Photograph of the Seattle Skyline, by Thom Milkovic.
The conference will be held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel located in downtown Seattle. The hotel is approximately 15 miles from the Sea-Tac International Airport (SEA) and they provided detail transit options to the hotel here. You may choose to stay at the Sheraton. If not, please see other options below.
We do recommend that you stay within walking or biking distance from the Sheraton to lessen the traffic on Seattle’s already crowded roads.
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AND GETTING TO THE CONFERENCE VENUE
The Seattle bus and Link Light Rail system are reasonably well-serviced and reliable, and we encourage you to use it for your primary transit. A light rail station at the airport makes it easy to get into downtown quickly and affordably.
How do you use public transit? Here’s a video guide.
Here is a list of schedules and maps. You will need an Orca card to ride public transit, and if you use Android or iOS you can tap-to-pay with Google Pay.
Note that even though the Link Light Rail also operates across Lake Washington in Bellevue, and in Tacoma, these three systems do not "link" up with each other – yet! The connection to Bellevue is expected to open in Spring 2025.
Seattle has a robust biking infrastructure! Bird [ios][android] and Lime [ios][android] operate bike and scooter sharing options across Seattle. A full bike and scooter sharing guide can be found here. Bike and scooter shares follow an open parking system, where they do not need to be returned to a designated station. But when you park one, please be mindful of others’ mobility, especially those with restricted mobility who need sidewalk, curb cut, and accessible building access.
Walking is also a wonderful way to move about the city. Seattle is very hilly, so prepare to raise your heart rate! If the other transit options are unavailable, both Uber and Lyft operate in Seattle.
Please contact meeting@4sonline.org with any accessibility requests or questions.
Photograph of the downtown Seattle area known by its honorary Coast Salish name Dzidzilalich, by Abner Campos.
Alaska Airlines has provided a discount code for 5% discount on your ticket. Travel must take place between August 29, 2025 and September 12, 2025.
Non-U.S. citizens and residents will need a visa to go to the conference. If you are a citizen or national of a country in the visa waiver program, you will need to apply for an ESTA online (it is valid for two years). If your country is not in the waiver program, you probably need a B1/B2 Visitor Visa. Wait times for interviews can vary greatly. For those in India, the wait time for an appointment to apply for a visa is currently close to a year.
If you require a visa and need a letter, please write to us (meeting@4sonline.org) and we would be delighted to support your application and to send it to you. Title your email "Visa Letter Request, Seattle 25" and include the following details: full name (first and last name), suffix (Dr, Ms), job title (i.e. Dr, and Assistant Professor of [add]), affiliation (University of, Society of), title of your panel and paper, and your membership ID.
There are numerous hotels within easy walking distance of the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Seattle. You will see many on this Google Maps search.
We have secured DISCOUNTED RATES at several hotels. We will share the discount codes before the end of January 2025. More soon!
Photograph of Pike Place Market by Abner Campos.
Seattle is located in Washington State, surrounded by mountains and water. Early September is usually rain-free in Seattle, but there is always a chance of rain. Be prepared so you can enjoy the showers! Temperatures normally range from 52-71 F (11-21 C).
The official tourism page has a wealth of information about things to see and do in the city and the Visit Seattle page has great restaurant and beverage recommendations. Below we have curated a number of other "things to do" and "sights to see" in the region. This list was developed with indigenous sovereignty, local histories, and your costs in mind.
We encourage visitors to learn about the Coast Salish peoples and lands, whether through the Visit Seattle site that includes a Native Heritage Guide or through the University of Washington American Indian Studies Program and the Burke Museum. The Museum of History and Industry (see below for a discount), Washington State Historical Society Museum in Tacoma, and the Museum of Pop Culture all have local collections and exhibits you may wish to visit.
Much has been made about Seattle’s unhoused population, which may factor into your transit choices. While sleeping in public spaces and rather open substance use may come as a shock to many, it is important to remember the strong role that Seattle’s affordable housing crisis has played in separating people from housing. Also remember that while some people may seem aggressive, unhoused people are more often the victims than the perpetrators of crime, and are no more likely to commit a crime than the average population.
Photograph by Colin Lloyd showing the Space Needle.
Museum discounts
Wing Luke Musuem
Museum of History and Industry
Free First Thursday
Eating and Drinking Recommendations
Seattle is well known for its coffee and coffeehouse culture. The original Starbucks is just blocks away from the conference venue in the heart of the Pike Place Market. That said, we wanted to share a few of our favorite spots.
Espresso Vivace has a storied history of developing the American espresso tradition, including inventing the now-classic rosette pattern in latte art. The flagship location is on the north side of Broadway in Capitol Hill, a sizeable walk from downtown, but a newer location has opened in South Lake Union.
Victrola Coffee Roasters has also become a mainstay of the Seattle coffee scene, with locations on Pike Street in lower Capitol Hill, a short walk from the Sheraton.
Caffe Ladro has locations conveniently throughout downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. Zoka Coffee has been roasting some of the best beans in the city for almost 30 years, and has a location in South Lake Union if you can’t make the schlep to its flagship location in Green Lake.
Seattle has rightly earned its reputation as a great city for alcoholic beverages, too, particularly beer, wine, and cocktails. In Pike Place Market, be sure to check out Zigzag Cafe
Pike Place Market (8 to 10 min walk)- wonderful for people-watching and grabbing food on the go. While there are many places to eat, we especially love Mee Sum Pastry, Le Panier, and Piroskhy, Piroshky. For a sit-down meal, try Le Pichet, or the Pink Door. Be sure to check the full list on the many places to eat at the Pike Place Market link.
Seattle Chinatown-International District is another great area for eating. Uwajimaya is a terrific spot as it not only is a large grocery, but it also has a food hall, including a Sashimi Island at the seafood counter. While there, visit The Panama Hotel and learn about Seattle’s Japanese-American heritage. You can also try delicious teas on their first floor. The Wing Luke Museum is also nearby on South King and definitely worth a visit.
Others restaurants close to the conference venue include:
Din Tai Fang
Wild Ginger
Rider
Blue Water Taco Grill
Jimmy John’s
Mod Pizza
Cortina
Elephant and Castle Pub
Harbor Cafe
Music
If you love live music, check out the music listings here as well as what’s playing at the iconic Crocodile, Chop Suey, Neumos, or Jazz Alley. The Seattle Symphony and Opera are also excellent, and the University of Washington Arts often has great performances as well.