Seattle/Capitol Hill-Central District

Capitol Hill is Seattle's most densely populated neighborhood and the heart of the city's counterculture. Lying directly east of the downtown retail core, Capitol Hill is unofficially bounded to the east by 23rd Ave, to the west by Interstate 5, to the south by E Union St, and to the north by E Interlaken Blvd. Included here is the neighboring district of First Hill, immediately to the south adjacent to Downtown.

The Central District is located southeast of the downtown area of Seattle and is bordered by the International District, First Hill, and Capitol Hill. It's the traditional center of Seattle's African-American population, and it has attracted young first-time homeowners from throughout the city because of the undervalued property, creating a boom in new home construction and new business. Nonetheless, it is still the center of Black culture in Seattle and has the highest concentration of black residents in the Pacific Northwest, with African-Americans making up 51% of the population. It also has a significant Ethiopian population, whose restaurants and shops lend the area an interesting character.

Also included here are the chain of small, residential neighborhoods to the east, running along the shore of Lake Washington. From north to south, they are: Montlake, Madison Park, Madison Valley, Madrona, and Leschi. Continuing south past Interstate 90 (partially hidden in a tunnel) leads into South Seattle's Beacon Hill and Mt. Baker neighborhoods.

Understand
Capitol Hill is the most densely populated neighborhood in the city. Historically, the hill was where you would find the homes of the merchants who made their wealth from Seattle's early growth, living in grand houses that overlooked the working-class homes of the valleys below. In the 1960s, much of the neighborhood was up-zoned for apartments built to house the influx of visitors expected for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, and many of these mid-century modern apartment buildings survive to this day.

Through the 1970s, 80s, and 90s the hill became more bohemian and the center of the city's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, sprucing up the old mansions and creating a vibrant arts and music scene. Capitol Hill has also has been the center of Seattle's counterculture community for decades, serving as one of the birthplaces of the country's grunge movement in the 1980s and 90s, with Kurt Cobain and other famous grunge musicians frequenting Capitol Hill establishments. Today, Capitol Hill is still the center of Seattle's independent music community.

The Central District, known as CD, has seen many demographic shifts over the decades, and there are still areas with heavy Jewish and Japanese-American populations. By the 1970s, as many as 80% of CD residents were African-American, and it was known as a rough neighborhood marked by poverty and crime. Rising housing prices elsewhere have led to gentrification and pushed African-American residents further south into other neighborhoods, but CD is still around 20% black, and its ties to black history remain strong.

Given its proximity to the downtown offices of many major tech companies, Capitol Hill has become a playground for tech industry people with numerous restaurants, bars and music venues. Famous residents include Ben Haggerty (better known as the pop music artist Macklemore), Jerrick Hoffer (better known as comedy drag queen Jinkx Monsoon), Benjamin Putnam (better known as drag queen BenDeLaCreme) and Dan Savage, an American gay and alternative sex advice columnist who well-represents Capitol Hill's population of hipsters and homosexuals.

Popular retail districts within Capitol Hill include Broadway, the Pike/Pine corridor, and 15th Avenue E. There are a variety of restaurants, bars, music venues, clubs, boutiques, and other shops here, while the surrounding blocks are filled with condominium and apartment buildings and cafes. There are many grand old homes in "mansionland" to the north, near Volunteer Park. Capitol Hill residents are generally some of the most politically progressive in the country, exemplified by the fact that many of the 1999 WTO protests spilled from Downtown into Capitol Hill, which has had an impact on the mindset of the community.

Get in
From Downtown, it's a pleasant walk up the hill (emphasis on the "up"). Broadway is roughly a mile from the downtown retail core.

By public transit
By bus, King County Metro serves the area with numerous routes, most of which run frequently. Good options from Downtown include Routes 10 (Pine St/15th Ave E, and the most convenient option to Volunteer Park and the Asian Art Museum), 11 (Pine St/E Madison St), 43 (John St/24th Ave E), and 49 (Pine St/Broadway), all of which can be boarded along Pike Street in Downtown. First Hill is served by the 2 (continuing along Union Street out to Madrona) and the 12 (turning north on 19th Avenue into Capitol Hill). There are additional routes connecting Capitol Hill and the Central District to other parts of the city without going through downtown such as routes 8 (Lower Queen Anne/Seattle Center to Mt Baker Transit Center via Capitol Hill and Central District); 9 (Broadway/Boren/Rainier Ave to Rainier Beach in South Seattle); 48 (passes through on 24th, 23rd Ave E, and Rainier Ave E between U District and Mt Baker Transit Center); and 60 (Capitol Hill to Westwood Center in West Seattle via First Hill, Beacon Hill, Georgetown, and White Center).

The stops at the Capitol Hill Station on Broadway and E John, on its way between Downtown and the University of Washington. Entrances are at either end of Cal Anderson Park, at John Street or Pine Street. The First Hill Streetcar line runs along Broadway through Capitol Hill and First Hill, connecting the two neighborhoods to Pioneer Square and the International District.

Other

 * The rocks out on the sidewalk at the NE corner of E Pine Street and Broadway, Seattle being the birthplace of Hendrix.

Do
The northern portion of the Arboretum includes several small islands, and on one of Seattle's characteristically lovely summer days, exploration by water is enjoyable. Watercraft rentals are available from two locations in the University District just across the Ship Canal.

Buy
Window shopping is a great way to explore Capitol Hill's numerous shops; the best areas for a shopping stroll are the north end of Broadway (from Olive/John St up to Roy St) and the densely-packed Pike/Pine St corridor. Clothing stores abound, whether you're looking for boutiques, consignment, or thrift stores (several of which appeared in the music video for the hit Macklemore &amp; Ryan Lewis song "Thrift Store", if you've only got $20 in your pocket). Other shops fill the gaps with vinyl records, arts and crafts supplies, accessories for your dog or cat, and other niche products.



Eat
In such dense residential areas, it's not surprising that the food scene is outstanding. Bad restaurants simply don't last long, and better ones take their place.

There's lots of good Ethiopian food in the Central District. Capitol Hill holds an outrageous number of Thai restaurants; occasionally one goes out of business and like a head of the Hydra, is immediately replaced by another one or more.

Coffee
If Seattle takes its coffee seriously, then Capitol Hill takes it very seriously. This is a good neighborhood to spend some quality time in one of Seattle's numerous coffee shops.





Bars and taverns
Bars of all styles dot the map in Capitol Hill, whether you want drinks, dancing, or even a quiet speakeasy (if you can find one). Friday and Saturday nights are busy around the Pike/Pine corridor where Capitol Hill and First Hill blend together.



LGBT
Although locals may be quick to tell you that Capitol Hill's gay bar scene "isn't what it used to be" due to social changes and gentrification, it's still very much the gayborhood of Seattle.

Stay safe
As of 2017, Seattle has a relatively low violent crime rate compared to other major U.S. cities, while its property crime rate remains among the highest. However, the neighborhood is fairly safe at daytime. Walking in the District at night is not advised.

Connect
Wireless Internet is available at nearly every coffee shop, though some disable it during peak hours on weekends to keep the crowds moving.