Belltown

Belltown is convenient and has plenty of good food, but it takes some judgment at night. Book lodging on a busy block, and use rideshares after dark.

Just north of Pike Place Market, Belltown is a dense mix of apartment towers, hotels, restaurants and bars. It's a convenient base for first-time visitors who want to walk to the major sights. Second and First Avenues have some of the city's better restaurants, and the Olympic Sculpture Park and the waterfront are a short walk away. The catch is that the neighborhood changes a lot from block to block. Some blocks, especially near Third Avenue and Pine Street and on the side streets late at night, have open drug use, people sleeping outdoors and occasional aggressive behavior. During the day and early evening it's busy and fine. Late at night, stay on main streets, don't cut through alleys or parking lots, and take a rideshare for longer distances.