Magnolia

The 2.8 mile Discovery Park loop is a Seattle classic run. Its a trail run, even though its in the city, because the park is so huge and the trails are not paved. A lot of its in the woods, but you can see some good Puget Sound views during parts of it. I like to mix it up and run some of the side trails as add ons. It can definitely get muddy on some of them, so I use my trail running shoes with extra grip. Or Ill do the loop 2 or 3 times so I know exactly how far Ive run. It can get challenging with all the hills if youre pushing yourself to run fast.

Magnolia is too far from where I live to run to (Lower Queen Anne) so I have to drive there. I only go on the weekends if traffic isnt bad, because you can only access it via bridges, which can get clogged up when theres traffic. Technically Magnolia is a peninsula, but if the sea level rises, Interbay will disappear and it will be an island!!!

I also like the Seven Hills Running Shop which is near the park. No surprise their specialty is trail running shoes. They have a group run on weekends which is cool for some people but not exactly my style. But the staff are super knowledgeable, especially about trail running, races, and ultra running. Cool place.

There’s a wonderful bike route that takes you to and around Magnolia that I can recommend. To get to the neighborhood from Seattle, simply bike the smooth, paved trail from the Olympic Sculpture Park on the downtown waterfront. This is the Elliot Bay Trail. Make sure to stay left at the fork, which keeps you on the waterfront at Smith Cove. You can take a short break here to enjoy the views, then hop on to Magnolia Blvd which takes you around the western perimeter. Eventually you’ll hit Discovery Park. This is where it gets fun. You can keep biking, straight through the park, until you get to Discovery Park Blvd. Turn right. Stay on the main road as it twists and turns and changes names, to W. Government Way, then Gilman Ave, and finally Thorndyke. This will complete the loop. If you’re hungry, there are a few restaurants in the retail core on McGraw.

Unfortunately none of the restaurants in Magnolia are particularly vegetarian friendly. Of course many of them have veggie options, but nothing worth mentioning.

What is worth mentioning are the views! They are simply stunning, as you’ll see if you bike the Magnolia loop. I can certainly see the appeal for living here, though the neighborhood isn’t precisely my style.

Sprockett’s Recycled Bicycle is another reason to visit the neighborhood. Unlike most other bike stores in Seattle, they actually sell high-quality bikes that they have refurbished and tuned up. Also, their mechanics are highly skilled, at both bicycle repairs AND at customer service. That is absolutely not a given at a bike shop, and I highly appreciate it.

Magnolia is a beautiful family neighborhood that boasts the enormous Discovery Park, which dominates its northwest corner. There is no off-leash dog area in the park, but there are plenty of people walking their dogs (on leashes) around the trails.

During the summer, I occasionally make an effort to go to the park on a Saturday so I can stop by the Magnolia Farmer’s Market on McGraw Street in the Magnolia Village area afterwards. They mainly have locally-grown produce, (not lots of crafts or antiques like others) which is fresh and delicious. It’s also dog friendly and parking usually isn’t too difficult to find.

Sometimes I’ll leave my dog in the car for 20 minutes after our walk and grab a coffee from Uptown Espresso and browse Magnolia’s Bookstore to see what’s new. It’s a small shop tucked in the same block as a pizza place and a men’s clothing store on McGraw.

For me, Magnolia is a great neighborhood to visit for a quiet weekend afternoon, but I personally wouldn’t want to live here at this point. It’s extremely quiet, focused almost solely on families, with virtually no nightlife (though Oliver’s Twist does make good drinks). Plus, it’s hard to get to other places because it’s connected to the rest of Seattle by bridges. So it would be a struggle to get elsewhere regularly for social activity with friends who live in different neighborhoods. It would be a perfect place for families who like the quiet life though!

Magnolia is full of nature, even though it is in the city. The Discovery Park is the biggest Seattle Park. It has many walking trails. Our favorite place is the beach. There is a lighthouse, rocks to climb on, and of course the beach to walk on. Also there are picnic tables next to the lighthouse.

