Did you know about these unspoken Seattle rules?
We asked local Seattleites themselves to share the rules that they personally follow to survive—and even thrive—in the Emerald City. Whether you just moved to Seattle, are just visiting and don’t want to stick out as a tourist, or have lived here for a while and haven’t fully assimilated yet, you may find this list helpful.
Take the Seattle rules that work for you and feel free to leave the ones that don’t! (Except for the rule about flying salmon—you should definitely watch out for those.)
1. Do: call places by their correct name
Seattleites are sticklers for calling local spots by their correct names. If you flub any of these, you’ll probably be gently teased for being an outsider.
- Leave the apostrophes at home: “It’s Pike Place Market, not Pike’s Place.” “It’s not called Nordstrom’s!”
- “The Freeway is not called ‘the 5.'” (It’s I-5!)
- “Capitol Hill—not Cap Hill!”
2. Do: drink coffee (that’s not from Starbucks)
It’s not just OK but encouraged to be a coffee snob here! As one Seattleite said: “If you’re not a coffee addict yet it’s coming at you.”
- “Instant coffee is not coffee.”
- “Coffee stands > cafes/coffee shops.” (Personally, we love the Monorail Espresso window downtown.)
- A little pronunciation tip: “Es-presso. NOT Ex-presso.”
- “Don’t drink Starbucks. Tons of local coffee shops that actually grind their beans well and tamp and time their shots properly.”
- “Yes, SBUX is great but so is supporting a privately owned stand.”
- “Don’t go to Starbucks, there are so many great coffee shops around to support! Take a picture of the sign at the first Starbucks and then get better coffee elsewhere.”
- “Avoid Starbucks and explore the small business cafes all over Seattle.”
3. Do: level up your home’s lighting in the winter
- “Make sure you can light a whole room as bright as a sunny day without depending on the sun. You will need it in December when its dark at 2:30 pm.”
- “Use smart light bulb to a mood color to keep the dark out of your house!”
- “Switch your lighting to warm lighting.”
- “Get a sun lamp.”
4. Don’t: drive in Seattle without these helpful tips
- Be a chill, courteous driver: “Don’t honk your horn, this isn’t New York.” “Let people who put their blinker on into your lane when driving.”
- “Always leave early because there WILL be traffic.”
- You should know that people treat the left lane differently here: “The freeway passing lane has a top speed limit of 55 mph 🙄” “There is no such thing as a left passing lane.” “Wanna the secret hack on traffic here? Pass on the far right lane 🤫”
- “Use the Waze app to get around because your life will be planned around traffic. “
- “Don’t assume people know how to 4-way stop 👏”
- When it comes to parking in Seattle: “Make extra extra time to find parking.” “Always plenty of parking on 14th Ave NW for Ballard brewery hoping!” “Don’t park in unsecured parking structures overnight.”
- “Never try to get off the Mercer St exit getting on I-5 south from 520!”
- Stay alert: “Some two way streets become parking and now it’s a one lane situation 😆”
5. Do: take public transportation
- “Public transport over cars.”
- “Learn to commute publicly or use your life savings (obvi not really) on parking $$$”
- “GET AN ORCA CARD.”
- “Make sure your ORCA card is stocked.”
6. Do: book a winter vacation every year
- “Plan a long weekend somewhere hot (AZ/CA) in December or January. Doing this will save you therapy bills and tide you over until Spring.”
- “Mid-winter vacation to sunny destination.”
- “Book the desert sometime Jan-march!”
- “Take all your vacations to sunny places between now and June 💯😎”
- “Find a warm and sunny place to go be a tourist in February.”
7. Don’t: take snow days in Seattle lightly
- “A few flakes of snow will cause major panic.”
- “Expect to be stuck inside for a few days when it snows really hard. The roads turn into a shit show. 💀”
- “Don’t walk in the snow on capitol [hill] without grips!!!”
8. Don’t: bother with an umbrella
If you’ve ever been to Seattle you’ve probably witnessed people walking around in the rain without umbrellas. Some Seattleites say it’s because they’re not necessary (the rain is usually more of a drizzle than a downpour, and a quality raincoat is all you really need) or because they’re downright annoying (the wind flips them inside-out or people on the sidewalk get hit by them).
Regardless of the reason, many Seattleites follow this rule:
- “True natives don’t even own umbrellas, just a good Gore-Tex shell and you’re 👍”
- “Never use, buy, borrow an umbrella.”
- “No need for a new umbrella.”
- “Don’t get an umbrella 😂”
- “If you must carry an umbrella downtown….. you DO NOT have the right of way under the awnings!! walk in the rain!!!!”
9. Do: figure out how to dress for rainy days
- “Just get a raincoat already!”
- “Invest in a good raincoat and check that the hood is comfortable before purchasing.”
- “Waterproof shoes and clothes. Better if those are for hikes too.”
- “Hooded jackets only.”
