Georgetown & West Seattle
South of Seattle’s city center, things are decidedly more mellow, but the neighborhoods here are full of unique attractions for curious visitors. The aptly named West Seattle area is teeming with cute commercial strips and some of the best parks and beaches in the city. To the east is Georgetown, an arty enclave hammered out of a former industrial district.
The Short List
AMuseum of Flight Seeing how Homo sapiens got from the Wright Brothers to the Concorde in the space of just 66 years at this illustrious, entertaining and subtly educational museum.
AAlki Beach Park Slowing down the rhythm a couple of notches on a weekend summer’s afternoon on Alki Beach.
AGeorgetown Going on a pub crawl, or a vintage store crawl – or both – amid the redbrick bars and beer-stained history of this bohemian enclave.
Getting There & Around
g Metro buses 106 and 124 run frequently from downtown to Georgetown. The 124 carries on to the Museum of Flight. RapidRide C Line runs from downtown to West Seattle.
f Hourly water taxis leave Pier 50 from the downtown waterfront to Seacrest Park in West Seattle. There’s no weekend service in winter.
The city that spawned Boeing unsurprisingly houses one of the nation’s finest aviation museums, chronicling flight history from Kitty Hawk to Concorde. It’s a multifarious affair that includes exhibits on some of the most ingenious gravity-defying human-made objects: picture nefarious V2 rockets, Apollo lunar modules and aerodynamic gliders.
%206-764-5720
Boeing Field, 9404 E Marginal Way S
adult/child $25/16
h10am-5pm, to 9pm 1st Thu of month
c; g124
yTop Tips
AEntry is free on the first Thursday of each month from 5pm to 9pm.
AAsk at reception about free tours with an aviation expert (several times daily).
AFor an extra $3 you can watch a flying-themed film in 3D in the on-site theater.
ATake a behind-the-scenes tours of the adjacent Boeing Field (Seattle’s original airport). They run on weekends May to October and cost $25.
5Take a Break
Your best bet for refreshments is in the on-site Wings Cafe, overlooking the Boeing Field runways. It offers chunky sandwiches, salads, coffee and muffins.
yGetting There
uThe museum is south of Seattle off I-5. There is ample parking on-site.
gMetro bus 124 runs to the museum from downtown Seattle.
Great Gallery
The centerpiece of the museum is a humongous gallery filled with historic aircraft that overhang chronological exhibits on the history of flight. If you’re short on time, jump-cut to the Tower, a mock-up of an air traffic control tower overlooking the still-operational Boeing Field. Another must-see is a replica of the Wright Brothers’ original 1903 Wright Flyer. Nearby, X-Pilot simulators pitch you into a WWII dogfight; they cost an extra $9 per person.
You’ll also notice a significant part of the Great Gallery is devoted to space crafts. You can trace stories of starry voyages to the moon, Mars and beyond while studying life-size lunar modules, Viking landers and a replica of the research lab in the International Space Station.
Red Barn
Saved in the 1970s when it was floated upriver from its original location 3km away, this two-story red barn dating from 1909 was Boeing’s original manufacturing space. It is filled with the early history of flight, with a strong bias toward the Boeing business.
Aviation Pavilion & Space Gallery
The Aviation Pavilion opened in 2016 and is accessible via a modernist bridge over E Marginal Way. It displays half a dozen iconic planes that you can look inside, including a British Airways Concorde; the first jet-powered Air Force One, used by presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon; and a Boeing 727 prototype. The adjacent Space Gallery was built in 2012 to house the decommissioned Full Fuselage Trainer of the Space Shuttle. It costs an extra $30/25 per adult/child to explore the crew compartment.
