SEATTLE-NORTH West of I-5
Ballard |
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Ballard is distinctly Norwegian. Scandinavian fishermen and mill workers founded this historic neighborhood in the late 1800's. Ballard is home to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, which connects Lake Washington to Puget Sound. The Locks, along with its fish ladder and beautiful Carl S. English Botanical Garden and Visitor Center are a popular destination. So too, are the unique shops and restaurants in downtown Ballard. Ballard's lively nightlife draws music fans to local establishments like the Tractor Tavern and the Conor Byrne Pub. The Ballard Art Walk, held the second Saturday of each month, showcases local artisans. Quiet side streets are populated with medium-sized family homes and cottages. Ballard is one of the most desirable places to live in Seattle. |
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Bitter Lake |
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Residents describe Bitter Lake as a little slice of paradise in Seattle's northend. People enjoy the lake and adjoining Bitter Lake Park with wading pool, tennis courts, playfield, and Community Center that hosts events, programs, and classes. Two main shopping districts, Greenwood Avenue and Aurora Avenue (Hwy 99), offer a wide variety of services, stores, and restaurants. Highway 99 and I-5 are easily accessed – a plus for commuters. Single-family homes dominate area housing, but condos are available. |
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Blue Ridge |
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This lovely hillside community, which enjoys some fabulous views of the Sound, was originally built by the Boeing Company. Five brick houses, locally known as "The Castles," housed company executives. Today, 450 homes complete this affluent and exclusive covenant community of 200 acres. Blue Ridge is strictly residential and hosts a private community club, swimming pool, tennis courts, playfield, and beach. Limited street access assures privacy and removes this neighborhood from the typical urban bustle. |
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Broadview |
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Broadview is a lovely northwest Seattle neighborhood with big trees, big lots, and a quiet, country feeling. Within its 3-square miles is Carkeek Park, known for sweeping views of Puget Sound, hiking trails, beach access, educational center, and a play area with a unique salmon slide. Broadview is also home to the beautiful Dunn Gardens. These Gardens, designed in 1916 by the Olmsted Brothers, are viewed by reserved guided tours only. Diverse housing options abound in the neighborhood, including condos and homes in a variety of price ranges. |
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Crown Hill |
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It's difficult to delineate the boundary between Ballard and Crown Hill. It is mainly defined by Crown Hill's commercial center at the intersection of NW 15th and NW 85th where a variety of specialty shops, grocery stores, and eateries are surrounded by well-tended homes. Swanson's, a 5-acre nursery located nearby is a "gardener's paradise." The Crown Hill community is very active in the upkeep of its neighborhood and has sponsored the conversion of several abandoned lots into neighborhood parks. Housing options range from 1920's Tudors to 50's-style ramblers, with a few condominiums. |
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Fremont |
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Fremont, the self-proclaimed "Center of the Universe," is Seattle's most artistically eccentric community. A mecca for local artists, this area features some of the city's most famous public art, including Waiting for the Interurban, the Fremont Troll, and the Statue of Lenin. The History House, a unique project allowing Seattle neighborhoods to share their histories is located here. Residents, visitors, and businesses are drawn to the hip and whimsical personality of Fremont. Funky shops and restaurants, antique and vintage dealers, a chocolate factory that offers tours, the Sunday Fremont Market, outdoor movies in summer, and the famous Mardi gras style Solstice Parade are just a part of the Fremont experience. Housing styles in Fremont feature single-family homes, including some of the area's older homes. You'll find a few pre-1900 Victorian houses scattered about, as well as some early 1900's houses. |
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Green Lake |
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Green Lake is a highly desired neighborhood that curls around its namesake. The lake, considered the "Central Park" of Seattle, attracts thousands of visitors daily who walk, jog, bike, skate, rent boats, or just hang out. Other neighborhood amenities include the Evans Pool, Bathhouse Theatre, Green Lake Community Center, and a Pitch and Putt Golf Course, as well as various eateries and shops. House styles tend toward bungalows and Tudors. Condos and townhouses are also available. |
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Greenwood |
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Located north of Phinney Ridge, Greenwood's narrow streets are quiet and tidy. Houses present an interesting architectural mix from brick Tudors to 1950's-style ranch homes to split-levels. Unique shops and restaurants of every ethnicity are found around Greenwood Avenue. From February through October, audiences enjoy Taproot Theatre productions. In May, the Greenwood Artwalk is a festival of unusual performance art. Each June, the Greenwood Classic Car & Hot Rod Show draws crowds of over 20,000. |
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Haller Lake |
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Haller Lake is located north of Green Lake, and includes the area around the Northwest Hospital. It is mostly a single-family residential neighborhood composed of shaded trees and well-built homes. Haller Lake features Seattle's only Curling Club, Haller Lake Community Club and, of course, Haller Lake. Golfers enjoy the nearby Jackson Park Golf Course. |
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Phinney Ridge |
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Phinney Ridge is located on the steep ridge separating Green Lake and Ballard. This quiet, single-family neighborhood is a mix of long-time residents, young professionals, and wild animals – the inhabitants of the Woodland Park Zoo, a neighborhood landmark. The Phinney Neighborhood Association sponsors classes and a variety of community programs and events. Phinney Avenue contains many of the area businesses, some that are stops on the annual Greenwood/Phinney Artwalk in May. |
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Shilshole/Sunset Hill |
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Located a few blocks west of Ballard and twenty minutes from Downtown Seattle, Shilshole is best known for its boating opportunities, restaurants, and waterfront views. The local hub of activity is Shilshole Marina, the state's second-largest marina and home to 1,500 boats. The neighborhood's population includes the 600 residents who live aboard boats at the marina, as well as those from the largely residential Sunset Hill neighborhood rising up from the bay. Area attractions include outstanding views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, public fishing piers, waterfront promenade, and the popular Golden Gardens Park. |
• Map of Shilshole/Sunset Hill | |
Wallingford |
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Located between I-5 and Green Lake, pedestrian-and-bus friendly Wallingford offers craftsman style bungalows, residential gardens, quiet streets, and a unique shopping district featuring an array of distinct shops and restaurants. Many, including those in the Wallingford Center, are housed in historic buildings. Wallingford Playfield has tennis courts, wading pool, picnic and play areas, while Gas Works Park is perfect for kite flying. Wallingford Steps provide the best city skyline view in town. The Burke-Gilman trail, popular with bikers and walkers, connects the neighborhood to Lake Washington. The secondary concentration of mostly retail businesses on N 55th Street near Meridian Avenue is known variously as Tangletown or Meridian. The region south of N 40th Street is also known as Northlake. Annual events include What's Cooking in Wallingford each September and the Seafair Kiddies Parade & Street Festival on the Saturday after July 4th. Each summer the Wallingford Center hosts a Farmers Market. |