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Arbor Heights school, Seattle

Arbor Heights

Wander the calm, almost entirely residential streets of Arbor Heights, the quiet southern tip of West Seattle. Here is how the neighborhood is laid out, plus where to go for parks, schools and errands.

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Map of Arbor Heights in Seattle showing 1 place we cover
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Frequently asked questions

Arbor Heights is the southernmost part of West Seattle, south of SW Roxbury Street and bordered by Puget Sound to the west and south. The downhill western slope is not included.

The neighborhood is almost entirely residential. The nearest commercial areas are in Roxhill to the north and a small zone down the hill in Fauntleroy.

Arbor Heights Elementary, a K-5 Seattle School District school, is in the neighborhood. There are no secondary schools within Arbor Heights.

Yes. Seola Park is a city park on Seola Beach Drive SW at the southwest edge of West Seattle.

About Arbor Heights

Quiet residential streets lead toward Puget Sound in Arbor Heights, the southernmost corner of West Seattle, which sits just south of SW Roxbury Street. You will not find a shopping district in Arbor Heights, Seattle, so come for the calm blocks and nearby Seola Park, then head north to Roxhill or downhill to Fauntleroy when you need stores and services.

Finding Your Way to Arbor Heights

Picture SW Roxbury Street as the northern edge, with Puget Sound wrapping around the neighborhood's west and south sides. The lower slope along the western edge is not counted as part of Arbor Heights. That leaves only the upper ground, which is exactly why the name feels so fitting.

A Neighborhood Made for Living

Nearly all of Arbor Heights is zoned residential, and you will notice it as soon as you start to wander. Expect block after block of homes instead of storefronts, cafes or a main street, a layout that gives daily life here its calm, settled rhythm.

Read the full Arbor Heights guide

Where to Run Errands

For shopping and services, step just outside the neighborhood. Head north to Roxhill for the larger commercial zone, or drop down the hill to the west into Fauntleroy, where a smaller pocket of businesses comes in handy if you are already near the water.

Head Outdoors at Seola Park

Make Seola Park on Seola Beach Drive SW your main stop, since it is the neighborhood's biggest draw for visitors. This city park sits at the southwest edge of West Seattle. Before you set out, check with Seattle Parks and Recreation for current hours and conditions.

Arbor Heights Elementary and Its Traditions

At the heart of the community stands Arbor Heights Elementary, a K-5 school in the Seattle School District. The original school went up in 1948, and a larger building replaced it in 2014 and 2015. By fall 2021, it was welcoming 535 students.

Salmon, Books and a Long-Running Paper

The campus spreads across more than four acres, and since 2006 its playground has carried the name of Jackie Keegan, a longtime staff member. Each year, students hatch salmon fry and release them into nearby Fauntleroy Creek. Spring brings a Young Authors' Conference, where every child writes a book, along with a school carnival, and the student newspaper has been posted online since October 1994.

The neighborhood has no middle or high schools, so older students attend schools elsewhere in the district.

Recreation Close to Home

Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club offers a pool, though it is a private club rather than a public facility. If you are visiting and looking for open space, Seola Park is the easier choice.

A little farther

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