Woodinville

Lake Leota is for the Seattle buyer seeking a roomy abode and lush natural scenery. The area's agrarian history is evident as you navigate around gently rolling hillsides with a far-away feel. Lake Leota's residential streets fringe downtown Woodinville, a hub for shopping and dining. <br><br>Large homes stretch over grassy properties with well-sculpted landscaping. These residents enjoy extra spacious living, often with private arborous properties. Homes sparsely pattern short drives edged with towering evergreens. The midcentury-style architecture mixes with 80s and 90s-era development here. Structures with multi-gabled roofs, elaborate window designs and textured facades are a focal point within Lake Leota's green surrounds. Homes sell between $1 million and $2 million here, with prices increasing with square footage and lot size. <br><br>Many local students attend Wellington Elementary and Leota Middle before finishing their studies at Woodinville High. All three public schools are awarded a prestigious A score or higher on Niche. Student life at Woodinville High is teeming with extracurriculars, and the school is known for its prestigious drama and music programs. Hard-working drama students performed at the American High School Theatre Festival, and young musicians played at the WorldStrides National Instrumental Music Festival in 2019. <br><br>Lake Leota is a lush haven for the outdoor wanderer and a relaxing respite for the office worker. You'll find countless areas of exploration in this scenic Seattle suburb. Paradise Valley Conservation Area is the largest and most well-known local outdoor destination. The park protects a rushing salmon-rearing stream surrounded by an extensive network of winding footpaths. Trails carve through narrow openings between elongated fir trees, prickly pine needles reaching for the sky. You'll pass four-legged friends, mountain bikers and avid hikers traveling through Paradise Valley's sprawling wooded habitat. Watch for roaming cougars and bears as you take on the trails. <br><br>At the center of town, you'll find a small commercial area, lodging offices, salons and a couple of restaurants. You may stop for gas here while you wait for your morning beverage at Mercury's Coffee Co. You're also right next to a busy brewery and winery corridor. Winery Hill draws Lake Leota locals on weekends for tastings and afternoon gatherings. Bring friends along to enjoy frosty drafts at Triplehorn Brewing or visit for a live music event. Try a new red at Lobo Hills' stylish indoor-outdoor outpost.<br><br>You'll head to downtown Woodinville for errands and grocery shops. "There's a lot of shopping here. I head to Leota for one of my favorite garden stores," says Courtney Cooper Neese, Realtor at Keller Williams North. Haggen and Target anchor a smorgasbord of dining destinations, from fast-food drive-throughs to homegrown eateries. Locals crave Twisted Cuban Cafe and Bar's signature sandwich and refreshing mojito. Tipsy Cow is another popular hangout, a casual spot serving traditional burgers and fries. Downtown Woodinville also hosts community events like the summer art walks hosted in the cellars and the popular Oktoberfest, packed with food, drinks and fun activities for the whole family. <br><br>Lake Leota professionals hop on Interstate 405 for a 25-mile ride into downtown Seattle, typically a 30-minute commute. The neighborhood is right next to the interstate, facilitating straightforward commutes around the region. For relaxed private living with convenience and room to grow, explore Lake Leota.

