I have an unexpected week off, want to explore Seattle area for long term appeal (Tacoma: rent, houseboats)

[malihamae]

Hello all!

I have a sudden unexpected week off from work. I live in Oregon and will be graduating in a year with a Computer Science degree and I want to explore a nearby tech hub, not as a tourist, but as someone who will soon be embarking on their long term, adult life. I am a fan of local flavor over suburban, carbon copy suburbs, and I am a single woman in my twenties who will eventually be making this move alone.

Any suggestions on what I should see to determine if I would enjoy the Seattle area long term as a local?

Thank you so much for any tips. I normally plan very thoroughly for this sort of trip but I have very little time off work to explore!

[homesinseattle]

Hi Malihamae,

Fremont, Capitol Hill, International District and Pike Place Market are all places you should go. In Fremont, try to see the Troll, visit a microbrewery and tour Theo Chocolate Factory. The International District, don't miss Wing Luke Museum and fantastic Uwajimaya store, in an ideal world you could catch a Sounders match too.

Pike Place and Capitol Hill are best to just wander with no plans. Oh, save a few hours for the Seattle Art Museum not far from Pike Place. By all means, hop on a ferry when you are here. You can walk on a boat downtown, take it to Bainbridge Island, explore for a few hours then come right back, preferably at sunset.

Go over to Alki in West Seattle, a real beach scene. Catch the Japanese Garden in the Arboretum, rent a kayak and paddle around the Portage Bay houseboats. Visit the Ballard Locks and see the very cool salmon ladder, then wander into Old Ballard and explore. I'm sure many more suggestions will come, I'll leave some for the others .

Have a great trip!
Vince

[StealthRabbit]

You can enjoy several of the 'town centers' / districts and get a feel for their special offerings.

Do enjoy the Chittenden Locks (Ballard) Seattle District > Missions > Civil Works > Locks and Dams > Chittenden Locks
Grab fishnChips and have Sunset at nearby Golden Garden Park.
See nearby Ballard / Fremont / Phinney / Wallingford / Green Lake areas. During that day / evening.

Use Queen Anne for B&B / guesthouse, central to much. (I stay with locals ($free to $20 / night worldwide) and get lots of ideas) 200 + stays in 2016 alone. Hospitality exchange - Wikitravel

Check the U and Seattle Pacific campus areas,
Lots of fun streets with westerly view homes to roam around.
Check the schedule of events for Seattle Center (Often folk festivals of some sort)

Consider attending some group meetings you might later join. (Photo / hiking / cooking / sports / book / travel / garden clubs)
Try all kinds of foods and drinks, and enjoy the parks and waterfront.

Under age 31... NZ is where I would be heading NEXT winter (after graduation)! (1 yr working visa, extendable to 2 yrs).

[prosin]

I saw your other post in the San Jose forum, too. (I grew up in Silicon Valley [SV], but now live near Seattle, so I follow both forums.)

IMO, Silicon Valley is all suburbia concrete jungle, with few exceptions. Downtown San Jose is poorly designed; sad, because it should have been the hub of the future. Downtown areas in surrounding towns of Saratoga, Los Altos, Mountain View, Los Gatos, and Sunnyvale have quaint charm, but are small (only a few blocks long) and may get stale after a while. Santa Cruz is the only area I would advise a young person such as yourself to look at. It is lovely and lively, but the commute over Hwy. 17 is brutal. Unless you can afford San Francisco or downtown Oakland for local/funky/young flavor (but will be an expensive/difficult commute to SV), your best bet is to skip SV entirely and focus on Seattle instead.

And Seattle and Tacoma are--for now--more affordable than the Bay Area.

My 2¢. YMMV.

[malihamae]

Thanks for the tips that have already come in every one! I've started compiling maps of everyone's suggestions and Seattle definitely seems like a wonderful fit. I am super excited to start exploring!

[the topper]

Originally Posted by prosin

I saw your other post in the San Jose forum, too. (I grew up in Silicon Valley [SV], but now live near Seattle, so I follow both forums.)

IMO, Silicon Valley is all suburbia concrete jungle, with few exceptions. Downtown San Jose is poorly designed; sad, because it should have been the hub of the future. Downtown areas in surrounding towns of Saratoga, Los Altos, Mountain View, Los Gatos, and Sunnyvale have quaint charm, but are small (only a few blocks long) and may get stale after a while. Santa Cruz is the only area I would advise a young person such as yourself to look at. It is lovely and lively, but the commute over Hwy. 17 is brutal. Unless you can afford San Francisco or downtown Oakland for local/funky/young flavor (but will be an expensive/difficult commute to SV), your best bet is to skip SV entirely and focus on Seattle instead.

And Seattle and Tacoma are--for now--more affordable than the Bay Area.

My 2¢. YMMV.

Urban core of San Jose is way better than Seattle's. You never spent much time in San Jose obviously or just ignorant.

[homesinseattle]

Topper, I've been to San Jose many times, good buddy lives three blocks from Santana Row. Although San Jose is smaller, more compact and perhaps cleaner, I totally disagree with you. Depends how you measure I guess, in my opinion San Jose has maybe one tenth the character and urban vitality that Seattle does.

[tommy64]

Originally Posted by malihamae

Thanks for the tips that have already come in every one! I've started compiling maps of everyone's suggestions and Seattle definitely seems like a wonderful fit. I am super excited to start exploring!

Not to throw a wet towel on what hopes to be a great trip, but be prepared for heavy-ass traffic.

[the topper]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Topper, I've been to San Jose many times, good buddy lives three blocks from Santana Row. Although San Jose is smaller, more compact and perhaps cleaner, I totally disagree with you. Depends how you measure I guess, in my opinion San Jose has maybe one tenth the character and urban vitality that Seattle does.

Japantown, Alameda, Little Italy, SJ state campus/Naglee, SJ Market Center on Coleman, SoFA, San Pedro Sq., Historic District, Paseo De San Antonio, Plaza De Chaves(Fairmont/Tech area) and Midtown are only less than 2 miles away and part of urban core of SJ. Sounds like fun?

[leastprime]

Get an Orca Transit prepaid electronic card. ~ to Trimet Hopcard.
Use Nextbus or Google transit feature or similar.
If you drive, use a parking app.
Core Seattle is compact like core Portland.