Whether you’re new to Seattle or you’ve been here for years, there’s always a new secret of the city to unlock. We asked our Secret Seattle followers for their “most unhinged, gatekeep-worthy Seattle life hack” and they delivered!
Check out the inside scoop from locals-in-the-know below, and then keep reading for even more Secret Seattle hacks.
Here are the top 10 Seattle hacks from locals:
- “Go to Costco on the weekends. Best time.” Another local said to go “during Seahawks games.”
- Want to snag a table at a hot new restaurant? “Go out when it’s dumping oodles of kittens n poodles. Because people stay home.”
- “Get a paddle board [and] launch in Eastlake, Matthews Beach, Camp Casey, Deception Pass or anywhere. Bring snacks and drinks! Fantastic views, no crowds, and your own plan. Spend the whole day exploring our sea life, watching float planes, and sipping your seltzer. It’s magical!”
- “There is an absolutely lovely series of staircases at Alaskan Way under Spokane overpass that offers a short cut to Beacon Hill from SODO.”
- “Park at Angle Lake parking garage and hop on the light rail to go downtown Seattle for Mariners game or concert etc.”
- “Korn Dog [in Capitol Hill]. best mandu in town + dirt cheap.”
- “When heading into Seattle on 90 West, if there is congestion getting onto I-5, take the James Street exit on the far right. Go through the light and pop back onto the freeway. You bypass the meter. Not advisable if getting off immediately on Mercer!”
- “Park for free in West Seattle and take the water taxi to downtown. It is a lot less stressful than driving up and down the hills looking for an affordable parking spot!”
- “There’s lots of big parks around Lake Washington and the Sound that are very popular but many more smaller parks that I find better and have less people.” Need help finding them? Check out a map of shoreline street ends to start.
- Looking for a glimpse of seal pups? Someone asked in the comments and locals replied that they’ve had success at the Golden Gardens Marina, the Ballard Locks, and the mammal rescue center at the Des Moines Marina.
Want even more? Here are the best Secret Seattle hacks that we’ve gathered over the years:
- You can get into many Seattle museums, gardens, and attractions for free on Free First Thursdays. Read all about the free museum days in Seattle.
- You can sail for free thanks to Seattle’s Center for Wooden Boats. They have several free programs, including one that lets you rent a rowboat on South Lake Union for one hour for free (this is currently paused but will be back soon!). Also if you volunteer at the Center, you can earn a membership and free hours of boating!
- There’s a hidden urban waterfall in Pioneer Square. Read about the Waterfall Garden Park.
- There are over 100 shoreline street ends in Seattle, where the public is welcome to enjoy the area where a street ends at the waterfront.
- The KEXP Gathering Space located at Seattle Center in Lower Queen Anne is the coolest remote work space in Seattle. It has a coffee shop, a record store, free Wi-Fi, and plenty of seating. You can hang out or work there while they do the KEXP live broadcast.
- The Seattle Public Library lets you use your library card to sign up for free admission to Seattle museums and other attractions like the zoo and aquarium. Unfortunately the program is on pause right now but keep checking the library website for updates about its return.
- Piper’s Orchard in Carkeek Park is a community garden where you can pick apples and pears for free.
- Seattle has over 40 POPS, or privately-owned public spaces, such as a rooftop garden downtown that the public can enjoy for free. Read more here.
- Everyone is welcome at St. Mark’s Cathedral every week for the Sunday night choir and Monday yoga. The choir performance is free and the cathedral yoga is donation-based.
- The Amazon buildings in South Lake Union offer free parking in their garages on weekdays after 4:00 p.m. and on weekends.
- Need arts and crafts supplies but on a tight budget? Seattle Recreative accepts donated and secondhand art supplies and sells them at a very low cost.
- Majestic Bay Theatres in Ballard has $6 movies every Tuesday!
- You never have to pay for blackberries in Seattle in the summer. Pick them off the many thickets growing on the side of the street, give them a good wash, and make some pie.
- You can get a free shirt from the Space Needle if you walk all the way down the 832 stairs after your visit.