North of Magnolia is Ballard but in between is the Ballard Locks. It’s part of the water corridor from the lake to the Puget Sound. We learned that this is called the Salmon Bay Wildlife Corridor. There is a lot of protected land here. Seattle Parks and Recreation has a nature exploration map for this area. It gives directions to many interesting places, like the Kiwanis Ravine. This is a protected Heron bird nest area. We found the hidden walking bridge and watched for 10 minutes. We did see some herons! They are interesting birds.

Other than that, we like the Magnolia Playground. It is in the downtown area. There is also the “Wish Upon” Children’s Consignment. We visit sometimes to see what they have.

Magnolia is a tranquil neighborhood northwest of downtown Seattle. Though only a few miles from the city’s hub, it feels much farther because it’s almost like an island. Surrounded by water on three sides (north, west, and south), the east side is the only way to enter or exit the neighborhood, which is all done on three bridges that take you over the railroad in Interbay. Emerson, Dravus, and Magnolia bridges to be exact.

Hands-down, the main draw to this family-friendly neighborhood is the enormous Discovery Park, which is the largest in the city. Dominating the Northwest corner of Magnolia, there are miles of wooded trails, about a half-mile of sandy/pebbly beach access, and a lighthouse at the point. The amazing thing is that even on weekends, this park never gets very crowded. You can always find a peaceful, mossy trail to walk on, passing other hikers every few minutes. The lack of crowds is probably in part because the park is simply so big, and also because it’s not a tourist destination, but rather a local’s natural haven. I highly recommend doing the Discovery Park Loop trail, which is a 2.8 mile trail that takes you around the edge of the park. It’s great for trail runners as well, who enjoy the challenge of some of the hills. You can pick up a map at the main parking lots, though the loop trail is pretty well marked.

There’s also the smaller Magnolia Park, which is south of Discovery Park on the West coast of the neighborhood. Though not ideal for hiking, there are gorgeous views from this seaside bluff. Additionally, there are a few other small parks to explore in the neighborhood, especially on the south face of the hill, facing the city center.

Besides the parks, Magnolia is mostly just housing. There are plenty of single-family homes here, and the occasional small apartment or condominium building. Rent is similar to other Seattle neighborhoods, which means it’s expensive.

Despite how much housing is here, eating out is relatively limited, compared to other neighborhoods. You’re mostly limited to a few restaurants on McGraw, just south of the Catharine Blaine Elementary School, and a couple of classy (and expensive) places on the water. As for nightlife, there isn’t really anywhere to go out in the evening with friends; for that you’ll have to head to downtown, Queen Anne, or Ballard. Magnolia is more of a family neighborhood.

Remember how the neighborhood almost seems like an island? Well, that means that public transportation can be limited as well. Expect the bus ride to downtown to take at least 45 minutes, often more than an hour when there’s traffic. But bike commuters have a treat, with a paved trail that is only 4 miles to downtown.

To sum it up, Magnolia is a beautiful place for families, those who like peace and quiet away from the busy city center, and who value having a natural retreat nearby. If you’re more interested in nightlife, a super quick commute to downtown, or eating out a lot, it may not be for you.

The Magnolia Bridge and West Dravus Street are the only two roads that drivers can use to access Magnolia, which makes for a very quiet neighborhood.
Magnolia is built on a hilly peninsula. The Puget Sound is to the south and west, creating breathtaking views of downtown, the San Juan Islands, and massive cargo ships coming and going. The Lake Washington Ship Canal is to the north, home to the Hiram Chittenden Locks (or Ballard Locks), one of Seattle most popular tourist attractions.

The neighborhood is quiet and filled with cute single family homes and several parks; making Magnolia perfect for families. There are not very many apartments or condos, though some apartments are located on the eastern side, close to the train tracks. Homes in Magnolia are slightly above average for Seattle, there are also many expensive homes with water views. Magnolia doesn’t have any bad parts and crime is very low.

