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    Recommended Reviews - Capitol Hill

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    A random street poll in Capitol Hill
    Shayla B.

    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.

    Pride
    Lucky S.

    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.

    Capitol Hill...where the corner posts often wear wigs too.
    Alden C.

    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.

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    Photo of Matt S.
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    2 years ago

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

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    3 years ago

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

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Capitol Hill

    Review Highlights - Capitol Hill

    The rainbow crosswalks are great and it seems like a fun area for late night activities.

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    Fremont Troll

    Fremont Troll

    (836 reviews)

    Fremont

    A fun experience, a bit off the beaten path in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle…read more We ventured from downtown to check out the troll. Very easy access via a city bus route. After a short stroll down a well-designed dirt path, we found the giant troll. The troll is great for photos and has a sign that describes the history of the troll. My kids enjoyed climbing around the area, too. Facing the opposite direction from the troll is a very cool bridge that creates some awesome cathedral-like architecture. There is lots to do in Fremont, and even though the troll is kind of a one-and-done deal, it's worth checking out simply to explore the rest of the neighborhood and awesome surrounding businesses. Enjoy your troll hunt!

    A visit to the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge is a fun and quirky Seattle stop. Sculpted in…read more1990 by four artists after a competition launched by the Fremont Arts Council to help combat the garbage and clutter that had been collecting under bridges, the troll has become one of the city's most iconic public art pieces. It's a great destination to bring out-of-town visitors--like me--to check out another troll! As a fan of the whimsical trolls created by Thomas Dambo, this was a must-see. Street parking is available nearby, making it an easy stop while exploring the neighborhood. I'd personally recommend not climbing on the troll due to safety concerns, although many people were doing so when we visited. Either way, it's a unique photo opportunity and a classic Seattle experience.

    Sky View Observatory - Elevator entrance

    Sky View Observatory

    (555 reviews)

    Downtown

    We were able to purchase timed tickets earlier on the same day to access the observation deck and…read morelounge near sunset. We timed it for a half-hour prior to sunset and wish we'd made it an hour before since it was a wait at times to capture photos due to so many people. The views were incredible and very enjoyable to walk the entire outer deck perimeter and then go inside to the lounge. The interior space was exciting to see clear glass floors with views of the gears working to rotate the outer lounge. It was a disconcerting feeling to walk on the glass, but definitely a memorable experience. We easily wandered around the observatory for at least an hour. Would have liked to maybe grab a drink and sat for a while, but it was fairly crowded. There is also a restaurant space if visitors want a dining experience with a fantastic view.

    If you're thinking about going to Sky. View or the Space Needle for the view, I highly recommend…read moreSky View. I (unfortunately) paid $24 for parking right in the Columbia Center although there is street parking and other lots near/around Columbia Center. When I came around 4:30pm on a weekday, the building was dead - the food court was all closed. After scanning your ticket, you get in the elevator that takes you to the 73rd floor. Everything is indoors and you get a 360 view of the PNW. It's great if you're able to catch the sunset on a cloud free day. If you get the cafe voucher, you can combine them together to spend on food, drinks, or souvenirs. The space is a little dated but the views are worth it. Overall, a better option for PNW views than the Space Needle however there's no outdoor area.

    Capitol Hill - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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