Renton, WA Road Trips

Renton was named for Captain William Renton, the financial backer of the Renton Coal Company which was founded by one of Renton's first white settlers, Erasmus Smithers. Built on Duwamish land, Renton gained settlers looking for jobs in the coal mines until Boeing began to open plants for aircraft construction in World War II, resulting in a population boom. As of 2022, Renton had a population of 104,000. This article includes three potential annexation zones that are typically considered part of Renton, though some have addresses in Seattle and Issaquah. (The Renton School District has different borders than the city and unincorporated parts of King County are given Renton addresses.) Renton City Council website

1 Jimi Hendrix Memorial, 350 Monroe Ave NE, ☏ +1 425 255-1511. A beautiful memorial in tribute to one of the greatest rock musicians of all time. Jimi was born in Seattle, but his father laid him to rest here. 2 Renton History Museum, 235 Mill Ave S, ☏ +1 425 255-2330. Tu-Sa 10AM–4PM. A small museum that houses historical artifacts, most relating to the pioneer era. It includes a permanent exhibit on the Duwamish, whose land Renton is built on. $5 adults, $2 children, free for children 8 & younger. 3 Virginia Mason Athletic Center (the VMAC), 12 Seahawks Way. The official training center of the Seattle Seahawks. Offers tours of the facilities. Great for football fans.

1 Carco Theatre, 1717 SE Maple Valley Highway, ☏ +1 206 775-8600, [email protected]. Local non-profit theatre with a nearly half-century of history in the city (the oldest theatre in Renton!). Located in Cedar River Park, Carco is always putting on at least one performance. 2 Henry Moses Aquatic Center (Open mid-June through Labor Day), 1719 SE Maple Valley Highway, ☏ +1 425 430-6780. noon–3:30PM, 4PM–7:30PM daily. Huge swimming pool located near downtown. Big draw for residents during the summer. Features a wave pool, lazy river, island lagoon, two water slides, play structures, and more. Lap pool is also available (and cheaper). Ticket sales start 3 hours in advance of the session you wish to attend; see the website for more details. $15 for non-residents age 5+. 3 Renton Civic Theatre, 507 S 3rd St, ☏ +1 425 226-5529, [email protected]. RCT frequently puts on dramas, comedies, and musicals in the heart of Renton's downtown. 4 Renton Farmer's Market (June through September), 233 Burnett Ave S (in the Renton Pavillion), ☏ +1 425 430-7214, [email protected]. Tu 3–7PM. Great market with food trucks and lots of fresh local produce. Renton has several city parks: 5 Coulon Beach Park (Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park), 1201 Lake Washington Blvd N. On Lake Washington, it is home to an Ivar's and Kidd Valley and right next to the Renton Boeing plant. Lots of open areas for picnics and relaxing. Free. 6 Liberty Park, 113 Houser Way N. Sunrise to sunset.

1 Blossom Vegetarian Restaurant, 2502, 305 Burnett Ave S, ☏ +1 425 430-1610, [email protected]. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-9:30AM. Vegetarian and vegan Vietnamese restaurant with a focus on providing imitation meat and fish dishes. $12-$18. 2 Jay Berry's Cafe, 16341 Renton Issaquah Rd, ☏ +1 425 271-1817. 7AM–9PM daily. Good American (especially breakfast) fare for reasonable prices. Well-liked by locals. $10-$20. (updated Aug 2017) 3 Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse, 225 SW 7th St, ☏ +1 425 227-6881. 11AM–10PM daily. A steakhouse known for the novelty of serving peanuts out of barrels and then allowing you to toss the shells on the floor. Also has locations in Everett and Federal Way. $15-30. 4 Melrose Grill, 819 Houser Way S, ☏ +1 425 254-0759. Su–Th 5PM–9PM, F Sa 5PM–10PM. A restaurant in a building almost as old as the town, with gourmet steaks, cocktails, and desserts. Usually fairly crowded; consider making a reservation. Seafood options available; no vegetarian options aside from salads. $30-$50. (updated Jun 2017) 5 Naan -N- Curry, 709 South 3rd St, ☏ +1 425 271-6226, [email protected]. Tu–Th 11:30AM–8:30PM; F 11:30AM–9:30PM; Sa noon–9:30PM; Su noon–8:30PM. Locally-owned authentic Indian-Pakistani restaurant with delicious food. Lots of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Also has a location in Issaquah. $14-$18. (updated Aug 2017) 6 Over the Rainbow Tea Bar, 4820 NE 4th St (Ste A101), ☏ +1 425 572-5764. Su–Th 11AM–10PM; F Sa 11AM–11PM.

