It was Tuesday morning and it had just rained. Dark clouds already passed through. Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam songs fit my mood. I walked along Broadway. The asphalt and sidewalks were damp. Metal hatch covers, slippery. The grass and trees were watered. It's about time. Coffee shops were open. Bars were closed. The streets were quiet. People were still sleeping or just waking up. I wanted to reminisce. Contemplate. Recharge. Dream. Find inspiration. It always works when I'm here. ----- Cookie cutter mixed-use developments have taken over Broadway. They lack character and personality. I love old buildings, Beaux-Arts style buildings. Sign up for a Seattle Architecture Foundation tour if you're interested in Craftsman, Queen Anne, and Tudor homes. They're hiding around the residential areas. Old money. Capitol Hill is a historically LGBTQ+ neighborhood. You'll see rainbow-painted sidewalks. Flags on windows and walls. Pride festivals are held here in the summer. Nightlife is quite the experience. "When I was 21, it was a very good year." ;) Makeup on. Nails done. High heels. Looking cute. Dancing, laughing, drinking, staying up late. How did I get home? Smartphones weren't mainstream yet...Thank you very much, Universe! The music scene. Macklemore and Sir Mix-a-Lot filmed their music videos up here. The Jimi Hendrix statue. Neumos. Kpop Nara. Spin Cycle. Live music in bars and lounges. Public art is sprinkled everywhere: Dance Steps, tile patterns along storefronts, murals on buildings. Portland has Powell's. We have Elliott Bay Bookstore Co., my favorite bookstore. The first Starbucks Reserve Roastery is here. I forget which street they're on--Shall we play the Pike or Pine game? :p I'd rather go to a local mom-and-pop coffee shop though. Plenty of restaurants to choose from. Seattle Central College students must be fed. Dick's and Tacos Chukis are my cheap eats. M2M and QFC are grocery stores off Broadway. Trader Joe's and Safeway are further out. Cal Anderson Park. The Waterworks fountain is here as well as a baseball field, a tennis court, and a basketball court. The Capitol Hill Farmers Market pops up just north of the park on Denny Way. Volunteer Park. It has the conservatory, an amphitheater, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Isamu Noguchi's "Black Sun", The Water Tower, and a reservoir (love those sunsets). The park was named in commemoration of the volunteer soldiers of the Spanish-American War. Not sure if a name change is in the works but a controversial plaque was quietly removed in 2021. Lake View Cemetery is north of Volunteer Park. Pay your respects to Bruce and Brandon Lee. Kikisoblu (Princess Angeline), daughter of Chief Sealth, is here. John Nordstrom (Flagship store is off Pine between 5th & 6th. I love Nordy's!). Madame Lou Graham (Take Bill Speidel's Underground Tour if you want to learn more about her). The Denny Party. Doc Maynard. Thomas Mercer. Henry Yesler. Carson Boren. Do these names sound familiar to you? Yep, street names in Seattle. Transportation options include the Sound Transit light rail, the First Hill Streetcar, and Metro buses. I don't recommend driving here unless you absolutely have to. This is a high density area and not vehicle-friendly. You'll spend much of your time driving in circles trying to find a parking spot and when you do, you'll have to pay a pretty penny. I keep my head on a swivel. Earbuds out. On Capitol Hill you're dealing with bikes, scooters, vehicles, uneven sidewalks, buses, garbage, ambulance, construction, street cars, delivery trucks, escalators, stairs, dog poop. I've been yelled at, unprovoked, by druggies and homeless people so many times I can't even keep count. It's an unfortunate reality but I won't stop going to Capitol Hill though. The good outweighs the bad. read more

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Historically, Cap Hill is a gayborhood, and like its brethren around other American cities, gentrification has begun to seep in. Of course, this means their foodie culture is amazing. For being in such a cool city, they have a surprising amount of bespoke ice cream parlors. On the same block, I've had Michelin-level fine dining and I've had diner breakfast at the same local joint a friend's been going to since childhood. Local, non-chain businesses abound, but they also have boutique workout studios and chains that cater to the curated "alternative" lifestyle so popular today. Uniforms are sold at the Urban Outfitters. It takes some work to be this effortless. Cap Hill has its own branch of Seattle Public Library. Flowers bloom in the summer months. Rent is high and people are protesting it. In some parts of the neighborhood, the crosswalks are rainbow, matching the colorful style of the people who live here. You'll have no problem finding rainbow flags and non-gendered bathrooms. There are art and culture institutions to visit. On Friday nights, adults gather for dodgeball on the Bobby Morris Playfield. People walk their dogs, skateboard, and parallel park on the street. You can learn social dances by following the foot charts built into some of the sidewalks. It's a lively neighborhood to walk around, catch a drag brunch or a rooftop drink, or brunch like an influencer. Look for the local. read more

