Neighborhood Advice (taking public transit to Seattle VA Hospital) (Pacific: apartment, to rent)

[chad_b]

Hello all,
My wife and I will be relocating to Seattle in the summer for her new job at the Seattle VA hospital. We are down in Portland now and really like it and are excited to explore more of the Pacific Northwest.

We are in our early 30's, no kids. Our priorities for a target neighborhood (we'll be renting for the first year at least) would be a safe, walkable/fun area that would allow her to take public transit to work. Our budget for a two bedroom apartment would be in the $1500-$1800 range.

It appears that both the 50 and 60 line buses go right to the hospital, one from the west and one from the north. From my own research it looks like West Seattle along the 50 bus line would be a good option, and perhaps some areas closer to downtown along the 60 bus line, though I would guess the closer to downtown, the more expensive.

So I guess my questions would be 1) what is West Seattle like... might it be a good fit for us? and 2) Are there any other areas that come to mind as solid options within those parameters for us to consider?

Thanks very much!

Chad

[beautifulseattlehomes]

Columbia City is a very vibrant urban neighborhood not too far from the VA. West Seattle is great...the commute would be a bit longer but doable. Both areas tend to be more affordable then say Capitol Hill for instance. You might even be able to rent a cute bungalow if that was something that was appealing. Look around the North Admiral area of W. Seattle and the historic shopping and restaurant corridor of Columbia City. Both neighborhoods have amazing farmers markets and are highly walkable for most everything you would need.

[Ira500]

I'll second Columbia City. In West Seattle, there are three distinct neighborhoods served by the 50 bus. Alaska Junction, the Admiral district, and Alki. They're all nice. Alki is on the water, so it has bit of that lively beach town thing going on. The Alaska Junction may be the most vibrant, walkable, fun part of West Seattle. The Admiral District is a little less busy than the Junction, and a little more upscale. I think you'll be able to find a 2 bedroom apartment in any of those neighborhoods within your budget. In theory, you could live on Capitol Hill and take the 60 bus. It'll be denser, hipper, and more expensive. For my money, West Seattle has the nicest feel.

[Brookdale46]

Of course there is also Beacon Hill where the VA is located. It's very diverse, if that means anything to you, plus or minus. Slowly being gentrified. I like that it has a Central Link light rail station.

[chad_b]

Thank you all very much for the excellent information. Very much appreciated!