Seattle Neighborhoods
Seattleites talk about everything in terms of neighborhoods. Though the city is
in fact very compact, talking to locals might give you the impression that say,
Capitol Hill and
Fremont are days apart.
And it's true that each neighborhood has its own distinct feel, most likely
because of the disconnected terrain: before bridges and ferries made it easy to
navigate the canal and lakes, most people just stayed close to home, resulting
in the outlying neighborhoods being pretty isolated. Today, though, it's easy to
get around the city and well worth the effort to explore the areas beyond the
downtown core and
Seattle Waterfront.
Of course, you wouldn't want to neglect downtown, but the city's cheeky, quirky,
youthful culture really blossoms in some of its outlying neighborhoods. You
haven't fully experienced Seattle unless you spend part of a day in one of these
islands of counterculture, whether it's exploring Capitol Hill - at once
flamboyant and edgy - or
Ballard, the sleepy Scandinavian village turned
hipster hangout. Seattle's excellent public transit system makes it quick and
easy to get almost anywhere from downtown.
North of Seattle's downtown area is another freshwater lake, Lake Union. The
lakes are linked to the Puget Sound by the canals and locks of the Lake
Washington Ship Canal. Although Seattle is a major Pacific port, the ocean is
125 miles away, which seems a little confusing because there's water everywhere.
It's a good idea to look at a map to get an understanding of how all the bodies
of water connect, and trace the long route that ships must sail from Seattle to
the open seas.
The downtown area butts up against Elliott Bay and encompasses the financial and
shopping areas, First Hill, Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, the Waterfront
and
Belltown.
Seattle Center, with many of Seattle's cultural and sports facilities and
attractions, including the Space Needle, is just north of downtown.
West of Seattle Center is funky Lower Queen Anne, which is connected to Upper
Queen Anne by Seattle's steepest hill.
East of Seattle Center is gritty
Capitol Hill, the city's gay quarter and
hub of youthful urban culture. The Central District, Madison Valley, Madison
Park and Madrona are residential neighborhoods on the east side of the Seattle
peninsula as it slopes down to Lake Washington.
Lake Union and the Lake Washington Ship Canal divide the city into northern and
southern halves. The northern neighborhoods include the
University District, named for the
University of Washington campus, Wallingford, Fremont and Ballard. Each of these
areas has a lively commercial center filled with restaurants, shops and bars.
lust north of Fremont and Wallingford is Green Lake, the focal point of a large
park area that also contains the city zoo.
To the west of Seattle, across Elliott Bay, is another peninsula, appropriately
named
West
Seattle. This is where the original pioneer
settlers founded Seattle.
It's worth noting that four bridges (besides the freeway bridges) cross the ship
canal. The University and Montlake Bridges connect neighborhoods south of the
canal with the U District. West of Lake Union, the Fremont Bridge crosses from
Queen Anne to Fremont. The western-most, Ballard Bridge, links the neighborhood
of Magnolia, west of Queen Anne, with Ballard. |
| Popular Seattle Hotels |
Seattle Marriott Waterfront
located in the heart of the downtown waterfront district. |
Alexis Hotel Seattle
luxury hotel located in the heart of
downtown Seattle |
Seattle Fairmont Hotel
a member of Historic Hotels of America, well deserves its reputation as
Seattle's Grand Dame hotel |
Seattle Grand Hyatt
nestled conveniently in the heart of downtown's thriving retail and
theatre district and adjacent to the Washington State Convention Center |
Edgewater Hotel Seattle
Seattle’s only waterfront hotel, with dramatic views of Elliott Bay, the Olympic
Mountains and the downtown skyline |
W Seattle Hotel
W Seattle is all about service and amenities. Whatever you want, whenever you
want it. |
Sorrento Hotel Seattle
Overlooking the downtown Seattle skyline, Puget Sound and the Olympic
Mountains, the hotel offers rich décor, casual elegance and
Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and ambience |
Seattle Sheraton Hotel
The best of Seattle is found just outside our front doors, from
exciting nightlife to gourmet restaurants, world-class shopping, and of course,
the heart of the financial and business district. |
Seattle Westin
Hotel
The ideal urban retreat, just steps away from the Washington State
Convention Center, Pike Place Market and Seattle's most enticing shops. Enjoy
unique views of the city, Lake Union and Puget Sound |
|
Best Western Executive
Courtyard Lake Union
Seattle Crowne Plaza Hotel
Days Inn Seattle
Executive Pacific Plaza
Holiday Inn Express Seattle
Monaco Hotel Seattle
Seattle Paramount Hotel
Red Lion Hotel
Downtown
Seattle Renaissance Hotel
Roosevelt Hotel Seattle
Summerfield Suites Seattle
Seattle Vintage Park Hotel
Warwick Hotel Seattle
Seattle Hotels ... More |
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