Moving to Seattle? Here’s everything you need to know, straight from Seattleites themselves.
It can be daunting to move to a new city. There’s a lot to learn about everything from the local culture to the weather. If you’re moving to Seattle, you probably have a lot of questions. What is there to do in Seattle? Are the people there friendly or standoffish? Do I need to update my wardrobe? And does it really rain that much?
Well, who better to ask about living in Seattle than Seattleites themselves? We asked our followers on Facebook and Instagram what advice they would give to someone moving to Seattle, and they were more than ready to share.
Read on for Seattleites’ best advice for newcomers: the good, the bad, and the brutally honest!
First, the good:
“Welcome! Summers are the best imo. No humidity!”
“Welcome. Traffic isn’t great, but the PNW is the best location in America.”
“It’s beautiful here… with everything to do within an hour.”
“Belltown is a fantastic place to live. Get AC. Eat all the foods. Appreciate the mountain when it’s out.”
Seattleites all agreed that it’s important to get outdoors:
“Go hiking as much as you can!”
“Spend more time outdoors.”
“Enjoy the indoor, outdoor life. Explore the city, but don’t be confined by that.”
“Be prepared to be amazed when the mountain’s out! Go to REI, buy some good hiking shoes, and go explore…”
“Go outside no matter what or you’ll go nuts.”
Now let’s talk about your new wardrobe:
“Gore-Tex. Know it. Love it.”
“With every outing. Pack clothes for every season.”
“Waterproof sneakers.”
“Bring a hoodie.”
“Buy a rain jacket you enjoy wearing– you’ll be wearing it a lot!”
“Get a good quality rain jacket. Spend more on jackets than fancy shirts or t shirts.”
“Get [a] rain jacket and waterproof shoes! We don’t use umbrellas here 😂”
“There’s no such thing as bad weather; just poor wardrobe choices.”
Worried about our gray winters? Longtime Seattleites know how to hack it.
Pretty much everyone had this suggestion: “Start taking vitamin D supplements.” “Invest in an extra large bottle of Vitamin D.” “Buy vitamin D pills, and you’ll be fine 😎” (Of course, always check with your doctor first!)
“Buy a happy lamp. buy one for every room in your apartment.”
“Get a place with a good view and/or lots of natural light… helps a lot in the winter.”
“Stay in Seattle in the summer and vacay somewhere sunny in the winter.”
“Get into winter sports.”
“Go check out Woodland Mod in Ballard for decor and plants to fill your new space with hygge! 
“
The rain actually isn’t so bad, we promise.
“It doesn’t always rain!”
“Don’t let the weather, especially the rain, stop you from exploring the area. There are tons of fun things to do all year long!”
“Everything here is rain or shine!”
“If you use an umbrella you’ll look like a tourist.”
“Always have a raincoat and rubber boots in your trunk.”
“Be prepared to wear sunglasses even on the cloudiest of days! 😎 Oh, and you’ll soon be an expert on how much more rainfall other cities have compared to Seattle. 😉”
How to make the most of summer in Seattle:
“Enjoy the sun while it’s out.”
“Buy an inflatable paddleboard.”
“Ask if the apartment/house has AC! I moved here from Phoenix and didn’t realize AC wasn’t automatically part of the package 🤦🏻♂️”
“Get a place with air conditioning. We all used to manage without it just fine, but not anymore. Now, for at least two weeks a year, having at least one portable unit is necessary. Or finding an apartment or home with an A/C system is lux, and all your friends will want to come over.”
Tips for thawing the Seattle freeze:
“Don’t expect to make friends easily.”
“Be comfortable to spend a lot of time by yourself…in exchange you will gain the ability to not take small things and moments for granted.”
“Download Bumble BFF.”
“If you don’t have friends here already, get a hobby and show up regularly!”
“The Seattle Freeze is real friend, don’t be offended to never meet the nicest people on planet earth until the 3-6 month range. It’s killer but worth it.”
“Checkout local Facebook groups for interests and meeting new folks (e.g. Seattle D&D, PNW Foraging, etc.) The Seattle Freeze is only real for ‘cold meets’ on the streets. +Bonus for taking the initiative to make plans instead of waiting for someone else to.”
“Seattleites are polite, but not really friendly.”
“Respect the born and raised locals 🌲”
Get ready to drive up those Seattle hills:
“Work from home! The traffic is horrific.”
“Avoid driving out of the city on holiday weekends.”
“Learn to drive in the rain, spot black ice, and drive on ice covered hills.”
“If you have never driven up a hill before, accelerate slowly and steadily.”
“Don’t fret about the moss growing on your car.”
And finally…
“Get ready to live your best life.”
“Soak it all in ❤️”
Best of luck with moving to Seattle—we think you’ll love it here!