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Capitol Hill is a bustling, busy area that reminded me of the Gaslamp District in San Diego. There are lots of shops, bars, and restaurants in the area so there's plenty to do and see. My friends and I walked around the area on a Saturday evening and I was a little surprised it wasn't busier, to be honest. The bars we checked out had no lines or wait and East Trading Co was actually pretty empty. No complaints here, I don't mind avoiding some crowds. The rainbow crosswalks are great and it seems like a fun area for late night activities. The area was pretty clean and I felt safe. We took an Uber but it doesn't seem like there is a lot of parking available so keep that in mind. read more

Capitol Hill - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

If San Francisco's Castro District and the city of Berkeley had a baby... mm hmm, yep! That's Capitol Hill ALL day! And, that's Capitol with an "O" not an "A", thank you very much! Wow, I'm kind of smitten. I absolutely loved hanging in this part of Seattle and wished that I could have spent waaay more time here. This is my kind of vibe. This part of town is so mellow, care free, hipsterish, and refreshingly eclectic. You'll be surrounded by adorable boutique shops, mom and pop restaurants and cafes, unique bars, and great places for cheap eats in the city! I can forget to mention the stunning architecture! The homes are beautiful and very reminiscent of San Francisco as every home and building is very unique, colorful, and different. I adore the gay-friendly vibes. Similar to the Castro District, they have many crosswalks that are painted in rainbow colors and many of the shops have rainbow colored flags hanging in and around their buildings. They have a whole host of great places that offer cheap eats. The bar game is serious! So many enticing bars and the perfect area to bar hop. Coffee shops galore and no shortage of Starbucks either (which makes sense since Seattle is their origin). They've got street polls covered in magazine posts with crazy political jargon (reminded me of Berkeley for some reason). The free-spiritedness of Capitol Hill is just so electrifying. It was so nice to see. When I'm back in Seattle, I will make it a point to return here to do some more exploring. If you're looking for a fun and hip area to hang out at, Capitol Hill is that place. read more

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Another highlight of Seattle. Recommend for those who have some time during their visit in Seattle. Large Pride presense here also.

Cool place to walk around with lots of diverse shops and restaurants. Parking is awful.

Good neighborhood. Great restaurants and late night activities . Parking is hard so I suggest taking the light rail

Hip, groovy, sexy, fun, eclectic, unique and very queer friendly are just a few adjectives that come to mind if you were to ask me to describe the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. I enjoyed the quaint boutiques, the hole in the wall dives and delicious eateries on my visit and I look forward to exploring more of this area on the future. read more

Capitol Hill - Pride - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I first encountered the Capitol Hill neighborhood while visiting Seattle in the early 2000's. Back then I thought it was a quirky, artsy gay mecca and I fell in love with the neighborhood instantly and did a massive shopping spree in all of the independently owned boutiques. I immediately wanted to leave Colorado and move to Seattle. It wasn't a passing phase either and in the mid 2000's I returned. I was in a relationship at that point so I needed to get approval that BOTH of us would want to live here. I desperately hoped so. That person was Steve. It took him a while to warm up to the idea and after a solo soul searching trip to the area later he decided that it was ok for BOTH of us to move here. I might be getting a little ahead of myself... during our mid 2000's trip I told Steve that it was essential that we visit Capitol Hill. The five or six years that passed I really did notice a difference in it's appearance. The lovable grit was lessened as a more corporate presence was taking place here...gentrification which has increased in the neighborhood exponentially. I have a suspecting feeling that before my first visit to Capitol Hill it was probably even more eclectic years and decades before my visit. Many of the charming businesses that were here simply couldn't keep up with how expensive the neighborhood became in regards to the rent and either had to move or close. Don't get me wrong...Capitol Hill is still very quirky. There are lots of street performers, delicious people watching and everything else that made me fall in love with the neighborhood...it is just lessened from what it was. The neighborhood is still very gay and gay friendly as well even though an increase of hate crimes have increased here in recent years the local businesses are pushing back by making LGBT safe places indicated with stickers and other signs that LGBT are welcome...especially since they seem to be the ones that first put the neighborhood on the map! Much of this is many newcomers moving to the city and getting jobs in the tech sector or with Amazon which is causing an unfortunate shift in these incidents. Seattle will always be liberal and gay friendly but it is unfortunate that a safe haven that was solid in LGBT safety is not as solid as it once was. The gayborhood phenomenon is fading in general as well so it's not just gentrification at work here that is making Capitol Hill different. This is a mixed bag of feelings for me as demographically LGBT is becoming more accepted in suburbs( which is good) but the vibrant talent and color that make up gayborhood so delightful is being lessened as well which is sad. Despite all these changes over the years Capitol Hill IS still worth going to. Definitely come here on a weekend if you can. The people watching is ripe and there are all kinds of interesting bars and restaurants that are worth trying as well as fun retail shops that have unique merchandise...despite these places being mixed in with more corporate names. read more

