Have tried transit.metrokc.gov to try and find how to get from Lynnwood Courtyard Marriott into downtown Seattle, but keep getting "this page cannot be displayed etc" when I try to find anything specific.

Perhaps someone knows if a bus runs into town near here? Fare? We will have a car, but think parking may be a problem. Thanks from an Aussie Fodorite.

Oh, golly, I'd just drive my car -- less than an hour if you're not in rush hour. Just out of curiosity, why are you staying in Lynnwood, if you are interested in Seattle?

At any rate, you should be able to find Seattle parking lots, depending on where you are headed in Seattle. A bus, in my opinion, would not be the easiest way to go.

Sorry you have had difficulty in finding a response from transit.metrokc.gov. When I checked, the website came right up. Perhaps the Courtyard Marriott can assist or may possibly have a suggestion regarding your travel plans.

Good luck, and do hope you enjoy your visit. All the best,

Sue

If you have a car but don't want to drive into Seattle, there's an enormous "park and ride" lot within a 5 min. drive of the Courtyard, from which the express bus into downtown will take something like 15 minutes. If driving, and if there are two of you, there are "diamond" lanes - for vehicles with two or more pax - that you can use to zip downtown even during the rush hours.

Parking in downtown Seattle is fairly expensive; meters run $2 per hour in most areas (stop and get a roll of quarters - 25c pieces as soon as you see a bank) or $5 per hour or so (up to $20 for the full day) at parking lots or garages in the CBD.

The bus will be around $2 per person per trip from Lynnwood (not sure of exact amount) but buses in the central business district in Seattle are free, so if you're spending most of your time downtown it's an easy way to get around. I'd probably recommend a car, though, so you can stow purchases and/or take drives outside the CBD (lots to see in the neighborhoods).

Rush hours from Lynnwood to/from downtown are roughly 7 - 8:30 am and 4:30 - 6:30 pm, so if you plan your driving (or bus riding) outside those times it's not a bad commute.

Note that there isn't much walkable from that Courtyard, but there are enormous shopping malls very close by.

For a somewhat hilarious, somewhat snooty, somewhat larrakin-like look at Lynnwood, check out ``Big Hairs of Lynnwood'' on the radio show link below.

http://www.bobrivers.com/audiovault/...attletunes.asp

Street parking meters downtown were recently all coverted to new machines that now take credit cards (as well as quarters).

Parking is not a "problem", there's plenty of it, but it is not cheap.

That said, I'd probably go with the express Metro bus if you want to get to one spot in central downtown Seattle.

If you want to go several places, or see other areas than strictly downtown I'd take your rental car. It's an easy drive straight down I-5 (freeway).

I'm not sure why you're having trouble with the metrokc.gov site, but Metro Transit doesn't serve Lynnwood anyway. Lynnwood's Ash Way Park & Ride is served by Sound Transit Express bus route 511. See www.soundtransit.org. Sound Transit's online trip planner does a pretty good job of telling you which of their services to use. It will tell you if any of the local bus services, Metro or Community Transit, provide service too. I think taking the bus is a great idea. Bus Service is free in downtown Seattle. Sound Transit fares are $2.50 each way. Not cheap as bus fares go, but a good deal compared to parking and gas.

Thank you all for the Seattle info - sorry I haven't answered before.

Suelh, we didn't care where we stayed as we'll mostly do scenic day trips, so got Lynnwood on Priceline. We have stayed right in town twice before, so will only go into town one day. We'll have six days to enjoy there.

Gardyloo, we'll try and find the park and ride lot. It is for economic reasons that I don't want to pay a fortune to park all day. Maybe we could drive the car a little closer in though.

I've just had trouble with the bobrivers site, and the transit site .Got in OK, but no second screens. Must be me. I'll try again later.

Thanks again. Hallo to all from Australia!

Carrabella,
Now that you have all the Seattle info, for a 20 minute ride to the Wineries in Woodinville, take the I-405 South to Chateau St. Michele, Colombia, Red Hook (a Brewery). At St. Michele there is a series of Ponds which house Salmon. Get directions from the Marriott. Have fun.

Hello, Carrabella -- curious to know how your trip will go. Do let us know where you went and what you enjoyed.
Happy travels!
Sue

Hi,Sue!
We wont be in the US till next April, so it will be a while before I can report.I know we'll have a good time wherever we go. We have a RTW ticket, and have chosen to go to Kruger National Park in South Africa, Ireland, and Germany before we reach the West Coast
Will also try the wineries,thanks John - we enjoy our glass or two with meals. We live in the Hunter Valley, NSW, which has great wine and wineries.

WOW!! ENJOY!!

P.S. What day trips do you have in mind for your stay in Lynnwood? There are delightful places for nearby day trips, e.g., La Connor, Whidbey Island,
Bainbridge Island, Leavenworth (in the mts.), possibly even Vancouver, B.C.

And there are more -- the Puget Sound area is a great place to sightsee. I imagine you are already checking into such day trips. It will be interesting to learn where you choose to go, and how the trip went (not to mention the other RTW sites, especially Ireland!).

Safe and happy travels!
Sue

Carrabella, hope you enjoy your RTW as much as we're enjoying ours (now in a autumn-winter/credit card replenishment "hold' )

Our last stops were Kruger/SA and a couple of days in Ireland too. Trip reports at http://home.comcast.net/~gardyloo.