Seattle/South

Rainier Ave S. and Martin Luther King Jr. Way are the two main thoroughfares that run north and south through the district. Interstates 5 and 90 is the major highway through Seattle and offers several convenient exits into South Seattle.

• The Link light rail is a clean and timely way to travel to South Seattle, with trains running every 10 minutes for most of the day. The line runs from the University of Washington through Downtown to Seatac Airport with several stops in the South Seattle area, including Beacon Hill, Mount Baker, Columbia City, Othello and Rainier Beach.

• King County Metro bus routes #7 and #42 travel along Rainier and MLK, respectively, with frequent service seven days a week; the 7 is also one of the few routes to operate between 1 and 5AM. The #36 travels the length of Beacon Hill with connections at the Beacon Hill light rail station. East-west bus service is limited to local routes.

Like most of Seattle, attitudes towards bikers are fairly generous and there is a fair amount of built in bike lanes but some of the hills can be intimidating to unaccustomed cyclists. There are several popular bike trails through south Seattle including Lake Washington Boulevard which is a scenic, approximately 8-mile (13-km) route through Seattle that hugs Lake Washington. There are views of the lake, small sections of rainforest, meadows, and views of the Cascade mountains. From the north end at Coleman Park (just south of Interstate 90)the trail runs all the way to Seward Park in the south. Bike maps can be obtained from the city here.

• Lakewood Marina, 4500 Lake Washington Blvd S, ☏ +1 206-722-0660. Tu-Sa 11AM - 5PM 24-hour security gate with tenant access, Summer hours 10AM - 5PM Memorial Day—Labor Day. limited guest moorage is available on this Lake Washington marina north of Seward Park which includes a small craft boat launch. Not near any facilities except parks so other transport should be arranged. 
• Seward Park creates a small protected harbor on the north shore that is popular for overnight moorage, especially in the summers.

• Northwest Seaplanes, 860 W. Perimeter Road, Renton, toll-free: +1-800-690-0086. provides scheduled and charter seaplane flights to destinations from South Lake Washington, near South Seattle to the San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island, and British Columbia’s Inside Passage. They operate 4 planes each offering six seats. 

Designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm in Seattle's early days, park planners across the country recognize Seattle's park system as one of the best preserved and best designed in the United States. More importantly, while many eastern cities have only one or two Olmsted-designed parks, Seattle has an extensive multi-park plan linked by boulevards. It is this legacy that makes Seattle one of the most livable spots in the country including Jefferson and Seward parks in South Seattle.

• 🌍 Jefferson Park, 3801 Beacon Ave S, 98108 (on Beacon Hill half a mile south of the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station). 4AM - 11:30PM. Seattle's sixth largest park at 45.2 acres and offers unparalleled views of the Duwamish River, downtown and the Olympic Mountains. It is the home to the Jefferson Park Golf Course, Jefferson Park driving range, Jefferson Skatepark, tennis courts (lighted), basketball courts, the Jefferson Community Center, Jefferson Lawn Bowling, and Beacon Mountain an ecologically oriented playscape with a water park in the summer. 
• 🌍 Seward Park. The entire park is a large peninsula that is surrounded by Lake Washington. Kids activities in the summer, great scenery, and a 2 and half mile paved level path that circles the whole peninsula, are a few of the attractions. 

• 🌍 Kubota Gardens, 9817 55th Ave S, ☏ +1 206 684-4075. Daily 6AM-10PM. In 1927 Fujitaro Kubota bought 5 acres (20,000 m²) of logged-off swampland in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle and began his garden. Kubota Garden has since grown into a stunning 20-acre (81,000 m²) landscape that blends Japanese garden concepts with native Northwest plants. Kubota was a horticultural pioneer when he began merging Japanese design techniques with North American materials in his display garden in 1927. The Gardens are a spectacular setting of hills and valleys, interlaced with streams, waterfalls, ponds, bridges, and rock outcroppings with a rich array of plant material. Free. (updated Jul 2017)

Like the rest of Seattle, South Seattle takes its coffee very seriously. Although there are several chain coffee shops like Starbucks, for the genuine experience visit one of these shops to rub elbows with the locals. Many of the establishments listed above (e.g. Tutta Bella, Columbia City Bakery) are also excellent for coffee.

• Empire Espresso, 3829-A South Edmunds St, ☏ +1 206 659-0588. Columbia City Coffee. 
• The Station, 1600 S Roberto Maestas Festival St (50 meters north of the Beacon light rail station), ☏ +1 206-931-1357. Daily 7AM-5PM. cozy neighborhood coffee shop with friendly owners and nice revolving art shows. 
• Victrola Coffee Roasters, 3215 Beacon Ave S (1/4 mile south of Beacon light rail station). neighborhood coffee shop limited food and cool map of Beacon Hill on the wall. 

Seattle is well known for its local craft beers and most pubs carry a variety of local breweries so don't be afraid to ask your server when you want to try something new. Georgetown Brewery is a south Seattle based brewer so look for their varieties such as Manny's and Lucille.

• Columbia City Ale House, 4914 Rainier Ave S, ☏ +1 206 723-5123. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight. Many local beers on tap and food specials that change out weekly. All their food is made in house, fresh, no microwaves, no heat lamps and no deep-fryers. (updated Oct 2015)
• El Quetzal Bar, 3209 Beacon Ave S (a few blocks south of Beacon Hill light rail station), ☏ +1 206 329-2970. Full bar connected to El Quetzal Restaurant but with its own menu and unique drink specials. 
• Lottie's Lounge. A neighborhood-centric lounge with full food menu and inspired original cocktail specials. 
• The Bourbon. Located in the same building as the Columbia City Theatre, with a full bar menu, occasional DJs and karaoke night. 
• The Oak (3 blocks south of the Beacon Hill light rail station). Located on Beacon Hill this bar boasts a wide selection of local craft beers, mixed drinks and a well developed menu. 
• 🌍 Perehelion Brewery, 2800 16th Ave. S. (Across the street from Beacon Hill light rail station.), ☏ +1 206 200-3935, les@perihelion.beer. Beautiful and comfortable brewery on Beacon Hill. Live music, outdoor seating, and creative Northwest pub food. (updated Aug 2020)