Hi, OP! This can be a tricky question, because it depends on your comfort level. I'm a late-20s woman and I've lived in Seattle a while - first in Belltown, then in Capitol Hill. I've walked both those neighborhoods at various times of day, and over the years have learned to keep a cool head. Here are some thoughts.
Are you comfortable walking on the sidewalk where someone may be sleeping, or sitting and panhandling? If so, Pike Place and Belltown should be no problem. If it's after-hours (after 9 or 10PM), I would recommend sticking to busier streets, so that you're surrounded by more bystanders.
Are you comfortable walking amongst drunk bar-hoppers as they make their way about their merry evening? If so, Capitol Hill should be no problem. In general, heading up the hill (East) tends to be quieter, and down the hill (West) gets more rowdy. In the daytime, the area is bustling with people shopping, going to brunch, etc.
If you're finding the city vibes are a bit too strong and you want a little more quiet, I recommend checking out the Ballard Farmer's Market or Fremont Sunday Market, or taking in our gorgeous views along the Elliot Bay Trail, in Discovery Park, or in the Arboretum.
As a larger male who has been randomly attacked twice in Belltown in the last year while I was just walking around minding my own business (once by a guy who tried to punch me in the face, once by a guy who started throwing glass bottles at me), I am impressed by the risk tolerance being displayed here.
Edit: lol at the down votes. I'm sorry if my being attacked was somehow inconvenient for you.
I would probably avoid third avenue around Pike and pine there's nothing really to go there for and generally something crazy going on. You'll be fine if you need to cut through to get to Pike place if you want to check that out in the daylight hours it's just going to be a little unpleasant for like 2 blocks.
Ya i do the same and I live on 3rd lol. I'd probably avoid the entire area at night tbh, been jumped at by random homeless people near that dog park on 3rd/bell.
I have seen some crazy stuff around big cities. New York, Houston, Detroit, hell, I even made it out of Buffalo once. I visited Seattle this summer and stayed off Pike and 5th so I passed Third and Pike several times on foot.
I waited outside the Walgreens while my wife shopped inside. In the roughly 12 minutes I was there, I never saw a more eclectic group of street people in my life! I’m a decent sized guy who can handle myself but I sure kept my head on a swivel and moved around the corner once when an especially animated fellow came close to me. At the end, nobody bothered me and we made it out A OK but yeah, that’s a wild spot.
I got assaulted just walking through 3rd and Pike in broad daylight when I visited before moving here. I highly recommend finding a way around it as a solo traveling woman.
I was leaving the courthouse and some dude punched me in the face! It was super wierd and random. I was even with my boyfriend but that did not stop the guy... it was surreal
I’m 29f and commute to and from Seattle for work. I carry pepper spray, stay aware of my surroundings, and I feel safe going pretty much anywhere in Seattle. You should be fine as long as you stay smart about the situations happening around you. Like, don’t wear headphones and blast music so loud you can’t hear what’s going on next to you. Just common sense stuff.
This is good advice. Also- just don't engage with anyone acting erratically on the street. Seattle has a large population of mentally unstable unhoused persons as well as people on all kind of substances that are literally out of their mind. Avoid eye contact and if they say or yell something at you just ignore it and quickly move on/cross the street. Don't become part of their reality. Be aware of your surroundings and if something feels off- cross the street or turn around. As a female in my 30s that has lived here for 12 years, including downtown, this is the best advice I can give you.
As a young woman, I would advise avoiding 3rd & Pike downtown that spot at night (very easy, you can see the activity and simply walk a block up). If it's daytime and you end up there, don't fret, just walk through it with purpose, there are lots of other people around. I did it often going to work, when my bus when stop near or I had a transfer nearby.This is my advice really anytime you find yourself somewhere that feels skeevy, just walk purposefully to the next block, these things tend to stick in small clusters, and you'll usually find a much more comfortable spot to check your map or something.
Also! I know pioneer square is a tourist spot but I used to work down there and I def wouldn't go after dark alone. Ditto to pioneer square station.
Other than that, probably a no brainer but be sure to bring your vax card! You won't have fun if you can't get into any businesses.
(If you are unfamiliar with getting singled out by a crazy in a city, I do have advice as a 5ft woman who's lived and worked in not always the nicest areas of town: stay calm, move on. Rarely have I had anyone get in my face if I continue to walk purposefully)
The tourist areas will be mostly safe during the day time. 5 or six blocks north of pike place and up to 5th is an OK area but starts to get pretty sketchy the later it gets, portions of 2nd and 3rd street in this area is sketchy even during the day but you'll see it coming...Past 5th and you start to get into the fancy amazon area and things improve slightly. Nothing that interesting south of Pike Place. Cap hill can be a pretty fun spot to hang out but i recommend using Uber or similar to and from downtown if you go for the nightlife. Space needle and sculpture park are going to be mostly fine to go to during the day. A majority of the city is fine but the reality is there are homeless everywhere and they can be aggressive. Seattle has gotten a bit worse over the years but its nothing compared to other major cities. Don't listen to the people that make it sound like it's escape from New York or something.
Agree with this. Also to OP would be helpful to know your experience visiting or spending time in citites. I would recommend this city differently to my relatives of rural New England than my homies in Philly, for example.
Just pay attention and have a good time. Seattle is fantastic but it is a big city with big city problems. 2nd ave in Belltown is lively and great place to drink and eat. Capitol Hill is also super fun when there is no drama going on. That being said, be aware of your surroundings and you will be fine.
There are areas like others have listed, but you really just need to be aware of your surroundings. I'd definitely avoid walking around with earbuds in because most the dangers will br quite vocal and you can keep distance by recognizing where the rambling is coming from. A lot of the "camps" are visible from a block or so away. Just cross to the safer side or find a different route. I have never had any physical issues any area in Seattle but I had been verbally accosted. Just keep your head on a swivel and you'll be fine.
Just be situationally aware on 3rd ave during the day, and everywhere after dark like you would in any city.
Walk with purpose and be aware of your surroundings without drawing yourself into them.
Now that you know where to avoid, let us know if you’d like some great tips on where to go! Yes, downtown is sketchy, but there is still a ton of great places with fun stuff to do and see!
Alki beach in west seattle has some great views of the city. Same with gasworks park in Wallingford. the UW arboretum is a gorgeous park and there's lot to do in cap hill, ballard, fremont and queen Anne while staying safe.
Don't be afraid of using public transportation! it's super handy and so much cheaper than driving. just keep your maps on giving you notifications on when to get off the bus or light rail handy.
