Sunset Hill

Sunset Hill is a residential sub-neighborhood of Ballard, a Seattle community northwest of downtown. Specifically, it’s the western slice of Ballard, encompassing the Puget Sound coastline, and the hill that rises just east from the coast.

Let’s take a little tour.

We’ll start at the Ballard Locks, at the south end of the neighborhood, where the ships move in and out from Puget Sound to Lake Union. Let’s drive north, up Seaview Avenue--the main road in this neighborhood, running along Puget Sound. Though, if you prefer to walk or bike, you could take the paved Burke-Gilman trail parallel to the road.

Since we’re not that close to the main downtown area of Ballard, where most of the restaurants are, if we want to eat, we’ll have a few options on the coast. There’s Ray’s Café (casual lunch) and Ray’s boathouse (upscale dinner), which share a building on the water. There’s also Anthony’s, a seafood place that you’ll find in prime locations around Seattle and other Washington cities. The prices are high, but they serve in-season fresh fish, and it really is beautiful eating on the water. To grab some fries or ice cream for a snack, go to little Coney up the road.

After we eat, we’ll head north again on Seaview Ave, passing the marina, which is usually chock-full of privately owned sailboats.

At the north end of the road we arrive at Golden Gardens park! This is definitely my favorite summer hangout. Though it gets crowded (with locals, tourists don’t usually make it this far from the city center), it’s still worth it if we can find a little patch of sand to lay out our towels. The sand isn’t the most pure, because it has some ash mixed in from the campfire rings scattered around the beach. These campfire rings are #superpopular in the summer, and if you want to get one, you’ll have to arrive in the morning to stake your claim. But it’s worth it; there aren’t many places in a city where you can enjoy a campfire on the beach as you watch the sun set across the water! And on the other side of Puget Sound, you can see the Olympic Peninsula, with the Olympic Mountains jutting upwards. They make a gorgeous silhouette at dusk.

The only downside about the park is that there are train tracks that run right through it, a few hundred feet from the beach, which can be loud and less-than-peaceful.

Though the main feature of Golden Gardens is the beach, there’s also a steep, seemingly endless set up stairs that takes us up, up, up, the hill rising sharply from the beach. But when we get to the top, a reward! No, not a view, unfortunately. Coffee! There’s a little coffee shop called Caffe Fiore that’s all-organic. The perfect energy boost to head back down the stairs.

Let’s hop back in the car and drive around the neighborhood some more. As we cruise around some of the side streets, you’ll notice that besides the park and a few eating places, Sunset Hill is really just residential. The majority are single-family homes complete with garage and garden. It makes for a pleasant and walkable neighborhood where you imagine neighbors actually do know each other. It can be a comfortable part of town if you’re seeking a single-family home, but being on a hill, quite a few places have views of the water, which keeps the prices very high. So though many families would love to live here, the high costs means that only those who are relatively well-off can afford it. If you’re just seeking an apartment, you won’t find many here.

On 67th street, we’ll pass the Nordic Heritage Center, a museum about the cultures of the Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, and Icelandic people. Why Nordic? When white people arrived in Seattle, a Nordic community decided to settle in the Ballard area, though it was originally used by the Duwamish for fishing. I recommend the Heritage Center’s annual Yulefest, a weekend-long arts and crafts fair held at the museum, with food and music to boot.

Well, that ends our tour. For more info about the neighborhood, check out the reviews on Ballard!

Who knew there was a beach in Seattle! As the name suggests, Sunset Hill has amazing Seattle sunsets. The neighborhood just west of Ballard is home to a variety of homes, a few cozy areas for restaurants, and one great beach. The homes in Sunset Hill are a mix of a few apartments, but mostly single family homes.

The biggest draw to Sunset Hill is Golden Gardens park, home to one of the best beaches in Seattle and the only (public) sandy beach that I’m aware of. The park is pretty large, but in the summer months draws a crowd every day and fills up fast. Finding a parking spot can require a long walk. Be sure to get there extra early if you want to have your own fire pit. It goes without saying that the sunset from Golden Gardens is top notch. Technically the Locks are in Sunset Hill, but since they’re unofficially named the “Ballard Locks” I’ll skip talking about that park in this review.

As far as restaurants goes, you’ll find more of a selection in Ballard, but Sunset Hill has some real gems. Most of the eateries are along the water, including Ray’s Boathouse, a Seattle seafood staple. There used to be a Paseo, the famous sandwich shop, but that location has closed during the change in ownership and no date has been set for a reopening. There are also a few restaurants and cafes on 32nd Ave near 65th Ave.

Here are some great Sunset Hill eateries that I enjoy:

Ray’s Boathouse Café – Be sure to sit outside in the summer months and take in the sea and mountain views.

Portage Bay – A Seattle breakfast staple, with a wonderful fresh fruit toppings bar.

Red Mill Totem House – Great burgers and milk shakes. Try the onion rings!

Ristorante Picolinos – A cute little Italian restaurant. I recommend sitting outside in the patio.


If you’re a renter, living in Sunset Hill has its limitations, there are only a few apartment buildings and most are dated units without modern amenities. Ballard is a better choice for renters and is very close. If you are looking to buy a home in Sunset Hill, it is a wonderful neighborhood, but inventory is scarce and prices are high. According to Zillow data the average home in Sunset Hill sells for close to $700,000, and those with views are easily double that.

Who is Sunset Hill great for? Families with deep pockets looking for a quiet neighborhood with amazing views and close to all that Ballard has to offer.

Everyone should visit Sunset Hill to check out Golden Gardens.

Sunset Hill is pretty uppity. It’s an area that’s close enough to be sucked into the mini-city that is Ballard, but the residents simply won’t have it and have done all they can to formalize a separation, even if the common knowledge is that they’re one in the same. The community derives its name from the Sunset Hill Viewpoint Park, which is aptly named for its awesome views of the Olympic Mountains, Elliott Bay and Shilshole Bay. For comparison, the Golden Gates Park offers more relative seclusion, but it’s still a well-kept park that’s busy with kids when the weather is nice.

Houses in Sunset Hill are gorgeous and very well maintained. Residents get the best of all Seattle has to offer: fresh air and greenery and views of the mountains and oceans to kill for. Living in such a great area definitely comes at a price; housing costs are some of the highest in the city of Seattle.

Commerce is low-key in Sunset Hills, offering only the necessities. You’re not going to find a lot of boutiques and nightlife here—that’s what downtown is for, as far as the residents are concerned. And why wouldn’t they think that? They’re close enough to downtown to get the best of it all.

Sunset Hill is located north of Ballard. This neighborhood is beautiful. There are some very impressive views of the Puget Sound. As the name suggests, this neighborhood provides some of the best sunsets in Seattle.

Sunset Hill is close to other Seattle neighborhoods such as Ballard, Loyal Heights, and North Beach. Sunset Hill residents enjoy the expansive views of Shilshole Bay and the Olympic Mountains, as well as the enjoyment of living in a relatively peaceful area. Downtown Seattle is close by, but the pace is a little slower here. It is quiet in the neighborhood and instead of the residents listening to the humming of traffic on I-5, they savor the sounds of marine animals and animals barking in the distance. Interestingly, the barking sound comes from seals and sea lions nearby rather than dogs.

There is a small business district at the intersection of 32nd Avenue Northwest and Northwest 65th Street. Several commercial storefronts have evolved slowly over the years. For major retail therapy, head into the downtown area - you just won’t find it in Sunset Hill.