Capitol Hill’s residents enjoy easy access to North Seattle across the bridge and Downtown Seattle and South Lake Union to the west. Although it’s hyper-connected to the rest of the city, Cap Hill (as it is colloquially referred to) has managed to retain a colorful, eclectic style all its own. Here you’ll find a refreshing, youthful energy grounded in a storied past.
Modern Capitol Hill got its start in the 1970’s, during Seattle’s economic slump, which sowed the seeds for Capitol Hill’s counterculture communities to grow. Artists, musicians, activists have made Cap Hill their home, and shaped the neighborhood’s personality today.
This neighborhood is a delightful combination of juxtapositions.
Capitol Hill is a place of nooks and crannies. Each block offers something unexpected, strange, and captivating. Recent years and tech booms have brought significant change upon the neighborhood, and now Cap Hill’s residents hang out at the same coffee shops as computer programmers and multi-millionaires. Wherever you go, you’ll find alternative next to mainstream, casual next to luxurious, and history next to modernity.
Living in Capitol Hill is best suited for those who come alive at night -- entertainment and nightlife abound on every street corner.
The eclectic energy of the area attracts active, diverse professionals who prefer to burn the candle at both ends; many work in the day and venture out to explore at night. Residents can choose from coffeehouses, microbreweries, taverns, bars, and fringe theaters to find their favorite way to spend a Saturday evening. Those more inclined towards mornings will find many up-and-coming boutique fitness studios to choose from, including Pure Barre, the cult Australian franchise F45, and more yoga studios than you can name. All areas of the neighborhood are easily accessible by public transportation, with a Link Light Rail Station located conveniently on Broadway and bus stops on nearly every street. Boasting a walk score of 91, a transit score of 80, and a bike score of 85, Capitol Hill is easy to navigate and at the center of everything.
There’s always something new to experience.
Walk down the street in the summer and you’ll see cafe and restaurant seating spill onto the sidewalk while people sip on Papo Rosa at Cafe Pettirosso or margaritas on the Mezcaleria Oaxaca rooftop. Whether you’re looking for grilled pineapple on tacos (re: Tacos Chukis) or an entire braised lamb shank (Sitka & Spruce), Cap Hill will provide. Rain or shine, you can find the Capitol Hill Farmers Market open every Sunday year round, peddling fresh produce, artisanal baked goods, and hot tamales, not to mention frequent dog sightings. And after visiting the farmer’s market, there is a plethora of unique small businesses to duck into, from indie bookstores like Twice Sold Tales on Harvard Ave, to record stores and vintage consignment shops.
Your own secret corner of the neighborhood.
Yes, the options are unlimited on Capitol Hill. You may never have to visit the same brunch spot twice. But you’ll truly feel like a local the moment you find the bottomless mimosa that’s just right, the one keeps you going back again and again. It’s hard to say exactly what will be your “go-to”. It might be Lost Lake, the vintage 24-hour diner on 10th Ave or simply a stroll through serene Volunteer Park. Once you find your “spot”, you will see why people like to flock to this neighborhood and stay a while.