We are leaving our hotel in Tacoma thurs am and will spend the day in Seattle seeing Pikes, Waterfront, Pioneer Square, Space Needle. Our flight leaves out of SeaTac 9:00pm.
How is the parking for these places, is there plenty of parking garages? Do I drive to each of them, or is it walking distance?

How much time should I allow for driving from this to the airport? Is there heavy traffic early evening? I do have to return the rental car also at the airport.

Thanks,
Elaine

Just find a parking spot. Pikes / waterfront are next to each other. Then you can walk to Pioneer Square. Then take the monorail to the Space Needle. I think its about $20 for the day. I found spots last year (even when it was a Towncar)

Probably half hour for the airport (assuming rush hour) - somebody will have to confirm it.

I would just park your car in a centrally located garage for the day. There are plenty of them--and if you get to Seattle before 9:30 or 10 AM (depending on the garage) you can get the early bird rate. Then just leave your car and walk to everything. You could drive over to Seattle Center, but why hassle with parking again--just take the monorail, more fun ;-).

I'd leave downtown around 6:30--it'll take you about a half hour to get to the airport, and assuming you have a car from one of the onsite rental car places, it'll just take you a few mintues to return it so you'll be at the airport at least 90 minutes ahead of your flight which should be plenty of time.

There is plenty of parking in downtown Seattle--expensive though it is. Park in a central location and take advantage of free bus service in the "Ride Free" zone (link to map below).

Take the monorail to the Space Needle. The station is located on Pine Stree between 4th Ave and 5th Ave.

http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/...attle-rfa.html

How often does the monorail pickup and drop off to the monorail? This sounds great.

Oh, and one silly question - Are umbrellas ok to use in Seattle or would we stick out like a tourist? My daughter says no one uses them in Portland, and of course here in Laguna Beach it doesn't rain much at all...what is the norm in Seattle?

Thanks!
Elaine

Here's a link with the details on the monorail:

http://www.seattlemonorail.com/

It leaves every 10 minutes and takes 2 minutes each way.

I only carry an umbrella if it's raining very hard and I'm dressed up. Otherwise, a rainjacket with a hood works fine.

The monorail comes by every 10 minutes.

There are plenty of folks who use an umbrella in Seattle. Probably a smaller percentage than in other non-NW cities, but you certainly won't stick out.

I would find one place and park. Lots of surface lots and garages around the Pike Place Market and Belltown area. If you can get here before 9:00am or 9:30am you might find an early-bird special for $10-12 for the day.

You can bring an umbrella if you want. No one cares. We like tourists here. But right now the sun is shining and it's gorgous outside, so you'd hardly need one today

Suze in Seattle

I'd probably head back to SeaTac around 6:00pm or 6:30pm. It's approx. a 30 mins. drive from downtown. Plus allowing at least 30 mins. to return the rental and shuttle to the airport. Seems about right, I think.

I use an umbrella when it rains in Seattle, Portland, or anywhere else (unless it is extremely windy).

Have a great day in Seattle. With the exception of the Space Needle, you can see everything on your list -- and more -- merely by taking a stroll up 1st Avenue from Pioneer Square, with occasional diversions down to the waterfront, which is only steps away.

Re your concern about umbrellas: Seattleites typically don't use them because a good heavy rain is usually accompanied by a gusty wind, in which umbrellas quickly become useless.

Rush-hour traffic on the freeways is often particularly dense on Thursdays, for reasons I don't completely understand. You may want to allow 45 minutes to drive to SeaTac from downtown, just in case.

Finally (and I try not to be so picky often): Saying "Pike's" in Seattle as a shorthand for "Pike Place Market" annoys locals, much like saying "Frisco" does to residents of the City by the Bay. Preferred is either "Pike Place", or "The Market". One of those local cultural things. No scold intended, but thought you'd like to know.

Fritzrl - Thanks for the correction, I appreciate it. I wouldn't have known, and that type of stuff can by so annoying.
Looking forward to our trip.
Thanks for all the help everyone.

Elaine