Columbia City & Rainier Valley

Explore

Admire hydrangeas and sit by a pond at Kubota Garden (9817 55th Ave S), a free 20-acre botanical garden. East along the shore of Lake Washington, you can meander along the forested trails of Seward Park (5900 Lake Washington Blvd S) and—on sunny days—enjoy an excellent view of Mount Rainier. Baseball fanatics can get their spring swings in by booking a baseball or softball lesson at Mariners Training Center (5034 37th Ave S).

Eat and Drink

Romantic La Medusa (4857 Rainier Ave S) serves first-rate Southern Italian fare that relies heavily on seasonal Washington ingredients, and Marination Columbia City (3714 S Hudson St) stands out for its sublime Hawaiian-Korean fusion, including addictive pork katsu sliders. Feast on the spice-loaded Somali sambusas at Mama Sambusa Kitchen (8319 Wabash Ave S) or authentic wot, a stew, at Delish Ethiopian Cuisine (5701 Rainier Ave S). Bang Bang Kitchen (4219 S Othello St) serves New Mexican–inspired food, like Frito pies and giant burritos. Relax over brunch by Lake Washington at the Stonehouse Cafe (9701 Rainier Ave S) and well-crafted gastropub fare at Jude’s Old Town (9252 57th Ave S).

Shop

At Empire Roasters and Records (3829 S Edmunds St), browse LPs while sipping a ginger-snap latte. Pick up a Seattle-made memento like distinctive jewelry or a mug at quirky Andaluz (4908 Rainier Ave S; facebook.com/andaluzseattle). Indie wine shop Vino Verité (4908 Rainier Ave S) stocks more than a thousand bottles from around the world. In Rainier Beach, Re.Evolución (9274 57th Ave S) is a gorgeous lifestyle shop stocked with housewares and jewelry.