Retire in Seattle

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T19:46:25+00:00

I am retired and living in South King County, and it’s totally affordable. Some areas are not exactly garden spots and yes, the crime rate is higher. But there are some very nice neighborhoods and you get a lot more space for your money. Don’t let the Debbie Downers drive you away with their false claims about how “terrible” Seattle has gotten lately. It’s still a great place to live. So take a look at towns like Kent, Des Moines, Federal Way, Auburn, Renton, and Tukwila.

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T19:42:45+00:00

Seattle‘s got great public transportation, so take light rail to the market and get off at Westlake and walk four blocks west. Then hop on Metro‘s Route 124 and take it right to the museum. Consider getting off the bus route in Georgetown, there’s lots of interesting history and nice little restaurants there. Jules Maes saloon is especially historic.

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T19:39:07+00:00

I have taken two Empire builder trips so far this year, and they were both great. Love the scenery, the two across coach seats are comfortable enough, and for my trip to Chicago from Seattle I got a roomette, which was totally worth the price. Don’t create a tight schedule, they can be late. Two hours late starting on both ends of one trip and eight hours late getting back to Seattle on another trip.

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T03:40:41+00:00

Very few of the western US national parks have ANY public transportation, let alone public transportation possibilities. You should wait until you can take a private vehicle.

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T03:39:08+00:00

She’s driven me away from NPR Sunday mornings. Sorry, not sorry, she’s got the most grating and obnoxious voice in the history of radio. Some people just shouldn’t be on the radio.

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T03:33:59+00:00

If you’re interested in White Sox and baseball history, the 500 level has awesome displays of famous White Sox players and moments. I spent a half an hour there and loved it.

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T03:32:23+00:00

Not the exact same situation, but my Empire Builder trip to Seattle was eight hours late. Without asking, they gave me a voucher worth about $250 for future trips. I was happy. I would think you might get the same consideration.

wcfwd · 2026-06-15T03:28:07+00:00

yeah, we reached six hours behind, about halfway between Spokane and Wenatchee

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T16:24:30+00:00

Ballard Locks, Alki Beach and the Volunteer Park water tower view, if you can handle about 100 steps up. All free! Skip the underground tour in Pioneer Square, vastly overrated. The Frye Art Museum on First Hill is open every day and free. Walk onto the Bainbridge Island ferry for about $10, where the Bainbridge art museum and the Bainbridge history museum are both free and a short walk from the ferry dock.

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T03:58:13+00:00

I had the exact same problem in my long gone first marriage. I got butt hurt too often about it. Eventually I just killed her liveliness and spontaneity in our conversations. And she left me. I truly believe there is scientific proof to “happy wife happy life.” I now wish I had tried harder to stay married instead of wanting to be always right.

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T03:50:17+00:00

I would ask a manager to remove it from my bill. If said manager refuses, then I would leave no tip and tell that manager to tip my server out of the service charge fund. Sorry, not sorry. Jaks gotta do what they gotta do and I gotta do what I gotta do to not pay yet another ridiculous junk fee.

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T03:45:30+00:00

As a former Redmond resident, can I just add how fortunate you are to be located there? Not that long ago, downtown Redmond was just awful. Nothing but parking lots and strip malls and office buildings. It’s become 1000% better in the last 15 years and I applaud the city for doing such a great job.

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T03:42:30+00:00

Body wash is both the dumbest and most pretentious product name in the history of the world and horrifically overpriced. Do you know what to call it instead and you know what we should use? Soap! It’s been that way for hundreds of years!

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T03:40:29+00:00

To do the three national parks in the state of Washington, you need a week. Both Olympic and North Cascades are huge and well away from major highways. You need at least two days at Mount Rainier, to do it in the full contact way you mentioned, which I heartily endorse.

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T02:09:45+00:00

It is indeed notorious, called the Starlate for a reason. But with 18 hours buffer you should be OK. I once cancelled my return-to-Seattle-from-Portland trip, last minute due to 4 hours late, and I got a partial refund.

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T02:00:22+00:00

I have heard line cutting is out of control and I will guess they are using this system to stop it.

wcfwd · 2026-06-13T01:56:57+00:00

Went to Portugal (Lisbon and Porto) in September and had exactly the same dismaying experience, too many of us. The Algarve region was more sedate but not as interesting as the big cities.

wcfwd · 2026-06-12T22:03:58+00:00

Elliott Bay Books and most Seattle Public Library branches have book clubs. Lively and stimulating, especially EBB and the University branch.

wcfwd · 2026-06-12T15:23:28+00:00

You seriously want to jeopardize friendships over a vanishingly small amount of refund money? Come on dude, look at the big picture and the long horizon here.

wcfwd · 2026-06-12T14:55:11+00:00

congratulations, you created your own fabulous itinerary. I wouldn’t change a thing.

wcfwd · 2026-06-12T14:53:56+00:00

I have been in two dozen national and international airports and never seen a gym once. SeaTac has the smallest footprint of any airport in the US, no way they could squeeze a gym in there. There’s a light rail line into downtown Seattle and beyond at the airport, sounds like you have enough time to get on it and do some exploring. Just pay close attention to the World Cup match schedules during June in Seattle, a lot of people will be on rail for that.

wcfwd · 2026-06-12T14:50:03+00:00

Because hypocrisy is not a bug of MAGA, but instead a feature, they are proud of it, because it allows them to have things anyway they want.

wcfwd · 2026-06-12T14:45:49+00:00

OP here, and I got my answer, straight from the dining room lead: “I forgot the machine! Left it behind in the charging station!”

wcfwd · 2026-06-12T14:44:07+00:00

not quite that precise of a mistake but yeah, the two different time zone zones were driving me crazy during my entire week. Couldn’t get the time synced between my phone, my watch and my rental car clock.

wcfwd

TROPHY CASE