University District

The University District is home to the Dawgs, otherwise known as the University of Washington (UW). Businesses and student housing abound, as one would expect around a world renowned campus.

It's hard to know where to begin with such a large, densely populated area. The neighborhood spans west to east from Interstate 5 to 20th Ave NE, except on the main campus. The northern and southern boundaries are NE 65th St and the waterfront of Portage Bay and Union Bay, respectively. Several areas can be highlighted in this student collective. However we'll start with the most traveled, the main campus and "The Ave" (University Avenue NE).

The UW campus occupies the southwest portion. Students have the privilege of walking through an area resembling a nature preserve to attend classes. Heavy foliage borders the northern edge, with generous pines and other varieties interspersed throughout. There is quite a network of roads and pathways weaving between structures and buildings. Red Square and Drumheller Fountain are gathering areas between and after classes. Be careful driving through campus, not only due to immense foot traffic, but because roads may not lead where you would expect. The central academic area is contained between 15th Avenue NE and Montlake Blvd NE, with structures spilling over to the south and southwest. The intramural and sports facilities are to the southeast, with Husky Stadium towering near the water.

Moving on to University Avenue, otherwise known as "The Ave", brings the heart of business and social establishments. Places like the Blue Dog Kitchen, Varsity Theater, Dante's Bar and Night Club, The Wannabee, Big Time Brewing, Jewel of India, and many others. There are more independent coffee shops along here and around campus than you could visit in a month. There is no shortage of things to do, especially at night. My wife and I, while on a Sunday night date, had to leave downtown Seattle to come here just to find good restaurants that were open, with a wide variety of eats.

Looking beyond, more businesses line NE 45th St (The main east-west arterial), including the Blue Moon Tavern. This tavern is a Seattle icon and a hotbed for social craziness. Trabant Coffee and Chai is a very spacious coffee house closer to campus with good coffee and fast wi-fi. Also nearby are a movie theater, Trader Joe's, Performance Bike Shop and the list goes on and on. The UW Tower (Tallest building in the area) is along 45th as well. The largest video store on the West Coast, Scarecrow Video, stands on Roosevelt Avenue. If you can't find it on Netflix or at Blockbuster, Scarecrow will have it.

The UW police station and a superb bike shop, Recycled Cycles, are hidden down on Boat Street by the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The bike shop is unique, in that it offers bins of used components and parts for the cyclist on a budget. The Burke-Gilman bike trail passes just north of here, so the shop often attracts people in the middle of their ride (including Yours Truly).

There is easy access to downtown via the University Bridge. The Montlake Bridge heads towards Highway 520 or Capitol Hill, and 45th and 50th Streets can access Interstate 5. Another arterial route is 15th Avenue, which runs north-south.

The University Village Shopping Center is on the northeast side of campus, with attractive "open-air" stores. The streets directly north of the university are lined with Fraternities and residential housing, filled mainly with students and faculty. More housing lies to the northwest, though not quite as serene (especially on the west side of Roosevelt Way).

Ravenna Park, or half of it, lies in the U-District to the north. It is a 50 acre park with a wooded ravine and several amenities, including a play area, tennis court, wading pool, paths and sporting fields. Another "park" lies on the west side, next to the interstate. The University Playfield, as it's called, is around three acres and features a play area, tennis court, and sporting fields.

Some events that mark the neighborhood's uniqueness are the street fair in May and farmer's market. This was the first market to hit Seattle, which continues to be the largest local farmers event.

Even though the University District predominantly contains students, many in the Seattle community flock here for its diverse options in restaurants, music venues and small businesses. I personally have spent many hours in this neighborhood, including time spent writing reviews.

University District is a diverse and vibrant neighborhood in all respects, but as the neighborhood’s name may suggest, it leans heavily toward accommodating the college-age residents. Centered on 45th Ave NE (colloquially referred to as nicknamed “the Ave”) and University Way NE, there is no shortage of restaurants, bars, theaters, coffee shops, book stores, and shopping. University District is not surprisingly home to the University of Washington, and the district is largely an extension of the campus. Constantly sporting events to celebrate, the neighborhood is focused on socializing. Husky Stadium is located on the south side of the neighborhood, right on Lake Washington. The Ave is rife with things to do- Finn MacCools, an Irish pub, is a popular hangout with Happy Hour, karaoke events, and a trivia night. Portage Bay Café is always full for brunch on the weekends, and Dick’s Drive In is a Seattle staple. There are also many ethnic restaurants, including Shultzy’s Sausage, the very highly regarded Thai Tom, and Mamma Melina Ristorante. The neighborhood is a very convenient residential area, as public transportation is readily available all over the district. There is also a wide variety of shopping, including a year-round farmers’ market, multiple record stores, and several boutiques.

The U district in Seattle is one of the more fun places in town to hang out. It has great restaurants of every type, and entertainment is available in the form of night clubs with great music and interesting movie houses. University of Washington is a great school, and it's main campus is located here. Libraries, ethnic grocery stores, boutiques, and bookstores line the blocks- there's something for everyone. The cost of everything from housing to a glass of beer also seems more friendly than in other neighborhoods in Seattle.I frequently take out of town guests to wander around the U-District for something of local Seattle flavor.

I spent some of my best years living in this neighborhood! I can't help but feel nostalgic every time I drive by and see the herds of college students on the streets. But then, I realize that I'm getting too old to keep up with this neighborhood...

As a college neighborhood, the U-district is amazing. There is always something going on. Rent is affordable, although the living establishments aren't always the best. School is walking distance, and public transport is pretty amazing for Seattle. We have one of the nations top hospitals around the corner, the IMA, Gasworks, and a ton of other perks. There are great CHEAP places to eat and cute retail stores. College pubs and bars abound in this neighborhood as well. A few of my favs are the College Inn for a low key night with friends or Earl's if you're in the mood for stiff drinks and a party. Oh, I miss the good ol' days.

But then there's the noise. And the drunken college students. And the bears that get shot, and the people that get shot. The homeless people and sex offenders. Plus a lot of cell networks get really bad reception in a lot of the UW areas (e.g. T-mobile).

Overall, I guess the U-district is kind of...bi-polar. There are lot of goods and a lot of bads. I guess it depends on what you are looking for in a neighborhood. But I had a lot of fun living here, and it really wasn't as bad as I might make it sound :/ I still work around here, so I hang out in the area quite a bit, and really do miss living here sometimes.