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City guide

Seattle, Washington

S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Type CityPopulation 784,777Metro Area Population 4,150,000

Why go

  • City in Washington, United States.
  • Known for Elliott Bay, Pike Place Market (Pikes Place).
  • 2 curated must-see attractions on record, including Washington National Golf Club.
  • Served by Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

History

Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 784,777 in 2025, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington. Seattle's growth rate of 21.1% between 2010 and 2020 made it one of the country's fastest-growing large cities.

Must-see attractions

14330 SE Husky Way, Auburn, WA 98092
Outdoor
86 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101
Outdoor

Airports

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) 11 mi to the centre
17801 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98158 — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 33 airlines (Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines…) · direct flights to 90 destinations incl. London, Atlanta, Denver, Beijing, Honolulu… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 33 airlines, 90 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
King County International Airport - Boeing Field (BFI) 5.7 mi to the centre
Seattle, WA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 1 airline (Kenmore Air) · direct flights to 2 destinations incl. Eastsound, Port Angeles (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 2 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
Paine Field (PAE) 21 mi to the centre
3220 100th St SW, Everett, WA 98204 — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Bremerton National Airport (PWT) 22 mi to the centre
Bremerton, WA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Renton Municipal Airport (RNT) 9.4 mi to the centre
Renton, WA, US — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Vashon Municipal Airport 12 mi to the centre
Vashon, WA, US
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Seattle
Ferry terminal · 0.5 mi from the centre · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
Seattle Waterfront
Ferry terminal · 0.5 mi from the centre · Argosy Cruises
Outdoor
Washington State Ferries Terminal
Ferry terminal · 0.5 mi from the centre · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
West Seattle, Vashon Island Water Taxi
Ferry terminal · 0.6 mi from the centre · King County Ferry District
Outdoor
West Seattle Water Taxi & Colman Dock
Ferry terminal · 0.6 mi from the centre · King County Metro
Outdoor
Vashon Island Water Taxi & Colman Dock
Ferry terminal · 0.6 mi from the centre · King County Metro
Outdoor
West Seattle Water Taxi
Ferry route · King County Metro
Outdoor
West Seattle Water Taxi: West Seattle
Ferry route · King County Metro
Outdoor
West Seattle Water Taxi: Downtown Seattle
Ferry route · King County Metro
Outdoor
Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry
Ferry route · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
Seattle–Bainbridge
Ferry route · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
Bainbridge–Seattle
Ferry route · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
Vashon Island Water Taxi
Ferry route · King County Ferry District
Outdoor
WA 339
Ferry route · King County Ferry District
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: SEA has direct flights to 90 destinations on 33 airlines (incl. London, Atlanta, Denver, Beijing, Honolulu…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 12 mi (nearest: Seattle, 0.5 mi); routes include West Seattle Water Taxi, West Seattle Water Taxi: West Seattle, West Seattle Water Taxi: Downtown Seattle.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Seattle, Washington. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Bus, streetcar · Seattle-area buses and streetcars; Sound Transit runs Link light rail. · Fares: ORCA card · Airport: Link light rail from SeaTac to downtown in 40 min
Light rail, commuter rail · Link light rail, Sounder trains and express buses. · Fares: ORCA card · Airport: 1 Line from SeaTac Airport station
Bus · Washington · Schedules & GTFS data
Bus · Washington · Schedules & GTFS data
Ferry · Washington · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)

Trains & rail

Rail operator
National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Cross-border coach Vancouver–Seattle, about four hours including the border. · Vancouver, BC guide →
Coach / shuttle operator
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Jet card, management · Managed fleet across US bases · Locally based jet card and aircraft management with private terminals in ~20 US cities.
Helicopter, by-the-seat · Helicopters, seaplanes, jets via partners · By-the-seat helicopters Manhattan–JFK/Newark and the Hamptons; jet charter through partners.
Membership charter · King Air 350i, Citation, Hawker, Global · US membership and on-demand charter; Delta Air Lines is a major shareholder.
Semi-private scheduled · Embraer 135 (16 seats) · First-class-only scheduled flights from Van Nuys to Aspen, Sun Valley, Cabo and Europe in summer.
Charter, management, FBO · Managed fleet, light to ultra-long-range · Charter, management and FBOs at Van Nuys and Orange County; the original Hollywood jet operator.

Tours & experiences