Wellington

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.

Written By

Matthew Atkins

Photography Contributed By

Howard Snyder

Video By

Remi Cox