BKvoiceover's Seattle Travel Guide (The International 2015)

Welcome, One and All

Hello everyone, my name is BKvoiceover and today this guide is going to be a little unorthodox from other guides you might find on the site. Today I am going to share my thoughts with you, as a Seattle native, on attending the Dota 2 International Main Event in Seattle WA. Just to clarify, this is geared towards individuals who desire to attend the main event of the Dota 2 International Tournament. In this guide I am going to be sharing information on Seattle's culture certain things such as transportation, accommodations, tips and tricks, and so on that I would recommend to tourists.

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Disclaimer, these are all my opinions based on what I have experienced and heard from other people. You may not have the same experiences that I or others have had, so just be prepared for what may happen.

Now without further ado, lets begin.

Transportation

This section will contain information on transportation whether it be by plane, car, or train. In this section I will be talking about transportation for individuals both stateside and out of the country.

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Travel By Plane

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The first, and probably the easiest form of transportation will probably be by plane. However depending on where you are flying in from, prices can vary from $100-$900+. If you are flying into Seattle on a domestic flight in the United States I would recommend flying Alaska Airlines. They have the most non-stop flights to Seattle from anywhere in the US, plus the tickets tend to be fairly cheap.

If you are attending the international from outside the United States I would recommend taking a connecting flight by either flying into LAX (Los Angeles, CA) or John F. Kennedy International (New York City, NY) depending on where you live. Those tend to be the main inlets into the US and tend to have more options as far as flights into Seattle. But if you're taking this route I would recommend flying Delta. They have both Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific flights and have a fairly large hub in Seattle, which usually means cheaper flights.

When flying into Seattle the best airport to fly into would definitely be Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA-TAC). It's the largest airport in the state and services a multitude of flights each day. Plus, the Key Arena as well downtown are a short 20-45 minute ride away on the Metro, depending on traffic.

Link to Delta Airlines

Link to Alaska Airlines

Link to Sea-Tac Airport Flight Information

If you have another airline that you wish to fly though that is totally fine. A list of airlines that service Seattle-Tacoma International include.

- Air Canada (including Air Canada Jazz)
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- AMC (Air Mobility Command)
- All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airlines
- British Airways
- Condor
- Delta Air Lines (including Delta Connections)
- Emirates
- EVA Air
- Frontier Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Icelandair
- JetBlue Airways
- Korean Air
- Lufthansa Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Sun Country Airlines
- United Airlines (including United Express)
- US Airways
- Virgin America

(Via www.portseattle.org/Seatac)

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Travel By Car

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I can imagine people who live fairly close to consider this a possibility. By fairly close I mean like one state away. So Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, Maybe Northern California, Possibly Montana. But anyways, routes that I would recommend drivers. Interstate 90 and Interstate 5, both the longest highways in the US both pass through Seattle. I-90 begins in Boston and ends in Seattle, and I-5 begins at the San Ysidro border crossing on the Mexican border, and ends at the Canadian border crossing between Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia. Those are the two easiest, and most direct ways to get to Seattle by car. But be careful as Seattle is a very difficult city to drive in. So be sure to exercise caution when driving near downtown.

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Travel By Rail

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Taking the train to Seattle is something that has quickly given way to the speed and convenience of aircraft. But... I thought I would include it anyways. I know that someone is going to do. Might as well tell you what I know.

Seattle's main station (King Street Station) is located between King St., Jackson St., and 5th Avenue. Right on the outskirts of downtown in the Pioneer Square neighborhood.

Google Maps

King Street Station services

- Sounder commuter trains south to Tacoma, Washington. As well as north to Everett, Washington on weekdays.
- Two Cascades trains north to Vancouver, BC
- Two Cascades trains south to Portland, Oregon
- Two Cascades trains south to Eugene, Oregon through Portland, Oregon
- One Empire Builder train east to Chicago, Illinois
- One Coast Starlight train south to Los Angeles, California

Hotels and Accommodations

Usually when I'm asked what hotels I recommend when staying in Seattle my response is "Did you have a price range in mind, and where do we wish to be close to." Now I don't know what your price range might be for a hotel when you get here, but I will cover a multitude of locations that may work for you.

