Note: This post comes from Walking in Seattle.

This exploration of Pioneer Square takes you through one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city, full of character and history.

Click here to continue reading.

Note: This post comes from Walking in Seattle.

Stroll by the eclectic retail and historic buildings in one of Seattle’s most walkable family-friendly neighborhoods.



Click here to continue reading.

Note: This post comes from Walking in Seattle.

This trail through grassland takes you near wetlands that are popular with bird-watchers.



Click here to continue reading.

Note: This walking route through Seattle's neighborhood of Wedgwood comes from Walking in Seattle.

This quiet residential neighborhood in Northeast Seattle is home to a large glacial boulder and the city’s first P-patch.



Click here to continue reading.

Note: This post comes from Walking in Seattle.

Enjoy this walk through the forest and along the beaches at Discovery Park. It may be challenging for some due to the elevation change.



Click here to continue reading.

Note: This walking route through the neighborhood we live in comes from Walking in Seattle.

This part of Seattle has been transformed over the last several years and this nice long walk takes you on a tour to see the history, the public spaces, and the recent development that this area has to offer.



Click here to continue reading.

I've never been that interested in trick-or-treating, but apparently Seattle is the best city in the country to do it according to a study by an online housing blog. The study calculates the "Zillow Trick-or-Treat Housing Index" using four equally weighted data variables: Zillow Home Value Index, population density, Walk Score, and local crime data from Relocation Essentials. Based on those variables, the Index represents cities that will provide the most candy, with the least walking and safety risks. San Francisco, Portland, San Jose, and Denver rounded out the top 5 cities.

The study ranked the individual neighborhoods in each of the top 20 cities as well. The top 5 Seattle neighborhoods to trick-or-treat in are Wallingford, Ballard, Queen Anne, Roosevelt, and Ravenna. I'm not at all surprised that Wallingford is at the top of the list since it's very family friendly and there are lots of nice homes in the area. Ballard is a very safe and walkable area as well, with lots of families. We were in the Queen Anne area this past weekend and saw lots of Halloween decorations on many of the houses there. Halloween and trick-or-treating seem to be a big deal here in Seattle.

We spent last Saturday exploring Wallingford, one of Seattle's many historic walkable neighborhoods.

We headed out on the bus, which took us pretty much straight to Mighty-O Donuts, one of the best doughnut places in Seattle. A neat thing about their donuts is that not only are they very good, but they also don't use any animal products. I really liked my apple fritter. Lesley got an apple spice donut that was good. After doughnuts, Lesley got some tea, and we walked to a nearby park. We enjoyed our tea and time sitting in the park. Then we walked around the neighborhood some. Like many of Seattle's older residential neighborhoods, there are a lot of unique homes with beautiful landscaping.

For lunch we went to a taco truck called Rancho Bravo Tacos in the area and had some pretty good burritos - the best we've had in Seattle.

We then walked up the main drag of Wallingford, 45th St, which is lined with a mile of shops and restaurants. We stopped in a Hawaiian store with shirts and food from the islands. We also stopped in a stationery store, which had some cute cards, and a travel store with a lot of books and maps.

In the middle of Wallingford is the Wallingford Center, which used to be a school and now has a few stores inside. Outside are plenty of benches, as there were throughout the neighborhood. I enjoyed spending time sitting outside before walking around the neighborhood more, passing through a very busy kid-filled playground/soccer field, and by an old school.

There is a two-screen theater in the neighborhood, which we almost went to, but the movies weren't playing at a good time.

We went to Archee McPhee, a popular novelty store, for the first time. We didn't buy any bacon-scented air freshener, but I really enjoyed looking at the various rubber animals, listening to the Mr. T voice box, and dreaming of buying the bacon tuxedo for someone.

We also stopped at Bottleworks, a shop with a lot of different kinds of beer, where we bought a few individual bottles to take home and try, and stopped by a wine store. We then sat outside more at Wallingford Center and watching the cars, bikes, and people go by.

One of our favorite Thai places in the city, Djan's, is in Wallingford, but for dinner we decided to go somewhere different to Jhanjay. Lesley had pad see eew and I had a ginger stir-fry. After dinner, we stopped at the main grocery store in the area (with a giant "WALLINGFORD" sign) to get some food for the next day, and then we took the bus home.

