Image via Complex Original
Seattle is more than a rainy city: it's the place where Nirvana came from, Jimi Hendrix was born, Starbucks was founded, the iconic SuperSonics played, with much more to be discovered once you're there. With more than 600,000 residents, Seattle is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest. There's a lot to learn from the Emerald City (like how it got that nickname to begin with), so we've compiled the apps that will help you survive and learn about the city, all at the same time. Here are the Most Essential Apps For Living in Seattle, don't hit it up without them. They're just as important as an umbrella.
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OneBusAway
Platform: iOS, Android; Free
If you're the type who doesn't need a car, public transportation is the cleaner and better way to go. OneBusAway is the easiest way to route your trip, and find out when and where you'll need to hop on the bus. The app gives real-time transit information, and you'll be able to find nearby spots on a map. Worrying about gas prices? Not here.
The Seattle Times Mobile News
Need to start off your day with a nice dosage of local news? Then hit up the Seattle Times Mobile app. If you want to see your sports first, no problem. Community news? Good. The app lets you choose what sections of news you want it to load right when it launches, or, you can choose to pick up where you left off the last time you closed it. If you want to get to their latest updates, just shake your phone and you'll get taken to the Latest News Page. As easy as a barista making a black coffee.
Seahawks Mobile
Let's get to the point: Seattle is crazy about their football. If you're new to Seattle and you're coming from a city without a football team, well you have one now, and not a shabby one at that. Download the official Seattle Seahawks mobile app to get clips, breaking news, and stats—this is the place to get all of it. The app also comes with game photo galleries, and head-to-head stats of matchups. Also, you won't have to go on Twitter to check out what's happening: the app aggregates the Seahawks' tweets so you'll have them all in one app.
Cocktail Culture
Platform: iOS, Android; $1.99
All right, time to wind down. It doesn't matter where we live, we all have our favorite spots to grab a drink. If you're new to Seattle or have just hit the right age, download Cocktail Culture to help filter out all those crappy spots you'll want to avoid when having your favorite drink. Whatever your needs are, Cocktail Culture will help you find the right spot for any time of day (especially if you're getting your Don Draper on at 10 am.) The app will show you the location of the bar, and will categorize them by your drink choice, neighborhood, and prices. Down the hatch.
KING 5 News
Like your local news in video form? Then check out the KING 5 News app, from the news station that has won awards for its coverage of local and national news. You'll be able to watch and read the latest videos and articles uploaded to the KING 5 website, from breaking news, sports and weather.
Seattle Freeways
Platform: iOS; $2.99
Unless you're coming from Los Angeles where the freeway life can't get any worse, the idea of traveling on some more freeways isn't going to be music to your ears. If you're in the market for a dedicated traffic app for freeways, the Seattle Freeways app provides a real-time traffic map and cameras from Olympia, Everett, to Bellevue city. According to its site, the app will also send out notifications for current traffic conditions on your route.
BestParking
Of course, more cars means less parking space. With BestParking, you'll be able to find the most affordable and convenient parking spots around the Emerald City. By displaying an on-screen map with bubbles that include the prices of the lots, you'll be able to easily navigate between which one is easiest for you to park your ride. Save yourself some money by avoiding those expensive lots—BestParking even offers a $5 Starbucks e-gift card if you report inaccurate information.
Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly has been the Emerald City's go to alt-weekly for more than 30 years. They offer a little more than just breaking news: Seattle Weekly's app has resturant guides, events calendars, gallery openings, top pubs, and film screenings—the cultural guide for your phone. You'll also get reviews of these concerts, and photos from Seattle's nightlife, fashion shows and other events.
Yahoo! Weather
Let's cut to the chase: Seattle is known for its horrid beautiful weather. Since you'll be living by the wrath of the weather gods, you'll need the back-up of a good weather app, and nothing gets better than Yahoo! Weather. It's beautiful, and it will show you Flickr-based photos from Seattle in relation to the weather and time of day (i.e., if it's sunny and the afternoon, then you'll see photos that show just that.) If you have iOS 7, the app complements the new design perfectly—this is the weather app to beat.
The photo above is of New York, but you get the point. Seattle is just as beautiful.
Seattle Essential Guide
Platform: iOS; $1.99
If you're just looking for some old-fashioned fun and want to get to know the city (you know you city-dwellers can live here you're entire life and never actually do the touristy things), then the Seattle Essential Guide will be everything you need. This lists all the top sightseeing highlights, museums, historical sights, and attractions. Auther Risa Wyatt reviews a lot of the spots, and she's a Seattlite herself. Get to know the hidden spots that you haven't seen yet, and break out of the shell you might be hiding in. C'mon, it doesn't rain forever.