My first recommendation is staying near Sea-Tac airport. Staying near the airport will give you some substantial discounts compared to staying downtown. However be aware that downtown is 16 miles (25.75 Km) from Sea-Tac. Luckily with the city's light rail metro system connected to the airport you can travel from the airport to downtown (Westlake Center) and grab the monorail inside Westlake Center to the Seattle Center where Key Arena resides. This is one option if you're willing to commute to the city each day, and can also save you some cash. However before booking your hotel be sure that they have a shuttle service to the Light Rail station.

Good hotels around Sea-Tac include

- Cedarbrook Lodge
- Hampton INN
- Best Western
- Red Lion

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If you plan on staying in downtown Seattle you're going to spending more money than other areas simply because it's downtown. The Bright side is that in most cases, Seattle Center will be within walking distance, or you'll be within walking distance of the Monorail which will take you to Seattle Center.

High End: The only one of these I have been to and seen would be the Fairmont Olympic but I have also heard great things about The Inn at the Market, the Hotel 1000, the Grand Hyatt, and the new Four Seasons.

Moderate: During the Summer months this can mean $200+. My favorites in this category include are Hotel Andra, the Mayflower Park and the Red Lion Fifth Avenue (even though I've heard of people getting rooms for as low as $60 a night at the Red Lion)

Budget: The Executive Hotel Pacific, the Sixth Avenue Inn, and the Best Westerns up by Lake Union (Executive and Loyal).

Also if you are looking for hotels that are as close as you can get to Key Arena I an help you out with that. Here is a link to some recommended hotels near the venue.

http://www.keyarena.com/plan-your-visit/hotels

The Key Arena

Address: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Google Maps

The Key Arena is located within the Seattle Center, just to the north of downtown. It holds stadium seating for a maximum of 17,000 people so get your tickets while they're still hot.

Below is a map of the Seattle center with the Key Arena being the large building to the west.

Climate

Now Seattle is synonymous around the world with its dark, gloomy, cloud cover and rain. While this is true during the Fall, Winter, and parts of Spring the weather in the late spring and summer tends to be warm and sunny. But be sure to pack for the occasional rainstorm as Seattle is prone to a few summer squalls every once in a while.

10 Tips on How to not Look like a Tourist

Now some of you might be wondering "but BK, why would you not want to be seen as a tourist." And to those people I will say this. It's not because we hate tourists, far from it. I worked in Seattle's tourist business for a while. I'm telling you this because i'm trying to keep you safe. Beggars ,the homeless, and peddlers tend to target tourists more often than locals because locals tend to know what they are dealing with when we come across them. So just for your safety here are a few tips to blend into the culture.

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The Rain
1. Rainy day? Leave the umbrella at home. I do not know a single Seattleite that uses an umbrella when it's raining out. Throw on a hoodie, or thick jacket and brave it out. This is one of the dead giveaways of a tourist.

The City
2. Figure out the basic overlay of where you are going to be in Seattle, and familiarize yourself with some of the streets and locations. This helps you avoid shoving your nose into a map of the city which is a red flag saying that you are a tourist.

The Coffee
3. If you get coffee, know what you are getting before you get to the front of the line. If you are fumbling, and thinking of what to get when you get there people are going to assume that you're either not from around here, or you're just an amateur.

Starbucks
4. Even though tourist companies tend to say that the first Starbucks ever is down at Pike Place market it is a well known fact that the original location was actually up a block at 2000 Western Avenue before it closed down. Don't say you're going to the first starbucks ever.

Pike Place Market
5. Speaking of Pike Place Market. It is called "Pike Place Market" not "Pike's Place". It is not a place that is owned by a guy named Pike. It is named that because the entrance is on Pike Place. Easy mistake, but tends to be noticed quite often by natives.

