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Things to do in Seattle

UW campus

Seattle's grand old campus, free to walk: the Quad's Yoshino cherry trees in late March, the vaulted Suzzallo reading room, Red Square and the Rainier Vista, right on the light rail.

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The useful answer

Should this fit your day?

Best for
Cherry blossom seekers in March, architecture and library lovers, families touring colleges, and anyone pairing the Burke Museum with a campus walk.
Time to protect
Allow one to two hours for the Quad, Suzzallo, Red Square and the Rainier Vista; add two hours for the Burke Museum.
Cruise-day fit
The campus is in the University District, northeast of downtown and away from both cruise terminals. It's a free-day stop rather than a pier-day errand. Drop your luggage first.
From the terminals
Pier 66 downtown and Pier 91 at Smith Cove are both a ride of several miles. No public transit serves Pier 91.
Before a flight
The 1 Line runs straight from SEA to the University of Washington station at Husky Stadium, about 45 minutes with no transfer; by car it's about 30 minutes without heavy traffic. In blossom season, leave extra time for crowds on the trains.

Coming for the cherry blossoms

The Quad is busiest at the peak of the bloom, usually in the last weeks of March.

  1. Check the bloom first

    The UW posts updates and a live webcam of the trees each spring, so you can see the blossoms before you set out.

  2. Come by train

    Ride the 1 Line to the University of Washington station and walk up the Rainier Vista to the Quad.

  3. Mind the trees

    Admire them from the paths: the UW asks visitors not to climb them or shake or break their branches.

Pair it with the Burke Museum →

What to know before you go

  1. 01

    The campus is open to visitors and free to walk. The UW Visitor Center in Odegaard Library helps on weekdays, and a self-guided highlights guide covers the Quad, Suzzallo Library and Husky Stadium.

  2. 02

    The Quad's 30 Yoshino cherry trees, about 90 years old, bloom toward the end of March. They first grew at the Washington Park Arboretum and were moved to the Quad in 1962. The UW posts bloom updates and a live webcam each spring.

  3. 03

    Blossom season brings big crowds, so the UW asks visitors to come by light rail, bus or bike, and never to climb the trees or shake or break their branches.

  4. 04

    Suzzallo Library's Reading Room has a 65-foot vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows. It's a silent study space, so step in quietly.

  5. 05

    Red Square, finished in 1971 and named for its red-brown bricks, is the heart of campus. From Drumheller Fountain, the Rainier Vista frames Mount Rainier on a clear day.

  6. 06

    Husky Stadium, with 70,138 seats on the Lake Washington shore, is beside the light rail. The Burke Museum of natural history and culture and the Henry Art Gallery are on campus too.

  7. 07

    The University of Washington light rail station is at Husky Stadium, about 45 minutes from the airport on the 1 Line. Look for the bronze W at the bottom of the Rainier Vista as you walk up.

  8. 08

    Driving? Visitors buy a parking permit at a gatehouse; the Central Plaza Garage is entered from 15th Avenue NE at NE 41st Street.

Bloom timing changes every year, and campus access can change around events and exams. Check the UW visitor and cherry blossom pages before you go.

Tours and activities

Tours that visit the UW campus

Entry itself is free. These well-reviewed tours include it, with current prices. Check a date to see open start times, then book with Viator.

Tours are sold and run through Viator; booking opens viator.com in a new tab, and Viator confirms the final price and time. Seatac Co may earn a commission.

Free to visit, with tours nearby

There's no ticket for the UW campus: just go. If you'd like a guide, a harbor cruise or another stop the same day, start here.

  • Seattle tours and tickets

    Guided tours, attraction tickets and day trips around Seattle, including options near the UW campus.

    See tours and tickets

Opens a booking partner in a new tab; Seatac Co may earn a commission. For current notices, see the University of Washington visitor page.

Get a ride there

Drop-off: UW campus, University of Washington

Map of the drive from Seatac Airport to UW campus: 19.0 miles, about 33 minutes
19.0 mi · about 33 min from the airportOpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

Starting from

Your fare is worked out for the exact trip on the next step, before you pay. Want the car to wait while you visit? Book by the hour.

Cruise day: the UW campus between the ship and your flight

Off the ship with a few hours before your flight? Book the ride from the pier and the ride on to the airport now, so each driver knows where you are going.

  1. Step 1

    Ride from the pier

    Pier 66 downtown and Pier 91 at Smith Cove are both a ride of several miles. No public transit serves Pier 91.

    From Pier 66From Pier 91

  2. Step 2

    Visit the UW campus

    Allow one to two hours for the Quad, Suzzallo, Red Square and the Rainier Vista; add two hours for the Burke Museum.

    Tours nearby

  3. Step 3

    Ride on to Seatac Airport

    The 1 Line runs straight from SEA to the University of Washington station at Husky Stadium, about 45 minutes with no transfer; by car it's about 30 minutes without heavy traffic. In blossom season, leave extra time for crowds on the trains.

    UW campus to the airport

Big bags

  • Pier 66: Same-day bag storage is available. Pick bags up by 3 pm to avoid a late fee.
  • Pier 91: Same-day bag storage in the Crew Center, north of the Ground Transportation Center. Pick bags up by 3 pm to avoid a late fee.

Stored bags mean a stop back at the pier before the airport. To keep them with you instead, book a car by the hour and the driver waits with your luggage.

Planning the whole cruise trip? Keep the UW campus on it with the rides around it.

Plan the whole cruise trip

Not sure which pier? Find your ship and pier or compare Pier 66 and Pier 91.

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