Logistics » Visitor Info
Getting to the Summer Institute on the UW Campus
The information provided below is intended to help you find your way to the Summer Institute and navigate the campus community while you're here.
The main transportation options from Sea-Tac International Airport to the University of Washington Campus are listed below. Most people find the Shuttle Express the most convenient.
If you are an Institute Trainee and will be staying in a residence hall, please see Getting Here for detailed information on how to reach campus and check-in at the residence hall. See Staying on Campus for details on life in the residence hall.
Shuttle Express Service
Shuttle Express provides cost-effective, door-to-door, 24-hour shuttle service to and from Sea-Tac Airport. On the baggage claim level please see airport signage for the current location. Ask to be taken to the University of Washington campus. The cost is $31 per person, one way. Advance reservations are required on trips returning to SeaTac. Book your seat online or by phone; visit their Web site and click on Airport Transfers or call (425) 981-7000 or 800-487-7433.
Taxi
Once you arrive at the airport, ring bell outside baggage area, passenger loading zone, for taxi dispatch (approximately 20 miles to UW). Ask the driver to take you to the University of Washington campus. Taxi fare will be approximately $45-$50.
Automobile
If you plan to drive to campus, please see Driving Directions.
METRO Bus
(206) 553-3000
At the airport, outside the baggage area:
Board bus #194 (or after 8:30 p.m., #174) northbound to downtown Seattle. The trip will be approximately 25-30 minutes. When boarding, pay fare ($1.25-$2.00 depending on time of day. Exact change is required) and request a transfer pass.
Downtown:
Exit the bus at the first tunnel station in downtown Seattle and transfer to bus #71, #72 or #73 to the University District. If the tunnel is closed, exit the bus at 3rd and James and transfer to bus #73. Exit the bus at Campus Parkway and Brooklyn and show the driver your transfer pass. Walk 100 feet to Bay #2 and get on bus #65.
To reach the dorm:
Entering the main gate onto campus, the bus will turn left onto Stevens Way at the first intersection. At the second stop (in front of Padelford Hall), exit the bus and show your transfer pass. Walk north along Stevens Way, crossing Pend Oreille Road on your right. The first building on the right is McMahon Hall followed by Haggett, McCarty and Hansee Halls (in that order). Attendees will be staying in Hansee Hall.
Dorm Address
Hansee Hall
354470 Whitman Court
Seattle, WA 98195
Maps of the Area
University of Washington Google Map
View Larger Map
Searchable Campus Maps
http://www.washington.edu/home/maps/
Campus Map with Libraries Shown in Yellow
http://www.lib.washington.edu/about/bookdrops.html
U-District Map
http://www.udistrictchamber.org/BusinessLocatorMap.html
Campus and the U-District
The institute will be held on the campus of the University of Washington, the state’s largest university with over 34,000 students. Just 10 minutes north of downtown Seattle, the campus encompasses 703 acres of trees, landscape, and buildings along with parks and trails that offer beautiful views of Lake Washington. The University of Washington web site provides a look at the campus.
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| UW quad | UW’s "Red Square" | Drumheller fountain |
The University of Washington is located in the "U-district," a vibrant, urban neighborhood with a large variety of restaurants and stores, including banks, clothing retailers, and drug stores, all within a short walk of the University of Washington campus.
Groceries & Restaurants
A QFC grocery store is located within the University Village Shopping Center and is just a 15 minute walk from the dormitory.
The U-district farmers market offers fresh produce direct from the farmers, Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm at the corner of 50th and University Way NE.
The U-district Chamber of Commerce has compiled an up-to-date list (with maps) of restaurants near the University.
Some of the more popular restaurants on the list include these:
about a 5 minute walk…
Best of Bento (Japanese and Korean) at 4245 University Way NE
Chipotle on the AVE (Mexican) at 4231 University Way NE
Continental Restaurant & Bakery (Greek) at 4549 University Way NE
Shultzy's Sausage (American eclectic) at 4114 University Way NE
Thai 65 (Thai) at 4214-A University Way NE
Thai-ger Room (Thai) at 4228 University Way NE
Thai Tom (Thai) at 4543 University Way NE
Than Vi (Vietnamese) at 4226 University Way NE
about a 15 minute walk…
Agua Verde (Mexican) at 1303 Boat Street
Cedars on Brooklyn (Indian) at 4759 Brooklyn Ave NE
Mandarin Chef (Chinese, homemade noodles) 5022 University Way NE
A little less casual…
Blue C Sushi (Japanese) at 4601 26th Ave NE in the University Village
Mamma Melina's Ristorante (Italian) at 4759 Roosevelt Way NE
Piatti (Italian) at 2695 NE Village Lane in the University Village
Useful Sites for Travelers
UW Visitors’ Web site
This site has information on campus maps, directions, and parking and more details about travel options for getting to the UW, including by plane, train, and automobile.
Sea-Tac Airport
This international airport serves the Seattle and Tacoma metropolitan areas. Their Web site includes news for travelers, arrival and departure information, as well as ground transportation options.
METRO King County Transportation System
King County Metro is the public bus system in Seattle. The university district has everything Summer Institute attendees will need within walking distance. But, if you want to do some sightseeing or shopping downtown or in another neighborhood, Metro is an inexpensive option for getting around town. See their timetables or use the Trip Planner, which provides route options when you type in the starting and destination addresses. For using the Trip Planner, a good street address to use for the University of Washington is 15TH AVE NE & NE 40TH ST.
