1st Ave South, Highland Park

First Ave. South runs from downtown to the northern section of Des Moines, broken up by a highway along the way. The stretch from downtown to the First Avenue Bridge is full of hidden gems, like a discount wine warehouse, ethnic bars and restaurants, quaint shops unlike any other found in the city and, of course, Safeco Field and Quest Stadium.
South of the First Avenue Bridge, you find typical suburbian shopping centers and family restaurants, hardware stores, business supply chains, veterinarian hospitals and auto parts stores. The traffic gets heavy around rush hour, but even during non-peak times, it's not that conducive to walking. The stretch between Burien and Normandy Park has very little to offer other than the beauty of nature. However, the south end of Normandy Park, before you reach Des Moines, has some great shops and restaurants. Take a little detour off of first Ave around 152nd to and wind down to Seacrest Park where you can lounge on the beach or hike along the nature trails.