Do I need a reservation?
Most of the year, no — drive up and there's room. The exceptions are Thanksgiving week, the last two weeks of December, and Seattle spring break. Those weeks, reserve. It's free and takes two minutes.
How early should I arrive before my flight?
Park 15 minutes earlier than you'd arrive at the terminal, and that includes the shuttle ride. From our gate to your airline's door averages 9 minutes. Holiday mornings, give it 25 to be kind to yourself.
Do I leave my keys?
Self-park: no, keys stay with you. Valet or any wash/detail service: yes, at the booth, where they live in a locked key room with numbered tags. Nineteen years of combined booth staff have lost zero keys, and they will tell you this unprompted.
My flight lands at 1am. Is the shuttle actually running?
Yes. Two vans run overnight; worst case is a 20-minute loop. Call when you have your bags and stand at island 1, door 02. The booth answers at 1am because someone is physically in it at 1am.
What if my trip runs long?
Nothing to do — the ticket keeps counting and the 7th-day-free keeps applying (days 7, 14, 21, 28 are all free). If you told us a pick-up date at reservation, nobody's towing anything; the date was only ever a planning guess.
Dead battery when I get back?
Happens every week — two weeks of Seattle winter will do it. The patrol cart carries jump packs; tell the shuttle driver or the booth and you're running in ten minutes. Free, no tip expected, though the drivers accept cookies.
Will my truck / roof box / trailer fit?
Garage clearance is 8'2" — stock full-size trucks and roof boxes fit fine. Lifted rigs, measure first or take uncovered. Trailers and RVs go in the oversize rows at $18.95/day; call ahead so we stage a pull-through spot.
Is the lot actually secure?
8-foot fence, one staffed gate, 72 cameras on a 30-day loop, plate photos at entry and exit, and an overnight patrol. Two attempted break-ins in twelve years, both stopped at the fence. The full rundown is on The Lot page.
Do you take cash?
Cash, every card, and Apple Pay at the exit booth. Corporate accounts just drive out — the plate does the paperwork.
Why is the elephant pink?
Ask anyone who grew up in Seattle where the pink elephant is and they'll answer without thinking. Vern wanted the lot to be that easy to remember, and judging by what people call us instead of our actual name, it worked.