I want to move to Seattle or a close surrounding area, any ideas?

Question

I am an Australian guy that recently moved to the United States, I'm 20 years old and i want to move to seattle or a close surrounding area that is gay friendly (as I am gay), perhaps like Capitol Hill or something. I visited Seattle last year and loved it, but I don't know what it would be like to live. I'm really hoping to move to a place that also has a bit of natural beauty, not just an urban sprawl, maybe some nice walking trails or nice areas to visit in a close proximity to it at least. I would really love to hear some peoples opinions on some good towns/areas to inhabit or any advice they might have=) Thank you!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I have lived on Capital Hill and in the Seattle environs for fourteen years. The hill is gay friendly, and all of Seattle is gay friendly. In my experiences the price for square foot for my room on Capital Hill was pretty high. There is a city park, pretty small, Volunteer park. It has an art museum and water fountains, etc.

I lived by Northgate in Seattle close to 145th street, it was within walking distance to Hamlin Park in the next city (Shoreline) and got a whole house (three bedrooms, large yard for a dog, 22nd Ave NE) for $1,350. I took over the lease after staying there two years with roomates. I stayed five years due to my love of the woods, actual moss covered logs woods. Fifteen minutes to downtown with express lanes in the morning. There is a pea patch, Jackson Park P-Patch Community Garden. I would wait and find a house and I would not want to stay at the Jackson Park apartments adjacent to the park. OK, I'll tell you a secret, behind that there is an unnamed park with trails and an actual creek, I have seen an owl there just looking at me by the creek; I am describing the woods between the pea patch and golf course. This is about ten blocks from Hamlin Park.

There is also Discovery park, a retired military base, with miles and miles of trails and a lighthouse. I mention this after the area near 145th Street because travel time from Discovery Park to downtown (International Film Festival, gay bars on the hill) is longer during rush hour. If you bike, you might like Discovery Park better. That is in the Magnolia area, I include links some of what I've described.

Bothell is pretty far from town, as is Bellevue across the toll bridge. I would call those and Federal Way as strip malls from hell. Everett if pretty far, about an hour, to get to a Capital Hill bar.

I moved here for the proximity to the Olympic Peninsula. No matter what suburb you get to, the hikes around here are astounding. I have a list of my favorites here: www.lake22.com

Source(s):

http://www.seattlerentals.com/quick_sear…
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail…

http://www.shorelinewa.gov/index.aspx?pa…
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http…

http://seattlerentals.com/Magnolia/apart…
https://www.google.com/search?q=discover…

Answer 2

There are some neighborhoods I really love but you may love to, if you have some money:
Capital Hill
Northeast Capital Hill
Wallingford
Queen Anne( really beautiful but so is Wallingford and Capital Hill)
Downtown

Seattle's neighborhoods are never the same as another. They're all different and unique in their own ways, but I think you'd really prefer Capital Hill or Queen Anne, Seattle well King County itself is Democratic and it's people overall are known to be diverse and a bit accepting. It's a very cultural city.

Take a walk up and down Boran Avenue and see some architecture it's really nice. Just taking a drive in Seattle can be like site seeing and the weather is pretty interesting too.

Good luck searching.

PS.: To get a good look of Seattle, use Google Maps Streetview last updated in HD 2008, it really gives you a nice vibe of the city if you go in the HD places, and then you should explore the city and history for yourself. I don't know if this matters but the city is mostly ornate and alot of it is from the early 1900's, especially Northeast Capital Hill.

Answer 3

Seattle is a great place, there are plenty of areas like that around here. I live near Seattle, probably the best places to live near trails and stuff is in the Seattle AREA, there's a small area in Seattle that has some trails, Bothell, I think Everett, Lynnwood, Bellevue, Shoreline and Kenmore are great areas from what I've seen. If you move near Edmonds, there's a nice little trail and park as well as a breath taking beach (Edmonds Beach)!
The best trail I've seen so far is The Sammamish River Trail, which also has at least 3 parks that I've seen and is at least about 11 miles long.
All of the listed places are within about an hour drive from Seattle. Worst is about 45 mins from Seattle. But most of the houses/apts are being remodeled from what I've noticed.
If you are looking at the Gay Pride festival- I think probably around Lynnwood or closer to Seattle would be best.
Good luck on your move :3

Source(s):

http://www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/trails/regionaltrailssystem/sammamishriver.aspx