A Wallingford visit centers on 45th Street NW, home to everything from notable restaurants to several of Seattle’s ubiquitous coffee shops and quirky boutiques. At one time, the family-friendly neighborhood was all forest and pasture, even with a golf course for a short period. Today visit the bungalow-filled residential area northeast of Fremont.

Head down the hill from 45th Street, along the northern shores of Lake Union to Gas Works Park, a Wallingford icon. This historic 1907 gas plant has been reimagined as an urban park, offering a great kite-flying hill, a playground and an incredible vantage point for viewing downtown Seattle.

Just north of Wallingford are two other great green spaces. Stop at Woodland Park for picnic areas, shaded walks, sports fields and a rose garden. The Woodland Park Zoo has penguins, big cats, meerkats and a butterfly garden. Continue north to Green Lake for swimming, boating, bird-watching and much more.

Wallingford is a gem for eclectic shopping. Stop at a local toy store for bacon-scented air freshener and other unusual items. Visit a travel-only bookstore. Shop for trendy cupcakes, naturopathic remedies and locally made crafts and clothing. Purchase Seattle-made outdoor gear, with everything from wool hats to fat skis for Washington’s powder-covered slopes. Wallingford Center, a former school listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now a welcoming place with one-of-a-kind dining and retail establishments.

The neighborhood has become an important part of the Seattle dining scene for its quietly casual, yet undeniably impressive eating spots. Have the comfort food of classic burgers and milkshakes or famous friend chicken. Savor farm-to-table specialties. Linger over local oysters and roasted rainbow trout along the waterfront. Pull up an Adirondack chair and watch the seaplanes take off and land on Lake Union.

Find Wallingford about 4 miles (6 kilometers) north of downtown Seattle, east of Fremont and west of the University of Washington. The Burke-Gilman biking and walking trail runs through Wallingford at the border of Gas Works Park.