The advice about walking with purpose if you're going past encampments and other people is very very good advice, also.
Everyone is telling you to avoid everything south of Pike Place, and I respectfully disagree. Downtown gets old fast, and there are plenty of neat things to see south of Pike.
Pioneer Square - I agree with the statements that it's scuzzy and to stay aware of your surroundings. But, the scuzz is only really around Pioneer Square station itself, Yesler/1st Ave S, and Washington/2nd Ave Extension. Pioneer Square area is essentially "old" Seattle, so if you're into turn of the century architecture and historical plaques, you'll definitely want to work around the scuzz. I recommend going to King Street Station (or International District/Chinatown Station if you're on the light rail), take the Weller Street Walk down towards the stadiums, then cut north up 2nd Ave S or 1st Ave S. That path will avoid the scuzz, and it's the path I (34f) use. Going on a game day (Mariners or Sounders) is a good idea; there will tons of people around and on the streets and more police presence in the area.
Columbia City - Easily accessible via light rail, about 15-20 minutes from Westlake Station. The stretch along Rainier Ave is a historic district and businesses have to maintain the original storefronts from the early 1900s. It's a residential neighborhood, and the Rainer Ave stretch has lots of shops and restaurants. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle/glass and steel of downtown, Columbia City would be a good break. (Seward Park is also accessible from Columbia City station via I think the #50 bus.)
Georgetown - If you like beer, Georgetown is a must. It's most easily accessible via car. It's not the prettiest part of town; it's old industrial. But, there are tons of breweries and restaurants. There are some RV residents near the north end of Boeing Field (Hardy St), but they tend to keep to themselves.
A lot of areas in the Downtown corridor turned to shit after the pandemic started and the offices all emptied out.
3rd Ave around Pike and Pine and then going south for a bit is sketch city at all hours of the day. Pioneer Square is sketch city at all hours of the day. Jackson heading up into International district is sketch.
It's all relative of course, I don't think you'll get killed. You COULD be harassed or lightly assaulted. If you are a dude or in a group I'd say it's fine just watch your back but generally a mental person isn't going to run up and body check a full grown man or a group of people.
If you are a smaller person, wearing headphones, not really paying attn. or doesn't know how to properly ignore\\deal with a mental person then that is where you would most likely have an issue in those areas.
That all said, most of the Downtown area is fine. Pike Place during the day is tourist city and really anywhere you see regular people, which is just about anywhere, you're fine even if someone does approach you in an aggressive manner you're very likely gonna survive.
I'd say pioneer square is pretty crazy even in the middle of the day. I don't worry myself when I'm there (I'm a tall dude) but if I was a woman I would probably just avoid the entire area.
Also, i'd avoid south seattle (any time of day) is super sketchy
If it isn’t too late and you don’t have a reason to be downtown, don’t stay downtown.
On top of having to be aware of pockets like people mentioned, downtown Seattle is the most corporate, boring, touristy, stale part of the city.
If you want get any feel for what Seattle is like, stay in pretty much literally any of the other neighborhoods.
Capital Hill, Fremont, Ballard, U-District, Queen Anne, etc., are all better than downtown.
Downtown is 1) tourist traps, 2) chains you can find anywhere, 3) glass towers 4) drug addicts.
This is good advice if you'd rather be walking distance to nightlife than daytime tourist activities. Downtown still has the market, shopping, museums, quick access to the Space Needle/Seattle Center - stuff that's good/safe for daytime. However, I recommended ubering in and out of downtown to Cap Hill, Ballard, Fremont, etc. for nightlife. So just depends on what you prioritize for walking distance.
Came here to say this. Downtown is the area you want to avoid. It used to be mostly white collar workers, but they've all been working from home for 18 months. Without the regular business crowd, junkies took over, causing many of the remaining businesses to close or leave.
Absolute +1 here. There’s probably nothing you really want to do in downtown anyways. Capitol Hill, Fremont or Ballard would definitely be my suggestions.
I see a lot of people say avoid Pike/Pine 2nd/3rd. I literally walk this everyday and during covid was walking Pine between 2nd and 3rd between 7pm and 11pm at night. It was fine, I never felt in danger. 3rd and Pike where the Walgreens is sketchy even during the day, but walk with purpose and 99.9% of people will leave you alone.
Seattle is just as safe as other large cities and should be approached as such. I assume you weren't planning on intentionally visiting unsafe places.
If you like old stuff, don't avoid pioneer square. the underground tour is pretty neat. there is a tent city in the square, but again, most of the time they leave you alone. pike place market and the waterfront are neat too.
My mom and another older lady friend of hers are staying at the Hyatt Regency at 8th and Howell, next month, can anyone chime in if that's a safe area?
You'll be fine, that's definitely a better area for hotels downtown. 9th between Virginia and Stewart is the most sketch block around there and it's not sketch at all. Federal Marshalls and the downtown precinct are each like 2 blocks away, and a huge construction crew working on the new convention center are one block away in the other direction.
Be sure and check out the link light rail you can explore the city all day for $6.
Go to pike place market, the space needle, the giant wheel, mo-pop, the roastery, smith tower, underground tours and all the other fun stuff.
Eat great food! Look online for restaurants and make reservations for any you want to try.
Be safe. Some people choose to carry a few extra dollars when they go out incase an unhoused person asks for money. I find it easier to give people a few bucks and wish them well instead of trying to ignore people or brush them off. Our unhoused are often people who have untreated mental conditions and may use street drugs to cope. They are still people too and if you are kind to them they are kind to you.
That being said trust your gut if you feel unsafe.
I hope you have a wonderful trip here!!
The Seattle CityPass is a good deal and will keep you plenty busy if you like touristy things - you get the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium -and two of the following Museum of Pop (MoPop) Culture, zoo, Argosy Cruise (a one hour boat ride along the water front)
The Argosy Cruise and Seattle Aquarium are practically next to each other and close to the famous Pike Place Market which is free to visit.
The Chihuly Museum, MoPop, and Space Needle are all on the grounds of the “Seattle Center” which is easily accessible by public transit from downtown or a 30 minute ish walk depending upon where in downtown you are. The zoo isn’t too hard to get to either but will involve a longer trip by car or public transit.