We had a good time in Wallingford. Based on the types of stores and the playgrounds and children we saw, it's apparent that more families live there than in other Seattle neighborhoods we've spent time in. The neighborhood is more kid-friendly and has fewer apartments and condos than other dense neighborhoods in the city. Unlike other urban neighborhoods close to downtown (Capitol Hill, Fremont, Ballard, etc), Wallingford lacks a notable landmark. It's still one of Seattle's most walkable and pleasant neighborhoods.

Quick Wallingford facts:

• Population: 20,433


• Population density per square mile: 11,544


• 2009 Median Home Price: $411,000


• 2008 Median Condo Sales Price: $299,000


• 10th most walkable neighborhood in Seattle

Sources:
1. Seattle Metropolitan Real Estate
2. Walk Score: Seattle's Most Walkable Neighborhoods

The streetcar that runs through our neighborhood and ends downtown will have a new plaza built around it at its downtown terminus over the next few months. We don't ride the streetcar often, but we walk around the area, and that part of downtown will benefit from having a plaza.

The plaza is part of an effort to create more vibrant, urban spaces for people to gather and enjoy, said Charles Bookman, SDOT's director of traffic management. The plaza surface will consist of granite pavers, illuminated at night with inlaid LED lights. The plaza will feature a kiosk for food vendors, covered parking stalls for bicyclists, new street lighting and a rain garden to drain stormwater runoff.

A second boarding platform will be installed for streetcar riders. The South Lake Union Streetcar hit 2,193 weekday boardings last month, it's highest ridership ever.

Note: This post comes from my Walking in Seattle blog.

Packed with restaurants, bars, and retail, Lower Queen Anne is a fun urban walk.


View Walking Lower Queen Anne in a larger map

Click here to continue reading.

Target is opening a store in downtown Seattle! The Seattle Times wrote an article about it recently. They will be moving into a three story space on Second Avenue between Pike and Union streets, which is really close to Pike Place Market. Most of Target's 1,700 stores are in suburban areas, but there are a few in urban areas. This location will occupy a space of 103,000 square feet, a little small compared to a regular size Target, which is 135,000 square feet.

Troy and I can't wait until it opens! Ever since we moved here, we've said over and over how much we wish Target would build a store downtown. It will be so much closer to us and we'll be able to walk there instead of having to drive to the one at Northgate. Unfortunately, it won't open for at least a year. But I'm sure we'll be there the first week it opens!

Note: This post comes from my Walking in Seattle blog.

Enjoy the quirky local landmarks along this stimulating urban walk.


View Walking Downtown Fremont in a larger map

Click here to continue reading.

Note: This post comes from my Walking in Seattle blog.

NW Market St passes through the heart of Ballard and is an enjoyable street for a stroll on your way to the popular Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.


View Larger Map



Click here to continue reading.

Note: This post comes from my Walking in Seattle blog.

University Way, known as "The Ave" is a busy pedestrian street with many shops and many more restaurants. It's a good walk if you want to take in an active streetscape and find somewhere new to eat along the way.


View Larger Map



Click here to continue reading.

Note: This post comes from my Walking in Seattle blog.

The tree-lined streets of historic First Hill are great for a pleasant walk, though the steepness of the hill can make walking here a little more difficult for some.


View First Hill Walk in a larger map



Click here to continue reading.

I had a couple of bad public transportation experiences on Friday, including missing the bus home from work and being passed by a full bus after the Mariners game. That didn't keep me from taking the bus the next morning, when getting around the city by bus was quite helpful and convenient.

Normally on Saturdays Lesley and I take the bus up the hill to get bagels, but her foot has been hurting so I went out by myself. I also needed to return a book to the library, so I took a bus downtown, walked a couple blocks to the library, dropped off my book and got another book.

Then I walked a few blocks to catch the bus that would take me to bagels. I made that bus without a wait. And, though the bus was kind of crowded, I found a seat next to a talkative fellow who was excited to show me the 40 of beer that he had with him. He was a friendly guy, so I got over my discomfort, and after just a few minutes I got off to go get bagels.

Just half a block away from the stop was Noah's bagels, where I got what I needed without much of a wait. Usually after we get bagels, Lesley and I just walk down the hill back home, but this time there was another bus arriving shortly, so I waited and took it back home. When I got to the apartment, the mail had already arrived for the day and we had received the new photos we had ordered to put on the wall.