- “Layers and keep a raincoat with you (in the car, in your bag, whatever) at all times.”
- “Always bring an extra layer. Wear shoes that won’t ruin your day if they get wet!”
- “Waterproof shoes, and ones with good tread! You don’t want to go flying on a slick grate because of a poor choice in shoe.” They recommend Sorel, Keen, and Teva.
- “Quick drying pants too – nothing worse than heavy pants that don’t dry quickly…especially if you’re not going to be home for a while.”
10. Don’t: expect high fashion in Seattle
- “Fashion doesn’t really exist, so just wear outdoor clothing.”
- “It’s always shorts weather… but coats change with the seasons.”
- “Fleece is fashion 🙄”
- “Fleece, lots of fleece.”
- “Forget fancy hair. Learn to embrace the hair clip!”
- “Ok to wear sandals during winter.” (Editor’s note: ideally with socks!)
- “A hoodie is your best friend, all seasons.”
11. Do: take Vitamin D during the gray winter months
- “Take your 5000 IU vitamin D!”
- “Take Vitamin D and use a Happy Lamp.”
- “Get your vitamin D and emergenC supply before the stores run out.”
- “Get that vitamin D, b12, and iron supplements!”
- “Take your vitamin D and make friends with the rain 🌧️”
12. Don’t: let the Seattle Freeze get you down
- “Get involved with local clubs you find interesting, this will be how you make genuine connections. Lots of dance meet ups, fire flow/dance communities, plant lover communities, crafting clubs, hiking meetups etc.”
- “Set low expectations of making set plans with new friends.”
- “Book activities after work and make yourself go (a new yoga class, salsa class etc).”
- “Learn to live alone. Dating scene is tough in Seattle. Go out for movies, dinner, hiking alone but do it nonetheless. ✨💫”
- “Join hiking, gardening, rock climbing & astronomy groups.”
- “Talk to people. Stay dry. Stay busy 🤙🏽”
13. Do: get AC for the summers
Seattle has traditionally not been a city that relies on AC, but that has changed in recent years. Unfortunately, record-breaking temperatures and wildfire smoke have made it worthwhile to invest in an AC unit and an air purifier for your home.
- “A/C is important for a month out of the year and it’s worth every penny.”
- “AC and air purifier for the summer, space heater for the winter. “
14. Do: know how to stay warm and dry in the winter
- “Extra pair of dry sox in your glove box.🔥”
- “Keep an extra bottle of hair shellac on you.”
- “Scotchgard everything. 💦🙅🏻♀️” Another Seattleite added: “including kids! If you have any!😂”
- “Lots of warm hoodies.”
- “Run/walk between the rain 😀”
- “Layers. Always layer.”
- “Always have warm gloves on when you’re on those electric scooters”
- “Sun in the winter = warm clothes 🥶”
- “Own a boot dryer.”
15. Don’t: let the weather keep you inside!
- “Don’t plan your day around the weather! You’ll end up not doing anything!”
- “Keep going outside!”
- “Spend time outside, even if it’s cold and rainy. A light rain jacket and waterproof shoes will make life more pleasant.”
- “Dress for the weather and still LIVE your life!”
- “Don’t get bogged down by the weather and invest in quality, weather-proof gear. The dark months will become fun, enjoyable, and adventure-filled! There are limitless nature and sports to enjoy in any weather / any direction if you have the right gear. Also, learn how to play Pickleball—it’s the state-sport.”
- “Get used to hiking in the rain.”
- “Dress in layers for sure and definitely learn to embrace the cold rainy days – some places are even cooler in the rain, so don’t be afraid to get a hit with the water while you go out exploring!”
- “Stay in the gym for the dopamine. Dress in rain gear and hike outside. Get outside as much as possible.”
- “Know that if you don’t embrace the rain, you won’t leave your house. There are plenty of awesome things to do while it’s raining 🌦️, most days in the winter are rainy in the morning and clear up by evening anyways.”
- “There’s no such thing as bad weather just bad gear!”
16. Do: embrace the seasons
- “Enjoy being cozy inside as much as you can. Embrace hygge during the Big Dark. Cuddle your pets.”
- “The right shoes. The right hat. Coffee or tea. Music you love.”
- “When we come out of ‘the dark’ you appreciate spring SO MUCH MORE.”
- “Tour tulip and lavender festivals.”
17. Do: know what to avoid in Seattle
- “Avoid Pike Place Market and Target when it’s busy 😷”
- “Avoid 3rd and Pike whenever possible.”
- “Watch out for flying salmon.”
18. Do: explore the natural beauty around Seattle
One Seattleite had this sage advice: “Climb every trail. See every waterfall. Visit whales. Go to every island at least once.”
It’s true that while there’s lots of fun and exciting things to do in Seattle, you’ll be missing out if you don’t also leave the city to explore our state parks, national parks, nearby trails, and all the charming neighboring islands and towns.
Let us know what you would add to these Seattle rules!