This Seattle Times article about miniature vacations on Metro to summer hotspots around town is pretty interesting. Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, Seattle Center … Just kidding. The article is about semi-natural and outdoorsy places such as the Ballard Locks, Golden Gardens and Alki. And since it was in the Times, it was written by someone who lives on the Eastside (this time Kirkland). I honestly learned how to get to Snoqualmie falls by transit (271 from Bellevue TC or 209 from Issaquah PNR), which is awesome for moving my carless life forward. Snoqualmie falls is a great place to take friends from out-of-town, and now I can do it without a car.
The Alki directions miss the mark: West Seattle Water Taxi, guys, come on! This is really the only way to get to Alki in the summer months, I can’t imagine why someone would want to take the 56 there.
Ok, so what other interesting places can you get to by bus in this area? I can think of the Museum of Glass in Tacoma (a worthwhile visit on ST route 594), Magnuson Park (65), Emerald Downs (152), and the Arboretum (48, 11)? Help me out!
I think they were saying to use 271 to get to Issaquah P&R, not all the way to Snoqualmie Falls, since 271 definitely doesn’t go that far. Personally I’d take the 554 from downtown to Issaquah, since it’s way faster.
You can also get pretty close to the Red Town Trailhead of Cougar Mountain on the 219. It only runs on weekdays, though.
For outdoorsy stuff, Jay Pinyon’s Hike Metro! page is an absolute goldmine. It is a bit frustrating how many of the outlying routes either don’t run on Sundays or have really infrequent service, but the majority of the suggestions at least work well on Saturdays, and all are good on weekdays if you actually have weekdays free.
One that I am particularly fond of, both because it’s wonderful and because it’s only really practical with the bus, is the low tide beach walk.
Don’t forget ferries. We’re lucky to have ferries as a public transportation system. You can get to all kinds of wonderful and cute towns this way – it’s a beautiful and unique experience for out-of-towners. Bus service may not be good once you’re there, but some towns rent bicycles.
You can even make a nice weekend trip to Victoria (yes, the clippers probably use a lot of fuel, but they’d be running whether you were on them or not).
Discovery Park is awesome in the summer time (take the 33)! Beaches, trails, nature, what more could one ask for! Ok, so I am biased there. Greenlake is good for the lake scene, people watching (it doesn’t get better than the rollerskate dancers), of course a walk/jog/run around the lake, and many excellent resturants/ice cream shops, chocolate shops! (I have always taken the 26, or the 16, but I think the 48 also runs along the lake! Of course my suggestions aren’t really getaways, although, Discovery Park will feel like a getaway they are in the city and awesome visits! I gotta run now, but I will comment with more suggestions.
Actually, you’d want the 11 rather than the 10 for the Arboreteum, right?
The Woodland Park Zoo (5, maybe the 44) is another regional destination that might be nicer to get to on the bus. Whatever happened with the zoo parking garage issue, anyway?
First of all, the 65 doesn’t go to magnuson. for that, you want to take the 74 or 75.
Also, we always take people to the olympic sculpture park, which can be accessed by a million buses going downtown, esp. the 66 and 67.
If you want to head to Golden Gardens and you like stairs, I recommend the 48.
Simply take it to the end of the line (Loyal Way NW and NW 85th), walk across the street, and then walk down many many steps.
You’re right, it’s the 11, I’ve fixed it.
One of the great museums in this area is the Northwest Railway Museum out by Snoqualmie, and if you go when they’re running trains, be sure and try to get a ticket for a cab ride. The website for the museum is here and the directions for using Metro to get there are here.
Here’s a mini-Metro-vacation. Take the 250 to Marymoor on a friday evening with a tent. Camp for the weekend (I’m not sure this is allowed, but it doesn’t hurt to try). Take the next bus back, which comes early Monday morning. Shower and head to work.