Key streets to know
Use Mercer and Valley Streets to move east and west. Around 2017 the city rebuilt Mercer as a two-way, tree-lined boulevard and turned Valley into a calmer two-way street designed with walkers in mind. For north and south travel, follow the main spines of Dexter, 9th, Westlake and Fairview Avenues N. and Eastlake Avenue E.
Begin at the Lake: Lake Union Park
Start your day where the neighborhood meets the water. Lake Union Park spreads across about 12 acres, opening to the public in 2008 and reaching completion in 2010. Stroll the waterfront walkway, cross the pedestrian bridge over the western waterway, or spread out a picnic on the open lawn for a rest between sights.
The park rests on a peninsula that a lumber company built out into the lake in 1909. It is a fitting origin for a shoreline that stayed industrial for most of the last century.
Historic ships at the wharf
Wander past the dedicated wharf that gives long-term moorage to historic vessels, one of the most distinctive things to do here. Boats berthed at the wharf have included the steamer Virginia V, the lightship Swiftsure, the tug Arthur Foss and the fireboat Duwamish, and several are also recognized as City of Seattle landmarks. Then head just east to the Center for Wooden Boats to see smaller wooden boats on display.
The Museum of History & Industry
Step inside the Museum of History & Industry, which moved here from Montlake and reopened in December 2012. It fills the former Naval Reserve training building known as the Armory, itself a protected landmark. Check with the museum directly for current hours and admission before you go.
Seattle's Oldest Park and Other Green Corners
Away from the lake, a few smaller green spaces offer room to breathe. They are especially welcome if you live or work nearby and need a break from the office towers.
Denny Park
Spend a quiet moment at Denny Park, Seattle's oldest park, which fills a full block at 100 Dexter Ave N. Donated as a cemetery in 1861 and turned into a park in 1883, it has watched the city change around it for well over 150 years. Seattle Parks and Recreation also lists it as an off-leash spot, so bring the dog and read our guide to Denny Park for dog owners.
Cascade Playground and the P-Patch
Over on the east side, find Cascade Playground, a neighborhood park at 333 Pontius Ave N. set near old laundry buildings and two historic churches. Close by, the Cascade P-Patch community garden holds 57 plots and has been part of the city's P-Patch program since 1996.
Stroll Through Cascade's Past
East of Fairview Avenue N. lies the area long known as Cascade, where Russian, Swedish, Norwegian and Greek families settled in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The name came from the Cascade School, built in 1894 and torn down after the 1949 earthquake.
Look for two congregations from that era that still stand, Immanuel Lutheran Church and St. Spiridon Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Over time Cascade blended into the rest of South Lake Union, especially once Interstate 5 cut it off from Capitol Hill.
Landmarks worth a detour
- Lake Union Steam Plant was built by Seattle City Light in 1914, became a city landmark in 1994 and was later adapted for biotech offices. Dig deeper with our Lake Union Steam Plant guide.
- The Ford Assembly Plant opened in 1914 as the first Model T assembly plant west of the Mississippi River.
- The Jensen Block on Eastlake Avenue E. earned landmark status in 1996, and our Jensen Block page tells its story.
- The Troy Laundry Building, from 1927, recalls the era when most of Seattle's big laundries operated here.
- The Seattle Times Building arrived in 1930, joining the area's mix of industry and commerce.
Keep an eye out for former car dealerships too, such as the Pacific McKay and Ford McKay buildings, left from the decades when Cascade was lined with auto showrooms.
From Mill Town to Tech Hub
Long before the towers, Native people camped near the southwest corner of the lake, known in Chinook Jargon as "little water," and a trail linked its south end to Elliott Bay. Significant Native settlement here lasted until 1875.
Pioneer David Denny claimed land in 1853 and later ran the Western Mill on the south shore. Coal, shipbuilding, furniture making and even Bill Boeing's first airplane factory followed, and the 1917 opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, linking the lake to both Lake Washington and Puget Sound, fueled still more industry.
The Commons that never was
In the early 1990s, a plan called the Seattle Commons proposed a huge central park here, but voters rejected it in 1995 and 1996. The land Paul Allen had helped buy for it reverted to him, and his company Vulcan later drove much of the redevelopment.
The neighborhood today
Amazon announced in 2007 that it would consolidate its Seattle offices here, moving in from 2010. You will also find the REI flagship store, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Allen Institute for Brain Science in the area. Many older buildings survive, though few still serve their original purpose.
Plan Your Visit
Hop on the Seattle Monorail, which runs nearby, or take an easy walk from downtown along Westlake. Pair the waterfront park and museum in one outing, then wander east through Cascade for the landmarks and churches.
A South Lake Union Express Farmers Market appears in city records, but days and seasons can change, so check with the market before planning around it.