1Top Sights
5Eating
7Shopping
Sights
1Alki Beach Park BEACH
Alki Beach has an entirely different feel from the rest of Seattle: on a sunny day this 2-mile stretch of sand could be confused for California. There’s a bike path, volleyball courts on the sand, and rings for beach fires. (%206-684-4075; 1702 Alki Ave SW; h4am-11:30pm; g37)
1Fogue Studios & Gallery GALLERY
This large gallery space is dedicated to the work of artists over the age of 50 and features a wide breadth of mediums – painting to pottery to abstract installations. (%206-717-5900; www.foguestudios.com; 5519 Airport Way S; admission free; h11am-6pm Wed-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; g124)
Eating
5Bakery Nouveau BAKERY $
No discussion of Seattle’s best bakery omits Bakery Nouveau. The crumbly, craggy almond and chocolate croissants are as good as they get this side of the Atlantic. Don’t take our word for it: the bakery consistently wins awards for its excellent pastries. (%206-923-0534; www.bakerynouveau.com; 4737 California Ave SW; baked goods from $2; h6am-7pm Mon-Fri, 7am-7pm Sat, 7am-6pm Sun; gRapidRide C Line)
5Ma’Ono HAWAIIAN $$
The fried chicken sandwich – served on a King’s Hawaiian roll with cabbage and a perfectly spicy sauce – at this West Seattle spot is one of the best things between two slices of bread currently available in Seattle. Treat yourself to one during the always-packed brunch, with a guava mimosa and a side of roasted sweet potato with caramelized lime. (%206-935-1075; www.maonoseattle.com; 4437 California Ave SW; mains $12-17; h5-10pm Wed, Thu & Sun, 5-11pm Fri, 9am-3pm & 5-11pm Sat; g55)
5Fonda la Catrina MEXICAN $
You’ll find a number of things in the busy confines of Fonda la Catrina, a shockingly good Mexican restaurant in industrial Georgetown. There are the colorful Day of the Dead decorations and the Diego Rivera–inspired murals, strong drinks and – most importantly – fabulous food. (%206-767-2787; www.fondalacatrina.com; 5905 Airport Way S; mains $9-14; h11am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri, 10am-11pm Sat, to 10pm Sun; g124)
5Sunfish SEAFOOD $
You haven’t really been to Alki until you’ve tried the fish-and-chips. Options include cod, halibut, salmon, fried oysters and clam strips – or combinations thereof. Sit at one of the outdoor tables and enjoy the boardwalk feel. (%206-938-4112; 2800 Alki Ave SW; fish & chips $6-14; h11am-9pm Wed-Sun; c; g775 from Seacrest Dock)
5Hangar Cafe CAFE $
No matter where you fall in the great ‘sweet or savory’ crepe debate, you’re likely to enjoy the ones at Hangar Cafe. This extremely popular Georgetown eatery specializes in the French delicacy, but also has a large menu of sandwiches and salads. (%206-762-0204; www.thehangarcafe.com; 6261 13th Ave S; mains $8-13; h7am-3pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat, to 2pm Sun; g60)
5Arthur’s AUSTRALIAN $
Drop in at this sunny cafe in rainy Seattle for a taste of modern Aussie brunch food. We’re talking big hunks of sourdough bread smothered in smashed avocado, thick-cut bacon and poached eggs, and marinated lamb sandwiches served with pints of local beer. (%206-829-8235; www.arthursseattle.com; 2311 California Ave SW; mains $10-14; h9am-10pm Mon-Thu, 9am-11pm Fri, 8am-11pm Sat, 8am-10pm Sun; 
v; g55)
5Itto’s TAPAS $$
Settle in at this tiny, well-decorated restaurant and get ready to taste plate after plate of authentic Mediterranean and North African food, such as Moroccan lemon chicken and grilled squid steak in Romesco sauce. Sundays and Mondays, when bottles of wine are half off with purchase of food, are especially popular. (%206-420-6676; www.ittostapas.com; 4160 California Ave SW; tapas $4-15; h4pm-midnight Mon-Fri, from 2pm Sat & Sun; v; gRapidRide C Line)
5Via Tribunali PIZZA $$
This small Seattle-founded chain operates in four of the city’s hipper sanctums (including Capitol Hill and Fremont) plus a couple of foreign enclaves (NYC and Portland, OR). It deals not in pizzas but pizze: crisp-crusted Italian pies that are true to the food’s Neapolitan roots. (%206-464-2880; www.viatribunali.net; 6009 12th Ave S; pizza $15-20; h11am-11pm Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri, 4pm-midnight Sat, 3-10pm Sun; g124)
Finding Food in Georgetown and West Seattle
While lighter on restaurant options than the city center neighborhoods, you’ll find more than a few pleasant dining surprises in both West Seattle and Georgetown.
West Seattle has two separate eating nexuses: the seaside boulevard backing Alki Beach and the businesses spread along California Ave SW around the so-called ‘Junction’ with SW Alaska St.
