SeattleRobert

I live just off 30th, north of 125th. Being so close to Lake City Way and all the traffic and car dealerships and fast food, I expected it to be a noisier and busier place. But really, the street is lined with trees. The houses have hedges or fences and large front lawns, which give you a sense of relief from the urban mess just a couple blocks away.

Because it's such a great alternative to Lake City Way, there's fairly constant traffic, including a couple regular bus lines; but it's not bad. If only the city would spring to fill those potholes!

There are no residences on West Green Lake Way N, which is a real pity. This street basically runs between Green Lake Park and Woodland Park, connecting Aurora Ave with Wallingford. But with all the trees and open fields and the lake itself, it's a perfect place to start, or to finish, an afternoon's jog or bike ride. Take the dog here. Bring a date. Or, really, why bother with an excuse? Just stroll to relax and enjoy one of Seattle's jewels.

NE 137th forms a quiet residential street lined with small houses, mostly single-level, built well back from the road at a time when a decent front yard was normal. Fences and tall trees give some definition to the neighborhood.

Stretching between 15th NE and Lake City Way, this is hardly the most glamorous zip code in Seattle, and some of the homes have become rentals. But, as long as you avoid the industrial mess around Lake City Way itself, the street is peaceful, fairly walkable, and more affordable than the stylish districts that surround it.

I just moved into an apartment on NE 140th near Lake City Way. I'm surrounded by A) other apartment buildings, B) large warehouse and industrial sites, and C) streets notable for their potholes.

That said, it's remarkably quiet for being so close to a major arterial, and it's a great location to get wherever I want to go. I-5 is just minutes away, as is the shopping haven of Northgate and the peaceful retreat of Lake Washington - especially to the north.

As I was hunting for apartments, this corner of Lake City, just south of 145th and just west of Lake City Way, stood out as having the best prices in the north end. Some neighbors have described it as a bit "hood-ish" but I haven't seen any serious problems yet. The worst crime is the litter on the gravel shoulders. There's no gang tagging or other danger signs.

All things considered, it's not the nicest place I've ever lived, but it's a good value for the dollar.

This is the less commercial end of Green Lake, meaning more houses and less high-priced condos, and also fewer upscale cafes and eateries. But that means it's actually a neighborhood. Some of these people have grown up on the lake, and everyone takes great pride in living in such a beautiful part of Seattle.

The view is of trees in the park as much as it is of the water, and the jogging path stays well away from the street itself. But there's no escaping the summer traffic of lake drivers. That's just part of living around Green Lake: everyone wishes they were where you are.

Then again, if that's the worst complaint of your day, you're doing pretty well, don't you think?

Despite the name, Green Lake Way doesn't actually go around Green Lake. Instead, it offers access from Aurora to the south end of the lake. For that matter, I find it's a great way to get to Aurora (heading south) from N 50th - which is terrific if I'm trying to avoid I-5 for whatever reason.

Even if there are no views of the lake itself, there are some terrific views of the ball fields in Woodland Park north of 50th. And even if there are no views along the diagonal cut over to Aurora, it's still a decent middle-class neighborhood with some good local businesses nearby. The Kidd Valley at the corner of GLW and Stone is delish!

Whether you love the park and the lake, or want to hop over to Fremont or up to Phinney Ridge for some culture, Green Lake Way offers easy access to everywhere and everything.

It's easy to get confused by the street names around Green Lake. Green Lake Drive N doesn't actually circle the lake itself; rather, it's a straight-shot connection between Aurora and the lake, cutting diagonally across N 80th.

Most of the street is taken up by businesses: car dealerships, churches, insurance offices, restaurants. But a couple apartment buildings stand among them, offering great access to I-5 and Aurora, and from there to downtown or the north end or pretty much anywhere you want to go.

If traffic doesn't bug you, and you don't need that view of the lake, this just might be the place for you.

