First time visit... (Seattle, Starbuck: rental car, rental, neighborhoods)

[spencgr]

Headed to Seattle late December for a few days. My husband and I generally enjoy walking around neighborhoods eating drinking, museums, arts districts, etc, etc. Where is a good area to stay? Would a rental car be useful? Can't miss things to see or do?

[CirculateRX]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Headed to Seattle late December for a few days. My husband and I generally enjoy walking around neighborhoods eating drinking, museums, arts districts, etc, etc. Where is a good area to stay? Would a rental car be useful? Can't miss things to see or do?

Stay in cap hill, Fremont, Queen Anne. If you’re gonna stay in the city I recommend not getting a car. However you’re coming during rain and cold season so, get a car if you’re not cool with being wet and cold while going places lol.

[jabogitlu]

I'd sign up for a zip car account now. You can stay in the city and won't need a car but if you decide to spend 1-2 days exploring other areas where cars are useful, you can just grab a zip car and not have to worry about it too much. You can also use Gig Car but occasionally they are less reliable (as far as access points). You could sign up for both so you're covered. We also have floating bike and scooter shares if you are so inclined. They make traveling between the urban neighborhoods pretty easy, for the most part. For farther travel (like between downtown and Ballard) I'd recommend catching a city bus.

Good neighborhoods for eating/drinking are Capital Hill, Ballard, Fremont, Columbia City, Queen Anne, Belltown, and downtown (particularly around Pike Place, ish).

Museums are kind of scattered around, everywhere from the International District to South Lake Union to First Hill to Ballard. Here's a list of some of my favorites in no particular order
- Nordic Heritage Museum
- MOHAI
- MoPoP
- Wing Luke
- Asian Art Museum
- Seattle Pinball Museum
- Frye Art Museum
- Museum of Flight
- Chihuly Garden & Glass
- Northwest African American Museum
- Seattle Art Museum (SAM)
- Burke Natural History Museum
- Center for Wooden Boats
- Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center
- Klondike Gold Rush Museum (it's a National Park and it's downtown! So neat)

For can't miss? Honestly going up in the Space Needle is actually really fun, and a great way to see the city. You can pretty much just show up whenever and buy tickets there. If you're doing that you may wanna look at the Seattle City Pass which bundles a few different experiences into one ticket price.

December is tough because it will be rainy and gray, so a lot of our recommendations (regional parks, ferry rides, hikes) are less useful. We do have a lot of great coffee options, though: Victrola, Capital Coffee Works, Dolce Vita just to name a few. (Also, if you're into Starbucks, the Starbucks Roastery at Pike & Minor is fun.)

You'll probably want to bring a good rain coat (or head over to the REI flagship store downtown once you get here). Pro tip, most Seattlites don't use umbrellas, they're just too bulky and awkward for the kind of rain we get. A good hooded, wet weather coat will do you much better!

[flyingsaucermom]

Don't rent a car if just a few days and you like to walk. So much of what's worth seeing is walkable, but dress appropriately. Locals wear rain coats more than umbrellas, but nobody will care if you use umbrellas too. Wearing the right shoe if walking a lot and in the rain is important. Not sure where you're coming from, but it's pretty casual here. My waterproof merrills and keens have served me well in all our local museums, markets, attractions and restaurants. We have the flagship REI down town for a good reason!

Keep in mind that in December it will get dark early compared to the rest of the continental US. You might plan some of your activities accordingly. The sun will set around 4:30 and if there is dense cloud cover (good chance) it means that headlights and streetlights will be on even earlier. On the darkest days (usually December) they can be on all day.

It's a great time to visit... or used to be??? Pre-Covid we would check out the gingerbread exhibit at the Sheraton lobby and enjoy holiday offerings around the Armory. That was the time of year we tended to go to Pike Place versus the summer. We never did the Argosy Christmas boat tour, but always wanted to....

You want to know my absolute favorite holiday in Seattle? It's not in Seattle! You don't need a car, but a passport!- taking the Victoria Clipper to Victoria BC.. a cute, walkable town and the light tour at the Butchart Gardens (included in many tour packages) is very nice.

[url]https://www.clippervacations.com/victoria-packages/seattle-victoria-overnight-butchart-gardens/[/url]

[homesinseattle]

Don't miss Wing Luke Museum in the International District, very good! I think Queen Anne would be a nice central location to get you close to many things, preferably Lower Queen Anne.

[spencgr]

Thank you to all for the great advice and tips! Now I know where to start.

And I am not so worried about weather, as my husband and I seem to bring gorgeous weather to wherever we travel (really, it's very odd but it's true), so you all should expect it to be 72 and sunny the last week of the year. Oh, but there was that one time we went to Montreal and there was a blizzard, so I will definitively pack a rain coat and rubber boots to be safe.

[MechAndy]

I want snow.
Could ya hook a Brutha up?

[BjorntheCold]

Rent a car. Don't walk unless you're looking to get shanked by homeless trash.

[jabogitlu]

That is not an accurate representation of Seattle. Thousands of people walk around the city every day. OP, you will be fine. There is a very loud contingent of people on this forum who hate the city. Don't pay them any mind.

[Chilkoot]

With only a few days a car is unnecessary. Belltown is a good area that keeps you close to Westlake Center for transportation with the light rail and monorail as well as Pike Place Market. There are also fewer homeless in the area just north of the downtown core. It’s a very walkable area with some great casual restaurants. Staying anywhere other than the downtown area will require some kind of transportation, car rental, taxi/uber/lyft, bus.