Can I borrow your driveway for a few days?

February 18, 2008 10:37 PM

So I've decided to take another roadtrip to Seattle from my lovely burg of Vancouver. I got a great deal for a fancy room at the Sheraton downtown (yay!) but those people want me to pay $28 a day for self parking (boo!). Is there a nearby alternative?

I arrive on a Friday afternoon and leave the following Monday afternoon. My basic plan is to keep the car parked and use the free bus service around downtown (driving in Seattle makes me bonkers). I'm hoping there is a relatively-safe lot close to the hotel that I can use for less money.

Also: if anyone has a suggestion for stores that sell casual-yet-polished-looking clothes for a woman in her 30s that'd be handy. I already plan to hit Nordstrom Rack, but I'll skip Macy's as the Bay up here carries the same lines.

posted by Salmonberry to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)

You could park at Seattle Center and take the monorail downtown. (Drop your luggage at the hotel first.) It's significantly cheaper, though less convenient of course.
posted by kindall at 11:05 PM on February 18, 2008

I would have to advise against Seattle Center as the car theft/vandalism rates are really high and the parking rates are still pretty substantial. You should really park in a garage in downtown. Look to the South of where you are staying for much lower rates. You should be able to secure $12 a day if you look around and it will be well worth it. The prices really drop a LOT once you go South of Seneca. The neighborhood is still fine and you can take the Free Ride bus to the garage.

On a side note, I work about 4 blocks from where you're staying and my garage is THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS A DAY!!! (!) Thank God for company parking.....
posted by lattiboy at 11:11 PM on February 18, 2008

What about taking a shuttle to Seattle instead? It will take a teeny bit longer but then you won't have to worry about where to keep your car when you get there. I've taken the QuickShuttle plenty of times before and it's always been fairly pleasant. Some of their buses even have wifi!
posted by sanitycheck at 11:22 PM on February 18, 2008

Oh, also, I recommend checking out Anthropologie for clothes.

They cater pretty much exclusively to the sophisticated 30-something woman. (There's an interesting article about that here.)
posted by sanitycheck at 11:31 PM on February 18, 2008

You could always park at the Northgate Park and Ride - an exit right off the freeway - and catch the 41 into town. It runs every 15 minutes or so and takes 17 minutes to get there. Parking is free, of course.
posted by ptm at 12:41 AM on February 19, 2008

Park in the northen bit of Capitol Hill - the neighbourhood right next to downtown - in front of any of the very very expensive mansions here (There aren't any parking restrictions on some of those streets; take a bus downtown, or walk 1 mile.
posted by f4 at 9:50 AM on February 19, 2008

Most parking lots downtown run about $9-15 a day, but that's not including evenings. The cheapest option is probably Safeco or Qwest field. Here's a closer one.
posted by herbaliser at 3:18 PM on February 19, 2008

Salmonberry: e-mail me. (in my profile) I have a driveway nearby.
posted by printdevil at 4:43 PM on February 19, 2008

You could always park at the Northgate Park and Ride - an exit right off the freeway - and catch the 41 into town. It runs every 15 minutes or so and takes 17 minutes to get there. Parking is free, of course.

They do tow, though, and there's been occasional crime sprees there.

If you can leave your car at home, all the better. Downtown transit is massively improved since 3rd because transit only and the Tunnel reopened.
posted by dw at 5:30 PM on February 19, 2008