As West Seattle denizens will tell you, their neighborhood is the original Seattle and all the rest should settle for “East Seattle.” The Denny party did, indeed, originally land at
Alki Point in West Seattle before deciding to relocate to the more protected shores of what is now Downtown. What they left behind was, for many Seattlites, the best place to live in the city.
Compared to other neighborhoods described here, West Seattle is gigantic. And, yet, it is somewhat homogenous for its size, mostly because of its suburban feel—houses far outnumber apartment buildings and driving (especially since the cancellation of the West Seattle-to-Downtown monorail) is almost required. While mostly residential, West Seattle is not without its attractions for the outsider. The Admiral Junction and Alaska Junction shopping nexuses provide a wide range of book stores, record stores, theatres (both live and cinema), restaurants, and bars.
The real attraction for most, though, is
Alki Beach. Though the Puget Sound is only barely swimmable in the summer (anyone used to the Atlantic will find it ice cold), Seattlites flock to Alki, the largest saltwater beach in town, whenever the sun pops out and the thermometer reads over 70. On a nice day—and, yes, there are many of them between May and September—you’ll find hundreds of people skipping work to play volleyball, rollerblade, sunbathe, and beach-comb. Alki is also thick with excellent restaurants, many of them specializing in seafood but some focusing on typical boardwalk fare (hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.).
