Capitol Hill & First Hill

Capitol Hill is Seattle’s most unashamedly hip neighborhood, where the exceptionally rich mix with the exceptionally eccentric. While gentrification has let some of the air out of its tires, this is still Seattle’s best crash pad for dive-bar rock and roll, LGBTIQ+ mirth and on-trend dining. More straitlaced First Hill is home to an art museum and multiple hospitals.

Street corner in Capitol Hill | STEFANO POLITI MARKOVINA / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

The Short List

APony Savoring sunset drinks on the patio that lead to all-night grinding on the dance floor at one of the city’s most popular LGBTIQ+ bars.

AElliott Bay Book Company Spending an afternoon of lazy literary immersion at Seattle’s most beloved bookstore.

ALost Lake Cafe & Lounge Enjoying a very late beer or a very early breakfast at the 24-hour Twin Peaks–themed Lost Lake Cafe.

Getting There & Around

g Metro bus 10 links Capitol Hill with downtown (Pine and 5th); bus 8 goes to the Seattle Center. To reach First Hill, catch bus 2 on the western side of 3rd Ave downtown and get off at the Swedish Medical Center.

j The First Hill Streetcar links Capitol Hill and First Hill with the International District and Pioneer Square.

d The Link light-rail line heads north to the U District and southwest to downtown (and, ultimately, Sea-Tac Airport) from Capitol Hill station.

Walking TourA Musical Education in Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill vibrates most nights to the underground sounds of Seattle. The neighborhood has witnessed quite a few musical earthquakes over the years. You won’t find any stadium rockers here, but you will find small, clammy pubs and clubs providing an ideal pulpit for the best bands and DJs you’ve never heard of.

Walk Facts

Start Zion’s Gate Records

End Baltic Room

Length 1 mile; two to four hours

`1Zion’s Gate Records`

While some record stores feel curated, Zion’s Gate Records (%206-568-5446; 1100 E Pike St; hnoon-8pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat; jFirst Hill Streetcar) is anything but. Of course, that’s all part of the charm. Drop in ready to work your fingers, picking through records in search of rare LPs and 45s.

`2Wall of Sound`

Capitol Hill has more vinyl record stores than any other neighborhood. Wall of Sound (%206-441-9880; www.wosound.com; 1205 E Pike St; h11am-7pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun; g10) is an old stalwart. It’s tiny but absolutely loaded with great finds. It’s the place to go in search of more obscure and unusual stuff.

`3Century Ballroom`

For something musically different, hit the Century Ballroom (%206-324-7263; www.centuryballroom.com; 915 E Pine St; jFirst Hill Streetcar) for a drop-in salsa or swing dance class (from $16). If you’re already comfortable with your moves, you can skip the lesson and come on one of its dance nights to cut a rug in any number of styles (from $9, or included in the price of a class).

`4R Place`

The Hill is Seattle’s primary gayborhood and R Place (%206-322-8828; www.rplaceseattle.com; 619 E Pine St; h4pm-2am Mon-Fri, from 2pm Sat & Sun; jFirst Hill Streetcar) is one of its most flamboyant but all-round welcoming perches – a pub-cum-club-cum-entertainment emporium. The action is spread over three floors. Stick to the ground floor if you like it low-key. Higher-up it gets progressively saucier with dancing, drag and bellowing karaoke.

`5Baltic Room`

Capitol Hill clubbers like the Baltic Room (%206-625-4444; www.balticroom.com; 1207 Pine St; cover varies; h9pm-2am Thu, 8pm-4am Fri & Sat; g10) for its classy airs – luxuriously high ceilings, paper lanterns on the balcony, the works. But don’t let that genteel description fool you: this is a place to let loose on the dance floor. Come for DJs spinning bumping tracks or the occasional live band.

Pike-Pine Corridor

The Pike–Pine corridor is where Capitol Hill matriculates when it’s time to get out and about. You’ll find more watering holes and dancetoriums here than you’ll know what to do with.