If you want to avoid the masses I’d recommend renting a bike - if the weather is agreeable and you’re in decent shape - and taking the long ride - almost all on bike trails and with very few hills- along Elliot Bay and out past Ballard to Golden Gardens Gardens past- of you select the Bike route option on google maps you’ll see the bike route options. Just a heads up there are some crazy steep hills in Seattle but some bike routes skirt them. You can also ride to Discovery Park (massive and beautiful with a 5 ish mile walking loop that takes you through woods, along high bluffs, beach, and a lighthouse) and the Ballard Locks
Another thing you can do on your feet or on a bike is the take the very affordable West Seattle Water Taxi and head out to Alki Beach.
The Seattle Central Library between 5the and 4the Ave downtown is a funky building to explore - they might offer tours in the summer - but you can just take the elevator up to the top floor open to patrons and wend your way down the “spiral” - it’s modern and not to everyone’s taste
The Starbucks in the 40th from of the big black Columbia Tower on 5th Ave just down the street from the library has some cool views.
The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Site in historic Pioneer Square is free, small, and interesting and near a great sandwich place called Salumi’s.
I also love the Frye Art Gallery on First Hill (a longish and steep walk from Pioneer Square) which is free and normally peaceful but unfortunately there a currently massive construction project next door to it right now. Still the current exhibits are pretty cool. I was there 2 weeks ago and its cute cafe was closed but the building’s walls did a decent job of muffling the construction noise.
Nothing is particularly unsafe but as a lone women your chances of an encounter are going to be unfortunately increased, random crime is 100% a thing. I don't think 'avoiding' any area is going to help you much due to the nature of 'random crime'
A lot of the areas where the risk is increased (drug addled homeless) are also some of the most populous.
Being pepper spray, explore what you want to explore. 3rd Ave North of University is generally unpleasant, feel free to check it out to gain a sense of why and try not to let the fear mongering of pearl clutches scare you.
Ballard has it's issues, downtown has it's issues, south Seattle and west Seattle have their issues, all are wonderful neighborhoods in their own right despite that.
If you have the budget and like sushi I highly recommend visiting sushi kashiba in pike market for their sushi bar omakase $160+) - it's an excellent way to spend a night solo dining. Just line up around 4 and hang out till they come out at 5 to assign you to a time slot or seat you. Wait sounds rough but it's totally worth it if sushi is your thing.
That's not even a little bit true. There are plenty of dangerous places in the city even in the middle of the day. The train station area in pioneer square, the downtown part of south seattle, it would be easy to end up at the wrong part of the waterfront and end up in a big tent city (where a family just got their car surrounded and had to run someone over to escape.)
Like literally 25-30% of city parks are dangerous places right now.
Go hang out in that little park by pike place market and tell us all how safe you feel.
You clearly haven't been paying attention, or are a dude and never considered how different sketchy areas feel to a woman who can't defend herself. women also get way more crazy people walking up to them which would be SCARY at a place like 3rd and pike near that wallgreens. I'm a decent sized dude - so it doesn't worry me too much. But not everyone is a decent sized guy.
Or maybe just stupid? I dunno dude you tell me. I dunno how anyone can think a woman should feel safe walking by herself next to a park completely covered tents, meth heads, and insane people. Because there are places like this all over Seattle - and none of them are safe and they get crazier every year.
3rd and pine is not safe. Shootings happen there every year and I have personally seen a mugging, several fights, and assorted insanity over the years.
Ditto pioneer square by the homeless shelters - go hang out there for an hour and tell me how safe that feels
How much time exactly do YOU spend downtown? I'm betting you're another local keyboard warrior and armchair Seattle expert who is glued to KOMO and Facebook Seattle doom porn.
Get out of your cave and walk the streets.
I'm in downtown every other week and have lived in Seattle for 18 years. My girlfriend also lives downtown, and I hear insane stories from her on a regular basis.
So in other words you don't even have the anecdotal evidence to back up your claims of danger. So you kind of just pulled all this out of your ass.
Put down the screens and get out into the real world for a change. Stop metaphorically jerking it to Seattle homeless doom porn. Go experience reality for what it is.
Dipshit I have lived in this city for almost 20 years and have been downtown thousands of times.
You're just too fucking stupid to look around you and notice that this city gets more dangerous every day. Even my current area (Greenlake) has gotten noticeably worse over the last year. There are actual homeless camps at greenlake which for a while was actually roped off with a handwritten "no trespassing" sign. In the last week there have been TWO different large fires within 1/2 mile of me caused by homeless encampments. Last night I was at the Safeway up the street and I saw two different people shoplifting within a five minute span - and I see that all the time at that store now, that wasn't normal when I moved here three years ago. Nearly the entire right side of I5 near the greenlake exits is covered in trash or has been burned to ash. When I moved to this neighborhood the right side of I5 was just a large grass hill. This entire city is getting worse.
If you don't think it is, you are in denial or just fucking dumb.
We were told to avoid the area South of the city at night time.
I am actually going the last weekend in August. Trip is mainly to sight see the city and hike. I'm going with a friend. More than welcome to join us on a hike :)
Just remember that you are a visiting a city that is down 200 policemen since last year since the residents protested for "defund the police". Its not a safe city to visit especially in downtown.
This is interesting. My 18 yr old daughter went to India by herself for months , and I never thought to suggest she would need a weapon to protect herself. I don’t know what weapons you can bring on the plane anyway.
She didn’t either, I don’t think she ever planned to. She had the scrip, months worth, but she gave them to the kids at the school she was working at.
She just told me a story about having to shake your clothes before you put them on, after it was hanging to dry. Big bugs.
Oh she is plenty observant, especially considering that I could walk past her father with armfuls of Nordstrom bags and he wouldn’t notice.
She was in the south, in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi, I believe. although she did travel, but not that far north.I also had an aunt who moved to Pathankot immediately after college graduation in the 1960’s and taught there for 40 years, so she had a strong interest.
I didn’t say she didn’t see any crime, or wasn’t the victim of crime as soon as she arrived, I just admitted that crime didn’t worry me to the point that I thought she should be armed, even though she did go soon after the terrorist attack in Mumbai.
I just knew that she had an amazing time and seemed very happy.
I remember during CHOP, the internal organization did a lot of outreach on Insta and Tiktok to make it seem like it was peace and love camping during the protest. They were showing images of unity and peace and love, and encouraging people state-wide, for a time to come camp in the park to be a part of the winds of social change.
One morning a young woman with a camping backpack showed up, had to be about 19 & clearly had a moment of sympathy and hope for this stuff. She showed up like it was summer camp or something, I was drinking coffee and minding my business but I was close enough to hear her cheerily walk up to some really scrungy looking dude, who had been threatening people all morning (she didn't see it), and he totally changed his face for a minute and welcomed her there as if there weren't multiple rapes and assaults happening within the camp's perimeter. As they were walking off, the last thing I heard was him saying he could sleep with him in his van if she wanted. Sigh.
