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I am visiting Seattle in early march. I just like to seek some info about the area.
1. Is it safe to take the 174 bus from airport to downtown, then walk a few blocks from 174 terminus at university/4th to the hotel at 2205 7th Ave, Seattle at approximately 11.30pm to 12.30am at night?
2. Which areas are no-go zones due to high incidence of crime? Need some street booundaries to mark this area on the map.
3. Would it be safe to wander around the neighbourhoods near or within Downtown, Pioneer Square, Fisherman Wharf/lake waterfront, western waterfront and hamilton viewpoint park, especially at night?
4. Is there any night life in Seattle? Are the streets dead silent after dark?
Any advice/tips you can think of would be very much appreciated.
1. Is it safe to take the 174 bus from airport to downtown, then walk a few blocks from 174 terminus at university/4th to the hotel at 2205 7th Ave, Seattle at approximately 11.30pm to 12.30am at night?
Yes. I'm a woman and have never thought twice about doing that.
(P.S. University & 4th isn't a "terminus" with its own building. It's just a bus stop.)
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2. Which areas are no-go zones due to high incidence of crime? Need some street booundaries to mark this area on the map.
None, except Pioneer Square and south of that after midnight.
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3. Would it be safe to wander around the neighbourhoods near or within Downtown, Pioneer Square, Fisherman Wharf/lake waterfront, western waterfront and hamilton viewpoint park, especially at night?
Yes, everywhere during the day.
What's a "western waterfront"? If you mean walking in parks that border Elliott Bay, I wouldn't go at night because it's too dark; you can't see much.
What is Hamilton Viewpoint Park? -- do you mean Alki Beach in West Seattle? Yes, you can walk around there at any time, except on private property which is marked. Just be sure you don't miss the last bus back to downtown.
By "lake waterfron" if you mean the waterfront of Lake Washington, also yes. Take a bus to Kirkland and walk around the waterfront there; good lighting and friendly people. Or have dinner at a restaurant that's on the Lake Washington waterfront in Seattle or Kirkland. Be sure you don't miss the last bus back to downtown.
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4. Is there any night life in Seattle?
Are the streets dead silent after dark?
Of course there's night life in Seattle. This isn't farm country. Seattle is a thriving cultural center, which you will see from your travel guidebooks. You can Google and get lots of results.
The population of just the city of Seattle itself is close to 600,000; you'd have to export them all to get "dead silent" streets.
What's a "western waterfront"? If you mean walking in parks that border Elliott Bay, I wouldn't go at night because it's too dark; you can't see much.
I mean along Alaskan Way, west of Pioneer Square. Is that a waterfront walkway?
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Originally Posted by allforcats
What is Hamilton Viewpoint Park? -- do you mean Alki Beach in West Seattle? Yes, you can walk around there at any time, except on private property which is marked. Just be sure you don't miss the last bus back to downtown.
I mean Elliot Bay, around Aki Ave SW on google earth. It seems to have some beautiful night views from there. Just wondering if it is safe at night.
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Originally Posted by allforcats
By "lake waterfron" if you mean the waterfront of Lake Washington, also yes. Take a bus to Kirkland and walk around the waterfront there; good lighting and friendly people. Or have dinner at a restaurant that's on the Lake Washington waterfront in Seattle or Kirkland. Be sure you don't miss the last bus back to downtown.
I mean Lake Union. But lake washington also sounds good. Which section of lake washington waterfront is safe, esp at night?
So by the sound of things, Seattle is a lot safer than LA or San Francisco?
Are your tap water safe to drink straight from the tap or do they need to be boiled?
You are so focused on water -- are you from Alice?
Okay. Alaskan Way is fine during the day. There are some fun shops and restaurants there too. As a woman, I'd consider Alaskan Way just a bit rough very late at night, because the couples and families who were eating dinner in the restaurants have gone home by 10:00 or so.
If you want a spectacular view any time of the day or night, go up in the Space Needle -- best near and during sundown. It will take your breath away.
"Aki Ave SW" is actually ALKI Ave. SW. The entire beach there is called Alki Beach, whcih is what bus drivers and taxi drivers will know. Few people have ever heard of Hamilton Park. The Alki area of West Seattle is a residential area and is very walkable at night.
Yes, Lake Union too. I made a mistake -- I was thinking of Seattle restaurants that border on Lake Union. Lots of charm.
Kirkland restaurants on Lake Washington have even more charm because Lake Washington is much much larger than Lake Union.
I lived a couple of streets east of Lake Union for a while. Most of the actual property on the Lake Union waterfront is private property and you can't walk on private property but you can walk on the sidewalks. But you could take a taxi to Gasworks Park, which is a goofy, interesting park on a spit of land jutting out into the north end of Lake Union, and look west, south and east to the lake.
Compared with Los Angeles, which has some dangerous neighborhoods, Seattle is another world. Very safe.
Tap water: you really DO need to buy and read travel guidbooks about Seattle!
New York City, Seattle, and Tokyo have the safest and best-tasting tap water in the world, according to people who are experts on that subject.
You are so focused on water -- are you from Alice?
Nah, I am from Sydney. But I will goto Alice some day to see that big rock.
With Alki beach, the pointy tip pointing towards the north, does it give fantastic city view? Any idea of public transport to Alki beach from downtown?
Is it worthy to go and have a tour on the washington university? Would it be open to the public?
Can you give me an address on those kirkland restaurants along lake washington waterfront so I can locate it on google earth?
I had a few avaition museums in my itinery like museum of flight and boeing factory tour. Any other touristy places to recommend?
Define "nightlife". If you expect stuff to be open past 2 AM, nope. Before then there's everything from techno, trance, rave, reggae, rock concerts, classical, plays, and all that. Capitol Hill is awesome too.
