Seattle pike place question

We are flying into to SEA on 9/10 and will pick up our rental car around noon. We are headed to the Fish Market at Pike Place in Seattle. Because there will be 4 of us on this trip and luggage for 2 weeks I rented a minivan. Being in my 60's and not used to driving a minivan in traffic and parking in tight spots I was thinking that the parking garage at the market will be packed on Saturday afternoon and a challenge. Does anyone have suggestions for other parking garage options - that are within walking distance that might be easier for us? I've done some research but it's overwhelming. This is the first stop on a 3 day road trip that will end up in Vancover and cruise to Hawaii so this is really the only time we can fit this in. Looking forward to any suggestions....also any special places we should check out in the market - watching them throw the fish around was on our bucket list so that is the main reason for the stop. Thank you - safe travels to all...

Link to Downtown Parking info

The Hill Climb garage is an alternative to the Public Market garage at the same price. Clicking on the pins will open info for each location and shows how many spaces are available and how many are open. If the Hill Climb is lower than the market there is an elevator available.

Thanks so much for the info and the website to connect to the different garages. Will certainly try somewhere other than the market place as I hear it's really busy on Sat.

It is extremely busy on the weekends, and especially Saturday. It's literally wall-to-wall people when walking through the main concourse. I would suggest parking your van at the hotel and then grabbing a cab or call Uber to get you Pike Place Market. If you're close enough, you can probably walk there. Seattle is very walkable.

Something to bear in mind though: Seattle is quite hilly in spots. You'll get quite a workout! :)

Thanks for the suggestion but won't work for us. We're coming from the airport and just going to Pike Place Market for the afternoon before heading south to our hotel in Olympia for our first night - wanted to have a closer start to Mt St. Helens in the morning. Is the market in a safe area as far as walking? I'm also thinking that if we see every thing we want to see we might still have chance to go to a catholic church for Sat. evening services while still in the Market Place area. Thanks for any info you have....

It's very safe. It's just very crowded on the weekends. :)

Thanks - that is good to know. After an early 6:45 AM flight out of Cleveland I'll have to make sure I have my "calm and patient" mode that day.....both in Seattle traffic and at the Market Place

We just came back from there. We went on a Friday afternoon, and there was a line out the door just to get in some of the more popular places there.(Cheese-making place, ginger beer place, and the original Starbucks.) Def lots of crowds in the general fish market, but it was worth seeing!The gum wall alley was pretty cool as well.

Thanks for the suggestion but won't work for us. We're coming from the airport and just going to Pike Place Market for the afternoon before heading south to our hotel in Olympia for our first night - wanted to have a closer start to Mt St. Helens in the morning. Is the market in a safe area as far as walking? I'm also thinking that if we see every thing we want to see we might still have chance to go to a catholic church for Sat. evening services while still in the Market Place area. Thanks for any info you have....

I don't want to be discouraging, but the Seattle area is very busy with people and traffic. It will take you a minimum of an hour to drive to the airport and park and walk to Pike Place Market. The market will be packed with both locals and tourists. It will take some time to make your way through the market. There are no Catholic churches within walking distance of the Market, although, should you choose to drive to the nearby First Hill area, there is a lovely cathedral.

http://www.stjames-cathedral.org/masstimes.aspx

(The website has a nice photo gallery of St. James)

The drive time from Seattle to Olympia will be between 1 1/2 hours and 2 hours, depending on the traffic and congestion. Even though weekends don't have the commuting slowdowns, there can be congestion on I-5.

After you arrive in Olympia, consider some time on the Olympia waterfront. Olympia has its own farmer's market in a permanent structure right on the waterfront. It's fun to explore and not congested like Seattle. Our favorite waterfront restaurant is Budd Bay Café. It's locally owned and has great seafood + other offerings. If it's a nice day, there will be outdoor seating available right on the water. Sunset views are lovely.

Hope this helps.

(Seattle native, back to the great-grandparents, lived all over the Puget Sound region)

just going to Pike Place Market for the afternoon before heading south to our hotel

I might be misunderstanding the timing and logistics but see if any of this might work...

Flying in and (presumably) renting vehicle for later use to go south to hotel? How about storing luggage (Ken's Luggage and Frozen Food Storage at airport) and taking the Link light rail downtown to the Westlake Center station then walking down to the market (3-4 blocks?). Reverse back to airport, get luggage and go to the car rental center to get the car. Link train should be reasonably not over crowded on weekend. Avoids driving in Seattle traffic and parking downtown (or anywhere really since you don't have car yet) and might get you headed to Olympia sooner. Saturday traffic south will be a little less jammed than a weekday and especially Friday afternoon.

Ken's will be $8-11 per suitcase but offset that with parking savings, time saving and no traffic aggravation might be worth it.

