Living in The Fremont & Wallingford Neighborhoods in Seattle, WA

Welcome to the vibrant neighborhoods of Fremont and Wallingford in Seattle, WA! Nestled in the heart of the city, these two areas offer a unique blend of urban charm, rich history, and a close-knit community feel. Whether you’re drawn to Fremont’s quirky, artistic vibe or Wallingford’s family-friendly atmosphere, there’s something here for everyone. Join us as we explore the best of these neighborhoods in Seattle have to offer, from their bustling local businesses and scenic parks to their eclectic dining scenes and lively cultural events. Discover why so many people are proud to call these neighborhoods home.

If you wanted to be artsy, hip, conveniently located to downtown Seattle, and the U-District by the University of Washington, and in a trendy neighborhood with a vibe and culture all its own, you would do VERY well to look at Wallingford and Freemont as possible places to put down roots.

Wallingford is near the I-5 Freeway and 45th Ave, and Fremont is slightly toward the West. They are sandwiched between Lake Union and the Ship Canal that connects Lake Washington and Lake Union to the sea at Puget Sound to the South, and the wonderful, award-winning Woodland Park Zoo and Greenlake to the North.

In fact – while you’re there, come visit me! This is where my Keller Williams Real Estate Office is located! We’d love to see you, offer you and your dog some treats and enjoy walking through this vibrant neighborhood. In fact, we’re right next to Archie McPhee’s a mom-and-pop style variety store – complete with rubber chickens and whoopie cushions. It has everything an 8 year old boy or aging boomer might want for their birthday.

Besides work, when I go to Wallingford, it’s usually to eat!

Fond Food Memories In Fremont

Julia’s Carrot is the cutest-ever diner/cafe my grandma used to take us to for a special weekend brunch out. One time, we also got a gift certificate to a pricy farm-to-table gourmet restaurant that was running out of a renovated house-turned-restaurant in Freemont. The food was great, but the portions were small. And unfortunately, they are no longer there.

I also have fond memories of eating Greek food and experience lemon soup and grape leaves here, for the first time – something I had never tasted the likes of before.

My husband used to work in this area, on Stone Ave. When I had an opportunity to get out of the house without the kids, we would meet up for lunch at ago to the little Greek Restaurant of my childhood. It was called Costas, and has now relocated to the U-District. While we’d be dining and looking out at the famous Waiting for The Interurban statue – we’d watch tourists Ride The Ducks. Ride the Ducks was a a now-defunct tourist attraction where you could go on a truck/boat that went on land and in the water, while a humorous tour guide would tell you about all the fun things to see in Seattle. I’m sure they had plenty to say about the humorous and quirky Seattle art on display in Freemont. However due to a catastrophic breakdown of one of their archaic amphibious vehicles on the freeway, the Ducks is no longer in operation! 

Now as you drive down 45th, you see the inimitable Dick’s burger restaurant – a local success story popular since the 50’s and an out-of-operation doughnut restaurant (Winchel’s) now repurposed with a vinyl banner as a stationary drive-up window Mexican Cantina.

Nearby Recreation

There’s a lot to do around Fremont and Wallingford. The “main drag” in these neighborhoods is 45th Ave, which exits right off the I-5 Freeway, and has most of the shops and restaurants, there are lots of housing options nearby that aren’t quite so busy. But watch out, there are some odd characters, too. My friend who lived here reported feeling anxious one day when she got a call from a neighbor that an odd gentleman with a machete had been spotted wandering through the streets.

• Woodland Park Zoo
• Lake Union – Kayaking, Sailing and Walking
• The Ship Canal – A Working Waterway

Downsides of The Fremont Neighborhood

In fact, sometimes it feels like the bloom is off the rose in other areas in Freemont. Walking around near 45th Ave, I see plenty of boarded up shops and vacancies. The imported rug store I used to frequent is gone, and other signs of “used to be here.” are apparent.

Seattle can be a hard place to run a small business due to high minimum wages and general anti-business policies. In addition, many areas are being forced to build “residential on top, and retail on the bottom” new buildings, when they put in high-rise features. The goal is to make neighborhoods like small walkable towns where people can hit the street and go for a walk. Many of the home buyers who talk to me are looking for this, and it sounds like a real ideal. However, when developers are “forced” to build this way, it can lead to an over-abundance of supply, and it may be that we are seeing more shop space for rent, than we have shop owners who want to fill those spaces… a mis-match of supply and demand.

Keep Fremont Funky!

When I was a kid, a lady at my church owned an apartment building here in Wallingford and she used to grow irises in ALL the beds on grounds for her Iris club. My grandma took me there one time when things were in bloom and it was amazing. However, her yard did not conform to the traditional landscaping style. It was all Iris all the time. She had a passion and pursued it! Rock on, Mrs. Weed! (Yes, that was her name.)

In addition to fun gardens, Fremont and Wallingford have lots of public art installations, including a statue of Russian Revolutionary Communist Leader Vladmir Lenin. It tends to give the neighborhood a hippy, artsy flavor.  One of the famous statues is Waiting For The InterUrban, and another is the troll under the Freemont Bridge. 

This area is also on the water and features an actual “raise the planks so ships can pass” draw-bridge in an eye catching red-and-blue paint scheme. 

Gasworks Park is a large grassy park on Lake Union with a steep hill which is good for running down with a kite, or sitting and looking out over Lake Union.  The park gets its name from the large rusted out pipes and manufacturing plant materials left behind by its former industrial manufacturing occupants of the land.  And this place is PACKED on the Fourth of July when fireworks are exploded over the Lake.

Living In Fremont And Wallingford

If you want to make a home for yourself in this eclectic community, you are not alone. There are lots of rental apartments here and also homes. Many condos and townhome options because of the high population density and close proximity to downtown Seattle. Houses to the South may have views looking out over Lake Union to dowtown Seattle.

If you’ve read this far and think you might be spunky enough to enjoy the unique flavors of Wallingford and Freemont, come check it out because we’ve got some amazing culture and opportunities here for you.