Destination guide
Belltown, Seattle: The Sculpture Park, the Regrade, and Where to Stay
Updated August 2026
Belltown takes its name from William N. Bell, one of Seattle's founding Denny Party settlers, who staked a land claim here in 1852. The neighborhood was physically remade by the Denny Regrade -- a 32-year project (1898-1930) that leveled the steep hill that used to sit here -- and it's now Seattle's densest downtown-adjacent neighborhood, full of galleries, theaters, and nightlife.
Olympic Sculpture Park A free, 9-acre outdoor art park on the waterfront at Belltown's edge, open year-round from just before sunrise to just after sunset. It connects directly to Myrtle Edwards Park, making for one of the best waterfront walks in the city.
The Regrade What's left of old Belltown after the hill came down: a small off-leash dog park, the Belltown P-Patch community garden (established 1995), and a historic 1963 single-screen theater building -- closed as Cinerama in 2020, now reopened as SIFF Cinema Downtown.
Points of interest
Olympic Sculpture Park
2901 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
A free 9-acre outdoor art park on the waterfront, operated by the Seattle Art Museum, connecting to Myrtle Edwards Park.
- Open 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset, 365 days/year
Regrade Park (off-leash area)
2251 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
One of Seattle's official off-leash dog areas, with a double-gate fenced perimeter.
- Open 6am-10pm
Belltown P-Patch
Elliott Ave & Vine St, Seattle, WA 98121
A community garden established in 1995, with 35 plots, a giving garden, and public art woven into its ironwork fence.
SIFF Cinema Downtown
2100 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
A historic single-screen theater built in 1963 -- long known as Cinerama, closed in 2020, and reopened by SIFF under its current name in December 2023.
Eat & drink
The 5 Point Cafe
415 Cedar St, Seattle, WA 98121
A Belltown institution since 1929 -- diner food around the clock and a bar that keeps going until 2am.
Quick facts
- Named for
- William N. Bell, a founding Denny Party settler who staked his claim here in 1852
- The Denny Regrade
- A 32-year project (1898-1930) that sluiced away the steep hill that used to sit where Belltown is now
- Olympic Sculpture Park
- 9 free acres of outdoor art, open 365 days a year
- Insider tip
- The building known for decades as Cinerama reopened in 2023 under a new name, SIFF Cinema Downtown -- still the same historic 1963 theater.
Useful links
Where to stay
Sikes Vacations has a stay here, booked directly with no platform fee added at checkout:
See real-time pricing for these, or everything else Sikes Vacations has, on the rates & availability page.
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