While Kirkland is proud of its extensive and diverse set of
waterfront parks, it offers a rich variety of neighbourhood
playgrounds, ball fields, walking trails, natural and landscaped
open spaces and an outdoor public swimming pool.
Kirkland’s waterfront location offers unlimited recreational
opportunities and spectacular views. Cruise ships depart regularly
from downtown to explore Lake Washington’s shores. Such offerings
make Kirkland a perfect one-day vacation or a place to put down
roots.
Kirkland
Nightlife
Kirkland also boasts a rather active nightlife in comparison to the
rest of the Eastside. It has a variety of bars, clubs and dance
clubs, most of which are located in downtown Kirkland's main strip,
Lake Street.
Today Kirkland is socially and economically integrated into the
greater Seattle area. Like most of its Eastside neighbors, it is
relatively affluent but dependent in large part on nearby technology
firms such as Redmond-based Microsoft.
Parks in Kirkland
Marina Park in Kirkland During the summer, local residents of
neighbouring cities flock to Kirkland to visit Kirkland's many
waterfront parks on Lake Washington. Kirkland has many neighborhood
parks as well, and abuts the equestrian Bridle Trails State Park.
Getting Around Kirkland
Kirkland is located on the eastern shore of Lake Washington, just
north of Bellevue and west of Redmond. Access from the north or
south is easy on I-405. To reach downtown, take exit 18 and follow
the signs to Kirkland. For Totem Lake and north Kirkland
neighborhoods, exit 20 is the best option off I-405. Exit 17 leads
to both the Bridle Trails and Houghton neighborhoods. SRI 908
connects Kirkland with its bustling neighbor Redmond to the east,
and follow SR 520 across Lake Washington to find Seattle to the
west. Kirkland is just 10 miles east of downtown Seattle, and 20
minutes northeast of Sea-Tac International Airport.
Kirkland Business
Kirkland’s strong local economy is characterized by a healthy mix of
small business, corporate headquarters, light industrial and
manufacturing, and a growing base of high-tech and home-based
businesses. Located in the midst of the booming Eastside economic
market, many of Kirkland’s businesses indicated expansion plans in
the near future. A competitive business climate, with no local
Business and Occupation (B&O) tax, and high quality of life make
Kirkland a desirable location for both local and world-class
enterprises.
Each of Kirkland’s economic neighborhoods is distinct. Totem Lake is
the drive of Kirkland’s economy with a concentration of high-tech,
healthcare, manufacturing and distribution industries. It’s also
home to Totem Lake Mall. Downtown and Carillion Point house an
expanding financial and professional services sector attracted to
Kirkland’s high quality environment and easy access. Neighborhood
business districts in Juanita, Houghton and Bridle Trails serve
local needs and provide support services to Kirkland regional
businesses.
Natural Kirkland
With its necklace of public parks, Kirkland’s amenities are not lost
on residents or visitors. Kirkland is regionally known for its
outstanding parks system. On sunny summer afternoons, Lake
Washington Boulevard is filled with walkers, joggers, bicyclists,
roller bladers, – and a few motorists – traversing the short mile
from Marina Park to Carillon Point. Some are out for exercise,
others for the lakeside sunsets and others still for kayak and canoe
tours or volleyball on the sand courts.
While Kirkland is proud of its extensive and diverse set of
waterfront parks, it offers a rich variety of neighborhood
playgrounds, ball fields, walking trails, natural and landscaped
open spaces and an outdoor public swimming pool.
