I was lured to Burien by the incredible bang for my real estate buck, but what I fell in love with was the community’s no-nonsense, hardy attitude; the beautiful, secret stretches of Puget Sound waterfront; and a charming downtown strip that makes you feel like Marty McFly stepping out of his DeLorean into a Rockwellian past.

 Don’t miss: Second-run movies, great food and cocktails at the Tin Theater and its adjoining bar; the Wild Strawberry Festival and Father’s Day Car Show in June; raucous Seahawks game days at the historic Sunnydale Saloon (206.246.2029); and authentic ethnic eats. And what an international smorgasbord, with the old-school Italian experience of Angelo’s Ristoranté, the well-executed family Mexican food at La Costa, the array of German sausages, mustards and beer you can take home from Hans’ Sausage and Delicatessen (206.244.4978), the plate-size pupusas at Salva Mex Pupuseria y Comida Mexicana (206.988.1234) and the health-conscious Szechuan-focused scrumptiousness of Lucy’s Kitchen.

Go-to for out-of-town guests: Seattle.

Famous for: Boeing’s third runway, Mary Kay Letourneau, scuba diving off Puget Sound’s Three Tree Point (shown above).

Cody Bay is an editor at MSN and Burien resident since May 2012