Avoid the headaches, take the Seattle Water Taxi

Driving and parking in or around downtown Seattle is about as fun as poking needles in your eyes. If you live near West Seattle, thankfully there is an easy and convenient way to reach many of the wonderful attractions that downtown Seattle has to offer…the Water Taxi. The Seattle Water Taxi is a pedestrian-only ferry taking passengers to/fro West Seattle’s Seacrest Park and downtown Seattle’s waterfront district. On the West Seattle side there is even a free bus shuttle that makes a loop around the area, hitting all the main stops like Alki Beach.

Seattle Water Taxi Schedule

Monday – Friday the water taxi leaves every 30 minutes.
Saturday and Sunday the water taxi leaves West Seattle on the hour and Downtown Seattle on the half hour.
Fares are $3.50 each way for adults.

Seattle Water Taxi Bus Schedule

The shuttle bus that runs a loop from Alki Beach to Seacrest Park (Water Taxi terminal) picks-up every 20 minutes or so from a number of stops along the route.

Seattle Water Taxi Map

Things to do:

There are many fun things to do within walking distance of the ferry terminals on either side.

On the West Seattle side, right at the Seacrest Park terminal you can rent kayaks, paddle boards, bikes and more. There is also a couple restaurants and great scuba diving. Walk down the boardwalk (west) and you will run into Alki, one of the best beaches in the city. Watch a competitive game of volleyball, rent a bike or some skates, or enjoy some fish & chips on the beach while watching the ferries go by.
On the downtown Seattle side, if you walk to your right (south) you can watch a Seahawk or Mariner game at either of the two stadiums. Head to the north along the boardwalk and you can check out the Seattle Aquarium or a number of restaurants in between. There are also a number of tourist attractions and tours that can be found by venders along the waterfront boardwalk. Head east, up a steep hill a couple blocks and you’ll find yourself at the famous Pike Place Market. Head north and you’ll find yourself at the Seattle Center, where the iconic Space Needle resides.

Whatever your mood, the Water Taxi in between downtown Seattle and West Seattle will make it more convenient and that much more enjoyable.

If you’ve taken the Seattle Water Taxi before, let my readers and me know what you thought. If you’ve enjoyed this post and video, please hit the “Like” button below.

Mike Shubic

Mike Shubic is a seasoned road trip travel video blogger, traversing the byways of the world looking for those hidden gems of the road. From unique destinations, unexpected discoveries, creative cuisine, intriguing inns to exciting attractions…the road is his page. The experiences are his ink. And every 300 miles, a new chapter begins. Whether you live vicariously or by example, Mike will do the exploring so you can have an adventure.

3 Comments

Julie Kizer says:

March 31, 2013 at 12:49 am

How late at night dies the water taxi run and what nights does it run later at night???
1. Mike's Road Trip says:
  
  March 31, 2013 at 1:32 pm
  
  Hey Julie, thanks for stopping by. You’ll have to look up the Washington State Ferry system to find out. I will tell you this…it can be unpredictable in the off-season months. In the summer they seem to run pretty often, like ever 30 min. until nearly midnight, however starting Oct. 1st I think it is, the schedule is scaled WAY back. As a matter of fact, I was stranded on the other side. I went to the Seattle side to go on the ferris wheel and have an early dinner, when my friend and I got back to the ferry at like 6:50pm (thinking we’d get on the 7pm ferry), the last one for the day left at 6:30. It was hell getting back to West Seattle. I was an adventure and now a good story though. 🙂