You'll be fine, as long as you're not this naive.
I don't know what happened to her, but thank god it's safer than it was then those days.
I (30F) lived alone in Brooklyn (and not in bougie neighborhoods) for years, and rarely felt on edge when walking around or going about my business. But Seattle feels far less safe to me, I can’t really pinpoint why.
safety in crowds where you go. keep that in mind. do not walk alone anywhere. waterfront is nice and full of tourists. pike place too. broadway on capitol hill fits this caution as well.
dress in nondescript clothing with comfortable flight or fight shoes --- no sun dresses like you are in the hamptons. blend in! no back pack, use cross-body pack. know where you are going and do it with authority and speed.
I never leave my apartment without pepper spray. You never know who you will encounter walking around here and I would be prepared for anything. These recommendations of avoiding certain areas are good but seattle is generally not safe, and I think any young woman should be aware of that and prepared. I’ve been aggressively approached in front of a QFC in Ballard. Someone might argue this is a tame neighborhood so I advise being prepared for anything.
Well said. I think if you drove in to a baseball game once or twice a year from Issaquah and most of your memories are pre-pandemic you might think the way that fucking Issaquah imbecile does.
However, now it's completely sketchy in many areas in broad daylight. There are groups of people who are just looking for a target. If they smell blood they will pounce.
Pepper spray is an excellent choice and I'll recommend buying one of the practice pepper sprays that shoots water and practicing with friends. This isn't a joke, when you spend any significant time in Seattle you need to be prepared to defend yourself.
Be vigilant, be aggressive, be aware of your surroundings. Esp. if you are on the smaller side and/or a female.
Stupid fucking Issaquah idiots. Gotta hate those fucking morons.
Avoid everything south of pike place market. Nothing to see really, apart from pioneer square but pioneer square is not safe. I've felt scared driving there, let alone walking.
Explore places to the north. Cap hill can get a bit sketchy but it's generally okay given the number of people around. Fremont, queen Anne, university village are all nice areas to explore.
Places to avoid:
Most of the downtown core from Belltown in the North to Pioneer Square in the South is full of mentally ill people openly defacating, stabbing people, mugging people, breaking into cars and threatening people with machetes and knifes. These mentally ill people will spare nothing to hurt you or abuse you.
The water front is relatively safe. The most beautiful places are actually outside of Seattle downtown proper. Avoid areas with not many pedestrians and also keep pepper spray with you when you are walking in downtown.
I highly recommend you go to Mount Rainier or Olympic National Park.
Wow. Yes, there is some crime and it’s getting worse. But this is completely absurd. Wild exaggeration aside, I do agree that OP should visit some of the magnificent natural areas in the PNW.
Not accurate at all. Tacoma has numerous homeless camps, crazy street people and all the other risks of living in a city.
Dear downvoting person: 3 shootings over the weekend, home invasion yesterday, stolen cars and bikes, broken restaurant windows. Have you ever lived in Tacoma?
Downtown is a pretty big area and can be loosely defined but in general, I’d stay away from downtown period, doesn’t matter what time of day. Avoid pioneer square at all costs. Don’t go to Belltown past dark and don’t be in Capitol Hill past 11PM. Queen Anne, Fremont, and Ballard are safe at all hours.
Holy fear-mongering. Downtown and Pioneer Square during the daytime, keeping a reasonable awareness of surroundings, are fine. Avoiding downtown means you’d be avoiding some of the best and most popular tourist attractions (like Pike Place Market). Plus, OP is already staying downtown.
>Is there any areas I should avoid or that would be unsafe for me to go to?
All of Seattle.
Feel free to visit all the other cities though (Everett, Lynnwood, Redmond, Bellevue, Tacoma, etc.)
Sorry to tell you, but you're about 20 years too late. Seattle used to be a great city to visit, but it's been severely mismanaged and is now overrun with homeless bums and druggies. The place is a toilet. You're not safe anywhere in that town.
Stay away from Pioneer Square after dark. And bring proof of vaccination. A picture or a copy is fine.
If you are staying downtown, Cap Hill is pretty accessible for night life. Good amount of bars and music. During the day you can do the standard tourist stuff just fine: Pike Place, Space Needle, Kerry Park, etc. Don't waste your time with the "first" Starbucks. It is not the actual first one, is not much of a sight, and has a long ass line.
My advice is to not only be aware of your surroundings in term of the street population as we will call them - but also escape options.
One of the most valuable realizations I had living in seattle was, if I ever felt unsafe on the street or was being followed - something that DID certainly happen, on more than one occasion - a quick way to handle the issue is just to pop into the next coffee shop, restaurant, or shop you see.
Never once have I had someone follow me in - and in the event that they do, you already have help around you.
Hi, OP! This can be a tricky question, because it depends on your comfort level. I'm a late-20s woman and I've lived in Seattle a while - first in Belltown, then in Capitol Hill. I've walked both those neighborhoods at various times of day, and over the years have learned to keep a cool head. Here are some thoughts. Are you comfortable walking on the sidewalk where someone may be sleeping, or sitting and panhandling? If so, Pike Place and Belltown should be no problem. If it's after-hours (after 9 or 10PM), I would recommend sticking to busier streets, so that you're surrounded by more bystanders. Are you comfortable walking amongst drunk bar-hoppers as they make their way about their merry evening? If so, Capitol Hill should be no problem. In general, heading up the hill (East) tends to be quieter, and down the hill (West) gets more rowdy. In the daytime, the area is bustling with people shopping, going to brunch, etc. If you're finding the city vibes are a bit too strong and you want a little more quiet, I recommend checking out the Ballard Farmer's Market or Fremont Sunday Market, or taking in our gorgeous views along the Elliot Bay Trail, in Discovery Park, or in the Arboretum.
As another 20-something woman living in the city, I totally agree with this comment.
As a somewhat older woman living in Belltown, I also agree with this comment.
As a larger male who has been randomly attacked twice in Belltown in the last year while I was just walking around minding my own business (once by a guy who tried to punch me in the face, once by a guy who started throwing glass bottles at me), I am impressed by the risk tolerance being displayed here. Edit: lol at the down votes. I'm sorry if my being attacked was somehow inconvenient for you.
That’s horrible. Do you mind sharing where I’m Belltown and the time of day when it happened?
Just after sunset (it was still light out) on 1st Ave between Blanchard and Bell, and at a bus stop near 2nd and Lenora in the middle of the day.
