Living In South Lake Union: Seattle Neighborhoods

South Lake Union (Amazon, MOHAI, GOOGLE Office) – As the tech industry has exploded in recent years (Amazon now employees 75,000 people out of its Seattle office) the South Lake Union area has exploded too.  Before his death, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen put a lot of money into developing this area, which was formerly low-rise, outdated seedy buildings into new, state of the art high rise offices.  Although you won’t see any signs advertising them, many of these buildings are leased by Amazon and when it’s Amazon family picnic day – watch out – the whole north side of town gets taken over.   Last time I went Lavarr Burton (Jordy from StarTrek and also of Reading Rainbow fame) was there doing a presentation, and there was a vendor my kids were very fond of giving away free bananas.  My kids basically judge events by how good the food is…

Google has recently built a new complex right across the street from the Museum of History and Industry and the Wooden Boat Museum along the walking trail that skirts Lake Union and a client whose condo features an aptly named “Party Deck” overlooking the Lake has monikered his street, Dexter Avenue, “Amazon Row.”

South Lake Union is a great place to go Kayaking and there are seaplanes, houseboats, yachts and all sorts of things going on on the water.  They have a walking/biking/cycling trail around the Lake as well.

Check Out This Kayaking “Tour” of South Lake Union I Took With My Daughter and See a Whole New Side of Seattle’s South Lake Union Neighborhood