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Parking Garage at REI
Rating Details »
8 reviews for Parking Garage at REI
There is so much parking on the streets and in pay lots adjacent to REI that it's actually faster to park and walk a few blocks than trying to get out of the REI garage.
Don't park here unless you have to!
Okay, here's the lowdown.
If you stay less than an hour it is usually free.
Easy access to the store from anywhere in the garage.
Drive all the way up to the top floor for the best parking.
Don't block traffic waiting for someone to unlock their car!! There are tons of spots further up that everyone behind you is trying to get to!!!!!
Use your brain and be polite!!
If you have a hard time parking your vehicle, no matter what its' size, stay away. The stalls are fine, its' you that's the problem.
This is a great parking garage with great access.
The only drawback is the idiots that can't figure out how a parking garage works!
I don't know what happened when they designed the garage for REI's flagship store. The store is open, well lit and easy to navigate. The garage is cramped, dark, and only barely leaves enough room for a reasonably-sized car, let alone the massive suburban assault vehicles people try to park in there, spilling over into two or even three parking spots.
Even when it was completely free it was a hassle, but since they've implemented paid parking after the first hour, it's next to impossible getting in and out of the garage while people queue up to pick up their ticket or pay on the way out. Add to this that REI doesn't validate beyond the free period, and it makes an already abysmal experience that much worse.
The only positive is that because it is connected to the building, it makes it easier if you have a small tribe to ferry between car and store or to get larger purchases back to your car. Even then, when we recently bought a hitch mount bike rack there we still felt it was more convenient to haul the awkward, bulky, 50lb box two blocks down the street by hand rather than deal with the garage.
Do yourself a favor and find meter parking on a nearby street. You'll get in and out of the store much faster by avoiding the car lineup to enter the garage, and the few bucks you pay lets you browse without worrying whether trying on a couple more jackets is going to result in a parking charge that gets higher the longer you shop.
I hate this place. It drives me insane. I park up to 6 blocks away just to avoid parking in here.
It is located in an awkward part of the block. You can be killed as a pedestrian passing by and almost getting hit by big SUV's coming and going. If you are driving by well, you are likely behind someone turning in to a small driveway or are tryign to not get hit by another SUV pulling out without looking in front of you.
It is badly placed. In fact REI is badly placed.
Yes, it's dark and can be busy but sometimes you can leave 15 mins after the one hour free period and they won't make you pay. Plus I like staying dry. Not the best parking lot in Seattle but not the worst. (I think the under-the-freeway parking is the worst - for the Convention Center)
Well, I think the parking is very convenient. the spots are a little small, yes, but nothing a little patience and driving skill can't alleviate. Free parking in that neighborhood for 90 minutes is a real bonus!
REI's parking garage SUCKS.
It's almost like they didn't think anyone would really want to park there, or that most people would ride their super expensive deluxe bikes here. The spots are ALL MINISCULE, and all seemingly marked "compact", but should really read, "Mini Cooper only". I drive a smaller SUV and had to pass up most open spots before finding one in which I could barely jimmy my new car into without compromising it as well as the vehicles on either side of me. As it was, we had to take the baby in her car seat out of the mo-fo car before I pulled in. Sucked.
To add to that crappy welcome, there seems to be a ratio of about 1 staff person per each 1,000 guests. And we came to buy! Pissed. Then they have the balls to charge you $2 to get out of that God-forsaken place. Seriously.
Did I mention it sucked??
I try to never park in this garage when visiting REI, but in a torrential downpour I mistakenly thought it would involve less heartache than being sopping wet. Never again.
