Rainier Valley

Ethiopian food, Vietnamese grocery stores, beauty salons specializing in hair braiding: Rainier Valley, from Mount Baker to Rainier Beach, is Seattle’s melting pot. At one public elementary school, Graham Hill, 13 different languages are spoken by the diverse student body. Three synagogues are within blocks of the school. If you want a neighborhood that represents a genuine slice of the larger world, this is the place to call home. The Rainier Beach Community Center offers a popular swimming pool with an abundance of swim-lesson and swim-team options, as well as a variety of classes, including yoga and cardio. Meanwhile, Columbia City to the north is well known for its eclectic mix of cuisine, from barbecue to Sicilian to Mexican. Lola’s South City Bakery, in nearby Hillman City, is garnering much appreciation for its vegetarian offerings.