jen80370

Not looking for in/out as we are puttering around the downtown for the weekend.

Any cheap weekend parking in the area?

Thanks so much for any info you have!

Sammy

Do you need to rent a car? There is great free bus service as well as shuttle service to downtown.

jen80370

We are driving from Sea Tac to Downtown...then two days later we are driving to Vancouver for five days...then back to Seattle...

Isn't it cheaper usually to rent a car by the airport?

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

TrojanHorse

If I was going to be in SEA for two days, I would take the bus to DT SEA and then have one of you go back via metro bus ($1.25 off peak OW; $2.50 peak) and get the car. I'm assuming cost is an issue if you are looking for cheap parking. The use of a car in DT SEA is pretty much nil if you are staying in the city and playing in the city. There is a free bus zone and everything is in walking distance anyway. By waiting two days to get the car, you would save two days on the car rental as well as the parking fees which could save you $100 bucks or so.

clublounger

check the rates for p/up in downtown. SOmetimes downtown pickups come out cheaper if all the aiport fees and stuff isn't added on. All the majors are downtown.

As for cheap parking..there is free parking if you're willing to walk a bit. Just above the freeway there is on street parking. You may have to move it each day, though. The signs will tell you if there is cleaning, etc.

Aloha

jen80370

Great ideas. Thanks so much...just when I think this trip is all planned out.

The money I save could buy us a fantastic dinner. Thanks so much!

VibeGuy

I'd suggest checking the Budget location on 4th and (Cherry?) They've had all the national specials in the past, and they're very customer-service driven. The location on Westlake by the Westin is open on Sunday, but they have been more problematic, historically.

I am certain that what you'll save in airport surcharge (make sure to tell the people in downtown that you did *not* arrive in the last 24 hours), parking and two unused days will buy a darned nice dinner.

Eric

TrojanHorse

There is also a Dollar Rent a Car offsite on Stewart at around Boren (maybe not quite that far up) to try as well, its about a 10 minute walk from the Sheraton

Ocn Vw 1K

We almost always take the Gray Line from SEA to the Westin and then rent from Avis across the street. As clublounger says, you avoid the extra airport fees that way and we don't pick up the car until the eve. of the first day, saving one day's parking that way. Many discount rental rates allow return to SEA without paying the higher airport fees.

Between 10 AM Fridays and Sat. eve., you can park free on the streets reserved for carpool vehicles around 8th - 9th & Lenora. Meters are free betw. 6pm - 8am and all day Sun. & certain holidays.

If you need a cheap lot for all day during the weekdays, there's a $4 - $5 lot at Westlake near Denny.



[This message has been edited by Ocn Vw 1K (edited 10-30-2003).]

jen80370

Great info...thanks

VibeGuy

I should note: if you're travelling relatively lightly (carry-on and purse/briefcase or similar), there is Metro bus service from the airport to downtown for a whopping $1.25. It's an Express service, route 174. There's more info available at http://transit.metrokc.gov - which is down as I write this, or I'd give a deeper link. While it sounds like the original poster is planning to stay awhile, this might be useful to someone else who, like me, travels light and would rather spend the money on libations. ;0)

Eric
(edited a mortifying typo (or two))


[This message has been edited by VibeGuy (edited 10-31-2003).]

hellyea

Any recent experience / knowledge? Getting into SEA tonight late and looking for a cheaper alternative to the $40/day parking charged by the Sheraton...

Cbass98

There's limited street parking that is free after 8pm, but you'd have to get out early tomorrow morning. Else, there are a couple of parking garages that might by cheaper than $40 but you won't have in-out privileges. If you need in-out, you might want to try the hourly Pacific Place (mall) parking further down 6th avenue where Nordstrom's is (2-3 blocks down the street)

andymell

Street parking is free until 8 AM (I think) and then you have a two hour limit. So, that's unlikely to work. Note that you can typically pay after 8 PM (when parking becomes free) for the first two hours in the morning. That is, you can part at 8 PM, pay $6-8 and leave your car until 10:00 AM.

There is a garage right next to Nordstroms on 6th Ave, about 2 blocks from the hotel, that usually has good weekend rates. (IF you drive down 6th Ave it's immediately past the Nordstroms.. here's the google street view http://g.co/maps/82tmq.) Most non-hotel garages in the area don't have overnight parking.

Do you need to rent a car? The light rail runs from the airport until about Midnight and the Westlake stop is very close to the Sheraton. A taxi will be around $40 incl tip. If you need to rent a car on the end of your stay, there is a Hertz about 1-2 blocks from the Sheraton. That will avoid some of the airport facility fees and Seatac city taxes on the car rental.

hellyea

Just a few tidbits of info if anyone in the future reads this thread. We (unfortunately) did one night in the Sheraton for Valet -- $44 / day.

There is tons of street parking, but you have to watch the signs as well as the meter times. For example, we parked on the other side of the street as the Sheraton and there is a sign that 7am-9am is 3 minute loading zone only. So even though the meters are free till 8AM, need to move the car by 7AM. So if the timings work with your schedule, you could park it for free overnight, move it to an early bird garage in the morning, and move it back out at night to the street. This worked easily for the two days after we got gouged the first night. Hope this helps!