Seattle is situated amid lush green grounds surrounded by water and mountains. Spectacular view of awesome Mount Rainier from the immaculate tree lined streets within the city makes neighborhood proud of the treasure it encloses.
Apart from Vancouver in British Columbia and Portland in Oregon , Seattle is one of the gateway cities to the Pacific Northwest . Therefore it is considered to be cultural, commercial and transportation hub for the region.
Seattle Sea-Fac airport; that is located 13 miles south of the city, is connected to the downtown hotels by plenty of car rental agencies. While Shuttle Express and Grey Lines Airport Express offer inexpensive rides in compare to chauffer driven taxis.
A network of Metro Transit buses wrap the metropolitan area with most buses traveling through downtown on 4th avenue or in the Bus Tunnel which has five downtown entrances. The area between Pioneer Square ’s Jackson Street and Battery Street is the free ride district where the bus rides are free from 6am to 7pm.
The Seattle trolley that covers most of the tourist places downtown is another advisable mode of transport for the tourists. Attractive bright yellow sandwich boards indicate stops at the Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square , The Waterfront, the Seattle Needle, Safeco Field, The international District and the Seattle Art Museum . Running after every 30 minutes, the trolley is available during May to October from 9am to 6pm.
The monorail is another option for roundtrip for downtown shopping district to Seattle Centre. It runs constantly, departing after every ten minutes, seven days a week from 7.30am to 11pm, with two stops; ideally located within walking distance of most Seattle attractions.
Driving to Seattle is less recommended due to traffic conditions the freeways, miles of one-way streets and lack of parking facilities.
The Washington State Ferry system offers a treat of scenic beauty on trips outside the city limits. Ferries leave along the Alaskan Way waterfront from the pier. It is wise to check the schedule of the Washington State Ferry ahead of time at their website, http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/.