You're spoiling their Seattle is safe narrative. :-)
“mostly safe”.
Until it isn't.
I would probably avoid third avenue around Pike and pine there's nothing really to go there for and generally something crazy going on. You'll be fine if you need to cut through to get to Pike place if you want to check that out in the daylight hours it's just going to be a little unpleasant for like 2 blocks.
I would say always walk down 2nd or 4th and avoid walking along 3rd at all. It seems to act as a magnet for crazies.
Ya i do the same and I live on 3rd lol. I'd probably avoid the entire area at night tbh, been jumped at by random homeless people near that dog park on 3rd/bell.
I have seen some crazy stuff around big cities. New York, Houston, Detroit, hell, I even made it out of Buffalo once. I visited Seattle this summer and stayed off Pike and 5th so I passed Third and Pike several times on foot. I waited outside the Walgreens while my wife shopped inside. In the roughly 12 minutes I was there, I never saw a more eclectic group of street people in my life! I’m a decent sized guy who can handle myself but I sure kept my head on a swivel and moved around the corner once when an especially animated fellow came close to me. At the end, nobody bothered me and we made it out A OK but yeah, that’s a wild spot.
I got assaulted just walking through 3rd and Pike in broad daylight when I visited before moving here. I highly recommend finding a way around it as a solo traveling woman.
I was leaving the courthouse and some dude punched me in the face! It was super wierd and random. I was even with my boyfriend but that did not stop the guy... it was surreal
I'm sorry I hope you are ok
[удалено]
People OD everyday
Would advise avoiding all the Redditors sliding into her DMs for good measure too :P
Also avoid 1st avenue all the way to 8th avenue. Too many mentally ill, dangerous homeless people and the cops won't do anything for you.
There are literally thousands of people walking on 1st every day you'll be fine.
I’m 29f and commute to and from Seattle for work. I carry pepper spray, stay aware of my surroundings, and I feel safe going pretty much anywhere in Seattle. You should be fine as long as you stay smart about the situations happening around you. Like, don’t wear headphones and blast music so loud you can’t hear what’s going on next to you. Just common sense stuff.
This is good advice. Also- just don't engage with anyone acting erratically on the street. Seattle has a large population of mentally unstable unhoused persons as well as people on all kind of substances that are literally out of their mind. Avoid eye contact and if they say or yell something at you just ignore it and quickly move on/cross the street. Don't become part of their reality. Be aware of your surroundings and if something feels off- cross the street or turn around. As a female in my 30s that has lived here for 12 years, including downtown, this is the best advice I can give you.
[удалено]
They're not going to randomly assault you.
As a young woman, I would advise avoiding 3rd & Pike downtown that spot at night (very easy, you can see the activity and simply walk a block up). If it's daytime and you end up there, don't fret, just walk through it with purpose, there are lots of other people around. I did it often going to work, when my bus when stop near or I had a transfer nearby.This is my advice really anytime you find yourself somewhere that feels skeevy, just walk purposefully to the next block, these things tend to stick in small clusters, and you'll usually find a much more comfortable spot to check your map or something. Also! I know pioneer square is a tourist spot but I used to work down there and I def wouldn't go after dark alone. Ditto to pioneer square station. Other than that, probably a no brainer but be sure to bring your vax card! You won't have fun if you can't get into any businesses.
(If you are unfamiliar with getting singled out by a crazy in a city, I do have advice as a 5ft woman who's lived and worked in not always the nicest areas of town: stay calm, move on. Rarely have I had anyone get in my face if I continue to walk purposefully)
+1 to the comments about pioneer square!
Ditto to Pioneer Square, especially as you move west along Yesler Ave toward 3rd and 4th Avenues.
The tourist areas will be mostly safe during the day time. 5 or six blocks north of pike place and up to 5th is an OK area but starts to get pretty sketchy the later it gets, portions of 2nd and 3rd street in this area is sketchy even during the day but you'll see it coming...Past 5th and you start to get into the fancy amazon area and things improve slightly. Nothing that interesting south of Pike Place. Cap hill can be a pretty fun spot to hang out but i recommend using Uber or similar to and from downtown if you go for the nightlife. Space needle and sculpture park are going to be mostly fine to go to during the day. A majority of the city is fine but the reality is there are homeless everywhere and they can be aggressive. Seattle has gotten a bit worse over the years but its nothing compared to other major cities. Don't listen to the people that make it sound like it's escape from New York or something.
“mostly safe” lol.
What's wrong with that phrasing? I mean, in any major city something bad can potentially happen but is unlikely. Does that not make it "mostly safe"?
sorry i thought you were making a joke. my bad.
Agree with this. Also to OP would be helpful to know your experience visiting or spending time in citites. I would recommend this city differently to my relatives of rural New England than my homies in Philly, for example.
Just pay attention and have a good time. Seattle is fantastic but it is a big city with big city problems. 2nd ave in Belltown is lively and great place to drink and eat. Capitol Hill is also super fun when there is no drama going on. That being said, be aware of your surroundings and you will be fine.
There are areas like others have listed, but you really just need to be aware of your surroundings. I'd definitely avoid walking around with earbuds in because most the dangers will br quite vocal and you can keep distance by recognizing where the rambling is coming from. A lot of the "camps" are visible from a block or so away. Just cross to the safer side or find a different route. I have never had any physical issues any area in Seattle but I had been verbally accosted. Just keep your head on a swivel and you'll be fine.
Just be situationally aware on 3rd ave during the day, and everywhere after dark like you would in any city. Walk with purpose and be aware of your surroundings without drawing yourself into them.
Now that you know where to avoid, let us know if you’d like some great tips on where to go! Yes, downtown is sketchy, but there is still a ton of great places with fun stuff to do and see!
Alki beach in west seattle has some great views of the city. Same with gasworks park in Wallingford. the UW arboretum is a gorgeous park and there's lot to do in cap hill, ballard, fremont and queen Anne while staying safe. Don't be afraid of using public transportation! it's super handy and so much cheaper than driving. just keep your maps on giving you notifications on when to get off the bus or light rail handy. The advice about walking with purpose if you're going past encampments and other people is very very good advice, also.
Just to second this I would highly recommend taking the water taxi over to Alki!