Official City of Seattle Web Site
The visitor's guide on the City of Seattle Web site includes a plethora of information on what to see and do in the city. The site includes information on tours, Seattle history, and the weather.
Seattle Weather
Check today's weather or get extended forecasts.
Visit Seattle / Seattle Metronatural
If you're interested in touring the region, hiking in the area, or taking a cruise that departs from Seattle, visit this Web site to get more information. The site also includes suggested itineraries for fun day trips in the Seattle area.
Sightseeing in Seattle
Seattle's Space Needle
Known as the Emerald City for its lush, green hills surrounded by snowcapped mountains and sparking blue waters, Seattle offers visitors a range of interesting and exciting tourist attractions. For more information on visiting Seattle, please see the official Seattle government’s tourism Web site, or check out the links below to specific Seattle attractions.
Culture & Tourism
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
The Burke Museum, at the north end of the University of Washington campus, is the Pacific Northwest's natural history and culture museum. The museum is responsible for Washington State collections of natural history and cultural heritage, and for sharing the knowledge that makes them meaningful.
Experience Music Project
Housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry-designed building, EMP is a spectacular, prominently visible structure and has the presence of a monumental sculpture set amid the backdrop of the Seattle Center. Experience Music Project (EMP) is dedicated to the exploration of creativity and innovation in popular music.
Henry Art Gallery
The Henry Art Gallery on the University of Washington campus frequently presents recent or newly commissioned work of visually and conceptually challenging artists. Exhibitions, collections, and public programs stimulate research and teaching at the University of Washington, provide a creative wellspring for artists, and reveal a record of modern artistic inquiry from the advent of photography in the mid-19th century to the multidisciplinary art and design of the 21st.
Seattle Aquarium
Located in downtown Seattle on the waterfront, the Seattle Aquarium provides a hands-on marine experience and preservation education in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Aquarium offers fun, exciting ways to discover more about the amazing Puget Sound!
Seattle Art Museum
SAM collects and exhibits objects from across time and across cultures, exploring the dynamic connections between past and present. The art museum is located downtown and houses a restaurant and museum shop in addition to the museum exhibit areas.
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Housed in it's own building in Volunteer Park, but still part of the Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Asian Art Museum features Asian art, both historical and contemporary. It includes a café and museum store.
Seattle Public Library
Visit the Seattle Central Library, which was designed by award-winning Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas in a joint venture with Seattle-based LMN Architects. The 11-floor building contains an innovative "Books Spiral," which allows patrons unprecedented access to the Library collection. The crystalline steel-and-glass structure contains five platforms — each devoted to a specific program cluster.
Space Needle
The Space Needle first served as the symbol of the 1962 World's Fair. It has since become the symbol of Seattle, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Take the elevator to the top for great views of the area.
Wing Luke Asian Museum
Set in the Chinatown/International District, the Wing Luke Asian Museum engages the Asian Pacific American communities and the public in exploring issues related to the culture, art and history of Asian Pacific Americans. A Smithsonian Institution affiliate, the Wing Luke Asian Museum is the premier pan-Asian Pacific American museum in the country.
Shopping
Chinatown/International District
It's the only neighborhood in America where Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese and Southeast Asians live and work together, side-by-side. Whether you're looking for unique retail gifts, hard to find specialty wares, ethnic-specific social services, Asian art and culture or the best and most affordable cuisine in town, visit the ID!
The Elliott Bay Book Company
Located downtown in the heart of the historic Pioneer Square District, Seattle's original business neighborhood, The Elliott Bay Book Company is home to over 150,000 titles, set on cedar shelves in a series of inviting, exposed-brick walled rooms. The store offers a selection of both new and used books, including a number of antique and signed or limited editions.
Pacific Place
Pacific Place is a downtown Seattle shopping, dining and entertainment center. Featuring Tiffany & Co., MaxMara and Coach along with J. Crew, Chico's, Ann Taylor, Helly Hansen, L'Occitane, Restoration Hardware, Barnes & Noble and Williams-Sonoma, as well as an 11-screen AMC Theatres complex, Pacific Place offers fashion, food and film. A skybridge connects it to the flagship Nordstrom store.
Pike Place Market
Whether you're shopping for fresh produce, antiques, or exotic goods from around the world, you'll find it among the Market's eclectic collection of stalls, shops and businesses. Pike Place Market, in the heart of downtown Seattle is a bustling market packed with shops and restaurants. The Market attracts 10 million visitors a year, making it one of Washington's most frequently visited destinations.
Parks and Trails
Ballard Locks
The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks are always a great attraction. Late spring/early summer is a great time to enjoy the beautiful Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Garden. The gift shop in the visitor center has a wonderful garden pamphlet which will help you find many of the rare and exotic plants waiting to be discovered. Every trip to the Locks should include a walk in the garden, watching the boats, visiting the fish ladder, and exploring the exhibits and gift shop.
Gasworks Park
This 20 acre point on Lake Union was cleared in 1906 to construct a plant to manufacture gas from coal - later converted to crude oil. Import of natural gas in the 1950's made the plant obsolete. The city acquired the site for a park in 1962 and the park was opened to the public in 1975. The boiler house has been converted to a picnic shelter with tables, fire grills and an open area. The former exhauster-compressor building, now a children's play barn, features a maze of brightly painted machinery.
Washington Park Arboretum
The Washington Park Arboretum is a spectacular urban green space on the shores of Lake Washington just east of downtown Seattle and south of the University of Washington. Washington's official State Arboretum contains internationally recognized woody plant collections on 230 acres.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at chinlib@u.washington.edu.
Last modified: Wednesday April 09 2008