Kirkland is a stunning water front city situated in the north end of Washington State. It is actually just north of Seattle and across Lake Washington, facing west. It is the 6th largest city in King County, and the 12th largest in the whole state. This city is especially beautiful due to its waterfront culture rife with places to shop, eat, and peruse all of the local art. Kirkland is the only city on the whole eastern side of Lake Washington (and Lake Washington is a very large lake—the second largest in the state) whose downtown center is directly on the waterfront. What this means is that the main bustle of the city, the best place to be, and the easiest place to hang out is right on the water, where the views can literally not be beat.

Marina Park is a very popular and well attended public park right at the water’s edge, and just to the side of the city’s big marina. This marina is huge, and has public spots for visitors on boats to simply put up, tie up, and then spend the day in Kirkland getting waffles and going swimming. Marina Park not only has beachfront, but trails and kids toy structures as well. Residents and tourists from all over the state are famous for traipsing down to Kirkland for the day to enjoy the sunny beaches and shops. In fact, Costco's headquarter used to be located in Kirkland, which is why Costco’s signature brand it called "Kirkland."

While Kirkland is an epic place to visit, Kirkland is also an absolutely excellent place to live and spend the rest of your life. Kirkland truly combines the feel of a large city with the warm community of a small, waterfront town. Many homes in Kirkland boast direct waterfront or water views, and those that don’t have either still have extremely easy access because of all the public parks with waterfront in the area. Kirkland faces west over Lake Washington toward downtown Seattle, meaning that not only are their epic views of Seattle, but the sunsets over the lake are absolutely stunning. Sandpoint is right across the water, and if you look south, you can see huge Mt. Rainier rising over the hills.

For the eco-conscious resident of the Pacific Northwest, Kirkland is the place to be. Particularly for the lovers of bicycle transportation. In 2006, Kirkland was the first city in the state to adopt a Complete Street ordinance. What this means is that during all road construction and improvement planning projects, bicycle and pedestrian facilities must be addressed. Along with public parks and shopping, there is also a fairly thriving nightlife. There are nightclubs, dance clubs and bars galore. For the younger generation, there is also the Kirkland Teen Union Building, which boasts some great amenities and facilities, including a darkroom, two music stages, a recording studio and year round activities and youth programs. Kirkland also has a 400 seat performing arts center, where the lovers of live theatre can go see art to their hearts content.

This article was produced by Eric Badgley; specializing in Kirkland Real Estate and Seattle WA Real Estate. For more details visit http://www.kreick.com