One Bus Away Tour: Capitol Hill

Learn how to use the Seattle bus system and your U-Pass on a tour of Seattle’s Capitol Hill area.

In the event of an emergency, contact Sarah Tiffany (206) 351-6393 and Martha Tran (425)-210-5894.

Friday, September 22 from 1:00pm-3pmSaturday, September 23 from 10:00am-12:00pmMonday, September 25 from 1:00pm-3:00pm

Meeting Place: Suzzallo Library Steps

Route: The Light Rail; leave from Husky Stadium; get off at Capitol Hill Station Bay C (in tunnel)

Capitol Hill is a hip neighborhood and a popular hangout spot for Seattleites of all ages. The area has many eclectic coffee shops, stores, and restaurants to explore, and is conveniently located just a short bus ride from the U District. In addition to these options, Capitol Hill has an active night life with many venues for social dancing, music shows, and more! Explore some of Seattle's most interesting stores, coffee shops, and more as you take in the culture.58

Legend has it that Capitol Hill was named such because developer James Moore hoped that its name would convince the state to move the capitol from Olympia to Seattle.

Its reputation today is as a center of trend in Seattle, and the neighborhood is also seen as synonymous with the grunge scene as well as the center of LGBTQ life in Seattle.

Tour Description:1. Area 51 (401 E. Pine Street):

Even if you’re not in the mood to shop for furniture, just going into Area 51 is fun. With dozens of retro-inspired yet sophisticated tables, sofas, chairs and more, it’s entertaining just to walk around and look at all the strangely inspired furniture. For those of you looking to buy strange items for a dorm room or apartment at a place other than Ikea, Area 51 is a semi-inexpensive alternate.

2. Bauhaus Books and Coffee (414 E Pine St): Bauhaus is a classic Seattle café that also features a book collection. From Caffe Trieste espresso to various delicious scones, Bauhaus is a café that’s perfect for spending a few hours just staring out the gigantic glass windows, taking in the scenes of the city all around. The crowd that frequents the shop is also not your average Starbucks crowd, ranging from eccentric artists to grunge hipsters. The coffee is excellent, the Top Pot donuts always sell out before the morning ends, the music is upbeat, and the atmosphere is entirely Capitol Hill.

3. Twice Sold Tales (1833 Harvard Ave):

Explain UPASS: How to use the UPASS and brief explanation of

using it on the bus; free use in the greater King County area

How to read a time table-times are often for other stops then the one listed

Metro trip planner (http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/)- plan your trip and where/what buses you need to transfer etc.

OneBusAway App – Created by UW students, it can be used to check bus times, bus stop locations, and bus routes.

As one of Seattle’s oldest and venerable businesses, owner Jamie Lutton starting selling used books out of a cart in 1967, and has since owned her own store front since 1990 as a business that would evolve into a neighborhood fixture and a business that helped define Capitol Hill. Although it has moved from its original location, it is now nestled just one block from Broadway, and still provides a relaxing and comforting environment for any book connoisseur, and, as if it couldn’t get any better, there are cats that live there!

4. Dick’s Drive-In (115 Broadway E.):In 1954, Dick Spady’s dream of cheap food, made fast with easy access to parking came true. For more than 50 years, Dick’s has been a Seattle icon, a hamburger joint that provides a good alternative to McDonald’s. Though Dick’s popularity could’ve prompted Spady to make the restaurant a national chain, he never did, choosing instead to keep everything local and in the Seattle area. Even the menu remains simple and relatively unchanged after so many years. The Dick’s Deluxe is mouth-watering while the milkshakes are hand-dipped instead of being made by machine. Even the fries here are made by hand, and it’s a common sight to see employees slicing hundreds of potatoes every day. Open until 2 a.m., Dick’s is also a popular hang-out/late-night food destination for college students up in the wee hours of the morning looking for very cheap food. Dick’s also runs an admirable scholarship program, where it helps its employees pay for their college tuition.

5. B & O Espresso (204 Belmont Ave E.):Founded in 1976, B&O Espresso is one of Seattle’s oldest coffeehouses. This was the place where the band Pearl Jam decided on their name. The atmosphere is warm and accommodating, the dinner delicious and the desserts very satisfying. Some nights you’ll see musicians during mealtimes, Italians playing accordions and players strumming away at guitars.

6. Urban Outfitters (401 Broadway E. Street 101):Another trendy store, Urban Outfitters in Capitol Hill sells clothing designed for teens to those in their mid-20’s. With shirts, jeans, pants and shoes ranging from vintage to retro, Outfitters has something for just about everyone. The store also has items for the home, including couches, chairs, funny books and even toys.

Tour Time: 2 hours. Students do not need to come back with you, they can stay and continue to explore the neighborhood.

A couple of locations that should be mentioned, but not visited:1. Dilettante Chocolates (538 Broadway E) Further south on Broadway, off map

Perfect for the casual chocolate lover or a hot date, Dilettante is Capitol Hill’s chocolate heaven on earth. Aside from its warm and friendly café-style atmosphere, the shop also offers coffees and pastries. With exotic-sounding desserts like genoise cake, Mocha Silk, and Gateau Japonaise, there’s something for everyone in Dilettante.

2. Café Vita (1005 E Pike ST) We’ve been roasting coffee in Seattle since 1995. We are an independent, locally-owned company. Rom our beginnings at the base of Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood, Café Vita now operates nine cafes in the Pacific Northwest, a roasteria café in New York City, and a café in Los Angeles.

3. Elliot Bay Books (1521 10th Ave) Located in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, The Elliot Bay Book Company is a full service bookstore, home to over 150,000 titles, set on cedar shelves in a multi-level, inviting unique atmosphere. We offer one of the region’s best selection of new books, as well as a large collection of bargain editions. Elliot Bay presents an unparalleled schedule of author readings and events throughout the year.

4. Volunteer Park (1247 15th AVE E) North of E. Aloha and Broadway on map Volunteer Park was designed over 100 years ago in honor of the volunteers of the Spanish-American War. Spanning over 45-acres, the park is an amazing place to visit on nice days for tennis players, bikers and joggers. Complete with picnic tables, a children’s play area, a wading pool and even a water tower, the park has something for everyone. At the center of the park is the Seattle Asian Art Museum, another fun attraction. Another cool part about Volunteer Park is the Conservatory. A huge structure divided into several different greenhouses, visitors can walk through desert, tropical and temperate climates while looking at all sorts of exotic plants. Also be on the lookout for Bruce Lee’s grave.

5. Seattle Asian Art Museum (1400 E. Prospect Street) North of E. Aloha and Broadway on mapLocated right in the center of Volunteer Park, the Seattle Asian Art Museum is a refreshing glimpse at Asian culture. For a mere $5 admission price (for students w/ ID), visitors can see paintings, statues, clothing and more from Chinese, Japanese and Korean history that spans centuries. Exhibits in the museum are also constantly changing and there are periodic dances, film showings and other performances. The museum’s current special exhibit is “Enter the Mandal” and “Roads of Arabia” featuring some of the museums newest pieces of Asian art; from Himalayan Buddhsim to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.