SeattleRobert

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.

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 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!

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.

The west slope of Queen Anne Hill is an absolute labyrinth of twists, one-ways, and dead ends. That means that strangers stay away and the streets are lined with relatively modest (for Queen Anne) homes with lovely gardens and steep driveways. There's not much road noise, though a bit floats up occasionally from 15th at the bottom of the hill and from the railyards.

If you're looking for a view, double check. There are some great view possibilities, especially as you move further south; but you might get stuck with a view of the Ballard shipyards or the railyards that separate you from Magnolia.

There aren't many sidewalks, but there's so little traffic that you can usually just walk down the middle of the road. Still, with all the twists and turns, I would keep kids close to home or with an adult.

So, 12th offers most of the benefits of Queen Anne living, like proximity to downtown and stylish night life, while keeping a quiet, out-of-the-way sanctuary when you just want to cozy up with the fam.

I grew up just off NE 185th St, with I-5 in my back yard. As a kid, I would walk or ride my bike up the street to school or to buy candy or comics at the 7-11 near Aurora. It was safe, clean, and the neighbors were always willing to help.

I still go back to the neighborhood to visit. The city of Shoreline has added a few improvements, built up the campus of the Shoreline School District to offer services to the local community, and generally kept the street clean and safe.

It's labeled as an arterial, but since it lacks a freeway entrance it doesn't attract the heavy traffic of some other streets, like 175th. At the same time, it's pretty easy to get to anywhere you want to go. Just hop on Aurora or skip down to 175th and you're golden!

I spent most of my childhood just off 185th street - first on the NE end, and later on the NW end. It's technically an arterial, but since it doesn't have a freeway on-ramp, it's a good deal quieter than, say, 175th.

On NW 185th, the arterial has been taken over by Richmond Beach Road, so it becomes a very quiet residential street. The houses have large front yards, and the gravel shoulders are very safe to walk along.

I used to deliver newspapers around there, and I found both homeowners and apartment dwellers to be friendly, low-key people enjoying the benefits of living near - but not too near - to the activity of Seattle.

For me, it will always be home. It was a great place to grow up, and I wouldn't turn down a chance to move back.

Eastlake, true to its name, runs along the east side of Lake Union between the University Bridge and Downtown, connecting into Union St at its southern terminus. This means it also runs pretty much directly under or right next to I-5. There are a few apartments and condos built along the street, but it's too noisy for most people.

On the up side, it's packed with interesting places to eat, shop (esp. REI's flagship store!) and a few clubs to party at.

More than that, it's a fantastic alternative route into Downtown, especially if the freeway is jammed up (as it often is during rush hour).

Two of my closest friends have lived for almost a decade on Greenwood near the Holman Rd cut-off, where their only complaint is rush-hour road noise. The recent resurfacing has helped ease a bit of the congestion and has added a boulevard-like median planted with leafy trees.

It's amazingly easy to get around from there, whether grabbing some great food around 85th and up on Phinney Ridge, or skipping over to Northgate for some shopping, or down to Ballard for fun. It looks like parking would be tight, but I've never had a problem finding a spot.

My grandmother used to live a little further north, in one of the several retirement facilities available. She very much enjoyed the easy access to city amenities while being just a little off the main traffic lines.

An added bonus: both my friends and my grandmother love the view of the Sound, available even from some second-story apartments.

This park is almost like those books I loved as a child in which you start in a place familiar and innocuous and three steps later find yourself surrounded by wild and wonderful mystery.

From the corner of NE Ravenna Blvd and Brooklyn Ave, you can see a grassy lawn, some swing sets and picnic tables, a smallish attempt at a ball field - all standard fare for a small city park. But follow the trail downhill, and suddenly the evergreens tower over your head and a stream trickles alongside the path and the undergirdings of the 15th Ave bridge rise up before you like the gateway to a magical kingdom.

The well-maintained dirt trail continues for almost a mile along the valley floor, merging seamlessly into Ravenna Park, and branching off into a dozen or more side-trails, each of which rewards exploration. The natural beauty of the stream and the wooded hillsides stirs the Pacific Northwest heart, but what sets Cowen/Ravenna apart is the sudden absence of road-noise and even of aircraft noise, only five minutes from I-5 and directly under 15th Ave.

Joggers and dog-walkers know and love the area, and on weekends you might encounter small groups re-enacting medieval battles for entertainment. For me, it's my favorite place to take a quiet walk-and-talk with a good friend. It amazes me that I've met so many people living within a mile or two of the park who never have heard of it!