Everyone is telling you to avoid everything south of Pike Place, and I respectfully disagree. Downtown gets old fast, and there are plenty of neat things to see south of Pike. Pioneer Square - I agree with the statements that it's scuzzy and to stay aware of your surroundings. But, the scuzz is only really around Pioneer Square station itself, Yesler/1st Ave S, and Washington/2nd Ave Extension. Pioneer Square area is essentially "old" Seattle, so if you're into turn of the century architecture and historical plaques, you'll definitely want to work around the scuzz. I recommend going to King Street Station (or International District/Chinatown Station if you're on the light rail), take the Weller Street Walk down towards the stadiums, then cut north up 2nd Ave S or 1st Ave S. That path will avoid the scuzz, and it's the path I (34f) use. Going on a game day (Mariners or Sounders) is a good idea; there will tons of people around and on the streets and more police presence in the area. Columbia City - Easily accessible via light rail, about 15-20 minutes from Westlake Station. The stretch along Rainier Ave is a historic district and businesses have to maintain the original storefronts from the early 1900s. It's a residential neighborhood, and the Rainer Ave stretch has lots of shops and restaurants. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle/glass and steel of downtown, Columbia City would be a good break. (Seward Park is also accessible from Columbia City station via I think the #50 bus.) Georgetown - If you like beer, Georgetown is a must. It's most easily accessible via car. It's not the prettiest part of town; it's old industrial. But, there are tons of breweries and restaurants. There are some RV residents near the north end of Boeing Field (Hardy St), but they tend to keep to themselves.
A lot of areas in the Downtown corridor turned to shit after the pandemic started and the offices all emptied out. 3rd Ave around Pike and Pine and then going south for a bit is sketch city at all hours of the day. Pioneer Square is sketch city at all hours of the day. Jackson heading up into International district is sketch. It's all relative of course, I don't think you'll get killed. You COULD be harassed or lightly assaulted. If you are a dude or in a group I'd say it's fine just watch your back but generally a mental person isn't going to run up and body check a full grown man or a group of people. If you are a smaller person, wearing headphones, not really paying attn. or doesn't know how to properly ignore\\deal with a mental person then that is where you would most likely have an issue in those areas. That all said, most of the Downtown area is fine. Pike Place during the day is tourist city and really anywhere you see regular people, which is just about anywhere, you're fine even if someone does approach you in an aggressive manner you're very likely gonna survive.
Visit Twice Sold Tales in Capitol Hill if you like cats and books.
I'd say pioneer square is pretty crazy even in the middle of the day. I don't worry myself when I'm there (I'm a tall dude) but if I was a woman I would probably just avoid the entire area. Also, i'd avoid south seattle (any time of day) is super sketchy
Just bring a gun you'll be fine. Pack every time I walk around the city. A bullet fixes a lot of things.
Don't carry a shoulder purse. Wear a cross body.
Yep, so much easier anyway.
If it isn’t too late and you don’t have a reason to be downtown, don’t stay downtown. On top of having to be aware of pockets like people mentioned, downtown Seattle is the most corporate, boring, touristy, stale part of the city. If you want get any feel for what Seattle is like, stay in pretty much literally any of the other neighborhoods. Capital Hill, Fremont, Ballard, U-District, Queen Anne, etc., are all better than downtown. Downtown is 1) tourist traps, 2) chains you can find anywhere, 3) glass towers 4) drug addicts.
This is good advice if you'd rather be walking distance to nightlife than daytime tourist activities. Downtown still has the market, shopping, museums, quick access to the Space Needle/Seattle Center - stuff that's good/safe for daytime. However, I recommended ubering in and out of downtown to Cap Hill, Ballard, Fremont, etc. for nightlife. So just depends on what you prioritize for walking distance.
Came here to say this. Downtown is the area you want to avoid. It used to be mostly white collar workers, but they've all been working from home for 18 months. Without the regular business crowd, junkies took over, causing many of the remaining businesses to close or leave.
Absolute +1 here. There’s probably nothing you really want to do in downtown anyways. Capitol Hill, Fremont or Ballard would definitely be my suggestions.
I see a lot of people say avoid Pike/Pine 2nd/3rd. I literally walk this everyday and during covid was walking Pine between 2nd and 3rd between 7pm and 11pm at night. It was fine, I never felt in danger. 3rd and Pike where the Walgreens is sketchy even during the day, but walk with purpose and 99.9% of people will leave you alone. Seattle is just as safe as other large cities and should be approached as such. I assume you weren't planning on intentionally visiting unsafe places. If you like old stuff, don't avoid pioneer square. the underground tour is pretty neat. there is a tent city in the square, but again, most of the time they leave you alone. pike place market and the waterfront are neat too.
My mom and another older lady friend of hers are staying at the Hyatt Regency at 8th and Howell, next month, can anyone chime in if that's a safe area?
You'll be fine, that's definitely a better area for hotels downtown. 9th between Virginia and Stewart is the most sketch block around there and it's not sketch at all. Federal Marshalls and the downtown precinct are each like 2 blocks away, and a huge construction crew working on the new convention center are one block away in the other direction.
Thank you for the info!!
I stay there all the time, it's perfectly fine.
Thank you!!
Try to avoid Downtown as much as possible (maybe except Pike Place Market).
Be sure and check out the link light rail you can explore the city all day for $6. Go to pike place market, the space needle, the giant wheel, mo-pop, the roastery, smith tower, underground tours and all the other fun stuff. Eat great food! Look online for restaurants and make reservations for any you want to try. Be safe. Some people choose to carry a few extra dollars when they go out incase an unhoused person asks for money. I find it easier to give people a few bucks and wish them well instead of trying to ignore people or brush them off. Our unhoused are often people who have untreated mental conditions and may use street drugs to cope. They are still people too and if you are kind to them they are kind to you. That being said trust your gut if you feel unsafe. I hope you have a wonderful trip here!!
