South Seattle

South Seattle is a broad swath of the city between I-5 to the west and Lake Washington to the east. It is the most ethnically diverse part of not only Seattle, but arguably of the entire United States: the area served by the 98188 ZIP Code, roughly the eastern half of this district, consistently ranks among the country's most diverse postal codes. It has not historically been a flashy area, but continued development, especially along Seattle's original light rail line, is raising its profile.

Understand

The area is comprised of numerous neighborhoods, including:

• Beacon Hill — A mostly residential neighborhood with a stop on the light rail and a variety of parks, restaurants and bars, as well as commanding views of the mountains and Downtown.
• Columbia City — Once a forgotten part of the city left to decay, Columbia City has been revitalized. This underexplored gem offers great restaurants, bars, live entertainment, movie theaters, art galleries, and shops. Also, be sure to explore the Columbia City Library, an updated Carnegie library.
• Mount Baker — Classic tree-lined streets with stately bungalows mark this mostly residential neighborhood on the shore of Lake Washington.
• Othello — A bustling multi-cultural neighborhood with its own light rail station offing a wide variety of shops and restaurants.
• Rainier Valley — Home to more immigrants than any other neighborhood in Seattle. Small shops and restaurants abound, particularly African and East Asian.
• Seward Park — A local park that's also the name for this neighborhood along Lake Washington south of Mount Baker.
• South Seattle — In addition to the area, "South Seattle" can also refer to a small residential neighborhood west of Mt. Baker.

Mount Rainier as seen from South Seattle's Seward Park

Get in

Beacon Hill's light rail station

By car

Interstate 5 (I-5) runs along the western boundary of this district and offers several exits into various neighborhoods of South Seattle.

Interstate 90 (I-90) runs along the northern boundary of this district. Exit 3 leads to Rainier Ave S.

Rainier Ave S and Martin Luther King Jr. Way are the two main thoroughfares that run north and south through the district.

By rail

The Link light rail is a clean and timely way to travel to South Seattle, with trains running every 10 minutes for most of the day. The 1 Line runs from Lynnwood through Downtown to Seatac Airport with several stops in South Seattle.

• 1 Beacon Hill Station
• 2 Mount Baker Station
• 3 Columbia City Station
• 4 Othello Station
• 5 Rainier Beach Station

By bus

King County Metro bus routes #7 and #42 travel along Rainier and MLK, respectively, with frequent service seven days a week; the 7 is also one of the few routes to operate between 1 and 5AM. The #36 travels the length of Beacon Hill with connections at the Beacon Hill light rail station. East-west bus service is limited to local routes.

By bike

Like most of Seattle, there is a fair amount of built in bike lanes but some of the hills can be intimidating to unaccustomed cyclists. The city maintains bike maps with all cycling infrastructure.

There are several popular bike trails through South Seattle including Lake Washington Boulevard which is a scenic, approximately 8 mi (13 km) route through Seattle that hugs Lake Washington. There are views of the lake, small sections of forest, meadows, and the Cascade Mountains. From the north end at Coleman Park (just south of Interstate 90) the trail runs all the way to Seward Park in the south. The I-90 Trail is a dedicated multi-use path running from Jose Rizal Park in Beacon Hill, crossing Rainier Ave to Mount Baker, Mercer Island and Bellevue.

By boat

• Lakewood Marina, 4500 Lake Washington Blvd S, ☏ +1 206-722-0660. Tu-Sa 11AM - 5PM 24-hour security gate with tenant access, Summer hours 10AM - 5PM Memorial Day—Labor Day. limited guest moorage is available on this Lake Washington marina north of Seward Park which includes a small craft boat launch. Not near any facilities except parks so other transport should be arranged. 
• Seward Park creates a small protected harbor on the north shore that is popular for overnight moorage, especially in the summers.

See

• 1 Northwest African American Museum, 2300 S Massachusetts St, ☏ +1 206 518-6000. W 11AM-5PM, Th 11AM-7PM, F-Su 11AM-5PM. Short but powerful museum on the history of Blacks in the Northwest. $7 adult, $5 children 4-12, students, seniors; free the first Thursday of every month.  

Parks

Jefferson Park viewpoint

Olmsted parks

Park planners across the country celebrate Seattle's park system, designed by the Olmstead Brothers, as one of the best designed and best preserved in the United States.

• 2 Jefferson Park, 3801 Beacon Ave S, 98108 (on Beacon Hill half a mile south of the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station). 4AM - 11:30PM. Seattle's sixth largest park at 45.2 acres and offers unparalleled views of the Duwamish River, downtown and the Olympic Mountains. It is the home to the Jefferson Park Golf Course, Jefferson Park driving range, Jefferson Skatepark, tennis courts (lighted), basketball courts, the Jefferson Community Center, Jefferson Lawn Bowling, and Beacon Mountain an ecologically oriented playscape with a water park in the summer.  
• 3 Seward Park. The entire park is a large peninsula that is surrounded by Lake Washington. Kids activities in the summer, great scenery, and a 2 and half mile paved level path that circles the whole peninsula, are a few of the attractions.  