Luxury condos and retirement communities offer great views of Green Lake, and all the people who jog or skate or bike or push strollers around the lake. Then there are the people who just drive around the lake, slowly, along Green Lake Way. But if you're around Green Lake, the point is definitely not to move fast. This is the place to relax, enjoy the sights, grab a cup of great espresso or delicious ethnic food from one of the local eateries, and just be alive. In the summer and autumn, the boaters come out to pepper the lake with color. In the spring, people plant their fishing rods on the shore of the lake. But there's really no bad time of year to be at Green Lake.

20th NE embodies a number of contradictions. For example, where it runs into NE 45th St, right across from the UW campus, you find a couple frat houses as well as the Catholic campus ministry chapel. It's a fairly small side-street, but the curb and shoulders are packed with cars so that parking is almost impossible to find. A modern new apartment building stands next to a house in serious need of repair, and down the road is a beautifully restored house from the early 20th century. It's a fascinating place to visit, but there's no way anyone but a student would want to live there.

That's the south end of 20th. Further north, say, north of 65th St., 20th becomes a respectable middle-class neighborhood with regular street parking and good access to Lake City, Wedgewood, and Northgate. But I mostly know that end of the street from getting lost looking for friends' houses.

By far my favorite part of 20th NE is where it crosses Ravenna Park, roughly between 58th and 61st. The street narrows and crosses a gorgeous bridge with a magnificent view of the forest below. There's nothing like it in Seattle or anywhere else.

Far enough from Broadway to avoid the noise, but not quite in the upscale homes with the Lake Washington views, 12th is good for anyone who wants to be close to the action - but not so close that you can't escape once in a while.

12th offers a clear route along the whole length of Capitol Hill from Volunteer Park in the north all the way down to 1st Hill. But because it's not an arterial, there's not a ton of traffic. Residents range from old timers to hip college grads, and young families in between. Good sidewalks make walking enjoyable, and don't miss the beauty of the parks!

Just minutes brings you either to the UW or to Seattle U, though it's hard to afford rent on a student's budget. It's also a straight shot down the hill to downtown, or to head the other direction to Lake Washington and the east side.

Any way you're headed, 12th will set you in the right direction.

Densmore does the job a residential street should do: it holds up good, solid houses, and connects you to arterials without getting clogged up itself.

Other parallel streets, from Greenwood to Wallingford to Fremont, take more of the glory, but also more of the traffic and noise. Densmore keeps a discreet distance and maintains enough quiet to allow kids to play in the yard and street while also allowing adults to get to and from their destinations easily.

Densmore is one of the unsung heroes of North Seattle.

I mostly know 9th NE along the stretch from NE 55th down to the water. It's not an arterial, but it's well-traveled enough by locals that the city keeps trying new things to slow down the traffic. Even so, if you're a student not too sensitive to noise, it's a great location.

Easy access to NE 45th, I-5, and the UW, it also boasts one of Seattle's best movie theaters, the Metro, as well as a couple parks. There were days I would just walk up and down 9th Ave and find enough to do to fill the afternoon and call it a day well spent.

One drawback: with all the attention to the Stop signs and speed slaloms, the sidewalks have been neglected, offering some tripping hazards and making it tough for wheelchairs to maneuver.

I like to walk along NW 112th between Greenwood and Fremont, and I find that you leave behind the constant noise of Greenwood after only a block. From there on east, it's just quiet residential housing with little traffic. At the same time, you don't give up access either to Greenwood or to the Northgate area via the Avenues and 105th.

It's a good neighborhood for walking or jogging, with gravel shoulders that serve as soft sidewalks, and a fun variety of architectures among the houses. I haven't had many conversations with the residents, but it's usually raining when I'm walking so spirits may be somewhat dampened.

In any case, the city has its eye on the neighborhood after building a median over on Greenwood. It's safe, clean, and I wouldn't mind putting some roots down there.

Anyone going between Northgate and Greenwood or Ballard uses N 105th. Predictably, residences have given way to businesses and public services along much of its length, but a few houses and apartment buildings still cling to the street.