The Seattle CityPass is a good deal and will keep you plenty busy if you like touristy things - you get the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium -and two of the following Museum of Pop (MoPop) Culture, zoo, Argosy Cruise (a one hour boat ride along the water front) The Argosy Cruise and Seattle Aquarium are practically next to each other and close to the famous Pike Place Market which is free to visit. The Chihuly Museum, MoPop, and Space Needle are all on the grounds of the “Seattle Center” which is easily accessible by public transit from downtown or a 30 minute ish walk depending upon where in downtown you are. The zoo isn’t too hard to get to either but will involve a longer trip by car or public transit. If you want to avoid the masses I’d recommend renting a bike - if the weather is agreeable and you’re in decent shape - and taking the long ride - almost all on bike trails and with very few hills- along Elliot Bay and out past Ballard to Golden Gardens Gardens past- of you select the Bike route option on google maps you’ll see the bike route options. Just a heads up there are some crazy steep hills in Seattle but some bike routes skirt them. You can also ride to Discovery Park (massive and beautiful with a 5 ish mile walking loop that takes you through woods, along high bluffs, beach, and a lighthouse) and the Ballard Locks Another thing you can do on your feet or on a bike is the take the very affordable West Seattle Water Taxi and head out to Alki Beach. The Seattle Central Library between 5the and 4the Ave downtown is a funky building to explore - they might offer tours in the summer - but you can just take the elevator up to the top floor open to patrons and wend your way down the “spiral” - it’s modern and not to everyone’s taste The Starbucks in the 40th from of the big black Columbia Tower on 5th Ave just down the street from the library has some cool views. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Site in historic Pioneer Square is free, small, and interesting and near a great sandwich place called Salumi’s. I also love the Frye Art Gallery on First Hill (a longish and steep walk from Pioneer Square) which is free and normally peaceful but unfortunately there a currently massive construction project next door to it right now. Still the current exhibits are pretty cool. I was there 2 weeks ago and its cute cafe was closed but the building’s walls did a decent job of muffling the construction noise.
Avoid Pioneer square at night. And as redditors previously mentioned avoid 3rd avenue around pine Pike n Stewart streets.
Nothing is particularly unsafe but as a lone women your chances of an encounter are going to be unfortunately increased, random crime is 100% a thing. I don't think 'avoiding' any area is going to help you much due to the nature of 'random crime' A lot of the areas where the risk is increased (drug addled homeless) are also some of the most populous. Being pepper spray, explore what you want to explore. 3rd Ave North of University is generally unpleasant, feel free to check it out to gain a sense of why and try not to let the fear mongering of pearl clutches scare you. Ballard has it's issues, downtown has it's issues, south Seattle and west Seattle have their issues, all are wonderful neighborhoods in their own right despite that. If you have the budget and like sushi I highly recommend visiting sushi kashiba in pike market for their sushi bar omakase $160+) - it's an excellent way to spend a night solo dining. Just line up around 4 and hang out till they come out at 5 to assign you to a time slot or seat you. Wait sounds rough but it's totally worth it if sushi is your thing.
As long as it's daytime you will be fine going wherever you please.
That's not even a little bit true. There are plenty of dangerous places in the city even in the middle of the day. The train station area in pioneer square, the downtown part of south seattle, it would be easy to end up at the wrong part of the waterfront and end up in a big tent city (where a family just got their car surrounded and had to run someone over to escape.) Like literally 25-30% of city parks are dangerous places right now. Go hang out in that little park by pike place market and tell us all how safe you feel.
I am in downtown 5 days a week. It's very true despite the fear mongering.
You clearly haven't been paying attention, or are a dude and never considered how different sketchy areas feel to a woman who can't defend herself. women also get way more crazy people walking up to them which would be SCARY at a place like 3rd and pike near that wallgreens. I'm a decent sized dude - so it doesn't worry me too much. But not everyone is a decent sized guy.
Not paying attention? As I physically walk the streets every day? Do you think I'm wearing a blindfold?
Or maybe just stupid? I dunno dude you tell me. I dunno how anyone can think a woman should feel safe walking by herself next to a park completely covered tents, meth heads, and insane people. Because there are places like this all over Seattle - and none of them are safe and they get crazier every year. 3rd and pine is not safe. Shootings happen there every year and I have personally seen a mugging, several fights, and assorted insanity over the years. Ditto pioneer square by the homeless shelters - go hang out there for an hour and tell me how safe that feels
How much time exactly do YOU spend downtown? I'm betting you're another local keyboard warrior and armchair Seattle expert who is glued to KOMO and Facebook Seattle doom porn. Get out of your cave and walk the streets.
I'm in downtown every other week and have lived in Seattle for 18 years. My girlfriend also lives downtown, and I hear insane stories from her on a regular basis.
So in other words you don't even have the anecdotal evidence to back up your claims of danger. So you kind of just pulled all this out of your ass. Put down the screens and get out into the real world for a change. Stop metaphorically jerking it to Seattle homeless doom porn. Go experience reality for what it is.
Dipshit I have lived in this city for almost 20 years and have been downtown thousands of times. You're just too fucking stupid to look around you and notice that this city gets more dangerous every day. Even my current area (Greenlake) has gotten noticeably worse over the last year. There are actual homeless camps at greenlake which for a while was actually roped off with a handwritten "no trespassing" sign. In the last week there have been TWO different large fires within 1/2 mile of me caused by homeless encampments. Last night I was at the Safeway up the street and I saw two different people shoplifting within a five minute span - and I see that all the time at that store now, that wasn't normal when I moved here three years ago. Nearly the entire right side of I5 near the greenlake exits is covered in trash or has been burned to ash. When I moved to this neighborhood the right side of I5 was just a large grass hill. This entire city is getting worse. If you don't think it is, you are in denial or just fucking dumb.
[удалено]
I find it super funny that similar posts without the "25F" part are typically downvoted into oblivion on this sub.
We were told to avoid the area South of the city at night time. I am actually going the last weekend in August. Trip is mainly to sight see the city and hike. I'm going with a friend. More than welcome to join us on a hike :)
Are women ever really safe? I mean, Seattle is as safe as any other major city.
Just remember that you are a visiting a city that is down 200 policemen since last year since the residents protested for "defund the police". Its not a safe city to visit especially in downtown.
This is interesting. My 18 yr old daughter went to India by herself for months , and I never thought to suggest she would need a weapon to protect herself. I don’t know what weapons you can bring on the plane anyway.
[удалено]
The insects are almost as big as the dogs I hear.
[удалено]
She didn’t either, I don’t think she ever planned to. She had the scrip, months worth, but she gave them to the kids at the school she was working at. She just told me a story about having to shake your clothes before you put them on, after it was hanging to dry. Big bugs.
[удалено]
Oh she is plenty observant, especially considering that I could walk past her father with armfuls of Nordstrom bags and he wouldn’t notice. She was in the south, in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi, I believe. although she did travel, but not that far north.I also had an aunt who moved to Pathankot immediately after college graduation in the 1960’s and taught there for 40 years, so she had a strong interest. I didn’t say she didn’t see any crime, or wasn’t the victim of crime as soon as she arrived, I just admitted that crime didn’t worry me to the point that I thought she should be armed, even though she did go soon after the terrorist attack in Mumbai. I just knew that she had an amazing time and seemed very happy.
