South Lake Union

Photo: Nick Hall Photography

Photo: iStock

Photo: John Henderson

Photo: Dana L. Styber

Photo: David Newman

The center of Seattle’s tech industry abounds with first-rate restaurants and cool cultural and recreational draws along a beautiful lakeshore.

In the charming South Lake Union neighborhood, a mother and child admire a colorful display of macarons behind a glass counter in a bakery. The background features a decorative wall and a chandelier, while another person sits at a table in the distance.

Lady Yum Courtesy of Lady Yum

The image captures a serene waterfront scene in the South Lake Union neighborhood, with geese gracefully gliding on the water. In the background, the large white MOHAI building stands amid lush greenery under a partly cloudy blue sky, while a boat is docked to the left.

MOHAI

Explore

As you approach this dynamic neighborhood from downtown, stop to admire the three glass domes of Amazon’s eye-catching Seattle Spheres (2111 Seventh Ave), which contain “living walls” with an incredible array of flora from more than 30 countries. A few blocks north, walk among the rhododendrons and azaleas of leafy Denny Park (100 Dexter Ave N), which boasts an expansive kids’ playground and a popular dog park. Along the shores of rippling Lake Union, you can visit superb attractions relating to Seattle’s rich maritime heritage: The Center for Wooden Boats (1010 Valley St) and the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) (860 Terry Ave N), whose engaging exhibits also celebrate Seattle’s legacy as a hub of innovation and commerce.

Eat and Drink

With charmed settings on the waterfront, Duke’s Seafood (1111 Fairview Ave N) and White Swan Public House (1001 Fairview Ave N) offer outdoor seating, creative cocktails, and freshly prepared seafood. For an aerial view of the lake, take the elevator to mbar (H400 Fairview Ave N) to enjoy sweeping city and water vistas from the 14th-floor terrace and memorable Mediterranean–Middle Eastern dishes like green-chickpea hummus and grilled trout with brown butter. Back at street level, sleek Tanoor Seattle (803 Dexter Ave N) specializes in contemporary Lebanese food, and Jack’s BBQ (228 Ninth Ave N) serves tender, slow-cooked brisket and chocolate buttermilk pie. Pop inside 203 Fahrenheit Coffee (610 Terry Ave N) for a creamy Madagascar vanilla latte, Fresh Flours (432 Eighth Ave N) to nosh on fluffy biscuits and azuki croissants filled with red bean pastry cream, and Lady Yum (2130 Sixth Ave) to snack on colorful salted caramel and honey-lavender macarons.

Shop

REI’s (222 Yale Ave N) flagship store, with its enormous climbing wall and an in-house hiking-biking loop for testing gear, has everything you could possibly need to plan your next outdoor adventure. Nearby Feathered Friends (263 Yale Ave N) is another excellent source for recreational and camping gear. Pick up signature apparel and LPs at beloved Sub Pop Records (2130 Seventh Ave), and shutterbugs can find both old-school and cutting-edge technology at Glazer’s Camera (811 Republican St).