I felt super productive having gotten a new book, picked up bagels and cream cheese, and our mail and all within just an hour. There's plenty to complain about regarding the urban environment and public transportation here, but I am happy when I'm able to take advantage of living in the city.

Note: This post comes from my Walking in Seattle blog.

People don't normally think of the industrial area in Georgetown as a good place to walk. An area with warehouses and other light industrial uses, it is criss-crossed by a grid of streets that are often traveled by large trucks and sometimes not served with sidewalks. However, if you know where to go, you can stay on the sidewalks and walk along some quiet residential streets and get a feel for this unique part of Seattle. Also, this time of year many cherry trees are blossoming, so let's go for a nice walk in the industrial (and residential) part of Georgetown.


View Larger Map



Click here to continue reading.

We spent this Saturday visiting the University District. Though farther from downtown than some of the neighborhoods we've visited previously like Capitol Hill, First Hill, and Lower Queen Anne, it's one of the oldest and densest neighborhoods in the city. The 1909 Alaska Yukon Pacific exhibition was held on the University of Washington campus.

We live a relatively short bus ride away from the University District and we started our day out with brunch at Ugly Mug Cafe. Lesley had a breakfast croissant and I had a California BLT, which was easily the best sandwich I've had in Seattle.

It was a sunny day but there was a cold morning wind. We headed north along University Way (known as "The Ave"). In addition to hosting the U District Street Fair that kicks off the summer festival season, the Ave is lined continuously with retail and restaurants. It's a mixing bowl of international foods, from Indian to Mediterranean to all types of Asian foods, mostly inexpensive enough to attract plenty of students.

We enjoyed strolling along the active street all the way through the U District, meandering through the U District Farmers Market, which is one of the best farmers markets in the city and had lots of food that we wanted to buy and take home with us. We then visited the Kirsten Gallery. This gallery was surprisingly large with a peaceful backyard garden and a variety of painted, printed, and sculpted art for sale at reasonable prices. This was one of several enjoyable places we stopped this day.

We continued on, past the towering and historic Blessed Sacrament Church to another historic building, the Seattle Public Library's Univeristy Branch, a Carnegie Library. We continued walking and realized that we were getting a bit hungry, so we stopped and shared a falafel.

We walked on the other side of the Ave for a while, stopping in several interesting shops. We stopped to look at wall posters, spooky gargoyles, some amusingly tacky crap, and some Asian imports. After this we decided to visit the University of Washington, enjoying the view of Mount Rainier and stopping to rest for a while at Drumheller Fountain.

We then grabbed some tea and stopped at a park (technically outside of the U District). The last thing we did was eat some very filling Indian food before heading back home.

The U District is a part of town that I often don't think about but is one of the more eclectic parts of the city. Despite being kind of a college neighborhood, after our visit I came away impressed and hope to spend more time there in the future.

Quick U District facts:

• Population: 16,355


• Population density per square mile: 9,844


• 2008 Median Home Price: $489,900


• 2008 Median Condo Sales Price: $400,000


• Cars per capita: 0.2


• 8th most walkable neighborhood in Seattle

Sources:
1. Seattle Metropolitan Real Estate
2. Walk Score: Seattle's Most Walkable Neighborhoods

Note: This post was posted first at my Walking in Seattle blog.

Belltown is the densest part of the city outside of downtown and makes for a good place to walk. This route goes along the two most active streets in Belltown - 1st and 2nd Aves.


View Larger Map

Start at 1st and Virginia and head Northwest, parallel to Elliott Bay. This part of Belltown has the most shopping and, being close to downtown and Pike Place Market, is an easy starting point. Walking along either side of the street is fine, but the right side has several small parking lots that interrupt the streetscape.

The first parking lot you pass has a wall decorated with one of the larger graffiti-style urban art projects in Seattle (go here for pictures from the Hideous Belltown blog).

As you continue walking, you'll see lots of historic low-rise buildings and will pass more retail, including an Army/Navy Surplus Store. At Battery St, you'll pass over highway 99 and will have a view of Elliott Bay. On the other side of the street you'll see some more old Belltown buildings, including the Austin A Bell bldg from 1890.



Continue walking a few more blocks and turn right at Vine St. Vine St is a relatively narrow street lined with trees but without much for retail or dining. Vine isn't a major street, so you won't have a crosswalk or a traffic light when crossing Belltown's Avenues, so be careful. Pedestrians can legally cross any intersection, but some drivers may not know that. Unless you're doing this walk at a busy time of day, you should be able to cross easily during a break in vehicle traffic.