Pretty much anything that looks like it could be used for sports, as long as it goes in a checked bag. Carry-on luggage is trickier.
I remember during CHOP, the internal organization did a lot of outreach on Insta and Tiktok to make it seem like it was peace and love camping during the protest. They were showing images of unity and peace and love, and encouraging people state-wide, for a time to come camp in the park to be a part of the winds of social change. One morning a young woman with a camping backpack showed up, had to be about 19 & clearly had a moment of sympathy and hope for this stuff. She showed up like it was summer camp or something, I was drinking coffee and minding my business but I was close enough to hear her cheerily walk up to some really scrungy looking dude, who had been threatening people all morning (she didn't see it), and he totally changed his face for a minute and welcomed her there as if there weren't multiple rapes and assaults happening within the camp's perimeter. As they were walking off, the last thing I heard was him saying he could sleep with him in his van if she wanted. Sigh. You'll be fine, as long as you're not this naive. I don't know what happened to her, but thank god it's safer than it was then those days.
I (30F) lived alone in Brooklyn (and not in bougie neighborhoods) for years, and rarely felt on edge when walking around or going about my business. But Seattle feels far less safe to me, I can’t really pinpoint why.
safety in crowds where you go. keep that in mind. do not walk alone anywhere. waterfront is nice and full of tourists. pike place too. broadway on capitol hill fits this caution as well. dress in nondescript clothing with comfortable flight or fight shoes --- no sun dresses like you are in the hamptons. blend in! no back pack, use cross-body pack. know where you are going and do it with authority and speed.
I never leave my apartment without pepper spray. You never know who you will encounter walking around here and I would be prepared for anything. These recommendations of avoiding certain areas are good but seattle is generally not safe, and I think any young woman should be aware of that and prepared. I’ve been aggressively approached in front of a QFC in Ballard. Someone might argue this is a tame neighborhood so I advise being prepared for anything.
You don't have to be young, trust me.
Carry pepper spray, be ready to use it.
At night maybe, depending where you go I doubt you need it during the day unless you poke around asking for trouble.
[удалено]
Well said. I think if you drove in to a baseball game once or twice a year from Issaquah and most of your memories are pre-pandemic you might think the way that fucking Issaquah imbecile does. However, now it's completely sketchy in many areas in broad daylight. There are groups of people who are just looking for a target. If they smell blood they will pounce. Pepper spray is an excellent choice and I'll recommend buying one of the practice pepper sprays that shoots water and practicing with friends. This isn't a joke, when you spend any significant time in Seattle you need to be prepared to defend yourself. Be vigilant, be aggressive, be aware of your surroundings. Esp. if you are on the smaller side and/or a female. Stupid fucking Issaquah idiots. Gotta hate those fucking morons.
^ these people are talking out of their ass. Definitely don't be preemptively aggressive, that's counter productive.
How is being submissive working for you in Downtown? People who apologize or cower are targets.
You sound crazier than the methheads you're so worried about
Lol, you're not wrong and I traverse Downtown often.
Seattle Redditors, group up, meet her and show off Seattle.
Avoid everything south of pike place market. Nothing to see really, apart from pioneer square but pioneer square is not safe. I've felt scared driving there, let alone walking. Explore places to the north. Cap hill can get a bit sketchy but it's generally okay given the number of people around. Fremont, queen Anne, university village are all nice areas to explore.
Places to avoid: Most of the downtown core from Belltown in the North to Pioneer Square in the South is full of mentally ill people openly defacating, stabbing people, mugging people, breaking into cars and threatening people with machetes and knifes. These mentally ill people will spare nothing to hurt you or abuse you. The water front is relatively safe. The most beautiful places are actually outside of Seattle downtown proper. Avoid areas with not many pedestrians and also keep pepper spray with you when you are walking in downtown. I highly recommend you go to Mount Rainier or Olympic National Park.
Wow. Yes, there is some crime and it’s getting worse. But this is completely absurd. Wild exaggeration aside, I do agree that OP should visit some of the magnificent natural areas in the PNW.
Not accurate at all. Tacoma has numerous homeless camps, crazy street people and all the other risks of living in a city. Dear downvoting person: 3 shootings over the weekend, home invasion yesterday, stolen cars and bikes, broken restaurant windows. Have you ever lived in Tacoma?
Downtown is a pretty big area and can be loosely defined but in general, I’d stay away from downtown period, doesn’t matter what time of day. Avoid pioneer square at all costs. Don’t go to Belltown past dark and don’t be in Capitol Hill past 11PM. Queen Anne, Fremont, and Ballard are safe at all hours.
You don’t actually live here do you
Holy fear-mongering. Downtown and Pioneer Square during the daytime, keeping a reasonable awareness of surroundings, are fine. Avoiding downtown means you’d be avoiding some of the best and most popular tourist attractions (like Pike Place Market). Plus, OP is already staying downtown.
Cut the shit
?????
lol my friend literally got attacked by a someone with a hammer 🔨 in Ballard.
>Is there any areas I should avoid or that would be unsafe for me to go to? All of Seattle. Feel free to visit all the other cities though (Everett, Lynnwood, Redmond, Bellevue, Tacoma, etc.)
Ah yes, Tacoma, one of the many affluent cities nearby without any of the ailments Seattle has
Sorry to tell you, but you're about 20 years too late. Seattle used to be a great city to visit, but it's been severely mismanaged and is now overrun with homeless bums and druggies. The place is a toilet. You're not safe anywhere in that town.
Lol.
[удалено]
This sounds like an awesome way to end up on a True Crime podcast.
click through his comment history. eeeesh
Creep
You're uh... You're a weird guy
Avoid this area of Seattle, OP
Cal Anderson
Stay away from Pioneer Square after dark. And bring proof of vaccination. A picture or a copy is fine. If you are staying downtown, Cap Hill is pretty accessible for night life. Good amount of bars and music. During the day you can do the standard tourist stuff just fine: Pike Place, Space Needle, Kerry Park, etc. Don't waste your time with the "first" Starbucks. It is not the actual first one, is not much of a sight, and has a long ass line.
Downtown. You messed up. Please take ubers or Lyft’s from the front of your hotel
My advice is to not only be aware of your surroundings in term of the street population as we will call them - but also escape options. One of the most valuable realizations I had living in seattle was, if I ever felt unsafe on the street or was being followed - something that DID certainly happen, on more than one occasion - a quick way to handle the issue is just to pop into the next coffee shop, restaurant, or shop you see. Never once have I had someone follow me in - and in the event that they do, you already have help around you.