Seattle : Around Town – Fremont (part 2) – Burke-Gilman Trail Features, Fremont Culture

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A Morning Around Fremont

Start your picnic with an espresso at ETG (3512 Fremont Place N).
Cross at the crosswalk just outside the door to 35th Street, turning
right to spy the neon-adorned Army surplus missile at 35th and Evanston
Avenue N. Turn left on Evanston and walk a block to PCC (600 N 34th), an organic market where you can pick up a delicious carry-out lunch.

Turn left on Evanston for an unobstructed view of the Ship Canal and Fremont Bridge. Turn right along the Canal path, walk about a block until you see the Dinosaur Topiaries at the beginning of the Ship Canal Park, a great place for your waterfront picnic. Catacorner is a historic brick streetcar barn that once housed
Redhook
, one of the first
microbreweries in Seattle. Now, it’s a gourmet chocolate factory. Enjoy
the walk down the Canal path, perhaps spotting sailboats or kayakers.
When you turn back, exit the park at the topiaries and continue along
35th Street. If you visit during the Sunday Market,
you’ll find blocks of vendors and lots of foot traffic. Continue three
blocks to Fremont Avenue, by the Fremont Bridge and the sculpture,
Waiting for the Interurban
 on a traffic island across the
street. Turn left on Fremont Avenue, and get your bearings at the Center
of the Universe signpost a half block later on another traffic island
where Fremont Place begins. Stop in Simply Desserts (3421 Fremont Ave N) for the richest treats in town.

Burke-Gilman Trail Features




  1. Bridges

    The Burke-Gilman Trail passes under the Fremont Bridge and the Aurora Bridge. Both span the Ship Canal, although only the draw­bridge opens for boat traffic.

  2. Lake Washington Rowing Club

    Both
    athletic teams and individuals hoist their racing shells into the flow
    from here. The club’s non-profit activities also include training
    lessons for beginners.

    • 910 N Northlake Way

  3. Adobe Systems

    A
    waterfront office building that was designed to leverage the look of
    Fremont’s erstwhile industrial structures houses this software company.

    • 801 N 34th St

    • 206 675 7000

  4. Waiting for the Interurban

  5. The Rocket

    When
    an Army surplus store closed in Belltown, its outside adornment ended
    up in the hands of Fremont sculptors and painters who renovated the
    World War II-era missile and placed it atop this store.

    • 35th & Evanston Ave N

  6. Rope Swing

    Sunny days attract a crowd of rope swingers who get dunked near where Phinney Ave N meets the Canal.

  7. Old Trolley Barn

    This
    large brick warehouse used to house Seattle’s early mass transit
    vehicles, the trolleys. Since then, the building has been a
    microbrewery, an event rental facility, and a gourmet chocolate factory.

    • 34th & Phinney Ave N

  8. Indoor Sun Shoppe

    Huge
    plants decorate the front, and bright grow lights illuminate the
    interior of Seattle’s favorite neighborhood home and garden store.

  9. Dock Overlook

    The
    fenced-in area with benches and a roof sits right on the water, making
    it perfect for sunsets and bird and boat-watching. Distant views include
    Salmon Bay’s dry-dock industry and the Olympic Mountains beyond to the
    west.

  10. Gravel Plant

    Mounds
    of gravel, asphalt, and conveyor belts make stark contrast with the
    solemnity and serenity of the water and park-land nearby.


The Rocket’s lights used to blink as the engine belched smoke every 45 minutes. That mission was eventually aborted.

Fremont Culture

  1. First Fridays Art Walk

    On
    the first Friday of each month, art galleries organize self-guided art
    walks to local studios and establishments including the Fremont
    Foundry’s Gallery, Fremont Coffee Co., and Black Lab.

    Fremont Foundry’s Gallery 154

    • 154 N 35th

    Fremont Coffee Co

    • 459 N 36th

    Black Lab

    • 4216 Leary Way

    • 6–9pm

  2. Trolloween

    A masquerade parade begins its route near the Fremont Troll. This take-off on Halloween ends at a bizarre masked ball with lightshows and live entertainment.

    • 36th St N under Aurora Ave

  3. Pumpkin Carving Contests

    During Oktoberfest celebrations, Fremont’s brew fest includes the hilarious chainsaw pumpkin carving competitions.

  4. Moisture Festival

    This
    new addition to the funky Fremont scene combines elements of Burlesque
    and carnival for two weeks in spring. Held at the old Hale’s Brewery
    warehouse.

  5. Living Room

    The most tolerant venue for art openings, film, open mics, tea, or just lounging around with neighborhood youth.

    • 4301 Fremont Ave N

  6. Summer Nights

    Throughout
    the warm summer months the Summer Nights concert series brings
    world-class music to an outdoor stage on Lake Union in GasWorks Park. The series features artists renowned for their contributions to rock, blues, jazz, and folk music.

  7. Fremont Arts Council

    Based in an elementary school’s 1892-vintage power-house, this community organization supports creative expression and artists.

    • 3940 Fremont Ave N

    • 206 547 7440

  8. ToST

    This
    upscale venue offers a comfortably dark, nightclub ambience and serves
    fine wines and cocktails, along with guest musical performers.

    • 513 N 36th St

    • 206 547 0240

  9. Glass Art


    Dale Chihuly’s influence can be seen in glass studios such as Edge of Glass.

    Edge of Glass

    • 513 N 36th St

  10. Fremont Library

    The
    city’s smallest and most charming library draws the resident literati
    to spend hours here instead of purchasing the latest author’s
    masterpiece online.

    • 731 N 35th St

    • 206 684 4084