Wine enthusiasts and city commuters, The Wedge is the neighborhood for you. This slice of suburbia has picturesque homes, highly rated schools and proximity to Woodinville's wine country, town center and major transit. "There's been a massive resurgence of life into the area, especially with the area's proximity to wineries and local shopping centers," says Realtor Elizabeth Avery of Re/MAX Northwest.<br><br>Planned community developments are the primary feature of this suburban enclave. You'll find a variety of styles, offering you a range of housing options from which you can choose, like classic contemporary homes or modern Craftsman styles. There's also a mix of established and new construction in the area. You can find stylish modern farmhouse estates, updated ramblers and renovated split levels. The variety of options here brings with it a variety of housing prices. Established ramblers and split levels range between $650,000 and $800,000, while homes in planned communities cost between $850,000 and $1.4 million. Top-of-the-line estates will run you between $1.4 million and $2 million. <br><br>Students in the area will attend schools within the Northshore School District, all of which scored above average for test scores and academic progress on Great Schools. At Woodin Elementary, students can enroll in extracurricular program options, like the school's Spanish Immersion program, orchestra or track. Leota Middle School supports student success with its STAR Time program. On Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year, students attend the after-school program for homework help, study time and tutoring for complex subjects. Woodinville High School, located in the neighborhood, is also rated above average for college readiness by Great Schools. Students have access to a comprehensive College and Career Readiness Center, which sponsors college visits, offers financial aid and scholarship assistance and helps students find internships and apprenticeships. <br><br>Close to the banks of the Sammamish River and the Cascade Mountain Range, this outdoorsy area is full of places to get out and enjoy nature. Rotary Community Park is the neighborhood's most significant green space. The park encompasses several acres of evergreen woodland with walking trails alongside a playground, skate park and a rock-climbing wall. With all its offerings, residents of all ages can find something to enjoy here. For a more off-the-grid hiking spot, head to Woodin Glen Park. This peaceful forest has plentiful birdwatching opportunities and serene duck pond views with an easy walking loop nearly anyone can do. <br><br>One of the biggest perks of living in Woodinville is the proximity to the area's scenic wineries and amenity-rich town center. If you're a wine enthusiast, you can spend your weekends touring the dozens of wineries in the area. Attend a twilight hour tasting or summer concert and the picturesque, French-estate-inspired Chateau Sainte Michelle Winery, or have a date night in Novelty Hill-Januik Winery's contemporary dining room. In The Wedge, you're connected to Highway 522, making Woodinville Town Center accessible within minutes. You'll find shopping centers, big box stores, grocery stores, a movie theater and restaurants here, quickly satisfying all your needs. You'll soon become a regular at longstanding local brunch favorite Woodinville Cafe or weeknight classic Cava Azul Cocina and Cantina. With all the options in Woodinville, there's little wonder why you'd need to go anywhere else. But when you must, Highway 522 also connects you to the tech hubs of Bellevue and Redmond or gets you over to Seattle in a breeze. <br><br>Offering a variety of homes, excellently rated schools and proximity to beloved wineries and Woodinville Town Center, The Wedge is a neighborhood you'll be proud to call home.

There really was a Woodin family who were the first European settlers of Woodinville back in the 1880s. And what a legacy they bestowed upon this Puget Sound community. They farmed, raised dairy cows, and fished at their farm along the Sammamish River. Out of necessity, they also functioned as the budding town’s postmasters, Sunday School teachers and primary school teachers. Taking their lead, subsequent Woodinville homesteaders blended necessity with creativity in their daily labors. In logs of early residents, you’ll find brewers, winemakers, artists, bakers and gardeners. Creative enterprise is the undercurrent in Downtown Woodinville today and visitors are drawn to local wineries, restaurants, musical venues and art galleries, as well as to theatres, farmers markets and outdoor attractions such as parks, hiking trails and waterfalls. <br><br>Homeseekers from Seattle and Bellevue looking to escape city life or dense suburbs seek out this one-and-a-half square mile wide community. Downtown Woodinville sits conveniently in the middle of the neighborhood. Peaceful tree-lined streets, and large homes with roomy yards define the residential areas. At the same time, Woodinville also offers creative opportunities and outdoor destinations to keep you as busy or relaxed as you desire. As Sam Cunningham with Compass Realty explains, “People who move to Woodinville want a different life than what they’ve had. A bit quieter, more low-key…they want homes with more room, schools with good teachers, and more opportunities for their kids to just go and play outside. Parents enjoy teaching their kids to paddleboard, to fish, and to enjoy live music. This is a great place to raise a family, as the pace is more manageable here than in the city.” Buyers can find homes with about 4,000 square feet for about $3,100,000. Contemporary tri-level homes sell for around $1,000,000. One-bedroom condominiums in Downtown Woodinville start at about $300,000. <br><br>Public schools are highly rated in Downtown Woodinville, but families can choose private and charter