Other parks

• 4 Kubota Gardens, 9817 55th Ave S, ☏ +1 206 684-4075. Daily 6AM-10PM. In 1927 Fujitaro Kubota bought 5 acres (20,000 m²) of logged-off swampland in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle and began his garden. Kubota Garden has since grown into a stunning 20-acre (81,000 m²) landscape that blends Japanese garden concepts with native Northwest plants. Kubota was a horticultural pioneer when he began merging Japanese design techniques with North American materials in his display garden in 1927. The Gardens are a spectacular setting of hills and valleys, interlaced with streams, waterfalls, ponds, bridges, and rock outcroppings with a rich array of plant material. Free. (updated Jul 2017)

Do

• 1 Ark Lodge Cinemas, 4816 Rainier Ave S (in Columbia City), ☏ +1 206 721-3156. Vary by movie times. Amazing historical movie theater in Columbia City. $8 weekend matinee. 
• 2 The Beacon Cinema, 4405 Rainier Ave S (in Columbia City), ☏ +1 206 420-7328, info@thebeaconseattle.com. Vary by movie times. A relatively new movie theater in Columbia City, focused on specialized programming. 
• 3 Columbia City Farmer’s Market, S Edmunds St between 37th Ave S and the alley at 36th. W 3-7PM, May 1-October 16. Founded in 1998, the Columbia City Farmers Market was voted Seattle's Best Farmers Market in the Seattle Weekly's annual "Best of Seattle" contest for 2012. Over 40 Washington State farmers and small food vendors make this market a popular weekly destination; market days are full of the colors and sounds of shoppers from around the world who live and work in this historic neighborhood. 
• 4 Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 722-3009. Tu-Su 6PM-2AM. Great place to see a band play. 

Buy

fresh crabs for sale at Mutual Fish in south Seattle

• 1 Andaluz, 4908 Rainier Ave S (between Ferdinand and Hudson), ☏ +1 206 760-1900. M-Tu noon-6PM, W F Sa noon-8PM, Th noon-7PM, Su noon-5PM. Women's clothing, jewelry and accessories. 
• 2 Bike Works, 3709 S Ferdinand St, ☏ +1 206 322-4368. Tu-F noon - 6PM, Sa 11AM- 6PM, Su 11AM - 5PM. Bike Works is an innovative organization centered around bicycles that combines youth development, community engagement, bicycle recycling and a social enterprise bike shop to help build a sustainable and healthy community. 
• 3 Columbia City Gallery, 4864 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 760-9843. W-Su 11AM - 7PM. The Columbia City Gallery is an artists’ cooperative that brings together emerging and professional artists working in diverse media. The gallery provides an exhibition space for local artists, additional space for exhibits by guest artists & a welcoming environment for visitors of all ages. 
• 4 Mutual Fish Co, 2335 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 322-4368. M-Sa 8:30AM-5:30PM. top notch seafood store with sushi grade fish, amazing selection and friendly helpful service 

Eat

Columbia City, home to many great area restaurants

South Seattle's remarkable diversity is reflected in its dining scene. In particular, it's the place to find Seattle's best Southeast Asian and African cuisine. There are many gems tucked away at unassuming intersections in residential areas. However, most are clustered around Beacon Hill, Columbia City, and the other light rail stations.

Beacon Hill

• 1 Bar del Corso, 3057 Beacon Ave S, ☏ +1 206 395-2069. Tu-Sa 5-10PM. Wood-fired pizzas, Italian dishes (salumi, cheeses and desserts), Italian wines/cocktails, and local beers on tap. Pizzas up to $20. 
• 2 Carnitas Michoacan, 2503 Beacon Ave S, ☏ +1 206 323-3688. M-F 11AM-8PM, Sa Su 10AM-8PM. Mexican taqueria featuring traditional ingredients such as lengua and chuletas ahumadas. (updated Aug 2020)
• 3 Delite Bakery, 2701 15th Ave S (one block west of the Beacon Hill light rail station), ☏ +1 206 325-2114. M-F 7:30AM - 6:30PM, Sa 7:30AM - 6PM. A Beacon Hill gem located just steps from the light rail station, great Pan de sal rolls and excellent for little sandwiches Up to $5. 
• El Quetzal, 3209 Beacon Ave S (a few blocks south of the Beacon Hill light rail station), ☏ +1 206 329-2970. Family-friendly, but not your standard Tex-Mex, lots of amazing specials and good for large groups. 