I don't want to be discouraging, but the Seattle area is very busy with people and traffic. It will take you a minimum of an hour to drive to the airport and park and walk to Pike Place Market. The market will be packed with both locals and tourists. It will take some time to make your way through the market. There are no Catholic churches within walking distance of the Market, although, should you choose to drive to the nearby First Hill area, there is a lovely cathedral.

http://www.stjames-cathedral.org/masstimes.aspx

(The website has a nice photo gallery of St. James)

The drive time from Seattle to Olympia will be between 1 1/2 hours and 2 hours, depending on the traffic and congestion. Even though weekends don't have the commuting slowdowns, there can be congestion on I-5.

After you arrive in Olympia, consider some time on the Olympia waterfront. Olympia has its own farmer's market in a permanent structure right on the waterfront. It's fun to explore and not congested like Seattle. Our favorite waterfront restaurant is Budd Bay Café. It's locally owned and has great seafood + other offerings. If it's a nice day, there will be outdoor seating available right on the water. Sunset views are lovely.

Hope this helps.

 

(Seattle native, back to the great-grandparents, lived all over the Puget Sound region)

Thanks so much for this great information....looks like we will do church on Sunday morning down near Olympia. I know my sister has researched this already but thought maybe would have time to go Sat. night so I could sleep in a little longer on Sunday morning. Want to get an early start Sunday morning and head to Mt St. Helens. Sounds like at the market place it will be quite the crowds - if it was just a market we would have skipped it but having seen the "fish throwing" its been on our bucket list so guess we'll just add 4 more people to the crowds and see what we can see. Thanks for the suggestion of Budd Bay Cafe - I know we'll be doing dinner somewhere down in the Olympia area....always good to have suggestions from local people.

We drive along 1st ave, one block up from Pike place St.. and find a guy holding parking sign. He guids you into a lot and you pay $15-20. We also have a handicap sign, so will do the circle around in front of market a leat couple times. Sometimes a guy see us and directs us to a space that really isn't for parking.

We drive along 1st ave, one block up from Pike place St.. and find a guy holding parking sign. He guids you into a lot and you pay $15-20. We also have a handicap sign, so will do the circle around in front of market a leat couple times. Sometimes a guy see us and directs us to a space that really isn't for parking.

Thanks - I'll have to check out 1st Avenue and see how that works out.

I go to Pike Place all the time (on the weekends since I work mon-friday. I come in from across the sound) and honestly never have trouble finding a decent place to park. Most times I get lucky and can park on the main street, but for days that aren't lucky I just go down to the Western Ave parking garage. It's only $3/hr and they have an elevator that will take you right into the market. Just have a little patience in the market area as the traffic can get a little crazy (mostly people traffic who just love walking in front of moving cars).

In the market do make sure you get yourself some flowers. Do get some of the yummy fresh doughnuts (next to the pig). Do get some fresh fruit/veggies and DO have fun!!

I go to Pike Place all the time (on the weekends since I work mon-friday. I come in from across the sound) and honestly never have trouble finding a decent place to park. Most times I get lucky and can park on the main street, but for days that aren't lucky I just go down to the Western Ave parking garage. It's only $3/hr and they have an elevator that will take you right into the market. Just have a little patience in the market area as the traffic can get a little crazy (mostly people traffic who just love walking in front of moving cars).

 

In the market do make sure you get yourself some flowers. Do get some of the yummy fresh doughnuts (next to the pig). Do get some fresh fruit/veggies and DO have fun!!

Thanks for the info - I have looked up the address to this lot and will keep it handy to put into our GPS. I'm sure for most people driving and parking is not an issue but for me - strange city (used to driving in the country) / driving a minivan (much larger car than I'm used to). I will definitely be driving very cautiously. So if you are going to the market around 1pm on 9/10 - please be patient with the 4 out of state "older" people in the minivan - just give me a minute and I'll be out of your way.

Thanks for the info - I have looked up the address to this lot and will keep it handy to put into our GPS. I'm sure for most people driving and parking is not an issue but for me - strange city (used to driving in the country) / driving a minivan (much larger car than I'm used to). I will definitely be driving very cautiously. So if you are going to the market around 1pm on 9/10 - please be patient with the 4 out of state "older" people in the minivan - just give me a minute and I'll be out of your way.

:) Being originally from Chicago and having lived in NY, Boston and LA, among other places, I will reassure you that Seattle drivers are actually quite polite and sane in comparison. Actually I get annoyed that they are so slow-moving! For a major city, you'll find it fine.

:) Being originally from Chicago and having lived in NY, Boston and LA, among other places, I will reassure you that Seattle drivers are actually quite polite and sane in comparison. Actually I get annoyed that they are so slow-moving! For a major city, you'll find it fine.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. How lucky for you to have lived in all those cool areas and experienced the different lifestyles.....