The Metro
6. King County Metro does NOT give change. If you hand the bus driver a $5 bill, be prepared to get nothing but fare.

Cash
7. Some bars and restaurants are cash only. So be sure to have some cash on you before you head out.

The Lingo
8. Know what the locals call certain landmarks. For example The Hiram Crittenden Locks are simply called "The Locks." The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge is called "The I-90 Bridge"

Again... Rain
9. Don't talk about the rain. For us it rains so much we forget what the sun looks like sometimes.

The Fashion
10. There are a lot of things fashion wise that pass in Seattle. However there isn't much of an intersection between function and fashion. Now having said that. Leave the
fanny pack at home. You will be spotted outright. This really goes for any city.

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Knowing these little things will help you blend into the culture and will hopefully keep a lot of undesirables off your back.

Some Cultural Things

One of the first things that newcomers will notice when they travel to Seattle for vacation is the icy welcome many tourists receive from Seattleites. This attitude has thus humorously been dubbed "The Seattle Freeze." The Freeze refers to the polite, but reserved personalities of many Seattle natives towards people that they do not know. It has long been believed to be caused by the heavy Scandinavian influence found in Seattle.

Time for a little history lesson.

Once upon a time Seattle was a heavily Scandinavian town, and those Swedish and Norwegian loggers and fisherman were a very polite, but guarded people. Eventually, that personality was adopted by the city as a whole. Fear not though, this reservedness is easily thawed by plying the locals with free alcohol.

We are a huge coffee town. Yes we have starbucks, but we also have like a 100+ other local coffee shops. So if you're feeling adventurous, have a sit down and a sip of some fine Seattle espresso.

With multiple technology juggernauts such as Microsoft and Amazon, as well as gaming companies like Valve, Seattle is a city of geeks and nerds. There are a large number of events that take place in Seattle such as Emerald City Comicon, Norwescon, Sakura-Con, ZomBcom, PAX Prime, SteamCon, and much more.

Seattle has the third worst traffic in the United States (only falling behind New York City and Los Angeles). People in Seattle talk a lot more about traffic than the weather. Some people might see Seattle's traffic this as a non-issue, but others see the parking lot that is SR-520 and I-5 during rush hour and get this deer-in-headlights look.

An easy way to remember the main streets in Seattle is to remember this acronym.

Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest

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From South to North
Jesus- (Jefferson, James)
Christ- (Cherry, Columbia)
Made- (Marion, Madison)
Seattle- (Spring, Seneca)
Under- (University, Union)
Protest- (Pike, Pine)

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One final note to make is that Seattle tends to be very liberal on their political standings. So just don't ply Seattleites about politics, it will be a very long day.

Stay Safe

Seattle is a fairly safe city, being placed as the 4th Safest City in America (Don't know who judged that). I mean, jaywalking is actually a crime that cops care about in the city. However, Like all large cities you should be cautious of potential danger and use common sense. There is little concern in the North Seattle districts, except for the areas around Aurora Avenue and Lake City Way at night time. Perhaps the worst of which is Rainier Beach. Common sense and smart thinking should be used in any neighborhood you are unfamiliar with, especially if traveling by foot or alone.

You will also do yourself a favor by going out to enjoy the nightlife in a group, as walking around downtown alone is not a smart thing to do in any big city. The same applies in Capitol Hill, the Central District, Pioneer Square, and the International District.

Downtown Seattle has a high influx of homeless men and women (suburbs on the East side enacted laws which forced homeless people into Seattle's downtown core). Many of these homeless men and women are nice and will ask for some change if you pass them by (and if you look like a tourist). Most are nice, but definitely be careful as a few may be hostile towards you.

The right to assemble and protest is taken very seriously in Seattle (as well as the rest of Washington), and often goes to extremes. It would be a poor exercise of judgement indeed to be found anywhere near one in the city. Keep in mind also the Seattle Police are not known for being soft-handed in such situations.

Seattle is a difficult city to drive in, and even tougher to park in. Throughout your time here, drive smartly and defensively. This should be applied to the rest of the state of as well.