Surprisingly for a seemingly quiet suburb, Renton has a fairly lively nightlife scene that dates back to its years as a coal mining town. The majority of the good bars are concentrated in the downtown area. 1 8-Bit Arcade Bar, 916 S 3rd St, ☏ +1 425 291-7693. M–F 4PM–2AM, Sa Su noon–2AM. Vintage arcade and video games. Beer & pizza served; most games are only a quarter to play. $3-$6. (updated Jun 2017) 2 The Brick Kitchen + Lounge, 1190 Sunset Blvd NE, Ste E, ☏ +1 425-264-5220. The food is good, but the bar is better. A little on the pricey side. 3 The Local 907, 907 S 3rd St, ☏ +1 425 255-2511, [email protected]. M–F 11AM–2AM; Sa noon–2AM; Su 9:30AM–2AM. Good food and drinks. Open mic comedy on some Saturday nights. $4-$8. (updated Aug 2017) 4 Uncle Mo's Snappy Inn, 321 Williams Ave S, ☏ +1 425 917-3130. Su–Th 8AM–midnight; F Sa 8AM–2AM. The "best dive bar in town" that brands itself as the "Cheers of Renton." Fun crowd, decent food, and good karaoke nights. $3-$8. (updated Aug 2017) 5 Vino at the Landing, 800 N 10th Pl, Ste E, ☏ +1 425 282-0382. Su–Th 11AM–10PM, F Sa 11AM–midnight. Cute wine bar and restaurant at the Landing. Outdoor seating available. $8-$12/glass for most bottles; $5 for craft beer. (updated Jun 2017) 6 Whistle Stop Ale House, 809 S 4th Street, ☏ +1 425 277-3039. M–W 9AM–10PM; Th–Sa 9AM–midnight; Su 9AM–9PM. Well-established craft beer bar that's loved by locals and also serves good comfort food. Happy hours are M–F 3PM–6PM. $4-$8. (updated Aug 2017)

1 Inn at Lake Washington By OYO I-405, 4710 Lake Washington Blvd, ☏ +1 323-284-6005, fax: +1 425 228-3055. The northernmost option for staying in Renton proper; near the border with Newcastle. $62. 2 Best Western Plus Renton Inn, 1850 SE Maple Valley Highway, ☏ +1 425 226-7600, fax: +1 425 277-6315. Centrally located on Maple Valley Highway; not far from Downtown. $106. 3 Clarion Hotel Renton, 3700 East Valley Road, ☏ +1 425 251-9591, fax: +1 425 251-0340. Southernmost hotel in Renton. $120-$150. (updated Aug 2017) 4 Hilton Garden Inn Seattle/Renton, 1801 E Valley Road, ☏ +1 425 430-1414, fax: +1 425 430-8577. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $120-$140. (updated Aug 2017) 5 Larkspur Landing Renton, 1701 E. Valley Rd, ☏ +1 425 235-1212, toll-free: +1-877-527-5778, fax: +1 425 235-3616, [email protected]. $95-$130. (updated Aug 2017) 6 Sonesta Select Seattle Renton Suites, 200 SW 19th St, ☏ +1 425 226-4100, fax: +1 425 226-4191. $113. 7 Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, 1701 E. Valley Rd, ☏ +1 425 203-1234, [email protected]. Opened in 2017. Beautiful waterfront views of Lake Washington. $170-$210. (updated Aug 2017) 8 Sonesta Simply Suites Seattle Renton, 300 SW 19th St, ☏ +1 425 917-2000, fax: +1 425 917-2002. $113.

Interstate 405 (I-405), from Bellevue and Seattle, is the main access to Renton. State Route 167 (SR-167) comes from Kent and south King County. State Route 169 (SR-169) comes from Maple Valley and the southeast part of the county. The main hub for scheduled commercial flights is SeaTac International Airport, a few miles west and accessible by public transit. The city is also served by King County International Airport (BFI IATA), also known as Boeing Field, just northwest in Seattle. 1 Renton Municipal Airport (RNT IATA). You can fly in right next door to the Boeing 737 Plant, although you would need your own plane to do so. Friday Harbor Seaplanes. For travelers going up to Friday Harbor on the San Juan Islands, Friday Harbor Seaplanes offers tours and one way travel up from the Renton Municipal Airport. (updated Feb 2025) Northwest Seaplanes, 860 W. Perimeter Rd, toll-free: +1-800-690-0086. provides scheduled and charter seaplane flights to destinations from South Lake Washington, near South Seattle to the San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island, and British Columbia’s Inside Passage. They operate 4 planes each offering six seats.

As with many American suburbs, Renton is difficult to navigate without a car. If you're trying to use public transit to go anywhere beyond the Landing or downtown, you should expect to walk some distance to get to your destination. There are several car rental agencies with locations in Renton, including Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz. Renton does not have bike lanes like Seattle does, but many trails exist throughout the city that are exclusively available to cyclists and pedestrians. Renton is served by a lot of bus routes. The main hub is the 2 Renton Transit Center. The easiest way to plan trips is by using the route planners for King County Metro and Sound Transit. King County Metro, ☏ +1 206-553-3000. 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. $3 for 2 hours ($1 seniors 65+, Free youth 0-18). (updated Sep 2025) Rapid Ride 'F' Line Burien to Renton via Tukwila International Blvd Station, Southcenter Mall, Tukwila Sounder Station Passengers transfer to the Link 1 Line train at Tukwila International Blvd Station to get to the airport. Route 101 runs from Downtown Seattle to Downtown Renton via I-5 and MLK Blvd. Route 105 runs from the Renton Highlands to Downtown. Route 106 runs from Renton Transit Center to 5th & Jackson in the International District via Renton Ave S, MLK Blvd and Ranier Ave S. Route 148 goes south from the RTC into Fairwood.