I am attending a conference in Seattle 6/3/2007/-6/8/2007. This is located at the Doubletree Hotel Seatle Airport. Is there anyway I could stay some where downtown and travel back and forth? I would like to enjoy the sight and sounds of the Seattle area after my long 7:30-6:45 day at the conference. Any convinient bus services? Or should I just stay at the Doubletree and cab it occasionally to areas. Thanks!

King County Metro has an express bus that travels between Seatac and downtown very frequently -- ride takes about 20 minutes. I believe it is route #174. It will drop you at the terminal, however, and I don't know how far that is from the Doubletree.

I'm not sure it would be worth it for you to stay in downtown Seattle, with the schedule you mention. Especially if you are trying to use public transportation to get around, you wouldn't get to a downtown hotel until say 7:30pm and would have to be up ready to roll by 6:00am.

Myself I would probably stay at the airport hotel for your work, then use a taxi and come up to the city when you have a good block of time to look around.

In addition to the aforementioned bus, the hotel has a van ($12 per).

You can get bus schedules at http://transit.metrokc.gov

If you can live with bus schedule, I think it would be a lot more fun to stay downtown unless staying at the conference site gives you a better chance to hook up with somebody (if that's what you want).

I know that it is way too late for the original poster (to remember to look here for info)... but the bus number she would want is #194, not #174, for "express" airport service.

Yuck, that day at the conferences is too long!

Seattle bus service is quite good, and quite timely, and the airport service is dependable too.

You'd have to leave downtown in the neighborhood of 6:00-6:30am to get to your conference on time. It will be plenty LIGHT out at that hour, and no problem with downtown safety in the early morning light.

Returning at night you wouldn't get back into mid-town until 8pm-ish.

The downtown atmosphere would help, but you might not be able to do a whole lot extra.

Tiz a tricky one.

I have not been to Seattle too many times but it seems to me that it should be a quick trip...since you would be travelling against traffic??

I stay at the W hotel, which is just down the street from the on ramp to the interstate and a straight shot to SEA.

There is SO MUCH to do and see downtown...you really would be missing out on a lot to stay in the middle of nowhere at the airport.

Personally I would do the commute no matter what!

No matter what the traffic situation, it's going to be about 25 mins. minimum to drive down to SeaTac imo.