Seattle?
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harrysalit
2019 Wonder FTB
Find a campground near a train or bus station.
We rode the bus from Everett to downtown, then for change took the train back. Very easy and convenient.
Downtown is fairly compact but lot of hills. Plan ahead what you want to see then see if bus fits.
Forget about parking in town, you might get something on the outskirts but still will need a ride.
We rode the bus from Everett to downtown, then for change took the train back. Very easy and convenient.
Downtown is fairly compact but lot of hills. Plan ahead what you want to see then see if bus fits.
Forget about parking in town, you might get something on the outskirts but still will need a ride.
sprinterdiscovery
Active member
When I stayed in Seattle, I saw lots of RVs staying on the roads close to Alki Beach, especially along Harbor Ave SW. The road is flat and level in that area.
Personally I stayed in my 170 in the First Hill neighborhood, at the corner of Spring Street and Boylston Ave. You can park overnight until about 9am for free.
There would be enough room to park your Unity and the street is level in that area.
Closer to Pikes Place Market you can stay along Western Avenue closet to Cedar Street. Very flat and not much traffic there. It's a short walk to the market, with cheaper pay parking during the day.
Enjoy the trip!
Personally I stayed in my 170 in the First Hill neighborhood, at the corner of Spring Street and Boylston Ave. You can park overnight until about 9am for free.
There would be enough room to park your Unity and the street is level in that area.
Closer to Pikes Place Market you can stay along Western Avenue closet to Cedar Street. Very flat and not much traffic there. It's a short walk to the market, with cheaper pay parking during the day.
Enjoy the trip!
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JoePhoenix
2016 Unity TB
If you don't have to be right downtown and you don't mind either taking public transportation or Ubering, then Lake Pleasant RV Park up in Bothell is one choice for you. You could call them to discuss your options. https://www.goodsam.com/campgrounds-rv-parks/washington/bothell/lake-pleasant-rv-park-890001015/
autostaretx
Erratic Member
The usual downtown open-air (i.e. no height issues) lot i normally suggest is currently in the midst of Seattle taking down their elevated highway "The Viaduct" that paralleled their downtown harbor.
Parking near the Zoo and taking something like Bus #5 downtown is feasible.
Not tooo far south of town is Saltwater State Park, with camping https://parks.state.wa.us/578/Saltwater
SeaTac airport is a bit north of that, from there you can take "light rail" into town.
If you're going to visit Boeing's Museum (south edge of town), there'd be pay-lot parking near that.
There's quite a lot of ratty RVs being privately rented to homeless people in the "light industrial" areas of town.
Throw mud on your van to fit right in. Theft might be a problem.
Seattle itself does not have laws banning sleeping in your cars, just (poorly enforced) 72-hour time limits on parking (in otherwise unmarked areas). (i don't know if the surrounding communities ban in-car sleeping)
--dick
Parking near the Zoo and taking something like Bus #5 downtown is feasible.
Not tooo far south of town is Saltwater State Park, with camping https://parks.state.wa.us/578/Saltwater
SeaTac airport is a bit north of that, from there you can take "light rail" into town.
If you're going to visit Boeing's Museum (south edge of town), there'd be pay-lot parking near that.
There's quite a lot of ratty RVs being privately rented to homeless people in the "light industrial" areas of town.
Throw mud on your van to fit right in. Theft might be a problem.
Seattle itself does not have laws banning sleeping in your cars, just (poorly enforced) 72-hour time limits on parking (in otherwise unmarked areas). (i don't know if the surrounding communities ban in-car sleeping)
--dick
Seattle has become a large city with large city issues, including traffic. I first moved here in 1992 and love the place, but it's not the minute-mile town it used to be where you could count on it taking a minute to go a mile. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2019/02/11/here-are-the-u-s-cities-suffering-the-worst-traffic-congestion/#2efe16146e36
Parking near downtown Seattle in a Unity will be a hassle. I have parked our Unity in places ranging from DC, Philadelphia, and San Diego, to Houston, Miami and New York. Seattle would prove more challenging than any of these. Terrain, density, road patterns, construction, public transportation and local drivers combine to make it a challenge.
