West Seattle & Alki Beach
West Seattle is known for having developed at its own pace. It’s become a place where the sense of community is strong. There life is lived with the ease ones finds in a small town not yet overrun by mega-this and mega-that. Most who work there live there, and are proud of the friendliness and civility with which they conduct their daily lives.
Six or seven blocks along California Street are the heart of West Seattle’s commercial district. They’re filled with restaurants, taverns and shops of all kinds. Your clerk or wait person there may well be an owner or family member who’s ready to assist you. When you leave and they say, “Have a nice day,” you know they really mean it.
West Seattle has a lot to offer visitors and residents. There’s history to learn, parks at every turn, theaters that delight and entertain, ethnic restaurants to satisfy your quest for something different. There are places for biking, walking, birding, jogging, running, or skating.
Alki Beach, Seattle’s true beachfront, has miles of sand, tide flats and the smoothest sidewalks around. Bring a picnic lunch, kids and their friends, to make a day of it, breath that salt-tangy fresh air, watch for marine traffic, look at the far vistas. You will go home feeling that somehow your horizons have expanded.
Thank you, Tom (our West Seattle Connection) for allowing me to repackage your interview about West Seattle.
ArtsWest Playhouse
4711 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-938-0339
www.artswest.org
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Arts West is an art gallery by day and a theatrical performance house by night. Every Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 7:00 PM, Arts West Gallery is open to the public, and admission is FREE.
Playhouse performances start at 7:30 PM (except for the Sunday Matinee, which starts at 3:00 PM). The Playhouse presents a six-play season; the 2008-2009 season features four Seattle premieres (including a Tony Award Winner for Best Play and an award-winning World Premiere). Each play pushes at the boundaries of issues, audience, and the theater itself.
Since moving into this beautiful theater and art gallery near the corner of California and Alaska Streets (in the heart of the West Seattle Junction), ArtsWest has entertained over 200,000 visitors with over 400 productions and exhibitions. Check the website for performance schedule and ticket info.
The Historic Admiral Theater
2343 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-938-3456
Admiral Theater Website
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The Admiral Theater isn’t just a neighborhood movie theater. It’s an icon, a piece of West Seattle’s history. Sure the seats are old and not the most comfortable, but it only costs $5.50 to se a movie (and a seating upgrade is in the offing). The Admiral shows art films as well as second-run films. Management looks forward to bringing film festivals, filmmakers, and more live performances (comedy and concerts) in the near future. For now, The Admiral now boasts the cozy Crow’s Nest Lounge, serving beer and wine (during live shows only).
Kenyon Hall
7094 35th Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98126
(206) 937-3613
www.kenyonhall.org
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Kenyon Hall presents live musical and theatrical performance—vaudeville in an historic West Seattle setting. The Hall is also home to a Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ, which is featured in a number of films, concert, theatrical productions. Call ahead for ticket and performance information or check the website.
West Seattle Farmers Market
Located in the heart of the "Junction" at California Ave SW and SW Alaska
West Seattle Farmers Market Website
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West Seattle Farmers Market features over 35 Washington State farmers and small food processors each week. This popular market is all about freshness, variety, and value available from local farms. Fresh fruit includes berries, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apples, and melons. There’s also plenty of local organic produce, all kinds of seasonal vegetables, fresh farm cheeses, herbs, mushrooms, free-range chicken and eggs, seafood, pastured organic beef, ciders, honey, preserves, fresh-baked bread and pastries, cut flowers, and plant starts. The market hosts live music, activities for kids and other events. Every Sunday, 10 AM to 2 PM year-round. Free street parking is available.
Alki Beach Park
1702 Alki Ave. SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-684-4075
Alki Beach Park Website
Admission, Free
Lots of Free on-street parking
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There’s a beachfront resort atmosphere minutes from downtown Seattle, by land or sea.
Alki Beach Park is a long beach strip that runs from Alki Point to Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay. It's a great spot for a 2.5 mile walk any time of year, and in the summer draws joggers, rollerbladers, volleyball players, beachcombers, sunbathers, bicyclists and strollers out to enjoy the sun. Any time of the year, it’s a great place to watch the sun set or rise, or experience a storm rolling in. The whole beach offers spectacular views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and the flotilla of ferries, sailboats, steamships and other craft that ply Puget Sound waters. Plenty of restaurants to choose from, too—or bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it.
Log House Museum
3003 61st Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-543-2280
www.loghousemuseum.org
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This is where it all started…and nearly ended for Seattle.
Located a block off of Alki Beach, this little museum offers a peek into Seattle’s maritime history and the history of West Seattle. Get an idea of how and where Seattle’s founding families lived. The Log House Museum was authentically restored in 1904 and is surrounded by a Pacific Northwest native plant garden. Make this a part of your visit to West Seattle and Alki.
