Getting to campus

 

 Public transit to the UW Visitor Center

  • By bus: There are more than 60 bus routes that serve the University District, including many with stops right on campus.
  • By Link light rail: The UW Link light-rail stop is at Husky Stadium, a 45-minute ride from Sea-Tac International Airport.
    • It’s a 15-minute walk from the UW light-rail stop to the Visitor Center.
  • By air: Sea-Tac International Airport serves Seattle and is about 30 minutes from campus by car (during heavy traffic, this may take up to an hour) or about 45 minutes by light rail.

Driving to the UW Visitor Center

From Interstate 5 (I-5), northbound or southbound:

  • Important: Do not use the I-5 express lanes.
  • Take exit 169 (NE 45th St.) toward NE 45th St.
  • Turn east on NE 45th St.
  • Turn right on 15th Ave. NE and continue to NE 41st St. The entrance to the Central Plaza Parking Garage is on the left.

From the east side of Lake Washington via SR 520 (toll bridge):

  • Take SR 520 westbound toward Seattle.
  • Take the Montlake Blvd. NE exit, then turn right (north) onto Montlake Blvd. and cross the Montlake Bridge.
  • Just past the bridge, turn left on NE Pacific St. and continue west. (You’ll pass UW Medical Center and the Health Sciences complex on your left.)
  • Turn right onto 15th Ave. NE and continue north two blocks to NE 41st St. The entrance to the Central Plaza Parking Garage is on your right.

Parking on campus

If you drive, we recommend getting to campus at least 30 minutes before your scheduled visit to allow time to park and find your way to your destination. When you arrive, visit one of the gatehouses to purchase a permit. The gatehouse attendant will direct you to a parking lot.

 Gatehouse locations

Seattle weather

Despite its rainy reputation, Seattle averages just 37.5 inches of rain a year — less than Miami. Drizzles are more likely than downpours, so umbrellas are less common than the all-important rain jacket.

Typically temperate winters — from November through March, the average is 47 degrees — encourage wearing layers that can be shed as chilly mornings turn into warmer afternoons. On the rare occasions snow falls (in inches rather than feet), Seattleites bust out their sleds and cross-country skis to revel on closed streets.

Seattle summers really shine: June through August, the average temp is 71 degrees, with maybe a week or two of over-80 weather (usually in July). The moderate heat and dry, blue-sky days make the area a paradise for hikers, campers, kayakers, cyclists and other lovers of the outdoors.

For the latest weather updates on campus, check out The UW Dawgcast!