Van life seattle

I’m moving to Seattle for a 3 month nurse travel contract.  I’m hearing that van life is hard in Seattle but golden gardens state park is safe.  I’m working at south lake union scca.  Any recommendations on safe places to leave the van while I work? I’m sure it won’t clear the garage on campus to park there.

Magnolia district also looks safe.  Thinking to stay at golden gardens park, leave it outside a friends in magnolia then take the bus to work…

The climbing gym vertical world is right in magnolia so just hit the gym after work ……

How likely is it that my van will get broken into day to day. And also how likely will it get broken into at exit 38? 

I lived in my truck in x38 all last year and just went back and am living there again. Never got broken into. If you have a sprinter and not a beat to hell 94 ranger your experience could be different, but no one who lives out on the FS roads or the x38 road will fuck with you, they're out here cause they wanna be left alone. Generally, the three lots are busy enough that no one from north bend comes out to fuck with shit, that's more a hwy 2 vibe but you're on an interstate so anything could happen. Pro tip the forest service roads near the gun range are the spot to sleep, although middle fork is the best (and safest) camping in the whole valley.

I can't speak to Seattle. I work there too (arborist) but I would never, ever sleep in a parking lot there, fuck that. I'd say there's a decent chance your van will get broken into (#vanlife buddy just had all his climbing shit stolen from his friends car in Seattle).

Van life isn't hard in Seattle if it's not raining. If it is raining you'll want to hang yourself. Hope to see ya out here.

Sorry I don’t have any good Seattle parking beta, but I’d say a lot more likely to get broken into in Seattle than at Exit 38, Seattle is pretty notorious in certain areas

My LR4 was broken into right next to VW at ~9:30pm on a weekday while climbing last summer. Had a backpack in the front passenger seat floor well. 

i would never leave stuff in a vehicle in seattle for very long.  you should search through the MP posts and read the nearly-weekly "my car got broken into in seattle have you seen my gear?" posts. and this word "safe" that you keep mentioning. yeah, that's not really the first word that comes to mind to describe sleeping in a van in seattle.

You can park almost anywhere in Seattle and set up camp.  Just talk a look around.  The RV's, campers and vans have pretty much taken over Seattle and they certainly don't get bothered by the police.  Golden Gardens, if I'm not mistaken, closes at night..?  Don't leave bags, purses, electronics or anything of value in plain sight or you may get broken into.  If you leave a backpack in the front seat of your car, or anywhere visible, then you become a target.  

How long are your shifts? Go rescue a pit bull on death row and you’ll never be broken into. I'm semi-serious. If you can park nearby work and let a dog out during breaks that works too. Of course you'd need to be a dog person. But many advantages: protection, better than a gun because if someone sees a pit bull they are leaving you alone (either in a van or walking on a trail/street); companionship, pit bulls are often intensely loyal, loving, and protective; keep you warm on those rainy Seattle days/nights, and a theft deterrent. The perfect dog would give a couple powerful barks if someone approached the van, but not bark incessantly. So many pit bulls and pit mixes end up on death row. Some shelters will let you take one for a trail period to see if it's a fit.