Picking Your Base: Hotels in the University District, Seattle
The district is compact but varied, so the right base depends on how you want to spend your days. Think less about the building itself and more about which end of the neighborhood you want waiting outside your door.
Close to campus and The Ave
Stay near the university and its museums, its waterfront and The Ave are all within walking distance. This side works well if you are visiting students, heading to campus events or simply want a lively street of shops and casual food right outside.
Toward University Village and Union Bay
The eastern edge puts you near University Village, an outdoor shopping center with national brands, local shops and several popular eateries. Choose this end when shopping and easy meals matter more to you than campus life.
Confirm the details yourself
Prices, parking policies and amenities vary by property and season. Reach out to any place on your list for current rates, and read the cancellation terms before you book.
Easy, Low-Cost Ways to Spend a Day
Once you arrive, a U District stay does not have to cost much at all. Some of the neighborhood's best moments come from simply setting out on foot.
- Campus architecture. Wander among university buildings, many of them in the Collegiate Gothic style adopted when architect Carl F. Gould led a rebuilding in the 1920s. A slow loop makes for an easy, unhurried morning.
- Ravenna Park. Head just north of campus to the shady ravine trails of Ravenna Park, a pleasant place for a stroll or a picnic.
- The Burke-Gilman Trail. Walk or pedal this major path, which traces the old route of the Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern Railway, a line that once hauled coal and logs across North Seattle.
Worth the Splurge: Museums and Time on the Water
When you are ready to spend a little, the campus rewards you with two strong museums. Explore natural history and Indigenous art in the modern building of the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, then catch contemporary work at the Henry Art Gallery, checking what is on view before you go.
For an afternoon on the lake, rent a canoe or kayak at the university's Waterfront Activities Center. Look up current rental rates and seasonal hours before heading over, since both can change.
Where to Eat, Drink and Shop
University Village has earned a reputation for local food spots. Grab sourdough-based bagels, bialys and inventive spreads such as chili crisp at Hey Bagel, pair a drink with soft-serve at Rachel's Ginger Beer, or settle in with laminated pastries, quiche and tartines from The French Guys.
Northwest of campus, the Mountaineering Club serves comfort food and drinks with a view from its perch on a 16th floor. Save it for an evening when you feel like treating yourself.
For browsing, step into Shiga's Imports near campus, where art, housewares, gifts and teas from Asia lean strongly Japanese. Edge of the Circle Books specializes in titles and gifts tied to magic and the occult, and at University Village, glassybaby offers handblown glass votives and drinking glasses in bright colors.
The Neighborhood's Story
Long before the campus arrived, the land around Portage Bay and Union Bay held Duwamish villages of Lushootseed-speaking Coast Salish peoples. In the 1890s, developers laid out a neighborhood called Brooklyn, which is why you will still walk along Brooklyn Avenue today.
The university moved here from downtown in 1895. As the University Bridge opened in 1919, a local business club ran contests that gave the area the names University Way and University District, and by 1941, Greek Row on 17th Avenue Northeast held 41 fraternity and sorority houses.
To dig deeper into the area, visit our University District neighborhood page.
A Day Trip South to Chinatown-International District
Many visitors staying up north spend a day in the Chinatown-International District, a center of Asian American life. Start at the Wing Luke Museum, where rotating exhibits explore Seattle's Asian communities.
Then head outdoors to Hing Hay Park, with its pavilion designed in Taipei, ping-pong, chess and events throughout the year. Climb uphill to Kobe Terrace to see a stone lantern from Kobe, Japan.
