We know that getting to Seattle and staying here means a flight or a long drive for many of our friends and family - trust us, we wish we had found an easier answer and we very much understand that coming might not be possible. For those who can swing it, we're so excited and grateful for your efforts. We hope this helps.

Seattle (SeaTac) is a pretty big airport and a lot of traffic comes through - you should be able to find several flight options from most airports. Alaska Airlines often has a great ticket.

If you're driving here, check out Google Maps :D. More seriously, parking is generally available in downtown areas with a few minutes of searching and a willingness to walk a little. Parking is pretty easy to find elsewhere, except at the busiest trailheads on weekend mornings.

If you're flying in, you might want to consider renting a car but you definitely don't need one. You can buy an ORCA card at transit hubs for the rail system (the Link) and for buses. A Link station and many bus routes go between the airport and downtown Seattle. Public transportation is generally reliable and a station on Mercer Island itself is set to open in 2025 (fingers crossed). We would advise caution if you choose to travel solo late at night or walk around downtown Seattle late at night.

Seattle has plenty of ride share drivers. Prices to and from the airport can be scary, and we wouldn't recommend this option for traveling outside of urban areas (because of cost and availability of drivers). But if your only transportation needs are to and from the airport, Lyft etc. offers a good cost-and-convenience tradeoff.

If you do want to rent a car, the airport has your typical airport options. Summer is Seattle's peak tourism season, so book ahead! Our wedding venue has plenty of free parking and you can leave your car overnight if needed. We haven't tried Turo (where you rent a regular human's personal vehicle) in this area, but it has worked okay for us in other parts of the country at less expensive rates than rental companies.

Last, if you want to explore a specific destination beyond Seattle, we've had and heard about good success with using group tours and trips (like through Viator). Look into one of those!

Summer is Seattle's busiest season - we hope you'll love it as much as we and the many other visitors do! But that means you'll want to plan accommodations ahead to find reasonable costs and locations.

Mercer Island and Bellevue are pretty areas to be - and conveniently close to our venue - though likely more expensive unless you hunt for a good deal. We are looking into making a hotel block in case that offers a straightforward option.

In the meantime, seem to be good options within a 15 minute drive or an hour on public transportation:

- Red Lion Bellevue

- Hotel 116 in Bellevue

- Extended Stay America in Bellevue (disregard the name, they do short-term rentals too)

We would suggest taking a look at Airbnb and Vrbo offerings as well. We have scrolled through both and found some affordable options and also some neat/beautiful ones.

Feel free to reach out to us if you have a specific question!

You probably know some of the other guests! If you're up for coordinating accommodations or planning adventures together, please do. We have probably already mentioned to you the other people you would know, or ask us if you'd like.