The heart of Magnolia has two grocery stores and several restaurants so it is very self-contained. There are two bus routes, the 19 and 24 that access Magnolia, but no express buses. The parks in Magnolia are some of the best in the city. Also, the roads are very bicycle friendly and access to downtown is very easy. It is only 4 miles to downtown by bike along a protected bike path that follows the water.

I would say Magnolia is great for families and those buying a home. Singles who want a vibrant nightlife should avoid Magnolia.


Some of my favorite places in Magnolia are:

Niko’s Gyros – Family Greek restaurant
El Ranchon – Wonderful Mexican restaurant
Time 4 Pho – Vietnamese noodle soup, perfect for rainy Seattle days
Palisade – A nice sit-down restaurant with views of downtown and the water
Discovery Park – A huge park with breathtaking views, check out the hiking trails and lighthouse
Ballard Locks – A Seattle top attraction and an easy walk to Ballard’s restaurants
Fisherman’s Terminal – Several restaurants and home to many fishing boats, visitors can walk among the large Alaskan fishing boats

You want big, then you want Magnolia the home of Discovery Park, which is one of the largest parks in the City and is the home of many Seattle based festivals. To truly take in the wonder of the park though, I recommend acquiring Seattle Audubon Society’s species checklist as it gives you a ton of species to be on the lookout for and I’s a great way to make sure that your taking in all the scenery while you’re walking the numerous walking trails, like the Loop Trail, which the park has. The shoreline is also a great destination on your visit.

Magnolia Park is also a great destination while in the area, this park has tennis, picnic tables and less of a wilderness hike feel. Although the Magnolia area is large it’s not the easiest part of Seattle to access as visitors need to travel over the Magnolia Bridge to get there. Some great, expensive, homes line the water though. It’s a nice area to visit and not just because of the two parks. Shopping, food and businesses - large and small - call the Magnolia area home too. And because this area covers a lot of Seattle more than one trip is recommended, because believe me you can’t pack it all in a 4-hour visit.

The neighborhood of Magnolia is beautiful. It is like entering another world, like a fairy tale on an island, almost. While it’s actually a peninsula, Magnolia is located minutes from downtown, but set off from the rest of Seattle by three bridges.

Magnolia feels so serene because of the pristine landscaping along with an almost nonexistent presence of any construction. Even though it’s tucked away from the rest of Seattle, people make the trip here on gorgeous evenings for front-row views of the sunset, Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands and the Olympic mountain range. Nothing beats it.

On top of the views offered by the neighborhood of Magnolia Seattle, there is a small neighborhood feel due to the great little restaurants and shops in the middle of Magnolia. Magnolia is a great self-contained neighborhood. If you ever want to venture out of Magnolia, you can be in the neighborhoods of Downtown, Belltown, Queen Anne, and Uptown in less than 10 minutes.

Many different styles of houses abound in Magnolia, from Tudor-style homes, mid-century charmers and contemporary styles, to bungalows, small brick and box houses. Gardens are well-manicured with sculpted trees and bushes. Mixed in with a predominance of homes are condos and a few rental properties, which can keep a pricey neighborhood slightly more balanced.

Magnolia’s business district is along McGraw Street. The area has a sweet selection of shops and restaurants, with all the mainstream amenities. Another popular spot is Fisherman’s Terminal, a marina with restaurants and retail that also houses the Alaska Fishing Fleet.

Magnolia’s jewel is Discovery Park, the Seattle’s largest park. There are over 530 acres that include seven miles of trails winding along a cliff and down to the beach. Its inhabitants are eagles, herons, falcons, seals, owls; visitors include dogs, joggers and walkers. Paths also run along tall-grassy bluffs that look over Puget Sound. If this isn’t enough, there are historical homes above these bluffs, remnants from an old naval base, Fort Lawton; and there’s Daybreak Star Cultural Center, a cultural center for the United Indians of all Tribes Foundation.