WELCOME TO ALKI: Seattle’s Original Beach Community
The oldest neighborhood in Seattle (established when the first White settlers landed at Alki Point in 1851 to be welcomed by the Duwamish Chief Sealth) and the westernmost, Alki is bordered on the north and west by Puget Sound, on the east by North Admiral, and on the south by West Seattle (Alaska) Junction. The housing stock includes a mix of single-family houses with condos, apartment buildings and townhouses, in a coastal village setting peppered with petite pocket parks and family-owned restaurants.
No path in all of Seattle is as beloved as the 3.7-mile flat, paved, multi-use Alki Trail, ideal for rollerblading, skateboarding, walking, running, and biking. The long sliver of sandy beach (the first bathing beach on the West Coast), with picture-postcard views of the Seattle skyline, offers kayak and paddleboard rentals, beach volleyball courts, casual eateries serving fish and chips, tacos, burgers and other beachy fare, and fire pits for bonfires on long summer evenings with epic sunsets.
Nature lovers appreciate Alki for the sightings of Salish Sea fauna including orcas and gray whales, and occasionally dolphins and humpback whales; Alki has been a Certified Wildlife Habitat since 2009. Emma Schmitz Memorial Outlook, a mile south of Alki Point, provides a scenic sea wall for observation on the “Whale Trail.”
The Log House Museum’s relics and artifacts from the pioneer era teach about early settler history. In another nearby log structure, the landmarked 1904 Alki Homestead, critically acclaimed chef Mike Easton serves gourmet handmade pasta in a charming rustic setting. The refurbished Alki Bath House (remnant of a sprawling 1911 waterfront pavilion) offers community programming, event space, and facility rental. For several decades early in the last century Duwamish Head was the site of a Coney Island-style boardwalk amusement park called Luna Park. In the summer Alki Beach still retains something of its carnival spirit, while most of the year remains tranquil. Except for work, residents find they rarely need to leave West Seattle, as most errands can be accomplished in Alki or in the neighboring West Seattle Junction.
Real estate data for Alki show a steady upward trend with minor fluctuations. Because of its popularity among a broad demographic swath (singles, well-heeled professional couples, and active retirees), Alki will undoubtedly continue to thrive and trend upward. Prized by both renters and buyers for its idyllic coastal lifestyle within easy reach of SeaTac Airport and key medical services in Seattle, Alki suffers from a shortage of waterfront properties. When they appear on the market such properties are quickly acquired – by both locals and those from other coastal areas including California, often as second, summertime homes. West-facing waterfront is altogether rare in Seattle and extremely desirable for its promise of spectacular orange sunsets and lengthened summer.
