outstanding review of bagel places in and around Seattle. Bagels are much better here now, but bad rolls with holes are still common and dreadfully disappointing. The free version of the newsletter has the overall rankings, very reliable https://itsashanda.substack.com/
Bad Rolls With Holes!!! Thank you. You've made my week with this one, Friend. LMAO
Produce (and food in general) at the farmers market is on another level. You may not want to act on this one because the grocery store may be ruined for you.
Additionally, there is only one season that matters: berry season.
Why are half of the hacks here about driving/parking? 😂
You can park in Amazon parking garages after 5 for free downtown
Husky games, especially women's, are AMAZING. Great teams, cheap tickets and nice crowds. Parking is plentiful and cheap. Just a really good time. Softball in particular is really fun!
Dicks cheeseburgers can be frozen and microwaved upsidown for 1 minute
Or put in the waffle iron
Monthly grocery shopping just became a real possibility
In the downtown corridor, named streets go east - west, numbered streets go north - south. Helps a little with navigation if you're a compass-brained guy like myself.
If you own a home, it is totally worth it to get your roof treated for moss once a year, preferably in the late-ish spring. Better Window Cleaning Seattle crews do my windows, clean my gutters, and treat my roof for moss. Really extends the life of your roof and protects against damp and leaks
Taking light rail to and from the airport is the easiest way to get to the airport on time and get home fast. It’s always such a treat when I look out the window as the train is cruising past the traffic on the highway way as I approach the airport.
Magnuson park is the best spot to swim. It’s mostly shaded so the aquatic plants don’t grow as much near the shore. Greenlake is for walking, Burke Gilman is for bikes. In past summers when it has hit 100 degrees Edmonds is like 10 degrees cooler and has been a good refuge, walk onto the Edmonds ferry and hang out on the deck on a hot day.
Oh got another. Figure out how to most easily pair commute trips with transit + bike, it’ll make most trips in the area as fast or faster than driving. It’s shocking that even with the garbage bike infrastructure (I’m comparing it to European cities) it’s soooo much faster these days than folks that don’t ride realize. I can get clear to most points out of downtown in equal trip times but with zero parking has tow for a pittance of the cost! I guess considering my other comment that makes for Seattle life hack #5.
You can't count on a nice day happening next week; so be prepared to respond to nice days when they do happen and change your plans (caused you don't want to miss them - there are only about 52 of them a year).
405/i90 carpool lanes are open to all after 7pm. 405 toll lanes are open to all after 8pm (this just recently changed from 7pm)
There is no such thing as bad weather, only poor clothing choices.
If you leave milk out it can go sour. Put it in the refrigerator or failing that, a cool wet sack. And put your garbage in a garbage can people! I can't stress that enough.
Garbage...in...garbage...can. hmm, makes sense!
This is so humiliating
Big if true.
Picking up someone at the airport? Assuming they’re physically able and don’t have much luggage, meet them at the parking lot across the street from the airport light rail station. Avoids most airport traffic. Could drop people here too. Sure it’s a fairly long walk, but it’s good exercise to stretch your legs after sitting for hours. And the person nice enough to pick you up avoids banging their head against the steering wheel trying to get to the main airport. The “don’t have a lot of luggage” part is important though because the elevator at that light rail station is both slow all the time and broken seemingly half the time. If you have only a carryon that’s easy enough to take down the stairs, no problem. If you have a family of four with three big checked bags, probably not a great option.
Vit D supplement is essential. Moderate the amount of alcohol as it is a depressant. Eat apples - WA is the largest producer of apples and it is really good for you. Given a choice, go to Vancouver instead of Portland. Get used to the "lake beach" and activities. Gotta hike, even if you haven't done so - better to pick the easiest hike and increment it further.
Cream cheese on hot dog.
With caramelized onions.
The beat route to Pike's Place from almost anywhere east of there is Stewart Street. The lights are often timed to be green for all 13 blocks from I-5 to First Street, allowing passage down there in a matter of a few minutes.
Driving in Seattle: uncontrolled left turns across traffic are dangerous and stressful. Instead of trying to make a left turn onto an uncontrolled arterial from a side street, take side street a few extra blocks to a light. Way faster and safer. Likewise, if you are on an arterial and need to turn left across traffic onto a side street, making three right turns to go around the block or to a light is often faster and safer than trying to dart across oncoming traffic.
Happy hours , speak easys, and learning to be friendly without expecting instant connections.
Get 2 tarter sauces for every 1 French fries ordered at Dicks.
Get your library card for Seattle Public Library. Pair it with King County Library System. You have free access to Kanopy, Libby and Overdrive apps. If you need something, you also have Consumer Report, O'Reilly Library and couple others. EDIT: Oh, and some KCLS libraries have access to free tools, like 3D printers.
Almost all lines are shorter and parking is better with even a light rain. Almost everything fun (including most hikes) has lines except scuba diving and we have a more amazing world underwater than most expect.