Moving from Madison, WI to Seattle, WA

You surely know that Madison is home to just around 237,000 people and is the county seat of Dane County. What you might not know is that Seattle is the seat of King County, in addition to being a major coastal seaport and the perfect place for you to thrive along with the 620,778 other Seattleites, a.k.a your future co-workers, best friends, and comrades, that already reside here. There are good things about living in Seattle, such as its notable musical history (think jazz or “grunge”), technology center status, and rank as a new hub for sustainable development through “green” industry. Located between Puget Sound and Lake Washington on a narrow isthmus just 100 miles from Canada, Seattle is home to the eighth largest port in the country, as well as a metropolitan area corralling more than four million. If you like seeing mountains in the east (Cascade) and mountains in the west (Olympic), or if evergreens are more your thing (or even moss), then Seattle is the place for you. Welcome to “The Emerald City”!

Driving from Madison to Seattle

• 1,928—the number of miles separating Madison from Seattle. 28—you guessed it—the number of hours it takes to drive there!
• The valiant sojourn from Wisconsin to Washington will take you through four northern states and several cities, including Minneapolis, MN, Bismarck, ND, Billings, MT, and Spokane, WA!
• Minneapolis is chock full of culture and is home to Walker Art Center and Minnehaha Falls! As for Bismarck, there’s the Dakota Zoo and Fort Abraham Lincoln.
• Billings has a ton of things to see, from the Moss Mansion to Lake Elmo State Park and Yellowstone Art Museum. In Spokane, Bing Crosby Theater and Riverfront Park are all yours.

The weather in Seattle

• While Wisconsin is known for its humid continental climate, Seattle is likewise known for its oceanic or temperate marine climate, featuring wet, mild winters and dry, warm summers!
• Spoiler alert: the sun shines here! In fact, the average highs for summer in Seattle are 75 F with very little rain at all for July and August. November through January isn’t so lucky, however.
• The rain drives winters in the city. Average lows will reach the mid 30s, with 28 days of below freezing weather and at least two days in which the temperature sits below freezing all day!
• Debunked: Seattle isn’t the rainiest city in the country. The city will only see around 37 inches of rain per year, with most of it accumulating in the winter and spring, November being the wettest.

Navigating Seattle

• If you’re new to Seattle, prepare to be confused. The street addresses in The City of Goodwill aren’t exactly user friendly to newbies; therefore we have “neighborhoods” here, 11 in all! Trust the bus.
• Eventually you’ll get a feel for the city’s foibles, but in the meantime public transportation lives on. Metro Transit features a web trip planner and a $5 ORCA card for free transfers between agencies.
• Sound Transit is a less reliable line with more perks, such as access to Tacoma, Redmond, and more. In addition, Link Light Rail, South Lake Union Streetcar, and King County Water Taxi exist.
• Just because Seattle is the biggest city in its respective portion of the US doesn’t mean you can’t drive here without stress. The roadways are generally hospitable, but do abide—the tickets are not.

Looking for a moving company that can navigate both Madison and Seattle? U-Pack has service centers in both metro areas. We are ready to help you move! Get a free moving quote. 

Schools in Seattle

• Seattle Public Schools, the largest public school district in the state, serves the entire city of Seattle through 91 schools, with an enrollment surpassing 47,000. Think Madison Metropolitan times two!
• Seattle is home to 12 private schools: six secular, five Catholic, and one Lutheran. !
• The renowned University of Washington, as well as Seattle University, City University, Antioch University, Cornish College of the Arts, and South Seattle Community College serves the city!

Dining and entertainment in Seattle

• Seattle truly has it all, but specializes in seafood (that’s a given) as well as an extensive Asian culinary scene. The weekends are never dull here—mountain biking or shopping, you can do it all!
• There’s the typical means of fun in Seattle—the Space Needle, the aquarium, the art museum, the zoo—but then you have Safeco Field, Burke Gilman Trail, and Seafair to further your fun in the city!
• Fremont Fair, Hempfest, Bumbershoot, Capitol Hill Block Party, and Bite of Seattle make up the social scene in Seattle. Downtown’s Pike Place Market draws its own crowd—see it, you’ll believe it!

• Savor Seattle Food Tours is the perfect opener to your life of food in a new city. Pick your tour and your guide does the rest, and before you know it your favorites have been chosen for you!
• Paseo dishes out Caribbean confections that you’ll never forget, like the Midnight Cuban Press Sandwich! Then there’s the crust matched by truffle cheese and roasted mushrooms at Serious Pie.
• Piroshky Piroshky is one Russian bakery to leave a lasting impression—try the beef and cheese! Quinn’s has a mean Wild Board Sloppy Joe, and The Pink Door takes Italian to new heights—literally!

You’re going to love moving from Madison to Seattle, “The City of Flowers”!

 

Let U-Pack^®drive to your new home. We’ll move your items, and you move yourself in the comfort of your own vehicle. It’s the perfect way to travel to Seattle. Get a moving quote today. 

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