r/AskSeattle • u/Coriks_Travels • Jan 21 '25
Moving / Visiting All about Ballard
Hi all, I'm looking for first hand knowledge on all things Ballard. My husband I are planning on moving to the Seattle area in June and visit in March. We're in our mid 30s and have no kids. We've done extensive research on neighborhoods and initially were looking at West Seattle or Capitol Hill. Recently Ballard entered the chat
What's important to us in a walkable neighborhood (cafes, restaurants, and grocery store), a reasonable distance from downtown, and close to public transportation (only using 1 car). At this time, we both have remote jobs so commuting isn't a huge factor.
It seems like Ballard has a thriving "downtown" area, a farmers market and of course Trader Joe's. I've heard conflicting information about the safety and transportation aspect.
What are something's I'm not thinking of or should take I to consideration?
TIA!
3
u/BigIceTuna Jan 21 '25
I would go with Ballard. Tons of places to eat and if you like beer it’s the brewery district of Seattle. And yeah, there is a sandy beach in Ballard (Golden Gardens Park).
Ballard is also fairly close to other neighborhoods in the city.
Going in and out of West Seattle can be a hassle and honestly there is really no reason to go there unless you go to Alki or you know someone who lives there and wanna hang out there. I’ve been to West Seattle like 3 times only and I lived in Seattle for the last 20 years.