Take advantage of Seattle's extensive metro bus system. Plan where you're going in advance with the King County Metro Online trip planner. If your style is more spur of the moment, you can call Metro's Rider Information Phone System at (206) 553-3000. A helpful customer service representative will help you plan the route you'll need to get where you need to go. Riding the bus within the Seattle downtown area is free, so you can get on and off at your leisure (see Resources below).
Buy a ticket for a hop on/hop off bus tour. Many bus companies, like Grayline of Seattle, offer informative, narrated bus tours of Seattle. These tours run in loops, so for one flat fee you can hop off and hop back on again whenever you like, all while learning a little more about Seattle's interesting history (see Resources below).
Ride the monorail. Seattle's famous monorail was built for the 1962 World's Fair to connect visitors from the Space Needle to the amenities of downtown Seattle. The monorail cars are the original cars from 1962 so riding the monorail is fun, historic and functional. In less than two minutes, travel from the Seattle Center to downtown's Westlake Center where you'll find plenty of shopping and a food court with cuisine from all around the world. When you're done exploring, you can ride the monorail from the Westlake Center back to the Seattle Center. Monorail cars run every 10 minutes from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily (see Resources below).
Walk. Seattle is a great city to explore on foot, with most major attractions and shopping clustered within just a few miles. If you decide to do some walking in Seattle, make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Your feet will thank you later! For people staying near the Space Needle and Seattle Center, the monorail plays a role in a successful and convenient walking experience. You can take the monorail from the Seattle Center to the Westlake Center where you can explore beautiful downtown Seattle or walk a few blocks more to Seattle's famous Pike Place Market and waterfront.
Take a taxi. Though taking taxis the entire time can put a crimp in your budget, there are times where taking the bus, walking, or using some other mode of transportation just isn't convenient. For that type of situation, taxis are both perfect and plentiful. Seattle taxi drivers are adept at navigating through the city's narrow streets and heavy traffic, so you can feel safe and relax as they deliver you to your destination.
