In this article, I share my best tips for getting around Seattle without a car – for both Seattle tourists and residents. Plus, in addition to the practical aspects of getting around without a car- I’ll share some of the carless life hacks I learned during my years “carless in Seattle.”
When I moved to Seattle from the Midwest, I brought my oversized SUV! Soon after, I sold it so I could live in Seattle without a car. For four years, I learned to navigate the city without a car, became a pro at using Seattle’s public transportation, and heard the life stories of too many Uber drivers to count!
Seattle is one of the easiest cities in America to get around without a car! If you’re considering living in (or just visiting!) Seattle without a car, try it! It’s an option with many rewards for your body, your budget, and the environment.
This article is split into two sections:
living in Seattle without a car | visiting Seattle as a tourist without a car
It is possible to live well in Seattle without a car
Getting around Seattle without a car is remarkably easy. A range of options from public transportation to private cars makes going carless an option for Seattle residents and tourists across the income spectrum. I
In fact, there were many times that I thought it was so much easier to get where I needed to go by bus. Especially since the alternative was to retrieve my car from a parking garage, drive to my destination, and circle the block till I found a parking space! Because parking in Seattle is so expensive, sometimes I paid less to get from Point A to Point B via a rideshare than I would have paid for parking!
How to Live in Seattle without a Car
The most popular ways to navigate Seattle without a car include:
Walking
There are few cities in the United States more friendly to walkers and pedestrians than Seattle. Because of the high population density of King County, much of Seattle feels almost European. Because residential and commercial properties are scrunched together, it’s easy to get around on foot.
For tourists and residents alike, walking can be a great way to get around Seattle without a car or the hassles that accompany having a car here. If you plan to navigate Seattle by foot, I recommend living in the downtown or downtown-adjacent neighborhoods, since these are the easiest to navigate on foot.
Taking the Bus
Buses in Seattle are generally clean, easy to navigate, and mostly on time. They’re also very affordable. (For students and low-income folks, it’s easy to get an ORCA lift card – which makes it possible to get anywhere in the city for $1.50).
For both residents considering getting around Seattle by bus, I recommend living in the downtown area. Seattle’s public transportation is pretty good for getting north to south but kind of awful for navigating from East to West. That means that if you need to get from the east side of the city to the west side of the city you may have to take an hour detour to first travel to a downtown hub. From downtown, however, you can hop a bus to anywhere in Seattle and beyond.
In the summer, you can even take King County Metro buses to Cascade Mountain hiking trailheads via the Trails Direct routes!
Using Taxis and Rideshares
Getting around Seattle by rideshares like Uber of Lyft is a popular way to navigate Seattle. Even Seattle residents with cars often use rideshare is to avoid the cost and hassle of parking.
If you have the financial ability to access rideshares, it makes going carless in Seattle much easier. Rideshares were a lifesaver when I was running late, missed the bus, or was just too weary to walk.
Budgeting for a few ride shares a month helped me maintain my goal of living in Seattle without a car.
Living well in Seattle without a car
Listen, living in Seattle without a car really is so easy. I’m from the midwest. I never even imagined living without a car. But the day I sold my car and was carless for the first time in Seattle was a great day.
After being a driver in Seattle for a few months, it was clear that having a car in Seattle was just more hassle than it was worth. Selling my car meant that I never had to worry about circling the block a dozen times looking for a parking space or finding out that my car had been broken into (again).
Personally, I felt that my quality of living increased significantly after I sold my car- it was just so much easier to navigate using ride shares, public transportation, and private cars! Because I walked a lot more, I got in better shape and even lost a little weight without having to spend time or money at a gym.
While going without a car in Seattle is a necessity for some, it can be a luxury depending on the alternative forms of transportation that you choose to use. Not having a car supports wellness in a unique way – you’ll stress less about your vehicle, more simply by necessity, and be able to order a car to get you anywhere you need to be within a few minutes.
For weekend excursions you can easily rent a car even using the Airbnb–like app Turo. This app will let you to rent cars from private individuals who will drop them off at your apartment. Learn about other alternatives to rental cars.
Visting Seattle Without a Car
Why you Should Never Rent a Car to Visit Seattle
If your Seattle Itinerary includes the typical attractions, you absolutely do not need a car to visit Seattle.
The most popular destinations are within easy walking distance from each other, and having a car in that area is a HUGE headache.
If you are arriving to Seattle by car, you might even want to consider leaving your car in commuter parking or a suburban residential area (depending on the length of your stay) to enjoy downtown without having to deal with one-way streets, tiny parking spaces, fender benders, and the cost of parking near attractions in Seattle.
Here’s what you should know about having a car downtown as a tourist:
- 🚙🛌🏽 Hotels charge for parking. Parking downtown starts at about $30/night
- 🚦 Traffic is terrible. If you’re staying within a mile of the Space Needle, it’s often faster to walk from destination to destination.
- 🅿 There is very little street parking. Parking lots that are available are expensive – often starting at about $12/hr on weekdays.
- 🦹♀️🔨 Car break-ins happen constantly. If you leave anything visible in your car there’s a good chance it will be gone when you return.
In Seattle, tourists can get around much easier by using rideshares or walking. Even public transportation in Seattle is easy to use- though it helps to have familiarity with city bus systems.
Seattlites love to hate on their public transportation, but it’s actually a clean, efficient, and affordable way to navigate the city.
Where to Stay in Seattle Without a Car
The best places to stay in Seattle without a car are hotels and apartments located in the Belltown neighborhood, the Pike Place Market Historical District, or the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. Capitol Hill, on the far side of downtown from these neighborhoods, is also a popular area among visitors who are interested in enjoying Seattle’s nightlife and queer culture epicenter.
If you’re a tourist planning on visiting Seattle without a rental car, you’re making a smart move! If you plan to navigate Seattle on foot, public transportation, or even ride shares, your best bet is to stay in the core of the city. While the official “downtown” neighborhood (which is filled with office high rises and corporate restaurants) isn’t very much fun to stay in for tourists, the downtown-adjacent neighborhoods are great alternatives and can put you within a five-minute walk of the space needle, the waterfront, Pike Place Market, and dozens of other attractions.
LynLi Roman M.A.
Lynli Roman’s unique approach to travel is informed by decades of experience on the road with a traveling family and, later, years spent as a solo international traveler. When she’s not writing about Seattle from her Pike Place Market apartment, Lynli writes on-location while conducting hands-on research in each destination she covers. Lynli’s writing has been featured by MSN, ABC Money, Buzzfeed, and Huffington Post. She is passionate about sharing information that makes travel more accessible for all bodies.