Columbia City

• 4 Columbia City Bakery, 4865 Rainier Ave S (east of the Columbia City light rail at Edmunds St), ☏ +1 206 723-6023. M-F 7AM-7PM, Sa Su 7AM-5PM. Excellent bread, pastries, cakes, and coffee. Mostly a dessert or snack place, though the ham and Gruyère croissant makes for a nice light lunch. Most pastries about $3. 
• Geraldine's Counter, 4872 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 723-2080. Tu-F 7AM-9PM; Sa Su 8AM-3PM. Classic American comfort food with fresh, local ingredients and a sophisticated touch. 
• Island Soul, 4869 Rainier Avenue S, ☏ +1 206-329-1202. M-F 11AM-2PM, M-Th 5-9PM, F 5-10PM, Sa 2-10PM. Authentic Caribbean cuisine from chef Bobby Laing. 
• La Medusa, 4857 Rainer Avenue S, ☏ +1 206-723-2192. Tu Th 5-9PM, W F Sa 5-10PM. Italian restaurant billed as "Sicilian soul food" from chef Julie Andres. 
• Tutta Bella Pizzeria, 4918 Rainier Avenue S (In the heart of Columbia City), ☏ +1 206-721-3501. 11AM-10PM. Award-winning Neapolitan pizza, certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. Recognized as Independent Pizzeria Of The Year by Pizza Today magazine in 2010. More laid-back than their several other Seattle locations. 
• Wabi Sabi, 4909 Rainier Avenue South, ☏ +1 206 721-0212. M-F 11:30AM-2PM, Sa 12:30-3:30PM, Su-Th 4:30-9PM, F Sa 4:30-10PM. Contemporary-themed sushi bar and Japanese restaurant. 

Elsewhere

• Sunset Cafe, 8115 Rainier Ave S (On Rainier Avenue, south of Hillman City), ☏ +1 206 733-0342. Daily noon - 9:30PM. Central and South Seattle are by no means short of good Ethiopian restaurants, but this one is definitely a standout for its food. Service is friendly, if not the most efficient. 

Drink

Coffee

Like the rest of Seattle, South Seattle takes its coffee very seriously. Although there are several chain coffee shops like Starbucks, for the genuine experience visit one of these shops to rub elbows with the locals. Many of the establishments listed above (e.g. Tutta Bella, Columbia City Bakery) are also excellent for coffee.

• Empire Espresso, 3829-A South Edmunds St, ☏ +1 206 659-0588. Columbia City Coffee. 
• The Station, 1600 S Roberto Maestas Festival St (50 meters north of the Beacon light rail station), ☏ +1 206-931-1357. Daily 7AM-5PM. cozy neighborhood coffee shop with friendly owners and nice revolving art shows. 
• Victrola Coffee Roasters, 3215 Beacon Ave S (1/4 mile south of Beacon light rail station). neighborhood coffee shop limited food and cool map of Beacon Hill on the wall. 

Bars

A microbrew at Columbia City Ale House

Seattle is well known for its local craft beers and most pubs carry a variety of local breweries.

• Columbia City Ale House, 4914 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 723-5123. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight. Many local beers on tap and food specials that change out weekly. All their food is made in house, fresh, no microwaves, no heat lamps and no deep-fryers. (updated Oct 2015)
• El Quetzal Bar, 3209 Beacon Ave S (a few blocks south of Beacon Hill light rail station), ☏ +1 206 329-2970. Full bar connected to El Quetzal Restaurant but with its own menu and unique drink specials. 
• Lottie's Lounge. A neighborhood-centric lounge with full food menu and inspired original cocktail specials. 
• The Bourbon. Located in the same building as the Columbia City Theatre, with a full bar menu, occasional DJs and karaoke night. 
• The Oak (3 blocks south of the Beacon Hill light rail station). Located on Beacon Hill this bar boasts a wide selection of local craft beers, mixed drinks and a well developed menu. 
• 1 Perehelion Brewery, 2800 16th Ave. S. (Across the street from Beacon Hill light rail station.), ☏ +1 206 200-3935, les@perihelion.beer. Beautiful and comfortable brewery on Beacon Hill. Live music, outdoor seating, and creative Northwest pub food. (updated Aug 2020)

Sleep

Generally a residential area, South Seattle does not have a wide variety of places to stay. Visitors not staying with friends tend to find hotels downtown or near SeaTac Airport.

• 1 Casa de Esperanza, 3317 S Hanford St (at 34th Ave S), ☏ +1 206 734-1994. Bed and breakfast near Mount Baker Park and Lake Washington. From $80. 

Stay safe

Rainier Beach has long held a reputation as the roughest neighborhood in Seattle. While this has been slowly but steadily changing as the light rail brings gentrification to the area, it's still considered to be a place to avoid at night.

Connect

Seattle Public Library offers open wireless at all branches, using the SSID spl-public. Public computers with Internet access and basic office software are available for up to an hour at a time, but require either a SPL library card or a temporary pass available from the circulation desk. All services are free.

• Beacon Hill Branch, 2821 Beacon Ave S (2 blocks south of Beacon Hill light rail station), ☏ +1 206 684-4711. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1-5PM. 
• Columbia Branch, 4721 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 386-1908. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1-5PM. 
• NewHolly Branch, 7058 32nd Ave S, ☏ +1 206 386-1905. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1-5PM. 
• Rainier Beach Branch, 9125 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 386-1906. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1-5PM.