Seattle/Pioneer Square-International District

Pioneer Square is Seattle's oldest neighborhood, showcasing a wealth of art galleries, bookstores, antique shops, cool restaurants, and buzzing nightclubs within easy walking (or free bus) distance of most Downtown Seattle hotels. The classic red brick buildings, cobblestone streets and horse-drawn carriages are a reminder of life a century ago. Local lore holds that the term "skid row" originated in Pioneer Square, when timber would be slid down Yesler Way to a steam powered mill on the Seattle waterfront. The area sits, from east to west, between 3rd Ave. and the waterfront; and between Downtown proper to the north, and the sports stadiums to the south. The square itself is nothing much, and the people talking about the square are referring to the area.

Just to its east, the International District is the name given to Seattle's Asian neighborhood. It is located southeast of Downtown, loosely bounded by 4th Avenue S. and S. Dearborn Street. While the old Chinatown stops are concentrated around the Interstate 5 freeway, the area to the east is called Little Saigon, centered on 12th and Jackson. From there, going south along Rainier Avenue, the stores transform from Vietnamese to Cambodian, beyond which it slowly merges into South Seattle.

Get in
for a list of intercity bus companies serving the Seattle Metropolitan area as many of the companies have stations or stops in or near the International or Pioneer Square Districts. It is easy to get here from the Downtown hotels – the walk is short, and any bus traveling south from Downtown on 2nd, 3rd or 5th Ave will get you to within a few blocks of your destination. Ask the driver before getting on as some buses may turn towards a different direction before reaching the Pioneer Square/International Districts or skip it altogether (no stops). There are a few pay parking lots, and limited street parking is available too. Often the best parking bet are the metered spaces under the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which are usually overlooked by all but the locals. Occidental Street, which sits between 1st and 2nd Avenues, is closed to cars between Washington and Jackson Streets and forms a pedestrian mall lined with galleries and shops.

The Central Link Light Rail stops at at James Street/3rd Avenue (a few blocks north of the main neighborhood) and at  at Jackson Street/5th Avenue.

The First Hill Streetcar line runs along Jackson Street through the area, connecting the district to First Hill and Capitol Hill.

, served by Amtrak and Sounder, sits directly in the center of the area at 4th and Jackson.

Underground tours
Seattle's oldest neighborhood has a hidden history: after being destroyed by a fire in 1889, large parts of the city were regraded, simultaneously solving the problems of steep hills, tidal flooding, and sanitation by raising what is now Pioneer Square by one story, creating the Seattle Underground.

Today, two companies run multiple tours through different sections of the Underground, with informative commentary about Seattle's history.

You will have to go up and down several flights of old stairs, and walk over some uneven terrain in poor lighting; choose footwear appropriately.



Buy



 * Most of the older businesses in the International District are, of course, Chinese, and there are a few general stores where you can pick up good woks and other imported items.

Eat
True to its name, the International District has a great variety of ethnic cuisines. While tourists and most non-Asian Seattleites stick to the large Chinese restaurants, the smaller places serve mostly locals and offer a quite authentic atmosphere as well as food. Chinese seafood restaurants are a Seattle institution popular with locals, many with live seafood tanks; they're not particularly elegant, but the food is great (if a bit venturesome for some tastes). And while most of Seattle's immigrant Japanese population has long since moved out to the suburbs (as have the upscale sushi bars), a few restaurants still stick it out in the area. Some places, especially the hole-in-the-wall restaurants, only accept cash as payment.

Chinese
For a cheap eat, try a dim sum lunch. Roving servers bring steam carts of exotic (e.g., chicken feet) but often delicious food, then stamp your meal ticket for each dish. When you're done, take your ticket up to the register and pay. If you aren't a complete master of chopsticks, bring your own fork for the slippery shrimp and rice noodles, because the staff will rarely get around to bringing you one. If you're not getting what you want, or you don't see it, ask the staff - you may have to be a little aggressive.



Bubble tea
Bubble tea arrived in the International District in the late 90s. Places here originally served it in basic plastic cups with dome lids, though now all the bubble tea cafes in the district vacuum seal the tops of each cup with semi-permanent plastic covers.



Cope


The nature of this area (homeless and crime) means that there are no public toilets in the area. So, unless you're planning on visiting a restaurant or an attraction, considering making a stop before you arrive here.

Stay safe
With many nearby shelters and other services for the homeless, Pioneer Square (especially Occidental Park) and to a lesser extent the International District, have more homeless people hanging around than other parts of Seattle. The area is generally safe, but violent crime is not unknown. With the opioid epidemic of the 2010s, property crime seems to be on the rise, so keep your eyes on your belongings.

Connect
The City of Seattle provides free wi-fi access in Occidental Park. Use the SSID "seattlewifi".