schools as well. Hollywood Hill Elementary offers pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and has an A-minus rating from Niche. The Timbercrest Junior High Wolves have an A-rating from Niche and are rated one of the best middle schools in the state. Woodinville High has an enrollment of 1,663 students as of August 2023. Seventy-six percent of graduates plan to attend colleges or universities. Niche gives Woodinville an overall A-rating. <br><br>Wilmot Gateway Park provides access to the Sammamish River Trail and offers a playground, plenty of green space, public art sculptures and event space that hosts the annual Woodinville Summer Concert Series. Woodin Creek Park also offers access to the Sammamish River Trail and welcomes visitors to its basketball court, horseshoe pit, tennis court and picnic shelter. It’s notable for its large fir trees and topiary trees that provide shade and visual entertainment. Living in Woodinville offers fresh air, a good walk, four-star dining and wine tasting all in one afternoon when you visit Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. Realtor Cunningham says, “Most of the wineries around here have full-service dining options onsite, not to mention live music and outdoor festivals.”<br><br>Weekends are a great time to enjoy the Rusty Pelican Café. This well-known family restaurant offers all-day breakfasts, lunch and cocktails, as well as indoor and outdoor seating. If you’re going to claim “Best. Burgers. Ever.” you better have great food. Reviews are resoundingly positive for Tipsy Cow, a local burger bar. They’re also known for carrying local wines, ciders and beer and for making their own artisan breads and buns. <br><br>Fresh food is practically a requirement when you go grocery shopping in Downtown Woodinville. The Woodinville Farmers Market is open from May through September and supports local farmers and artisans. Bring the family, catch up with neighbors, or just stroll around and relax. 21 Acres is a revolutionary farm, market, laboratory and educational center all in one place. Founded in 2006, its goal was to be a center for agricultural education and collective action. Since then, they’ve expanded the farm, educated the community about food economics and furthered environmental preservation efforts in and around Woodinville. They’re definitely a great example of the continuation of the Woodin family’s legacy.

With spacious homes, winding river views, proximity to nationally loved wineries and an amenity-rich retail center, West Ridge is a Woodinville neighborhood that won't leave you feeling stuck in the suburbs. "The area's updates have caused a massive influx of people to the community, which has give the area so much new life," says Realtor Elizabeth Avery with Re/MAX Northwest. <br><br>Planned communities are the area's primary feature, with a variety of single-family and multi-family options. You'll find spacious traditional developments, Craftsman-inspired Northwest contemporary styles and geometric contemporary communities with bold lines and wide windows. There are also recently built town house developments throughout the area, offering more attractive price points and convenient access to local freeways. Prices in the area have a wide range that reflects the range of home offerings. Town houses range from $550,000 to $750,000, traditional homes cost between $765,000 and $1.3 million and newer contemporary developments range from $1.5 million to $2 million. <br><br>Northshore School District serves families with public school students, all of which are rated above average for test scores by Great Schools. Woodmoor Elementary School offers a variety of extracurricular activities in addition to its stellar academics, including orchestra, band, track and cross country. At Northshore Middle School, families benefit from an after-school activity bus that transports students to different athletics, clubs, libraries and the local YMCA. Inglemoor High School serves students in grades nine through twelve. It offers nearly two dozen associated student body activities, such as Girls Who Code, Robotics and the Inglemoor Theater Company. <br><br>This woodsy community is bordered by the tranquil Sammamish River, offering easy access to fishing, kayaking and biking along the Sammamish River Trail. You'll find a public river access point at Wilmot Gateway Park, which has a picnic-perfect riverfront lawn, a play area and access to the trail, where you'll often find residents biking, walking or jogging year-round. Nearby, Woodin Creek Park has a kayak launch point, tennis courts and a colorful playground. If you want an easy local hike, head to Quail Ridge Park. The park's wooded trails are perfect for walking, foraging, birdwatching and exploring in your backyard. <br>Located just a mile from nationally loved wineries like Chateau Sainte Michelle, JM Cellars and Novelty Hill-Januik, this is the perfect community for wine enthusiasts who want to be close to tasting rooms. You can spend weekends sampling your favorites, attending live music and hosting your events at any of these wineries. <br><br>You're also less than a mile from major thoroughfares like Highway 522 and Redmond-Woodinville Road, so commuting or getting to daily necessities and the dining, retail and entertainment of Woodinville's Town Center is super easy. The Town Center is where you'll find a shopping center, big box stores, a movie theater and restaurants. On Woodinville Road, you can also pick up groceries, get coffee at Mercury Coffee Co. or grab dinner at local favorites like Woodinville Cut Shop Restaurant and Lounge. This retro, 1970s-style joint has a full cocktail bar, creative appetizers and loaded burgers. <br><br>Offering a range of housing options, well-rated schools and proximity to parks, wineries and a bustling town center, West Ridge might just be one of Woodinville's best neighborhoods.

