Orchards - Renton, WA

The Orchard residential area rose out of a historically rural area on the outskirts of the town of Renton, especially as the Boeing Renton airplane manufacturing plant expanded in the decades of the mid-twentieth century. The Renton History Museum documents the area's expansion over the last century, with rotating exhibits that feature various local neighborhoods. The museum holds regular events focusing on local, state and national history. The city of Renton has extensive public outdoor art in its parks and in the city's interior, although the arts scene in the area is generally limited. Downtown Issaquah, on the far side of Cougar Mountain, has numerous art galleries and holds several events and festivals throughout the year, including monthly "Wine Walks," where local businesses offer wine tastings.

Limited dining and nightlife establishments operate in the Orchards, with Renton and Newcastle being the closest destinations. Local restaurants include several Subway franchises, McDonald's, a number of Chinese food restaurants and the regional Mexican restaurant Taqueria El Rinconsito. Most restaurants are located on either Highway 900 or Northeast 4th Street heading into Renton. KC's Seafood Restaurant, one of the local Chinese food eateries, serves up traditional Chinese fare along with an expanded seafood menu that includes live lobster and crab and iconic Northwest geoducks (a type of saltwater clam). Appetizers include palate expanding options such as jelly fish and squid. Amante Pizza and Pasta, a small Seattle area chain, offers a wide selection of pizzas, calzones, sandwiches and pasta dishes. House specialties include the "Gorganzola Guru" calzone, sweet potato pizza and herb crusted salmon. With a full bar, they are open late on Friday and Saturday nights. For late night drinks, the Pickled Onion Pub, inspired by English soccer pubs, features specials and events throughout the week, including dart tournaments on Friday and game day specials for Seahawks games. Weekend brunch includes an extensive bloody Mary bar.

The main routes for drivers are Highway 900 and Duvall Avenue. Highway 900, also called Renton-Issaquah Road or Northeast Sunset Boulevard, connects the area to Issaquah and Interstate 90 to the north and to Renton and Interstate 405 to the west. Highway 169 connects to the rural areas of eastern King County. Interstate 405 north leads to Redmond and Bellevue, as well as to Seattle via Interstate 90. Interstate 405 south connects to Interstate 5, with access to Tacoma and Seattle, as well as to Highway 518 and Seatac International Airport. King County Metro provides limited bus service in the area, although Metro operates a large park and ride near the Renton Municipal Airport. Connections include Rapid Line F with service to Seatac Airport and Route 240 to Bellevue. Bus service to downtown Seattle requires at least one transfer. With few destinations, the neighborhood is not walkable, although the residential streets provide a favorable environment for evening strolls. Some of the major streets, such as Duvall Avenue, lack sidewalks. Free street parking is generally available, while cab availability requires requesting a ride via telephone.

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park to the northeast sports over 3,000 acres of woods and wetlands crisscrossed with trails of varying levels of difficulty. The park is a favorite destination for hikers, trail runners and dog walkers throughout the region. Sitting on a number of abandoned mine sites, the park includes historical information posted along a number of the trails. To the northwest, May Creek Park offers trails and open spaces along May Creek, with trails connecting to other parks in the area, including Cougar Mountain. Smaller parks include Kiwanis Park and Heritage Park, both of which feature athletic fields, playground equipment and basketball courts. A large off-leash area for dog owners can be found at the Cedar River Dog Park to the south along the Cedar River. A number of other parks line the Cedar River along Highway 169.

The cost of living is average for the near suburbs of Seattle, while lower than in the larger population centers. A one bedroom residence rents for around $1000, or around $300 less than in most parts of Seattle proper. Bus commuters can expect to pay $2.25 per ride on Metro buses, while drivers can expect to pay about 10 cents per gallon more than the national average, although about 10 percent less than in Seattle. When heading out on the town, beer drinkers can expect to pay about $4 for a pint of beer.

The only retail shopping available in the Orchards is the national retailer Big Lots, although a number of other options, such as Ross, Target and Marshall's, are located in downtown Renton. For more extensive shopping, head west seven miles along Interstate 405 to Southcenter Mall in Tukwila or north 5 miles to Factoria, which features a number of shopping centers. Grocery shoppers have a number of options only a short drive west on Highway 900, including Safeway, Grocery Outlet, and Saar's Marketplace. Another Safeway and QFC are located on Northeast 4th Street. For more unusual wares and low-priced Asian fruits and vegetables, you can visit the regional Viet Wah Asian Food Market. On Tuesdays from June to September, the Renton Farmers Market offers fresh local produce, meats and breads. If you are in the market for the perfect wine to complement your meal, All Things Wine on 4th Street offers an extensive selection and specializes in local and international wines not carried by grocery stores. For regular wine drinkers, the shop runs a wine club which includes discounted rates on every purchase and special invitations to events and wine tastings. For beer drinkers, they also carry over 150 labels of hard-to-find beer. The showroom of Veneer Fine Home Finishes gives homeowners and businesses the opportunity to explore the best in marble, wood, stone, and porcelain before deciding to upgrade cabinetry, counters, and floors. Once you have picked out the materials, Veneer offers design, planning and installation services to ensure the highest quality throughout the process.