You should consider separating "visiting downtown Seattle" from "in our Unity." As previously suggested, I would stay outside of Seattle and take public transportation into the very walkable downtown. West of Seattle, across Elliot Bay, sits Bainbridge Island. The region sports the largest ferry system in the country. On Bainbridge Island, I would stay at the Clearwater Casino Resort RV Park. https://www.clearwatercasino.com/clearwater-casino-resort-rv-park/ For $30 you get a good location with full hook-ups and free 15 minute shuttle to the Bainbridge Ferry Terminal which takes you on a 1 hour ferry ride to the heart of downtown. Cedar Glen Mobile Home & RV Park is another nearby option, though they don't have a shuttle. Getting to the ferry would involve bus, Uber or car rental. http://www.cedarglenmhp.com/home.html
South of there about 8-10 miles, in the town of Bremerton, there is the StageCoach Mobile Home/RV park with a bus stop across the street that will take you on a 20 minute ride to the Bremerton Ferry for the 1 hour ferry ride to the same terminal in downtown Seattle. Bremerton also has a passenger-only ferry that takes 30 minutes. This place is not as a nice as the others, but it's an option.
Good luck and feel free to DM me with questions/recommendations.
Parking near downtown Seattle in a Unity will be a hassle. I have parked our Unity in places ranging from DC, Philadelphia, and San Diego, to Houston, Miami and New York. Seattle would prove more challenging than any of these. Terrain, density, road patterns, construction, public transportation and local drivers combine to make it a challenge.
You should consider separating "visiting downtown Seattle" from "in our Unity." As previously suggested, I would stay outside of Seattle and take public transportation into the very walkable downtown. West of Seattle, across Elliot Bay, sits Bainbridge Island. The region sports the largest ferry system in the country. On Bainbridge Island, I would stay at the Clearwater Casino Resort RV Park. https://www.clearwatercasino.com/clearwater-casino-resort-rv-park/ For $30 you get a good location with full hook-ups and free 15 minute shuttle to the Bainbridge Ferry Terminal which takes you on a 1 hour ferry ride to the heart of downtown. Cedar Glen Mobile Home & RV Park is another nearby option, though they don't have a shuttle. Getting to the ferry would involve bus, Uber or car rental. http://www.cedarglenmhp.com/home.html
South of there about 8-10 miles, in the town of Bremerton, there is the StageCoach Mobile Home/RV park with a bus stop across the street that will take you on a 20 minute ride to the Bremerton Ferry for the 1 hour ferry ride to the same terminal in downtown Seattle. Bremerton also has a passenger-only ferry that takes 30 minutes. This place is not as a nice as the others, but it's an option.
Good luck and feel free to DM me with questions/recommendations.
ranchworld
'06 158 2500 Passenger
I live a mile or so from Autostaretx in the Ballard neighborhood. Seattle does have a dense downtown core, visit the amazing new library, the Seattle museum of art and head to Mikes Noodles in the International district for food, all these places are an easy walk from each other. The sculpture park at the north end of the core is also nice and right on the water. The Space Needle and Pike Place are primarily just for tourists...
Outside of downtown, Capitol Hill and Ballard are the fun neighborhoods, both have amazing restaurants and shops. Ballard also has the Chittenden Locks with a fish ladder that will be chock full of salmon mid September. The locks and surrounding botanical garden are one of the most visited sights in Seattle, much much more "Seattle" than the market or Space Needle. Stop at "Totem Fish and Chips" across the street at the far northwestern corner of the parking lot, get some food to go and sit on the lawn at the locks and watch the boats go by.
Outside of the dense downtown area Seattle is surprisingly suburban, single family housing on 5000 SF lots is the norm. I see many Sprinters camping in my area, just keep a low profile and you will fit right in. There are so many local vans no one will pay any attention to you! Yesterday I saw 3 vans parked on the south side of the Ballard community center, walking distance to the locks and restaurants etc. Easy bus rides into downtown.
As far as camping goes you need to be a bit outside of town, further than a commute... North of town is Deception Pass State Park and South is Mt Rainer National Park. There are many others, those two really stand out.
Outside of downtown, Capitol Hill and Ballard are the fun neighborhoods, both have amazing restaurants and shops. Ballard also has the Chittenden Locks with a fish ladder that will be chock full of salmon mid September. The locks and surrounding botanical garden are one of the most visited sights in Seattle, much much more "Seattle" than the market or Space Needle. Stop at "Totem Fish and Chips" across the street at the far northwestern corner of the parking lot, get some food to go and sit on the lawn at the locks and watch the boats go by.
Outside of the dense downtown area Seattle is surprisingly suburban, single family housing on 5000 SF lots is the norm. I see many Sprinters camping in my area, just keep a low profile and you will fit right in. There are so many local vans no one will pay any attention to you! Yesterday I saw 3 vans parked on the south side of the Ballard community center, walking distance to the locks and restaurants etc. Easy bus rides into downtown.
As far as camping goes you need to be a bit outside of town, further than a commute... North of town is Deception Pass State Park and South is Mt Rainer National Park. There are many others, those two really stand out.
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