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7321 35th Avenue NE, in what might variously be counted as View Ridge or Wedgwood, Seattle

View Ridge

Take in views of Lake Washington, Mount Rainier and the Cascades from View Ridge, a quiet residential hill in north Seattle, then stretch out at its large neighborhood park and playfield.

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Map of View Ridge in Seattle
Map of View Ridge

Frequently asked questions

View Ridge is in northeast Seattle, roughly between NE 65th Street, Sand Point Way NE, 40th to 45th Avenues NE, and the Sand Point Country Club. It sits on a hill above Magnuson Park.

Yes. View Ridge has a large public park and playfield across the street from View Ridge Elementary School. Check Seattle Parks and Recreation for current facility details.

The founders cleared forest on the hill in the 1930s to create views of Lake Washington and the Cascades. Many homes still look out on the lake, Mount Rainier and the Cascade Range.

The neighborhood was first settled in 1936 and was annexed into Seattle in 1942.

About View Ridge

Lake Washington, Mount Rainier and the Cascades fill the skyline from many of the homes on this quiet hill in northeast Seattle. View Ridge, Seattle covers about one square mile of mostly residential streets above Magnuson Park and Lake Washington, and for visitors the main draw is View Ridge Playfield, a large public park and sports field where you can stretch your legs before taking in the views.

Finding View Ridge in North Seattle

Seattle neighborhoods have no official borders, but you will usually find View Ridge placed between NE 65th Street and the Sand Point Country Club. Its eastern edge runs to Sand Point Way NE, and its western edge reaches 40th and 45th Avenues NE. As the name promises, this is high ground, rising between Wedgwood and Hawthorne Hills.

Neighbors on every side

Head south and you reach Hawthorne Hills, while Wedgwood sits to the west. Beyond the country club to the north lies Matthews Beach, and Sand Point waits across Sand Point Way to the east. From the hill, you look down over Magnuson Park and the grounds of the former Naval Air Station Seattle. Keep exploring nearby areas with our guide to Seattle neighborhoods.

Read the full View Ridge guide

Play and Open Space at View Ridge Playfield

Start at the neighborhood's public park and playfield, directly across the street from View Ridge Elementary School. As the one city park within View Ridge, it serves as the local gathering spot for games, play and plenty of open space. Before you go, check Seattle Parks and Recreation for current facilities and field details.

The View Ridge Swim and Tennis Club anchors the eastern edge, and the Sand Point Country Club marks the northern edge. When you want bigger green spaces and waterfront trails, wander just downhill to Magnuson Park. For more places to spend an afternoon outdoors, browse our Seattle parks guide.

From Forest to Neighborhood of Views

View Ridge counts among Seattle's younger neighborhoods, settled in 1936 by Ralph Jones and Al Balch after they bought 10 acres of forested land. The pair cleared trees to open sightlines toward Lake Washington and the Cascades, then promoted and sold lots for between $450 and $950, which is why so many homes here still enjoy those views.

Brisk early sales let them buy more land, eventually shaping the footprint you see today. Seattle annexed the area in 1942. The elementary school first opened in portable classrooms in 1944 before moving into its permanent building in 1948.

A difficult chapter

The neighborhood also carries a painful memory from the late 1980s, when a string of arsons struck its streets. In a single night in March 1987, four houses were set on fire and an elderly couple died. More fires followed in 1989, and those responsible ultimately set forty fires in all.

Community Life on the Ridge

View Ridge is home to a sizable Jewish community, and you will find Congregation Shaarei Tefillah Lubavitch, a Hasidic synagogue, at NE 65th Street and 43rd Avenue NE. Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Catholic churches also serve the area.

Families have a public elementary and middle school close by, with many private schools in the surrounding area. Expect a settled, residential feel here rather than shops and commercial streets.

Planning Your Visit

Plan View Ridge as a relaxed outing: stop at the playfield, stroll for the views, then head down to Magnuson Park. Round out the day with ideas from our list of things to do in Seattle, or seek out notable sites in our Seattle landmarks guide.

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