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West Seattle, Seattle — Area Guide & Where to Stay
West Seattle is a peninsula neighborhood in the southwestern corner of Seattle, cut off from the rest of the city by Elliott Bay and the Duwamish River. This is where the city began. The Birthplace of Seattle Monument at Alki Point marks the 1851 landing of the settlers who founded Seattle. The neighborhood is residential and coastal, with a beach at Alki Point and long views across the water to downtown Seattle.
About West Seattle
Where to stay in West Seattle
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
West Seattle is mainly a residential peninsula, so hotel rooms here are few. Visitors who do base themselves here trade nightlife for quiet streets, the beach at Alki Point, and wide water views back toward downtown Seattle. Most beds sit close to the water.
For a wider choice of hotels, most travelers stay across Elliott Bay in downtown Seattle and cross to West Seattle for the beach and the Birthplace of Seattle Monument.
About West Seattle
What are the main landmarks in West Seattle?
The area's sights sit near the water. The Birthplace of Seattle Monument stands at Alki Point, marking the spot where the city's founders came ashore in 1851 and started the settlement that became Seattle. A few steps away, Fir Lodge is a log building from the early 1900s that later became a restaurant.
Inland, the Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist serves the residential streets away from the beach.
What is the history of West Seattle?
The peninsula was the homeland of the Duwamish people long before European settlement. In 1851 the Denny Party came ashore at Alki Point, becoming the first settlers of the harbor that would grow into the city of Seattle. Within a year most crossed Elliott Bay.
The town of West Seattle grew on its own and was annexed by Seattle in 1907. The Birthplace of Seattle Monument was later placed at Alki Point to mark the landing that began the city.
Where is West Seattle?
West Seattle forms the southwestern arm of Seattle, a peninsula reaching into Puget Sound. Elliott Bay separates it from downtown Seattle to the northeast, while the Duwamish River divides it from the city's industrial flats to the east. Alki Point marks its western tip.
The West Seattle Bridge carries traffic across the Duwamish River, linking the peninsula to the rest of Seattle.
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Updated July 2026