Welcome to Sammamish / Issaquah
Gorgeous natural scenery on the shores of Lake Sammamish
Sammamish and Issaquah are inviting small cities located to the east of Seattle along the shoreline of Lake Sammamish. The lake runs for Sammamish’s entire western boundary. To Sammamish’s south, Issaquah is bisected by I-90, which runs directly to Seattle. These cities offer many parks and outdoor recreation areas and hip downtown areas with lots of unique retailers and restaurants.
Sammamish and Issaquah each feature beautiful, large homes surrounded by soaring trees and greenery. There are also spectacular private residences along the shores of Lake Sammamish.
What to Love
- Large and beautiful homes
- Hip downtown areas
- Scenic outdoor recreation areas
- Lake Sammamish views
People & Lifestyle
Sammamish and Issaquah have ranked highly on many lists of the nation’s most desirable and affluent cities. Census data has recorded Sammamish as having the highest median household income of any city in the United States, as the area is home to many tech workers and management professionals. Sammamish has also topped Forbes’ list of America’s friendliest cities and best places to live. Issaquah is surrounded on three sides by the peaks of the Issaquah Alps. These majestic mountains feature numerous beautiful parks and forests.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Sammamish and Issaquah each offer an eclectic array of downtown dining options. Sammamish’s Pine Lake Ale House pairs a revolving tap list of more than 20 craft beers with signature burgers, tacos, and pasta dishes.
Sammamish Café & Spirits serves classic American comfort eats in an inviting space modeled after a 1940s fishing lodge. The family-run Lebanese restaurant Tanoor has a menu of flavorful kabobs, shawarmas, and meze plates. Other Sammamish dining highlights include Mexican meals at festive LaCasita, delicious thin-crust pizza at Pagliacci Pizza, wood-fired pies at MOD Pizza, Chinese cuisine at August Moon, and Vietnamese fare at Vinason Pho & Grill.
Issaquah’s Gilman Village shopping center features 40 retailers and restaurants in a quaint collection of historic mining and farming buildings. Dining choices at Gilman Village include pub grub and craft beers at the cozy Black Duck Cask and Bottle, Tuscan Italian cuisine at Nicolino, Greek specialties at Tantalus, seasonal farm-to-table fare at The Well & Table, and South American-style steaks and seafood paired with American whiskies at Flat Iron Grill.
Every Saturday between 4 pm and 8 pm, Issaquah’s Historically Hip Artisan Market sees talented local artisans selling their wares in downtown Issaquah. Other regular downtown Issaquah events include an Art Walk & Music Stroll with live music on the first Saturday of each month between June and September.
Things to Do
Residents of Sammamish and Issaquah enjoy access to lots of parks and outdoor recreation areas. Sammamish’s forested 83-acre Beaver Lake Park is one of nine public parks located within the city. Trails wind through Beaver Lake Park’s forests, leading to a beach on the lake, which serves as a popular fishing and boating spot. Beaver Lake Park also offers sports fields and play structures for kids.
Just north of Beaver Lake Park, Soaring Eagle Regional Park sprawls across 790 acres of gorgeous forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitat with 12 miles of mixed-use trails. Sammamish’s Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park features many mountain bike trails running through 120 acres of lush woodlands. More trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding ascend the three mountains comprising the Issaquah Alps.
The Cougar Mountain Zoo is a major Issaquah attraction covering 11 acres on Cougar Mountain’s northern slope. The adjacent Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park covers 3,115 acres. This expansive preservation area has 38 miles of hiking trails and 12 miles of trails for horseback riding. Issaquah Salmon Hatchery raises four million salmon every year, which are then released into the Issaquah Creek to travel onward through the Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean. More than 350,000 visitors take tours of the hatchery every year. October’s Salmon Days festival celebrates the release of the hatchery’s salmon with events including a parade, races, fencing matches, bike rides, and a golf tournament.
Schools
Sammamish is served by both the Lake Washington School District and Issaquah School District.
- Rachel Carson Elementary School, Public, PK-5.
- Samantha Smith Elementary School, Public, K-5.
- Inglewood Middle School, Public, 6-8.
- Pine Lake Middle School, Public, 6-8.
- Skyline High School, Public, 9-12.
Issaquah is served by the Issaquah School District.
- Discovery Elementary School, Public, PK-5.
- Endeavour Elementary School, Public, K-5.
- Beaver Lake Middle School, Public, 6-8.
- Pacific Cascade Middle School, Public, 6-8.
- Gibson Ek High School, Public, 9-12.