Located to the west of the Duwamish River, the former independent town of West Seattle is now one of the city’s liveliest suburbs. It includes a vibrant downtown area clustered with unique shops, dining and nightlife venues, together with a picturesque coastline around Alki Point.
West Seattle centres around what is known as the “Junction”, at the intersection of California Avenue S.W. and S.W. Alaska Street. This lively business district is packed full of one-of-a-kind boutiques, music stores, thrift shops and bars that can’t be found anywhere else, together with colourful murals depicting historic scenes from West Seattle’s history. The West Seattle Golf Course sprawls along the eastern edge of the district, with the elevated neighbourhood of High Point just to its south, dominated by Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Me-Kwa-Mooks Park hugs the area’s western coast and offers excellent birdwatching and picturesque views across Puget Sound, while Lincoln Park offers plenty of leafy walking trails further south. Perhaps West Seattle’s main attraction, however, is the Alki Point Lighthouse and Beach, which remains a popular place to swim for locals and visitors alike despite the chilly waters. There are fantastic views across towards the Olympic Mountains in the west and the Cascade Range to the east, and good kite surfing and parasailing on offer.
West Seattle is connected to the rest of the city by public bus services which pass over the Duwamish River on the West Seattle Bridge. There are also ferry services to Vashon Island and Southworth from the dock in Fauntleroy, as well as a water connection to Downtown Seattle from Duwamish Head.
The first Europeans to settle in what is now West Seattle arrived in 1851, but inclement weather and an unsatisfactory harbour led many to move west into Elliott Bay. Those that stayed behind established their own distinct community that has retained its independent spirit today, despite becoming a suburb of Seattle in 1907.