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Neighborhoods
- BALLARD: This neighborhood began as an industrial center more than 100 years ago, but today, it's mostly known for its Scandinavian culture. The distinctive accent is a neighborhood trademark, with "ya sures" and "you betchas" serving as the source for many jokes. Restaurants serve up traditional foods like lutefisk and lefse, and many shops sell Scandinavian trinkets. In addition, the Nordic Heritage Museum displays the history of this neighborhood from its origin to the present day.
- BELLEVUE: Bellevue - French for “beautiful view” - is enviably situated between sparkling Lake Washington to the west and the majestic Cascades to the east. A twenty-minute commute from Seattle, this city has transformed itself from an undeveloped outskirt to a high-tech, cosmopolitan city in its own right. Despite the growing number of sleek office buildings and towering skyscrapers, the beautiful views have been carefully maintained. Don’t miss Downtown Park, seventeen acres of meadows and trails with a dramatic waterfall in the center, or sophisticated Medina, a waterfront area where local Microsoft mogol Bill Gates built his stunning mansion. Bellevue Square - Bel Square in local parlance - draws both shop-aholics and arts aficionados. On the top floor of the vast shopping emporium is the Bellevue Art Museum, which houses an impressive collection of decorative arts. The artistic city also showcases many of its beautiful views outdoors along the self-guided Arts Walk, which loops past hundreds of public arts projects.
- CAPITOL HILL: This neighborhood derived its name from a belief that the capitol would be located here. The present neighborhood, full of prestige and wealth, also shelters some of the "nouveau riche" of the community. Since Capitol Hill is known for its tolerance of alternative lifestyles, you're likely to see body piercings and lots of black attire, especially after dark. The area is also full of clubs, shops, and restaurants.
- FREMONT: Entering this neighborhood, you're greeted by a sign that says, "Welcome to the Center of the Universe." Thanks to its bohemian culture, Fremont is often considered a sister to Paris's Left Bank. Some of Seattle's most famous public artwork can be found here as well, including "Waiting for the Interurban," the Fremont Troll, and a statue of Vladimir Lenin. The area continues to accumulate new restaurants, cultural venues, and unique boutiques.
- GREENWOOD: Something of a sleeper community, Greenwood is one of Seattle's most up-and-coming districts. While it has a substantial residential section, it also boasts art galleries, cafes, and antique shops that are perfect for an afternoon's browse. The narrow streets are quiet, but they serve as a refuge from Seattle proper, which is about 15 minutes away by car. Greenwood is also a terrific place to have a cup of joe at one of the local coffee houses or just to stroll the streets (which often don't have sidewalks) and admire the architecture, which dates from at least the '20s.
- INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT: The International District was originally settled in the 1880s by a group of Chinese railroad workers. Since that time, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean cultures have come together to form the Asian-American district of Seattle. The area, which caters mostly to Asian-American locals, also boasts delicious Asian restaurants and authentic shops well worth your time and a visit.
- PIONEER SQUARE: Pioneer Square was one of the first permanent settlements in the area and still maintains a connection to the Old West. This area of Seattle is loaded in history, and – nowadays – boutiques and restaurants. The streets are often filled with patrons of the arts, who bustle off to one of the Square's many galleries, or with tourists, who meander from place to place, taking in a little history as they go.
- QUEEN ANNE: The Queen Anne neighborhood is full of Victorian-era mansions, complete with wrap-around porches and breathtaking mountain views. The area, settled by those who got wealthy in the Alaska Gold Rush, takes its name from the mansions' prevailing architecture. Today, the once-quiet district has as many restaurants and entertainment venues as other areas of the city, and visitors find it a veritable treasure trove of shopping. Even so, Queen Anne still holds on to its splendor and easy majesty.
- REDMOND: Home to software gurus, nature enthusiasts and suburban denizens, Redmond is a high-tech powerhouse partly because industry giants like Microsoft, Nintendo, AT&T and Spacelab Medical are headquartered here. Located on the Sammamish Slough, a stream that connects Lake Sammamish to Lake Washington, the area was originally a hunting and fishing ground for the Duwamish Indians. Farmers Warren Perrigo and Luke McRedmond settled the area in 1871, and by 1912 the city was incorporated, thanks to booming agricultural and lumber industries. Today Redmond is fast becoming a bike racers haven and travelers can enjoy spectacular natural beauty at recreational outlets like Idylwood Park, which is renowned for its stunning beach. Farrel-McWhirter Park offers great hiking and riding trails, while Marymoor Park features a prehistoric Indian archeological site, which is listed in the National Register of Places. Continually mixing old and new, Redmond is also home to one of the state's largest Buddhist temples, the Ling Shen Ching Tze.
- UNIVERSITY DISTRICT: The University District, as full of young faces as you would expect, features plenty of shopping venues, restaurants, cafés, and cultural centers. The area was also the site of the Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition in 1909; a few of the buildings constructed then are still in use today. Aside from the gorgeous campus, the district offers museums, libraries, comedy clubs, and bars for day and evening entertainment. In addition, the area boasts a farmers market and a veritable cornucopia of unique stores and boutiques.
- ASHFORD
- AUBURN
- BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
- BELLTOWN
- BOTHELL
- BREMERTON
- BURIEN
- BURLINGTON
- CROWN HILL
- DES MOINES
- DOWNTOWN
- EASTLAKE
- EASTSIDE
- EATONVILLE
- EDMONDS
- EVERETT
- FEDERAL WAY
- FINANCIAL DISTRICT
- FIRST HILL
- GIG HARBOR
- GREENLAKE
- INTERBAY
- ISSAQUAH
- KENT
- KIRKLAND
- LACEY
- LAKE UNION
- LANGLEY
- LESCHI PARK
- LYNNWOOD
- MADISON PARK
- MADRONA
- MAGNOLIA
- MAPLE LEAF
- MONTLAKE
- MUKILTEO
- NORTH METRO
- NORTH SEATTLE
- NORTHGATE
- OLYMPIA
- PHINNEY RIDGE
- PORT LUDLOW
- PORT ORCHARD
- RAINIER SQUARE
- RAVENNA
- RENTON
- ROOSEVELT
- SAMMAMISH
- SEA-TAC AIRPORT
- SEATTLE CENTER
- SEAVIEW
- SHILSHOLE
- SNOHOMISH
- SNOQUALMIE
- SODO
- SOUTH METRO
- SPANAWAY
- STANWOOD
- TACOMA
- TANGLETOWN
- TUKWILA
- WALLINGFORD
- WATERFRONT
- WEDGEWOOD
- WEST LAKE
- WEST METRO
- WEST SEATTLE
- WHIDBEY ISLAND
- WHITE CENTER
- WOODINVILLE
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