Overview
Tukwila is a city in King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. It includes Southcenter, the largest retail hub in the region.
1 sights · 1 things to do · 5 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Tukwila
Museum of Flight
A private non-profit air and space museum at the southern end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field). The Museum of Flight has more than 150 aircraft in its collection
Tacoma Defiance
USL Championship soccer team, and the official reserve team for Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC. This team moved from Tacoma to Starfire Stadium in 2022.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 35°F. Wettest: Nov and Jan. (climate data from nearby Kent)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 3 mi away (major hub). Directions
- BFI King County International Airport - Boeing Field, Seattle — 4 mi away. Directions
Most intercity bus routes that operate beyond the region stop in downtown Seattle and a few stop at airport.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Tacoma Defiance
- Afternoon Museum of Flight
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By plane
By train
- Amtrak Cascades operates between Vancouver, BC and Eugene via Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), Vancouver, WA, Portland, Oregon City, Salem, and Albany. There are two round trips daily along the portion between Vancouver and Seattle, four round trips daily along the portion between Seattle and Portland, and two round trips daily along the portion between Portland and Eugene. No train departures travel the whole length of the route. Additional service between Vancouver and Seattle, and between Portland to Eugene are provided on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.
By car
- Interstate 5 (I-5) connects to Seattle and further north, and south through Kent, Federal Way, and Tacoma. It has four exits that access Tukwila:
- Exit #152 ("S 188th St")
- Exit #153 northbound and 154B southbound to Southcenter, the city's retail hub
- Exit #156 ("S Interurban" from SB Side and "SR 599 Tukwila" from NB side )
- & Interstate 405 (I-405) serves the east side of Lake Washington, from I-5 in Tukwila to I-5 in Lynnwood, through Newcastle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Bothell and Woodinville. From its intersection with I-5, I-405 becomes SR-518 going west towards SeaTac/Tukwila (International Blvd) and the airport access road (next exit after International Blvd) and ending at its intersection with SR-509 in Burien.
- From I-405, Exit #1 Interurban Ave/West Valley Highway.
- From SR-518, exit for International Blvd, Klikitat Ave (EB side only).
- & State Route 99 (SR-99) begins from the northbound lanes of I-5 at exit 156. SR-599 become SR-99 after the International Blvd and eventually goes under downtown Seattle in a tunnel. There are three exits from SR-599/99 into Tukwila.
- State Route 167 (SR-167) connects from Renton and Exit #2 of I-405 to Puyallup through Kent, Auburn and Sumner as a freeway. It divides Tukwila from Renton and northern part of Kent on the eastern city limits. SB traffic would get off at "SW 43rd/East Valley Rd" while NB traffic exit off "SW 43rd/S 180th". SW 43rd becomes S 180th west of East Valley Highway.
- West Valley Highway connects Tukwila to Kent as a major boulevard, east of the Southcenter shopping district. West Valley (SR-181) officially ends under I-405 underpass but the road itself continues north as S Interurban Ave.
By bus
Most intercity bus routes that operate beyond the region stop in downtown Seattle and a few stop at airport.
Place Wheatland Express
Every Friday, the Weekend Express takes you from Pullman (where Washington State University is at), Ellensburg (Central Washington University) and Moscow (University of Idaho) to Seattle, and the other way around every Sunday. A special service is also deployed during the holiday season. Journeys take more than 6 hours. Next local stop is at Factoria Square Mall by Novilhos Brazilian Restaurant.
By public transit
Go Sound Transit
Runs express and intercity public transit routes across the Seattle area, including Sounder trains, Link light rail and express buses (routes 510-596). Serves King County (e.g. Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Seattle), Snohomish County (e.g. Everett, Lynnwood), and Pierce County (e.g. Puyallup, Tacoma).
- Sounder train, a commuter route, stops at Tukwila station (see "By train" above for location) on its way between Seattle King Street Station and Lakewood. The station's platform is unstaffed.
- The Link light rail 1 Line stops in Tukwila, from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Federal Way to the south, and from Seattle, Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood to the north. A train runs every 8-15 minutes from 5:00 to midnight. $3
Get around
By public transit
Go King County Metro
Runs bus, streetcar and monorail routes within King County. Serves Auburn, Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, North Bend, Redmond, Renton, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Tukwila, Vashon Island, White Center, and Woodinville.
- Rapid Ride 'A' Line Tukwila International Blvd Station to Federal Way via Des Moines along SR-99.
- Rapid Ride 'F' Line Burien to Renton via Tukwila International Blvd Station, Tukwila Transit Center (adjacent to Southcenter Mall), Tukwila Sounder Station
- 124 Goes up to Georgetown (neighborhood) along SR-99 (International Blvd, E Marginal Way) from Tukwila International Blvd Station. Continues to Downtown Seattle along Airport Way S from Georgetown. Quicker to take the Link Light Rail if going to downtown Seattle.
- 128 West Seattle to Southcenter via White Center, Tukwila International Blvd Station
- 150 Downtown Seattle to Kent via Tukwila and Southcenter Mall along I-5, Interurban, Andover Park W and West Valley Hwy (SR-181). Main bus line through Kent Valley.
- 156 Highline Community College in Des Moines to Southcenter via Airport Link Light Rail Station
- DART 906 Connects Southcenter Mall to SE 177th & 140th Ave SE in the Fairwood (residential) neighborhood.
By shuttle bus
See
Do
Buy
There are a number of other strip malls surrounding Westfield's Southcenter mall, south along Southcenter Pkwy from S Strandler (at SW corner of mall parking lot) to S 180th, and south along Andover Park W down through S 180th:
Shop Parkway Super Center
Next largest shopping center in the area after Southcenter Mall. It consists of Best Buy, buy buy Baby, Burlington Coat Factory, Dick's Sporting Goods, Michaels, Macy's Furniture Gallery, Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less, Ulta, World Market, Applebee's, Red Robin, Lam's Asian Seafood Market, Dave's Famous BBQ, etc.
Sleep
Being near to the airport the hotels surrounding Westfield Southcenter may offer shuttle connections from the airport terminal to their property surrounding Southcenter. Ask:
Nearby
SeaTac
City / town · 6 listings · 3 mi away
Burien
City / town · 10 listings · 3 mi away
Renton
City / town · 47 listings · 4 mi away
White Center
City / town · 6 listings · 4 mi away
Mercer Island
City / town · 11 listings · 7 mi away
Kent
City / town · 15 listings · 7 mi away
Seattle
City / town · 87 listings · 9 mi away
Vashon Island
City / town · 28 listings · 10 mi away
My experience
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