But be warned: there's road noise at all hours, and while the Greenwood side of things is moving upscale, it still crosses one of the grimiest sections of Aurora.

A special warning for the part of 105th that cuts off from Northgate Way: an increasing number of people have discovered that it makes a nice shortcut to Meridian or to southbound I-5. There's no peace, even there. Sorry!

NE 143rd keeps a low profile: quiet houses and apartments, a slightly winding demeanor, shady trees from the yards. But it's only a block south of 145th, giving great access to I-5 and to Bothell Way / Lake City Way.

It's not the most glamorous neighborhood in Seattle, but it's relatively inexpensive, well-located, and peaceful. I see families walking dogs or just out for a jog, kids playing in yards, kids and adults riding bikes.

I sure wouldn't mind raising my family in such a neighborhood: close to resources, but quiet enough to hear yourself think, and green enough to breathe easily.

Some of my best friends live on NE 98th between Roosevelt and 15th. They've lived in the neighborhood since they got married, and are very happy to be raising their kids there. I get to housesit every so often, and I love to take walks through the neighborhood. There are neighbors of all ages, from young singles to old timers, and they greet me as I walk, sometimes even entering into longer conversations. If the kids are with us, they're fascinated by the various flowers in people's yards, or the animals - several houses have chicken coops, and lots have dogs and cats.

I expect the apartments on the corner of Roosevelt have to deal with some road noise, as do the houses on 15th. But there's very little noise at my friends' house. Even so, getting to Northgate or the U District or to I-5 is a breeze, so they're never disconnected.

It's a great place to visit, and I can see why my friends love to live there.

Some very good friends used to live on NE 94th near 5th Ave, and we would go for walks around the neighborhood over to 15th or down the hill toward Northgate. It really is a lovely neighborhood: an amazing variety of flowers in people's yards, neighbors greeting each other as they pass on the street, conversations across the back-yard fence.

The only drawback is the lack of sidewalks, but since there's so little traffic - and what traffic there is treats pedestrians with respect - it's not that big a deal. Also, there's a bit of rush-hour road noise if you're right on the corner of 5th or 15th.

Otherwise, it's a very pleasant neighborhood, well connected to the city via I-5 and Roosevelt. Great for a young family.

My grandmother grew up on 31st Ave, near Yesler. Her house is no longer standing, but many others from that era between the wars still hold up well. Some have been recently renovated, others simply maintained. And the new houses and duplexes built in the neighborhood have kept the character of the older houses, making it a beautiful place to walk and enjoy life.

The cross-streets provide access to the International District and Downtown to the west, and to Lake Washington to the east.

There's very little traffic, making this area a kind of retreat from the busy hub-bub of the city. But Madrona offers some good eats and cultural attractions, as well as some gorgeous parks. And you're really only about five or ten minutes from almost anywhere you want to go.

I can see why my grandma still misses the neighborhood!

Truly, some of the most incredible views of the Seattle skyline and the Puget Sound are along W Highland drive. There's a reason Kerry Park is always packed, especially on sunny days and clear evenings.

High-end condos advertising retirement amenities line the north side of the street, while further west magnificent houses rise up to take advantage of the amazing prospect.

Frequent police patrols keep the neighborhood clean and safe. But the large amount of tourist traffic makes the locals a little suspicious and less friendly than some other neighborhoods in Seattle.

E Thomas offers apartment buildings and a few houses right near Broadway and all the culture of Capitol Hill's beating heart.

Living on E Thomas is great for anyone who wants to connect to other people, to live the night life, to have an easy commute into downtown. The closer you are to Broadway, the more foot (and car) traffic you'll find, especially on weekend evenings. That's because you're in easy walking distance to great ethnic foods, urban boutique shopping, theaters and bars.

And I have to mention the great view of the Space Needle as you head west across Broadway.

It goes without saying that you shouldn't expect a quiet reclusive retreat. E Thomas is for people who love the activity of social life, the excitement of random encounters with new faces, and the variety of opportunities Broadway provides.