Looks like my daughter will be doing a six month internship in Seattle. Looking for tips from people on finding a furnished apartment (with 2 bedrooms and a roommate from her college) especially which neighborhoods to look at, packing/shipping etc. for that length of time (when we moved her to college we just drove all her junk), ideas for staying in touch with her east coast friends and family, best sites to see (for her during her stay and for me when I travel there - she is not an outdoor person prefers museums, city sights). She will have the services of a relocation firm (they will help with travel arrangements and I think apartment searching). This is a big and exciting step for her (and for me) and so I would love any advice.
First of all, congrats! Where in Seattle is her employer located? Will she have a car and paid by employer parking? Is she going to be working late at night, let’s say after 9 (when public transport is not very reliable)?
Just a few basic questions to help us tailor our replies, because Seattle is pretty big (and sometimes people lump Eastside and Boeing with it).
It is for Amazon - should be at their headquarters - no car - I think she might be working late sometimes.
I’d look to Amazon for guidance. They have a huge HR dept and must bring people to town all the time. A six-month lease is unusual so it’s good that a relocation firm will be assisting.
The South Lake Union neighborhood where Amazon HQ is located is packed with new and in-progress condos and apartments with many young residents. Nearby Eastlake would be another handy location. Queen Anne, to the west of Lake Union, is nice and might be another option, as would Fremont and Wallingford to the north of Lake Union. Public transportation has to work around all the bridges and water but there’s lots of public transportation to/from South Lake Union.
I would not suggest Belltown or other “downtown” locations unless your daughter is comfortable with a grittier nighttime atmosphere. Seattle is generally very safe and I don’t hesitate to go downtown for an evening event but there are big city issues (drug dealing, homeless, panhandling) that make one mindful of surroundings and safety at night in the downtown area.
There are really few “unpleasant” neighborhoods in Seattle, therefore there are many fine residential options for interns. HOWEVER, Seattle proper is quickly becoming among the most expensive cities in America. Who would have thunk it? The closer you are to Downtown, South Lake Union or Capitol Hill you are going to be gouged for rent. Having a roommate helps financially. Fortunately, bus service is very good and widely utilized in Seattle and the near suburbs, where rents are appreciably less than found in the business and cultural core. Riding a bus from across the lake or from the northern suburbs is typically easy, although recent cuts in service has created inconvenience on some suburban routes.
Regarding short-term housing, I would think that Amazon will provide much help to the young people it hires.
I agree that she should expect help from Amazon regarding short term housing. They have housing a short walk away. But if not, stay away from Belltown. It’s ok during the day, but can be dangerous at night.
Also- be aware that Seattle is a city with one of the highest rates of property crime in the country, which I can personally attest to. I feel slightly better/worse after finding out one of my favorite rock stars had his wallet stolen during yoga yesterday. 
Some links- that I haven’t checked out.
http://www.urbaninterns.com/journal/jobseekers/internship-summer-housing-seattle/
https://racketracer.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2014/05/11/a-guide-to-summer-in-seattle/
I also agree with ^ that bus service can be terrible. Routes & stops have been cut, frequently buses are full so they don’t stop and it can be very difficult going across town with our lakes in the way.
But you also don’t want to have to drive.
Are you sure her housing isn’t already covered?
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/tech-giants-dangle-cheap-housing-free-food-to-lure-summer-interns/
She will be getting a monthly housing stipend which should cover her costs - so I am fine with a safe and close though expensive location (so does that mean stick to south lake union when looking?) They do not provide housing only the relocation service (they told her very specifically you need to find your own apartment). It is not just for the summer - but for six months. She is urban savvy (lots of time in NYC and Boston) which is good.
She might look in the Daily.
http://dailyuw.com
Maybe also in Madison Park, I know someone who might be interested in renting a room & it’s a nice area, close to Lake Washington & Capitol Hill.
No, I don’t think she needs to stick to South Lake Union. Without a car, I would start there, though. It’s a developing neighborhood full of young professionals. All of the neighborhoods I mentioned are in Seattle proper and close, as is Capitol Hill (hip, LGBT friendly, edgy). I would guess the six month lease is going to severely limit options unless the relocation service has relationships with management companies locally, so I’d start by seeing what they can find. If she thinks she will be commuting by bus, she can look at bus routes and schedules by going to the Metro King County website.
http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov
In addition to buses of course there are car-share companies such as Car2Go, and taxis for the occasional late night at work or on the town.
Once she has some choices, please come back and tell us about them so we can give you a bit of info about the neighborhoods!
Re things to do.
( she really is doing herself a disservice if she doesn’t explore the wilderness, the summer weather is so great- at least on the west side of the mountains, that it pushes you to go outside- hell, the weather is amazing now!
plus if she is going to work in south Lake Union, that is just blocks from the flagship REI.)
http://www.seattle.gov/music/festivals.htm
^ not an inclusive or updated list, Im afraid, but it’s a start.