Nearly all of Georgetown’s eating joints are on or adjacent to Airport Way S.
Drinking
6West Seattle Brewing Co MICROBREWERY
The beer at the promenade-adjacent Alki Beach location of this popular microbrewery is fantastic, but it’s the experience of sitting on one of the many lounge chairs facing the water and watching bikers and dog walkers go by that brings the crowds. You’ll have to fight for a spot outside on weekends; come on a weekday afternoon for maximum relaxation. (TapShack; %206-420-4523; www.westseattlebrewing.com; 2536 Alki Ave SW; h3-9pm Tue-Fri, 1-9pm Sat & Sun; g775 from Seacrest Dock)
6Brother Joe CAFE
This trendy coffee shop mixes ultra-cool interior design (check out the giant gold faux-taxidermied rhino head and cat portraits on the wall) with a menu of interesting coffee drinks, such as the egg coffee (drip coffee, egg yolk and condensed milk). (%206-588-2859; www.brotherjoegt.com; 5629 Airport Way S; h7am-3pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat & Sun; g124)
6Outwest Bar GAY & LESBIAN
Proof that you don’t need to gravitate to Capitol Hill to enjoy a good gay-friendly neighborhood bar is this laid-back place with cocktails, burgers, DJs and regular karaoke. The vibe is friendly and casual and there are regular theme nights, such as Martini Monday and Lez Sing Wednesday (lesbian karaoke, natch). (%206-937-1540; 5401 California Ave SW; h4-10pm Sun-Tue, to midnight Wed & Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; gRapidRide C Line)
6Jules Maes Saloon BAR
You could almost absorb the beer off the wallpaper in Seattle’s oldest surviving pub: it’s been serving since 1888, when the city was a youthful 37 years old. Once a speakeasy and allegedly haunted, it’s a well-worn, comfortable, old-fashioned saloon with just the right contemporary touches: tattooed millennials at the bar, better-than-average food and a killer tap list of local microbrews. (%206-957-7766; 5919 Airport Way S; h11am-11pm Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat; g124)
Shopping
7Susan Wheeler Home VINTAGE
This newer addition to Georgetown’s small vintage row manages to find a perfect balance of pleasingly cluttered yet artfully refined. There are shelves precariously stacked full of antique plates, tables covered in crystal glassware sets and an entire corner devoted to towels and linens from around the world. Somehow there isn’t an item that doesn’t feel specially selected. (%360-402-5080; www.susanwheelerhome.com; 5515 Airport Way S; h11am-6pm Wed-Sun; g124)
7Easy Street Records & Café MUSIC
Pearl Jam once played at Easy Street, arguably Seattle’s most multifarious record store, and the business continues to sponsor regular events. Inside, young kids with elaborate tattoos mingle with graying ex-punks under a montage of retro parking signs and Nirvana posters. Proving itself to be an invaluable community resource, Easy Street has its own cafe selling food, coffee and beer. (%206-938-3279; www.easystreetonline.com; 4559 California Ave SW; h9am-9pm Mon-Sat, to 7pm Sun; gRapidRide C Line)
7Origins Cannabis DISPENSARY
Most dispensaries in Seattle have great customer service, but at this low-key West Seattle weed shop everyone is just an extra bit more friendly and attentive. If that weren’t enough, it has a large selection with fun items like locally made edibles. (%206-922-3954; www.originscannabis.com; 4800 40th Ave SW; h8am-11:30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-9pm Sun)
7Georgetown Records MUSIC
This amazing record store had the guts to open in 2004 when vinyl sales were close to an all-time low. With the format now returning to its pre-1990s glory, it’s an excellent place to score rare picture-cover 45s from obscure British 1970s punk bands (and plenty more). (%206-762-5638; www.georgetownrecords.net; 1201 S Vale St; h11:30am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 5pm Sun; g124)
Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack
Georgetown’s industrial art scene pulls together on the second weekend of each month at the Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack (http://georgetownartattack.com/wordpress). This is the best time to visit the neighborhood’s myriad galleries, some of which have rather sporadic opening hours. Almost the entire commercial strip takes part in the monthly event, which runs from 6pm to 9pm. Look for the free ‘art ride’ bus that runs up and down Airport Way S.