We will be in Seattle for 6 nights. We have been several times before, but not in quite a few years. We will leaving to go the San Juan Islands so picking up a car then. But should we get it a couple days early to have one for getting around to places harder to get to by public transportation in Seattle? We will be stayiing in Capital Hill. TIA

I would get a car for the entire time, right from the airport. I live on Capitol Hill and drive my car all the time. I could not do what I do each day by public transportation. You should be able to find free street parking if there is none at your lodging (watch the signs, some streets have unlimited, some are signed for only 2 or 4 hour time limits).

If you want to say where you are staying (name of place, cross streets, general area) I can probably help more specifically. Capitol Hill covers a fairly large geographic area, so my advice if you are: below the freeway, by Cal Anderson, by Volunteer Park, on Broadway, 10th, 15th, 19th Ave East, Pike/Pine Corridor would be different for the exact location as far as parking and which public transportation would be best (street car, LightRail, Metro bus).

Welcome! suze

Thinking more about your question and the answer I gave above... is there parking available where you are staying? That might change my advice. Say if you are on "lower Cap Hill" like Bellevue Ave E just barely east of the freeway that is a super dense area for apartment and condos and street parking would be basically impossible or at least impractical. While if you are up "top" at the crest of the hill around Volunteer Park where it's mostly mansions, single family homes, a few condos and apartments scattered in street parking likely would be available.

I loved having a car in Seattle. I was able to bounce around to some wonderful places, and I was able to take advantage of the gorgeous weather. I took walks at Seward Park which is on a peninsula that juts into Lake Washington, Kubota Gardens (Japanese, so lush), Carkeek Park along Puget Sound (where salmon go upstream to spawn in later Summer and Fall), and the trail along Montlake Cut which connects Portage Bay with Lake Washington. All breathtaking.

But I did not stay downtown.

We've been to Seattle a number of times, and found having a car extremely useful, and in some cases necessary. We rented a car in downtown Seattle and did use it to travel to the San Juan Islands and Victoria on the Ferry.

We also used some public transportation, when more convenient to do so.

When will this trip occur? How many in your party?

Thanks all for your responses. In looking at rental rates for our entire trip about 3 weeks, its really pricey, so not sure whether I will extend a rental for a few days in Seattle but your responses are hlepful to me.
Suze we are near Volunteer Park, so I gather there would be street parking. Gardyloo, there is my husband and me. We will be there in mid May.

Yes, definitely there is street parking around Volunteer Park. Used to be quite a bit without any signage, but just recently lots of 4-hour limits have been posted. So just watch the signs.

For public transportation - on the east side of Volunteer Park the #10 Metro route runs along 15th Ave East. Your other choice would be walking west down the hill to Broadway for other routes like the #49. Depends which side of the park you are staying (north, south, east, west) which would be closer so more convenient.

me again - if you decide to rent a car and need to park it. if you can say a street name or cross-sections or which side of the park the rental is on... i'm happy to do a walk-by/drive-by and post back what limits are on which streets. Plus try to find if there are any non-signed streets nearby (which means you can legally leave a car in one place for up to 72 hours, if you had a rental but were not using it on a particular day).
suze

Here's a short-list welcome to the neighborhood spots all walking distance from the park and off the top of my head ~
https://www.volunteerpark.cafe/
https://www.monsoonrestaurants.com/seattle/
https://www.olympiapizza3.com/
https://www.jamjuree.com/
https://rocket-taco.com/
https://zeekspizza.com/
https://ethanstowellrestaurants.com/...ttle?mode=list
https://rubinsteinbagels.com/
https://libertybarseattle.com/
https://www.victrolacoffee.com/

Thanks so much Suze! Still deciding on the car, but at the moment leaning against it and just using public transportation. The recs are appreciated.

You can make it work either way.

For me, I would not want to be in Seattle without a car unless my trip was only to stay in a classy downtown hotel and do a few high-lights downtown. Pubic transporation is certainly available, and I use it occasionally say going downtown for an appointment.

But for everyday, what I can do in 12-15 minutes in my car takes 90+ minutes by public transportation (just an example and why I am a car-lover-driver in the city, this is going to and from my gym/studio up Roosevelt area).

A car would give you so much more freedom. And a little less view of street life in Seattle

Thanks for your insights as a local. I know what you said about SEattle is also the case in DC where I live. Once we focus in on exactly what we may want to do while in Seattle I can change my mind about the car. maybe get it for 2 of the 5 days? I'll see.