Turn left at 5th Ave and walk a block in parallel with the monorail. You'll arrive at Tilikum Place, a shaded outdoor plaza with a fountain, surrounded by a few places to stop and eat.



Feel free to stop and rest or continue and walk southwest along Cedar St. At 3rd Ave, you'll see a large mural on your right on the building of New Horizons Ministries.



Belltown has a diversity of architecture to enjoy. The buildings on the eastern side, away from the water, tend to be shorter and are less likely to be inhabited by any street-level retail or dining. As you continue towards the water, you'll see more recent development and high-rise condo buildings. We'll turn left at 2nd Ave toward downtown.

2nd Ave is a 3 lane street with relatively few traffic lights, so it does have some fast-moving vehicles. However, the parking and trees insulate help to insulate pedestrians from the street, and curb-bulbs at intersections make it feel a little safer to cross the avenue. As you continue southeast, you'll encounter more bars and restaurants, especially once you get to Battery St.

Feel free to stop at any one of these restaurants or bars for something to eat and drink, or stop for a game of pinball at Shorty's.

A few blocks more and we'll end our walk at 2nd Ave & Virginia, just a block away from where we started.

Highlights: continguous urban streetscape, density, restaurants and bars, stop and rest at Tilikum Place, coffee shops, diverse architecture, wide sidewalks

Lowlights: a few parking lots, some dead spots without much to look at, can be rough at night, not much retail outside of 1st Ave, lack of designated crosswalks

Note: I've started a blog called Walking in Seattle to share local walking-related news and stories as well as suggested walking routes. I posted the walk below on my Walking in Seattle blog and am re-posting it here for anyone who might be interested.


This is a short and easy walk through the downtown retail core - a great way to see the shopping that downtown has to offer and end up at Pike Place Market.


View Larger Map

Start at 5th Ave and University St downtown near the 5th Avenue Theatre and head northwest. The theatre had a new sign installed on December 3, 2009. The new sign is similar to the sign that was originally on the theatre when it opened in 1926 except the current sign uses energy-efficient LED bulbs.



Feel free to walk along either side of the street, though if I had to pick, I'd opt for the right side to avoid the Red Lion parking garage entrance and an area in front of the hotel where tourists gather. Though 5th Avenue can be busy with vehicle traffic, it is lined with trees that help insulate you from the street, as well as glass windowed stores that draw you in. This initial section of 5th Avenue has an upscale feel to it, with Gucci and Louis Vitton. When you reach 5th Ave and Pike Street, you'll see the Banana Republic on the north corner of the intersection.



Turn right on Pike St. You'll see the Washington State Convention Center ahead. Turn left on 6th Avenue. There is more shopping on this block and some places to eat. Continue for a block to Pine Street.

At Pine Street, you'll be in the middle of it all. This part of Seattle makes it feel like a big city. It seems there are always people walking here at any time of day. At this intersection you'll see Pacific Place mall and the flagship Nordstrom.

Turn left on Pine St. You'll pass by more retail stores, such as the GAP. There are also several entrances to the underground bus and light rail tunnel around this area. On your right will be Westlake Center. At Westlake Center you can take the Monorail to Seattle Center. The Westlake Center also has an outdoor plaza, which has the 2nd busiest Starbucks in North America. Up ahead you'll see Macy's (formerly the Bon Marché).



On the South side of the street is Westlake Park, which is often used by skateboarders and homeless. Cut through the park or turn left at 4th Avenue. On any weekend, you'll likely find people at 4th and Pine holding signs protesting Israel or encouraging you to come to God. And you'll be lucky to pass through this area without getting approached by someone with a clipboard representing a charity. You'll also likely pass by a few buskers and shoeshiners,

Turn right on Pike St and you'll be facing the "Public Market Center" sign of Pike Place Market. As you continue the few blocks to 1st Avenue, you'll pass a few shops and cafes. Our walking tour ends here in front of the market, but there is plenty more walking you can do there.

Finish at 1st Ave and Pike

Highlights: shopping, things to look at, people, excitement, places to eat at the market, street performers, tree-lined 5th ave, ending at Pike Place Market

Lowlights: intimidating big city feel, loiterers, a few underused areas of the streetscape, can be crowded