My wife and I have lived in Madison Park for a little over a year now and we love it.

 

There are many apartments—we live along 43rd Ave, the street that borders the water—to choose from, and all are within walking distance of Madison Park beach and the adjacent business district. Bus access is good. Metro bus route 11 runs from Madison Park to downtown frequently in the mornings, and returns about once every 30 minutes in the afternoon and evenings.

 

Parking can be a challenge. We are lucky to get one perpendicular alley parking spot with our place. Our apartment is also pet friendly. The neighborhood also gets very busy in the summer time. It seems like most of Capitol Hill likes to hang out at Madison Park beach, making street parking nearly impossible. Fortunately, most parking is not restricted, so if you find a spot, you can stay there for days.

 

My advice for finding an apartment is to drive around looking for vacancy signs. If you find an interesting place, call the number on the sign. Most of the time, the manager will be on hand to give you a tour. Doing this, we managed to find a three bedroom unit with a partial lake view that allowed pets (we have a cat) and parking for less than $1,500. It even has a private entrance.

 

Renting in Madison Park is great because its an expensive neighborhood with affordable rents and a high standard of living. My favorite hang outs are the Red Onion (dive bar with crappy pool table), the Attic (pub with great beer selection), Cactus (excellent margaritas), Bert’s Red Apple (modest grocery store with most of what you need) and, of course, the beach. Nothing beats throwing on swimming trunks and walking out your front door to the beach on a hot summer day.