The community of Kingsgate offers classic suburban living with proximity to the retail center of Totem Lake and strong homeowners’ associations. “It's one of the more affordable neighborhoods in the area, but still has a really good school district and more spacious lot sizes than you will see elsewhere,” says Diane Ginthner, a Realtor with Windemere Realty who has experience in the area. Kingsgate sits on the northern tip of Kirkland, where planned residential streets wind around neighborhood pools. Big cities are a drive away, but the quietness of the area makes it popular with families. "People who grew up in Kingsgate are moving back to raise their own families," says Realtor and former Kingsgate resident Elizabeth Avery of RE/MAX Northwest, "There's a resurgence of life here." As a result of high demand, midcentury homes featuring renovated ranch-style or bi-level designs sit alongside new developments. These new builds are often Craftsman-inspired, with stone finishes, porches or geometric designs with large windows and smart home features. Fixer-upper ranch homes start at $800,000, but most homes hover around $1 million or more. Large contemporary homes with five bedrooms get up to $1.8 million. Single-family lots have space for fenced-in backyards, attached garages and space for personal gardens. Multi-family living is also available, offering options for various budgets. Condos start at $300,000, and renovated townhomes go up to $700,000. Students are part of the Lake Washington School District, ranked third in the state. Kids start at either Robert Frost Elementary or John Muir Elementary, both featuring an active PTSA that plans family events. Students can take the sidewalks to school, even when they move on to Kamiakin Middle School. All three schools receive an A grade on Niche. Kids head off to Juanita High School, which is 2 miles away. The high school gets an A-minus rating and a 10/10 college readiness score from GreatSchools thanks to its rigorous courses and the international diploma offered through the Cambridge program. Under the broader Evergreen Neighborhood Association, Kingsgate is split up into five distinct homeowners' associations. The HOAs don’t have much of an effect on house restrictions. Instead, they plan community events and maintain a private pool and park. The pools are neighborhood hubs in the summer, bustling with local swim teams and personal pool parties. All residents enjoy the Kingsgate Library and the soccer and baseball fields at 132nd Square Park. The public park also has a modern playground area, picnic tables and public restrooms that invite families to stay a while. Fun on the ice is available all year round at the Sno King Ice Arena, which hosts public skating, figure skating lessons, and competitive ice hockey leagues. Kingsgate is close to Woodinville, making it an attractive home-buying location for wine enthusiasts. Just minutes away, Northeast 145th Street is lined with wineries and tasting rooms. The largest winery, Chateau Sainte Michelle, offers tours of its French-style estate and serves up crisp glasses of wine during its outdoor summer concerts. For more fun outdoors, several major trails are nearby, including the Sammamish River Trail, which connects with the Burke-Gilman trail as it stretches around Lake Washington, and the Eastside Rail Corridor, which heads down into downtown Kirkland. Residents at the neighborhood's southern edge are within walking distance of Totem Lake, and others are a short drive or bus ride away. The recently updated shopping center has a modern-looking Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, as well as restaurants and retail options. To the north, residents can shop at the Safeway in a strip mall along Northeast 144th Street. The nearby Pizza Bank has served the area for over 30 years, and Tony's Sports Bar has karaoke and trivia nights, often with a Seahawks game playing on their TVs. For commuting workers, the 9-mile drive to Bellevue typically takes 20 minutes. It is doable by bus as well, with neighborhood stops at Totem Lake and along 124th, but the trip is more like an hour. Seattle is 16 miles away across the 520 Bridge, and the drive can often take 40 minutes with traffic. Residents can access the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport via Interstate 405, a direct route that makes the 25-mile drive only take around 25 minutes. The neighborhood is bordered by the EvergreenHealth Medical Center, with facilities from dentists to emergency care. “There are a lot of medical professionals that settle in Kingsgate because of proximity to the hospital,” Ginthner says. “But it’s just far enough away that residents aren’t bothered by emergency vehicle noise.”

