Secret Spots in West Seattle
Image: Jordan Kay
There are jokes about how West Seattle is basically an island—and it certainly has its own character, one shaped by beachfront, independent businesses, and big views. That doesn't mean it doesn't take a discerning eye to find all the pleasures of Seattle's far-off neighborhood.
Image: Jane Sherman
Water Wonders
On very special summer nights, flashes of blue-green bioluminescence appear like magic in the waters just off Lincoln Park, the 135-acre wonder along West Seattle’s western edge, though boaters get the best view. Weird aquatic phenomena during the day are revealed at low tides, though best practices include leaving sea creatures in the water and only ever prodding them with a gentle finger.
The Long Way
Strolling through the 68 acres of Camp Long truly feels like a getaway deep in the forest. Several short trails, all under one mile, weave through alder, maple, and cedar trees; rustic cabins with s’mores-ready outdoor fireplaces are perfect for bucolic staycations. Generations of future rock climbers have honed skills on human-made Schurman Rock, a tiny mountain of sorts designed and built during the Great Depression to test every climbing skill imaginable.
Image: Jane Sherman
Turning the Page
Unbuttoned bookshop Pegasus Book Exchange wants your old reads, resold for as cheap as 50 cents to make reading even more affordable. The family-owned emporium houses shelves upon shelves of books, their handwritten genre tags sticking out from bookcases like tiny neon beacons.
Breakfast and a Show
Independent music shop Easy Street Records has been a neighborhood staple since 1988; Seattle Met even inducted the classic diner fare at its adjoining café into our Seattle Breakfast Hall of Fame over a decade ago. But the seating area moonlights as a performance venue, often hosting album release shows headlined by rising local talent and long-established acts.
Sounds Tasty
Haute cocktail bar Otter on the Rocks isn’t only for sipping a brown butter spiced old-fashioned. Owner Tanner Jitmongkonkul gives monthly two-hour cocktail classes using pro tools—and lots of taste testing. And twice a month, the space hosts one of the only classic piano bar experiences in the city: all requests, all singalongs.
Image: Jordan Kay
Let It Bee
High Point Commons, a city park, effectively runs a bee hotel. The West Seattle Bee Garden comprises a plexiglass structure housing the pollinators and their honeycombs, nectar, honey, pollen, and larva. The bees trade privacy for a public stage and a nearby pollinator garden populated with native plants. Visitors can peer into the hive’s inner workings and watch honey get made in real time. The annual West Seattle Bee Festival in May features a Buzz Run, costumed walk, and vendor fair.