Neighborhood blogs can also help give her an idea of where she might live.
http://www.capitolhillseattle.com
http://lakeunionbeat.com
The first museum to visit.
http://www.mohai.org
BTW. Is she done with school? My oldest had a temp job at a different company, which has now morphed into a dream job as permanent staff. ( after a few years)
If she thinks/hopes it will be a longer term position, maybe she could get a longer lease, then sublet if it really didn’t work out?
South Lake Union is well served by public transportation. Metro buses and the trolley (aka the SLUT) run there regularly. Uber and Zipcars are other common options for transportation.
There is plenty of shopping in the city (BBB, City Target, TJ Maxx etc.), and the nearby lower Queen Anne neighborhood has Safeway and QFC stores for grocery shopping. Lower Queen Anne, Capitol Hill (near Seattle U), and, of course, South Lake Union would be the places where I would start my search.
I will post more after work.
After living in Troy, NY, I don’t find Belltown bad at all. It is getting more upscale fast. A friend just bought one of those fancy Belltown view condos north of Pike Place Market. Admittedly it is not as nice as Madison Park area, nor as sparkly clean as all the new stuff in South Lake Union, but the wife and I used to go for drinks and pool at Belltown Billiards and never once saw anything worse than panhandlers. It has a number of places where young people accumulate late at night, bringing along the drunk young people issues.
Good neighborhoods if I were young again, making decent money in Seattle: Wallingford, Fremont (Solstice Parade if she is here in June!), SLU, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne. One benefit of SLU is it is pretty much walking distance to just about everything she will need. Seattle Craigslist has a very active temporary/sublet section, but competition for those places can be fierce.
Here is my minor rant against Amazon; Microsoft and Boeing do a tremendous amount to support art and culture in the area. Having an employee discount card gets you generous discounts and good treatment. Amazon and Google do much, much less, choosing to benefit from Microsoft’s and Boeing’s generosity without contributing themselves.
Don’t forget the Coulon Park/Lake Washington area in Renton (adjacent to Paul Allen’s residential complex) and downtown Renton. Bus service to downtown Seattle via the Renton Transit Center is not complicated at all.
Probably not as much fun, though . . .
I’d stay in the city rather than looking at Renton unless finances or availability of housing dictated otherwise.
LW, getting to and from Renton at odd times of the day via public transport could be problematic. Plus, as saintfan said, it has a feel of a “big playground” for adults: not too much to do outside of that planned development. I would leave Renton off the search list.
I would look away from the U-Dub district, too. Too many undergrads, too crowded, too much petty crime, and a chance of running into a slumlord is higher.
Fremont is further away, but it is a nice area for a young professional.
Forgot to mention: biking is quite popular around the city, but one might need an extra incestment in rain gear.
If she’s going to be working in SLU, I’d stay in the general SLU/Cap Hill/First Hill/Eastlake/Westlake area. Long hours are common and getting to/from some areas on the bus can be difficult, especially if it is late at night.
Amazon should provide plenty of rental assistance. Trying to find a short-term rental on her own, especially furnished, could be tough. Based on what I’ve learned from co-workers who have returned here from temp assignments elsewhere, there are a number of places that work exclusively with the big companies in town for these spots.Good for them for providing a housing stipend; she’s looking at some of the most expensive rental real estate in town.
I’d avoid the blocks between 1st and 3rd and Pike and Union. after dark and sometimes during the day as well. Drug and petty crime abound.
Lots of non-outdoor activities available here. I know individuals whose closest communing with nature is Green Lake park on a weekend. They are fine, happy people. 
I work for one of the companies above, and we really don’t get discounts to arts and cultural events on a regular basis. Little is free - everything has an admission fee 
Well, Downtown Renton is not the French Riviera or Acapulco, but it’s definitely much more upscale than when I was a lad. It’s working class roots are quickly being uprooted. LOL.
As for the UW District, I totally agree. It’s not a slum, but yucky nevertheless with clearly none of the appeal of Harvard Square, Greenwich Village (NYU), Midtown Atlanta (GaTech) or Columbia Five Points (U of S. Carolina).
EmeraldKitty; by the way, please do not advertise the typically great summer weather in the Puget Sound region. It only encourages visitors to stay. LOL.
LOL!!! They did “rebrand” it though. With rose tinted glasses The Landing might look kind of like the French Riviera at the right time of year. 
Meant to add that yes, bus service in King County is principally a rush hour operation. Service is fairly optimal then but certainly much less in the later hours, even as early as 6PM. Getting back to Downtown Renton, there’s no lack of Starbucks, Pho eateries and a decent cafe or two. Life without a car can be cumbersome in the burbs, but folks in the area tell me they are crazy about Uber, which has been very well received in the Pacific Northwest.