Also be sure to avoid the area under the Seattle Viaduct near the Waterfront at night. Many sketchy characters tend to congregate there. Many are just homeless men and women and will avoid you but some can be hostile towards you. So just don't risk it, be safe.

Currency Exchange

As I'm sure that there will be plenty of foreigners coming to the international I think it is important to talk about currency, and the exchange rates of common currencies around the world. In the US we use to Dollar as our currency so I will post below the current exchange rates. I will be constantly updating the exchange rates as they change.

1.00 US Dollar is equivalent to

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Americas

Currency Canadian Dollar Argentine Peso Bolivian Boliviano Brazilian Real Chilean Peso Colombian Peso Costa Rican Colon Dominican Pesos Honduran Lempira Cayman Islands Dollar Mexican Peso Nicaraguan Cordoba Oro Peruvian Nuevo Sol Paraguayan Guarani Salvadoran Colon

Exchange Rate 1.28 8.77 6.91 3.10 638.89 2642.09 534.57 44.74 21.00 0.82 15.45 26.85 3.10 4776.44 8.74

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Asia

Currency Bangladeshi Taka Brunei Dollar Chinese Yuan Renminbi Fiji Dollar Hong Kong Dollar Indonesian Rupiah Indian Rupee Japanese Yen South Korean Won Sri Lanka Rupee Maldivian Rufiyaa Malaysian Ringgit Nepalese Rupee Philippine Peso Pakistani Rupee Singapore Dollar Thai Baht New Taiwan Dollar Vietnamese **** Iraqi Dinar

Exchange Rate 77.79 1.39 6.26 2.08 7.77 13189.50 62.79 121.49 1131.79 133.11 15.39 3.70 100.50 44.33 101.72 1.39 32.88 31.72 21355.00 1156.80

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Europe

Currency Bulgarian Lev Swiss Franc Czech Republic Koruna Danish Krone Estonian Kroon Euro British Pound Croatian Kuna Hungarian Forint Icelandic Krona Lithuanian Lita Latvian Lat Moldovan Leu Macedonian Denar Norwegian Krone Polish Zloty Romanian Leu Serbian Dinar Russian Ruble Swedish Krona Slovak Koruna Turkish Lira Ukrainian Hryvnia

Exchange Rate 1.85 1.01 25.87 7.07 14.84 0.95 0.67 7.24 287.58 139.99 2.93 0.67 18.50 58.33 8.21 3.91 4.21 111.97 62.37 8.64 22.21 2.61 22.00

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Pacific and Middle East

Currency United Arab Emirates Dirham Australian Dollar Bahraini Dinar ISraeli New Sheqel Jordanian Dinar Kuwaiti Dinar Kazakhstan Tenge Lebanese Pound New Zealand Dollar Omani Rial Qatari Rial Saudi Riyal Tunisian Dinar Uzbekistan Som Yemeni Rial

Exchange Rate 3.67 1.32 0.38 4.04 0.71 0.30 185.38 1503.5 1.37 0.38 3.64 3.75 2.00 2472.34 215.06

Africa

Currency Botswana Pula Algerian Dinar Egyptian Pound Kenyan Shilling Moroccan Dirham Mauritian Rupee Namibian Dollar Nigerian Naira Papua New Guinean Kina Seychellois Rupee Sierra Leonean Leone Tanzanian Shilling Ugandan Shilling CFA Franc BCEAO South African Rand Zambian Kwacha

Exchange Rate 10.05 97.38 7.63 91.70 10.10 35.47 12.25 199.05 2.65 13.83 4395.50 1834.60 3040.00 622.05 12.25 5189.50

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(All totals rounded to two decimal places)

Conclusion

I hope that all of you wishing to attend the Dota 2 International make it here safely and enjoy your time in Seattle. If you wish to see anything added to the guide, or have any questions or concerns about the content please leave a comment below or pm me. I will respond to it as soon as I can.

Hope you have a blast at the International, this is BK signing off.

-BK