What's the water like in Australia?? You must be trolling if you think the water is unsafe to drink or boil first ... where do you think Seattle is, third world? The USA has very few areas outside of Texas and the Deep South where you need to boil your water first. Even Phoenix has tap water that is drinkable. Of course Seattle water is "drinkable" ... this isn't Mexico.
Yes, Seattle is much safer than LA or San Fran. I've visited both and found many dangerous or shifty neighborhoods around to feel not safe in. I never felt unsafe in Seattle in any of the areas you mentioned. Do not go to the Rainier valley at night, but that is way far south from what you were mentioning. The International District at night is also pretty shifty. Other than that I'm stretching to think of bad areas ...
All the waterfront areas you were talking about are safe. You'll enjoy Alki. Hamilton Viewpoint Park l highly recommend. The reason why it isn't well known is because it is on top of a very steep hill. You'll be driving along and there is a left turn up this hill and when you finally get to the top it is on the left. Keep going and you're in downtown West Seattle, which is fun itself. Don't worry, you'll be safe and have fun in Alki. There is also a viewpoint near water level, you can't miss it either, there are oblique parking stalls to take in the view.
Don't be bugged by the city feeling dark at night ... from my experience Seattle's city lights aren't as illuminating as say Chicago. But crime isn't a major factor here mostly.
I highly recommend buying and reading a travel guidebook too. You'll save yourself a lot of headaches.
If you mean UW, it's an OK view. There's a cool natural history museum there, though the University District has gotten more dangerous the past year. Shootings and muggings. Still safe at daytime, just be careful at night. If you're coming to see a friend or are with someone it is safer. Still safer than LA or San Fran though.
See, Seattle just doesn't have all the violent crime and terrible things that most foreigners make the USA out to be ... namely, a violent, dangerous place where you'll get shot if you let down your guard. Seattle is quite the opposite.
Last edited by eskercurve; 02-15-2009 at 07:37 PM..
I forgot to answer your question is Alaskan Way a "waterfront walkway"?
Yes and no. This area was formed by glaciers gouging great gashes, which filled up with water eventually. The gash that filled up with Elliott Bay has a steep land falloff. There's very little area with "beach" because the land drops off sharply and is covered by Elliott Bay. So Alaskan Way is elevated and is mostly like a boardwalk. It does have piers that, of course, jut out into Elliott Bay and you can walk out onto some of those piers.
So yes it's a "walkway" at the waterfront, but it's not beach. You can't put your toes into the water. But you can walk above the water. Make sense?
ALKI: Any place along the east side of Alki Beach faces the downtown area of Seattle, and many famous photographs of Seattle are taken from that beach. I don't think you can walk all the way up to "the pointy tip" of Alki, but it doesn't matter because that entire east side of Alki will give you sensational views.
The University of Washington is not a sightseeing place for tourists. You must have approved passes to be allowed on the property by the security force. If there is a tour, and you have any interest in early 1900s-type architecture that you can see similarly in Sydney and Melbourne, take the tour. It's just a large, sprawling university, one of the best in the U.S.
Kirkland restaurants, all on Lake Washington, that I personally recommend:
Yarrow Bay Grill
Anthony's
Franco's Crab Cracker
The Third Floor Fish Cafe, which is my favorite restaurant in Kirkland.
Here's a guide. Click on Carillon Point Yarrow Bay, or Downtown. They're parts of Kirkland, and the individual restaurant listings will show whether or not they're on the lake.
Kirkland restaurants and dining (http://explorekirkland.com/places_to_dine.cfm - broken link)
Weather: bookmark and keep checking weather.com that you've set to Seattle, Washington, USA.
No snow right now. We don't get much snow, usually only a few days per winter. If you plan to come to Seattle during the winter, you should read the threads on this forum about Seattle's weather. From Sept. through June we get drizzle most days and lots of cloudiness almost every day.
Define "nightlife". If you expect stuff to be open past 2 AM, nope. Before then there's everything from techno, trance, rave, reggae, rock concerts, classical, plays, and all that. Capitol Hill is awesome too.
Something that opens till 10pm... I am interested in restaurants, shops, markets or just a safe area to stroll along taking in the night view.
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Originally Posted by eskercurve
What's the water like in Australia?? You must be trolling if you think the water is unsafe to drink or boil first ... where do you think Seattle is, third world? The USA has very few areas outside of Texas and the Deep South where you need to boil your water first. Even Phoenix has tap water that is drinkable. Of course Seattle water is "drinkable" ... this isn't Mexico.
I am not trolling. There are first world cities that still need to boil water before it is safe to drink. eg: Hong Kong
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Originally Posted by eskercurve
If you mean UW, it's an OK view. There's a cool natural history museum there, though the University District has gotten more dangerous the past year. Shootings and muggings. Still safe at daytime, just be careful at night. If you're coming to see a friend or are with someone it is safer. Still safer than LA or San Fran though.
I don't have a friend there. But after my Boeing factory tour, my bus will pass by university of washington. So I just want to check if it is safe and worth the time to visit and Whether they let visitors in.
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Originally Posted by eskercurve
See, Seattle just doesn't have all the violent crime and terrible things that most foreigners make the USA out to be ... namely, a violent, dangerous place where you'll get shot if you let down your guard. Seattle is quite the opposite.
Nice to hear that. I had a very high safety concern in my mind to be honest about being in the states.
I would say be cautious like in any downtown in a big city anywhere. The downtown Seattle area does have the most concentrated crime in the city but of course has the most density. As for walking downtown alone that late at night I personally don't think that is the greatest idea. A block or 2 maybe but if its more than that I would find another way. If you are looking for nightlife and are staying in a downtown hotel and walking alone it would probably be safer to venture east to Capitol Hill then to venture west to Pioneer Square and Belltown.
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