Northwest Richmond Beach Rd, Richmond Beach

NW Richmond Beach Road (or RBR to the locals) really is an access road from the Richmond Highlands down to the beachfront area. There are views from a couple big houses, but they aren't as good as those you'd find in Innis Arden a block away. And the traffic is busier than normal for a street in a suburb.

That's the whole downside, though. On RBR, you have a number of Shoreline's best restaurants, a public library, and (of course) a straight shot down 20th to the beach. The road noise is nothing compared to a main street like Aurora, or even Greenwood. And you have excellent sidewalks and beautiful neighborhoods with lots of trees to walk through.

The Shoreline School District is one of the best in Western Washington, so if you have kids, that could be a major factor.

NW Richmond Beach Road cuts through a nice residential area featuring both single family residences and many newer apartment buildings. At 20th Ave NW you can go a few blocks south to Richmond Beach Park, one of the nicer saltwater parks in the greater Seattle area. The surrounding area is a great place for family living with nearby shopping and good public transportation. There are medical services in the area and a major hospitlal just minutes away. Also great views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains.