West Seattle
Alki Beach, The Junction, Olympic Mountain views, and a fierce independent streak — a small town with big-city convenience.
by Amber Eckert
West Seattle occupies the westernmost point of the city, offering spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains to the west and the Cascades to the east. This historic area is made up of several micro-neighborhoods — Admiral, Fauntleroy, Alki, and Delridge among them — tied together by a real sense of self-sufficiency and a quiet pride in being just a little apart from the rest of Seattle.
Residents here are down-to-earth, tend to dress casually, and are remarkably friendly. In recent years, the neighborhood has drawn frequent comparisons to a younger Ballard — but with a beach-town twist that is completely its own. That independent streak is a big part of why West Seattle inspires such fierce loyalty.
Beach, Trails & The Junction
Alki Beach is the headline attraction — 2.5 miles of shoreline with Puget Sound on one side and the Seattle skyline across the water. Lincoln Park on the southern end offers forest, meadows, and rocky shoreline. The West Seattle Bridge connects you back to downtown, and the West Seattle Water Taxi from Seacrest Park provides a fast, scenic commute option. The Junction itself rewards an afternoon of wandering — independent shops, restaurants, and the beloved farmers market on Sundays.