Alki Kayak Tours
1660 Harbor Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98126
206-953-0237
www.kayakalki.com
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Looking for something different? How about a sea kayak tour?
Alki Kayak Tours focus on the natural history and human history of Seattle, the Alki Peninsula, and the Duwamish River. Explore the wilder side of Puget Sound, scout for curious seals and observe nesting bald eagles. Take a day tour (about 3 hours), paddling around the Alki Point Lighthouse or up the Duwamish River. Maybe you favor the romantic Seattle Sunset Sea Kayak Tour (about 2 hours) or the Overnight On Blake Island Tour. All kayaking and tours leave from the Seacrest Boathouse at Alki Crab and Fish. Bicycles, Skateboards, fishing boats, and inline skates rentals are also offered at the Alki Rental Shack.
Schmitz Park
5551 S.W. Admiral Way
Seattle, WA 98116
206-684-4075
Schmitz Park Website
Admission, Free
Lots of Free on-street parking
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This 53.1-acre hidden treasure gives visitors a glimpse of the lush forest that blanketed this region before settlers arrived. Although it's located in densely populated West Seattle, it's an old-growth oasis filled with native plants. The quiet is deep here, punctuated only be echoing bird calls, and the air in spring is sweet and damp. Trails run through the park and they can get muddy after a rain, so bring boots! The terrain isn't too challenging and it is a great place for bird watching, botanizing and hiking with the kids, or a special someone. Look for the interpretive sign in the parking lot to help identify the plants and animals you might see.
April and May are a good time to visit - the birds' spring migration is underway and the skunk cabbage and trilliums are in bloom.
Lincoln Park
8011 Fauntleroy Way SW
Seattle, WA 98136
(206) 684-4075
Admission, Free
Lincoln Park Website
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This is a gem of a park. It has beachfront--a lot of it—and forest—a lot of that, too. Four-and-a-half miles of walking paths and nearly four miles of bike paths weave past groves of towering madrona, cedar and redwood trees. There’s a 50-meter heated salt water pool, playfields (three baseball fields, a football field), eight tennis courts, 10 horseshoe pits, numerous swings, slides and climbing structures.
Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the many covered areas, and a view to die for comes with them. Remember, you are in Seattle, so bring sunglasses, a windbreaker, and an umbrella, because once you get here, you’re not going to want to leave.
SSCC Arboretum
South Seattle Community College
6000 16 Avenue S.W.
Seattle, WA 98106-1499
206-764-5300 or 206-768-6684
SSCC Arboretum Website
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This particular Arboretum is frequently called “the best-kept secret in West Seattle.” It’s become a preferred venue for weddings and parties alike. But it is also a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle—just you and nature in a beautiful, serene setting. Some of the most popular areas of the Arboretum are the entry garden (lined with exposed aggregate pathways and large grassy patches), the sensory garden and the reflection pool area (with tranquil rock fountain and beautiful gold fish). The gazebo features a exquisite view of the downtown Seattle skyline on a sunny day. And don’t miss the Seattle Chinese Garden that borders the Arboretum.
The Chinese Garden
www.seattlechinesegarden.org
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The Chinese Garden, located near the SSCC Arboretum, welcomes visitors to its unique Chinese ambiance.
The Song Mei Pavilion, designed and fabricated in Seattle's sister city, Chongqing, China (assembled here by a team of Chinese artisans), is the first of many planned structures in the six-acre garden. Visit the web site of the Seattle Chinese Garden Society to learn more about the history of the garden and its design.
The Seattle Chinese Garden, when finished, will provide a place for community celebrations and personal tranquility through a beautiful and ancient Chinese experience. The garden will be one of the largest Chinese gardens outside of China, showcasing not only plants, but also stone, architecture and water elements that are customary to Chinese gardens.
Blake Island State Park
8 miles West of Seattle Central Waterfront
360 902 8844
Blake Island State Park Website
Snack Bar available
The park is only reachable by tour boat or private boat.
For tour information, phone 206-933-8600 or 1-800-426-1205.
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This is a great place to spend a day or several days, with kids or without.
Blake Island State Park is a 475-acre marine camping park with five miles of saltwater shoreline providing magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains and the Seattle skyline. There are 51 campsites joined by 15.5 miles of hiking and bicycle trails. An underwater park provides seasonal opportunities for clamming, crabbing, snorkeling and swimming. Wildlife-watching opportunities on the island include black tail deer, eagles, osprey, geese and other native animals. The island is a favorite location for kayaking, bird watching and year-round camping.
Blake Island is also the home of Tillicum Village, a Native American establishment of huge popularity over the years, well worth a visit. If you don’t have a boat, or you are not a kayaker, you can purchase a ride over and back on the Tillicum Village Tour boat. For rates and sailing times go to the Tillicum Village website, http://www.tillicumvillage.com/schedule.html
