# Moving Back Home to Seattle, which Neighborhood?



## Cervelo-er (Apr 10, 2004)

UW grad here, heading back to Seattle by the end of the month. Will be working in Bellevue right next to the downtown transit center. I've lived in Ravenna, Greenlake, Lake City :cryin: , and downtown Bellevue. I'm thinking about trying a new part of town and looking for recommendations. I'll be working normal hours and would like to bike commute (gym with showers in my building) and/or bus and/or run.

I'm considering Cap Hill around 15th and then out towards the Eastside...Redmond close-in, Issaquah downtown or one of the apt. complexes near Cougar Mt.

Should I look at Seward Park? South Lake Union? Ballard just too damn far? or should I just suck it up and live in the Burbs so I can be close to trail running, have a washer/dryer, and an easy commute?

Close-ish proximity to a PCC or Whole Foods would be nice. Being able to walk/ride to a coffee shop and some restaurants would be nice too. Also concerned about general safety...I'm in the "society is going to be getting more violent" camp.

30 yr old, married, cat. Still like to see shows and go out to eat, but we're not into the whole Belltown scene...more like Brouwers and home in time for Conan.

Thoughts?


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

You should live just off Aurora.


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## Cervelo-er (Apr 10, 2004)

Perfect. Great street to practice bike handling skills on. If you can touch wheels with an accordian bus and keep it upright, crit racing should be no problem.


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## brujenn (Nov 26, 2007)

How do you like floating and/or formerly floating bridges for commuting?


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## DaveT (Feb 12, 2004)

Have you driven in the greater Seattle/Eastside area lately? During commuter hours? Absolutely horrid! If I ever moved back there, I think I'd want an apartment in the same building where I worked.

If you're going to work in Bellevue, live on the Eastside, Redmond would be a very good choice IMO.

Don't misunderstand me, I truly love the Seattle area It's just that traffic sucks, among the worst in the nation.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I would live in Redmond but I live in Poulsbo so what do I know. I just know that there is good riding from Redmond and a velodrome at Marymoor.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

bigbill said:


> I would live in Redmond but I live in Poulsbo so what do I know. I just know that there is good riding from Redmond and a velodrome at Marymoor.


What he said. There's so much good riding heading east that if you're going to live out there you may as well maximize your riding pleasure/time. I have to ride twenty-five miles out of Seattle to get to the really good stuff. Plus if I lived near the velodrome I'd think of taking up the track (if only for fun).


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

Living on the eastside is pretty nice. I live up in Sammamish. The hills around here make for great training and your close to a lot of some good ones. 

I actually find that Redmond really sucks for riding. Aside from the velodrome I don't think that it's very safe. Compared to the streets of Seattle people just don't know how to drive around a cyclist. I did the Lake Washington loop yesterday and as soon as I hit the eastside and started making my way into Sammamish the problems started happening: Cutting off, tailgaiting/ drifting behind me, no signals, combative, stupidity. Theres nothing quite like being on a deserted climb and having someone in a car sitting on your tail after 90 miles.


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## kreger (Mar 10, 2004)

i live (rent) in wallingford and love it. i do most of my riding starting out of redmond area. 

its a trade off, would you rather have a good place to ride or a good place to live. i feel there is much more of a sense of community (from my limited experience) in the city. Places like wallingford, cap hill, queen anne, ballard seem so much less of a car centered area as well, they also have local mom and pop places that is a priority for me. the questions comes where your priorities are. 

dont get me wrong, the east side is nice, but where i am right now, mid 20 something, student, (somewhat) single male it isnt a place id want to live.


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## Rot Weiss Essen (Nov 10, 2008)

I think I would go with Issaquah if I was going to work in the middle of Bellevue. You have fairly easy access to work and shopping and not far from downtown Seattle either. Plus you got easy access to a lot of great cycling in and around Carnation, Duvall, Fall City, North Bend and a great LBS in the middle of town that caters to roadies! And you got Lake Samamish at your door step for fun in the sun, what more could you want?


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## woodway (Nov 28, 2008)

I work in downtown Bellevue, live in Woodinville. Good place to live, good commute, good weekend riding in almost every direction.


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

Kirkland, lived there for 10 years and love it. Close to everything. I agree you will find newer dwellings on the eastside. Redmond to Bellevue can be done by bike but I wouldn't consider it scenic. You could ride the 520 trail but once you get off you will be taking your life in your hands with commuters.

I would say live in Seattle, because I love the Seattle side of the lake, but there are going to be days where you won't ride to work and driving will be hell. Parking is pricey in Bellevue and I90 is no breeze. 520 is horrid

Issaquah is okay I guess, downtown Bellevue would be good and get your riding in outside of commuting. Love the Lincoln Plaza movie theaters, some good restaurants down there now as well

Welcome back


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## 3dw (Jan 3, 2008)

Leschi or Madison Park would be worth checking out. 

If you're going to stay close to work I would go with Kirkland.


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## lonesomesteve (Mar 26, 2008)

I would rather be dragged naked behind a school bus with my mouth stretched over the exhaust pipe than live in the suburbs, but that's me. I'm in Ravenna, which I see you've already lived in, so you know what that's about. A couple neighborhoods that really appeal to me are Georgetown and Columbia City. Both are on a strong upswing right now and are sort of like "the new Ballard." Cool coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, cheap rents, culture, diversity, but not just for the young hipster crowd like Belltown and Capital Hill. Columbia City is going to be more bikeable than Georgetown.

As for the commuting, I work downtown so my commute by bicycle is very easy and traffic is never a problem. For a couple years I was commuting to downtown Bellevue and that wasn't bad by bike. I'd go over I-90 or sometimes catch a bus at Montlake if I didn't want to ride the whole way. 

Traffic is only a problem if you get in your car. If you live in the city you really don't need to do that much at all. If you live in the 'burbs, the car becomes a necessity and the traffic on the eastside is even worse than in Seattle.


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