Highline - Seattle, WA

People started settling in this area around the early 20th century, but a city was never founded by the residents. The cities of Seattle, Burien, SeaTac and Tukwila have annexed the surrounding areas, but the North Highline neighborhood still sits in unincorporated King County.

There are museums in the area, but some travel is required. The Museum of Flight, located 5 miles to the east and close to the Boeing headquarters, offers exciting exhibits for a fun family day.

If you're looking for an inexpensive bite, nearby White Center offers some of the most appetizing Vietnamese, Thai, and Mexican options in the Puget Sound. Locals rave about the Taqueria La Fondita #2 food truck - the delicious $1.99 special burrito is great for a tight budget. For a more traditional American option, you can't go wrong with a giant burger from Zippy's Giant Burger, or a mouth watering 18' margarita from Proletariat Pizza, the latter of which has been known to add whimsical artistic doodles to the inside of their pizza boxes. Most locals follow dinner or lunch with an ice cream and some pinball at nearby Full Tilt Ice Cream. White Center is also home to the well-known Salvadorean Bakery & Restaurant, which offers mouth watering papusas and sweet treats for a very affordable price.

As far as libations, besides the occasional night club or sports bar in White Center, Highline doesn't have much in the way of up-all-night style clubs. For a casual evening, make the short drive north to Mac's Triangle Pub in White Center. This local-favorite dive bar provides free live music during the week and hosts well-attended karaoke evenings on Fridays and Saturdays. The bar attracts a varied crowd and offers drink specials during Seattle Seahawks and Mariners games.

If you want to get around easily in Highline, as well as the rest of the Puget Sound, you will need a car. Biking lanes are limited, and cyclists are strongly cautioned that it may not be safe to ride on the roads at rush hour, due to the heavy traffic between Burien and West Seattle. Public transit is limited, with only a few limited county buses in the area to provide transport into Seattle. In southern Highline, Burien city bus lines can be utilized for transport around the immediate Burien area.

The nearby 509 highway provides a direct connection to highway 99 for commuters driving into Seattle. Abundant public parking on most city streets makes finding a place for your car easy.

Although Highline sits outside of the Seattle city limits, taxi services like Uber are still available. Highline is also in direct proximity to both the King County International and Seatac International airports, which makes it a convenient area for frequent air travelers to put down roots.

There are ample parks to choose from near Highline. Lakewood Park, has a fantastic disc golf course with concrete tees at each hole and alternating baskets - you'll find lots of locals in this park on sunny days or weekends. For the dog owners moving into the area, nearby Wrestcreek Park, 2 miles to the Northeast, offers one of the only parks in the city that allows dogs off-leash. 2 miles East of Highline in Burien, Salmon Creek Ravine Park offers four miles of hiking trails, but be sure to go in the summer to avoid the mud. All three parks are free to visit and enjoy throughout the year.

Living in Highline is much cheaper compared to living in any Seattle neighborhood; the average rental for a one-bedroom apartment being roughly $850 per month. In terms of public transit, a bus to Downtown Seattle from Highline costs $3 one way. After your excursions around town, grab a beer at a local pub for about $4 to $5 - less, if you time it right for happy hour specials. The price of gas in Highline is close to the national average, but you'll pay about 10% more to fill your tank.

Most people stop off at Safeway or local corner stores for their day-to-day grocery needs. Organic grocery and specialty produce can be a challenge to locate, but still can be found without a long drive to the heart of Seattle with a stop to Aldi's or Albertson's. The closest farmer's market can be found in nearby Des Moines, on Dock Street from June 7th through October 25th.

When someone from Highline needs to visit a shopping mall or a boutique, they usually head into downtown Seattle, or if they want options a little closer, the Westfield Southcenter Mall, located a short four miles to the East on Highway 519. The Westfield mall has many nationally known high-end clothing stores like Nordstrom, Macys, and many others. The mall also has an IMAX movie theater and many restaurants, such as the ever-indulgent Cheesecake Factory and BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse. Be wary though - parking and restaurant reservations can be a issue on holidays and weekends, so visit or call early to avoid disappointment. Teenagers also swarm the mall area right after school on weekdays, around 3pm.

If you're in the mood to shop til you drop, check out Francesca's, a chain boutique tucked in the mall, for light, airy women's fashions and home decor items aimed at the 20-something set. Don't forget to snag a pair of shoes and a cute purse from their accessory selection to complete your new outfit.

Glass Expressions, a unique craft-based store in Burien, sells all the raw materials, finishing touches and tools you need to personally create stained glass works of art. If you don't know your solder from your leading, fear not - they offer classes in stained glass artistry in the shop.