Capitol Hill - Capitol Hill...where the corner posts often wear wigs too. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is a great area to walk around, see shops & grab a bite to eat. Lots of places to grab a beer or get some street food. Rainbow crosswalks, neon lights, good people watching. The main issue is finding parking. Good luck trying to find a place to park remotely close to the shops. read more

Oh, Capitol Hill! One of the more well known neighborhoods that creeps into the surrounding parts of the city spreading gay pride and delicious cocktails. Over the years this part of town has gone through a number of changes, some for the good, sold for the bad. Always continuing to provide a new outlet for self expression and relaxed lifestyles that are so alluring to immigrants. The people who knew it in the 90s see very little of their neighborhood left now, but that doesn't mean the neighborhood died. With great corporate cash flows comes great consequences, and the change over the years have swallowed up older locations in favor or more 'trendy' spots. The neighborhood is still a really great place to spend the afternoon, and if I was looking to live downtown, this would be at the top of my list of places to live. The people relaxing at the parks, playing games, walking between their favorite eateries, and those laughing at other foolish enough to drive can still be great company in the neighborhood. I'd call this Seattle's Disney World because you can spend a lifetime exploring this neighborhood and still find something magical you had never seen before in places you thought you knew well. read more

Super nice neighborhood with a lot houses, restaurants, bars and dives. I recommend you checking it out when you're in Seattle. Thanks.

Capitol Hill is great, fun and always changing. For me its not as good as it used to be. It's still five stars though. Whether I'm checking out Volunteer Park, walking along Broadway or along Pike/Pine its always great for people watching and just seeing what's there. I've had some great times up there, eating at Dicks (not amazing but good, and fun,) catching a movie and just hanging out. Tip, check out the dance step diagrams on Broadway. read more

This Seattle neighborhood seems to be constantly changing yet manages to stay as familiar and accessible to anyone regardless of who they are or where they come from. You will find so many restaurants, you won't even know where to begin, the bar scene is flooded with a variety of options from run down dives to fancy cocktail bars and there's even a few nightclubs available if you want to have your drinks with a little dancing on the side. Capitol (Not Capital!) Hill is bursting with culture, identity, and civic pride. So much so that crosswalks have been painted with rainbow stripes, historic buildings have been saved from certain destruction (some of them anyway), and the annual block party is one of the biggest music related events in all of Seattle. On the flip side of this is the aforementioned change which is the one constant you can depend on more than anything else. Businesses rise and fall quicker than the clouds floating over them, long time residents are displaced as rents and property values continue to rise, and new demographics take over where others have left off. During the five years I lived on the Hill, I spent a lot of time watching movies, eating, drinking, hanging out at places Cal Anderson Park, or just wandering the area looking for something fun to do. While Broadway is well known to most people thanks to a 1980's rap song by local favorite Sir Mix a Lot, the Pike/Pine corridor is really where most of the action is. A few of my favorite places along this stretch would be Lil' Woody's and Big Mario's for food as well as Unicorn and Baltic Room for nightlife and Rumba for both food and beverages alike. You will also find the Egyptian Theater in the same general area and I have spent countless hours watching so many movies at what is easily one of my favorite theaters in all of Seattle. Who knows if I will ever live on Capitol Hill again, but it will always be home to so many amazing memories and I plan on spending many more days and nights enjoying everything it has to offer. read more

DONT come here for a Gaycation. This IS NOT a gay City or Area. Every place has a gay flag hanging and painted rainbow cross streets but it's just marketing for gay tourist money. 95% of Cap Hill is straight. The gay population seems to be only online in seattle. Minus 3 actual gay bars East of 12th ave. NYC, LA, Miami, SF, Chitown have actual gay areas and communities. I recommend looking at them if you want nightlife and a safe gay community Gaycation. Or Vancouver and Canada cities. As for Capitol Hill very clean, people are friendly enough. The food options are pricey but almost all of them are good. Everything is easy to walk to in Capitol Hill and Seattle. read more

Great part of town! There are so many great restaurants that I couldn't possibly list them all here. It's a super awesome walking neighborhood with parks and fun shops too. I love Capitol Hill in Seattle! It reminds me of the best parts of San Francisco. read more

Capitol Hill is were groovy meets sexy, and grungy meets high end. There is every variety of people on the hill, including: guys, lesbians, transgendered, and straight folks. You will find antique shops, book shops, every variety of coffee house (my favorite is Victrola Coffee and Khalidi Brothers), eateries (Chinese, vietnemease, Italian, Greek, Indian, vegetarian, organic, American, and everything in between), and bars galore (gay, straight, and lesbian). The shopping is excellent and you will find every type of eclectic shop known to human kind. If you get sick there are many hospitals nearby. Transportation is easy with the transit system and subways, and this is a truly walkable area. If you need something conventional, there are regular brand name shops in the nearby Westlake mall in the downtown area. read more

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