There are lots of factors that go into choosing a place to live. Convenience, housing and local attractions are all important, but your neighbors will also play a significant role. The friendly community feel of Wellington is part of why it has become so desirable for homebuyers. “It has a real, quiet neighborhood feel. The neighbors are just wonderful,” says Kathryn Buchanan, a managing broker with Windermere Real Estate. “My client had lived there for 34 years, and she talked about her neighbors as just being wonderful people. It has a cohesive neighborhood feel.” With friendly neighbors in addition to the park-like setting of the neighborhood, Wellington is a community where you can truly feel at home. Much of Wellington is covered in mature evergreens that reach toward the sky and cast shade down over the neighborhood. Houses are often spread out, giving residents plenty of room and privacy. The trees that line the winding, hilly streets add a layer of privacy, shielding many homes from the road. Some areas have more of a subdivision feel, with sidewalks along the streets and houses closer together, but still with plenty of room for landscaping or playing games in the yard. Buchanan says you’ll find many established homes in the area. “It is an older neighborhood, but the houses are well kept up,” she says. “People truly invest in modernizing their homes.” The neighborhood has many Craftsman houses with wood siding and stone accents. The colors of the homes tend to match the surroundings, with lots of greens, browns and blues. You can also find some traditional ranch-style homes and modern contemporary homes with large windows and flat roofs. Most houses in Wellington will cost at least $1 million, with several listed for more than $3 million. Students in Wellington might attend Wellington Elementary School, Leota Middle School and Woodinville High School. Wellington and Leota each receive an A overall rating from Niche, while Woodinville High is rated an A-plus. The high school serves approximately 1,600 students and offers several programs to help students prepare for college, including the Running Start program. Students can earn college credit from local community colleges, which will be accepted at every public four-year college in the state. Students can also participate in the Washington Network for Innovative Careers, a skills center that provides career and technical education to students in industries like arts, media, business and STEM. Residents have a few options for recreation near the neighborhood. Nature lovers can head to Cold Creek Natural Area to spend time in the woods. This natural space and the adjacent Bassett Pond comprise 250 acres of wildlife habitat. The space is home to wetlands, springs and salmon-bearing streams. You can hike along a few trails in the park and hope to spot some wildlife. Just west of State Route 522 is Rotary Community Park, a medium-sized park with many activities. The park has walking trails through forested areas, a skate park, a climbing wall, a graffiti wall and a playground. Wellington’s convenient location in Woodinville puts residents just a short drive away from popular local attractions and necessities. The Warehouse Wineries are just west of the neighborhood, offering a fun way to spend a weekend and try various local wines. This former industrial district has over 25 production wineries and tasting rooms. Whether you’re into whites or reds, you will surely find something to enjoy in this unique destination. When you’re feeling hungry at the end of the day, you can head to Italianissimo Ristorante for northern Italian cuisine featuring local products such as smoked salmon and scallops. Everything in this restaurant is made from scratch, including the pasta and sauces. You can head to the Costco on Woodinville Snohomish Road to run errands. There is also a Safeway just east of the neighborhood on Woodinville Duvall Road. For any other shopping you need to do, you’ll be just a quick 3-mile drive from downtown Woodinville, home to stores like Barnes & Noble, Target and PetSmart. Wellington is also just over a mile from State Route 522, which can take you anywhere you need to go through the Puget Sound region and connects to Interstate 405. You can hop on the interstate anytime you need to make the 25­-mile drive into downtown Seattle or the 30-mile trip to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.