Seattle Travel Guide¶
Public Transport¶
The University of Washington is situated about 5 miles North of downtown Seattle.
Light Rail
Seattle is served by the Link Light Rail. The nearest station to Kane Hall is the University of Washington Station at the northern end of the line. NB: Don’t get confused with the similarly named University Street Station, which is downtown!
Our venue is about a 10 minute walk from the Light Rail station, over a pedestrian bridge and slightly uphill through campus.
There are trains running every 10 minutes, and the line starts south of SeaTac airport. It takes about 70 minutes to get from the airport to the venue.
Tickets can be bought at the station (either one-way, or returns) at automated kiosks. You can also purchase Orca Cards, which let you tap-on and tap-off to pay as you go.
Buses
There are regular bus services run by King County Metro to the University district. There is a stop on campus, and many other buses stop on Campus Parkway which is a 5 minute walk away.
The timetables are integrated into the popular map apps, such as Google Maps. There is also the One Bus Away app for buses which gives you live updates as to when the next bus is due at each bus stop.
Driving¶
The University is accessible from the I-5, at the 45th St exit. Follow directions to central campus. The conference is in Kane Hall on Red Square. There is parking both on campus and on the street near the campus. Parking on campus is the best option Saturday. Both locations are free on Sunday.
The closest on campus lot is the Central Plaza Garage underneath Red Square and it the best option. It is $10 for Saturday if arriving before noon and free on Sunday. Other campus lots are $5 on Saturday. When entering campus stop at a gatehouse to purchase a pass and get directions to a lot (ask for something near Kane Hall).
Kane Hall lies on the western edge of the university’s campus. It is a short walk from University Way, Brooklyn Ave, 12th Ave NE where some street parking is available. Hourly rates range from $1 to $2.50 and may be limited in duration check sdot to discover all pricing. On Sunday, street parking is also free. There is a pedestrian overpass from Campus Parkway (south of 41st St) to campus that leads right into Red Square. Kane Hall will be on the forward left as you enter the square.
Sights¶
Downtown Seattle - Pioneer Square
25-30 minutes via public transit
To get to Pioneer Square take the light rail to Pioneer Square Station. Pioneer Square is going through a revival and there are many galleries, cute shops and food options.
- Smith Tower, 35th floor speakeasy requires an elevator ticket but includes entry to a small museum and sweeping views of Seattle, 25 minute public transit
Fremont
25-30 minutes via public transit
Fremont is known for its quirky, artistic flair. It’s home to the Fremont Troll sculpture, the most-frequently opened drawbridge in the United States (which doubles as an art studio for the current artist-in-residence) and a number of dining spots and bars. The easiest way to get to Fremont from the U-District is to grab either the 31 or 32 bus. Fremont, like the UW, also lies on part of the Burke-Gilman Trail.
+Fremont is something of a nexus of tech companies. Google, Tableau, Getty Images, Olis Robotics, and Adobe (among others) are there.
- Add-A-Ball, arcade bar ages 21+, 20 minutes public transit
- Fremont Brewing some space is open to all ages, 20 minutes public transit
- Theo Chocolate, a chocolate factory in the heart of Fremont that provides free samples on their show floor, or you can book a tour for $10, all ages, 20 minutes public transit
- Gasworks park, former sight of a large gas and coal plant it has a large ammount of waterfront access to Lake Union and clear views of South Lake Union and beyond to Downtown 10 minutes public transit + 5 minutes walk downhill
Ballard
30-35 minutes via public transit
Ballard is the Scandinavian cultural center of the city and has recently been the focus of a lot of new development. The easiest way to get to Ballard from the U-District is to grab the 44 bus.
There are a lot of shops and nightlife in the historic center and the formerly industrial-centric area is exploding with breweries. Ballard alone has 11 breweries, a cidery, a distillery and a winery and the adjacent neighborhoods have even more!
Short list:
- Ballard Locks, USA’s bussiest lock connecting saltwater and freshwater bodies 35 minutes public transit
- Nordic Museum, recently recognized as the National Nordic Museum 35 minutes public transit
- Farmers Markes, 10 - 3 every Sunday of the year 25 minutes public transit
- Bop Street Records 25 minutes public transit
- Ruben’s Brews, Ballard’s biggest and most centally-located brewery 5 other breweries are within 0.3 miles (0.5 km), all but one are kid friendly and pet friendly, often with rotating food trucks outside, 25 minutes public transit + 10 minute walk
Queen Anne
40-45 minutes via public transit
Queen Anne lies between the Fremont/ Ballard neighborhoods and downtown; unfortunately because it lies directly across the lake from the University District, there is no direct public transportation option. The simplest way to reach Queen Anne is by taking the Light Link downtown to the Westlake station and then transfer to any of the numerous northern-bound busses, depending on your final destination (routes 2, 3, 4, 13, 29, D).
Lower Queen Anne is the area closest to downtown and is the location of many of Seattle’s performing arts and the world-recognizable Seattle Center.
- Space Needle, from the 1962 World’s Fair and every picture of Seattle ever 30 minutes public transit
- Kerry Park, popular Kodak spot with views of downtown and Capitol Hill location used by many professional photographers and TV shows, 45 minutes public transit
- MoPOP, Museum of Pop Culture small museum combining PNW music history, Indie Games, and Film and scifi history, 30 minutes public transit
Back to the Welcome Wagon.