Seniors Take In Sammamish

I recently saw the name Sammamish, had never heard that name before and so I figured it was time to check out the town and to see why we senior travelers might enjoy a visit.

Sammamish, with a population of 46,000+, is an Eastside suburb of Seattle in King County, the largest county in the state by population.

The county is home to roughly 30% of the state’s residents and stretches from Puget Sound to the Cascade Range, encompassing the major cities of Seattle and Bellevue and their sprawling suburbs and it’s full of beautiful scenery.

Sammamish is a very friendly place to visit and to live. The city ranked 15th in CNN Money magazine’s 2011 review of the best places to live in the United States. Forbes ranked Sammamish #1 in its 2012 list of the Friendliest Towns in the United States.

It is bordered by beautiful Lake Sammamish to the west, Redmond to the north, Issaquah to the south, and the Snoqualmie Valley to the east. There are two lakes on the plateau, Pine Lake and Beaver Lake, each surrounded with history.

 Seniors Enjoy A City of Scenic Woods and Trails

There are plenty of opportunities for water recreation at Lake Sammamish and Lake Sammamish State Park. The city is loaded with scenic woods and hiking trails.

Senior golf enthusiasts find world class facilities offered at Sahalee Country Club and Plateau Club. Take in the Sammamish Symphony Orchestra that features local artists performing five concerts per year.

Sammamish has an obscure history, beginning as a subdivision of the Inglewood community. The main industry was the shingle mill business, whose growth caused the community to develop. Once the timber diminished in the 20′s, the town had its difficulties.

It wasn’t until the boom that brought businesses to Redmond and Bellevue that Sammamish once again became an attractive place to in which to live. Today Bellevue Community College, City University, Renton Technical College, and Seattle University provide higher education opportunities for many of the locals. I counted 16 different schools including the 3 high schools in Sammamish.

 Seniors Find Great Shopping and Dining in Sammamish

The heart of Sammamish lies along 228th Ave where senior visitors will find great shopping. The Saffron Center is a newly constructed complex with a wide variety of shops and dining establishments.

Sammamish has two wonderful parks to visit. Lake Sammamish State Park is a 512-acre park with 6,858-feet of waterfront on Lake Sammamish. The area around the lake was an important culture zone for local Native American tribes for centuries.

The park provides deciduous forest and wetland vegetation. A salmon-bearing creek and a great-blue-heron rookery provide wildlife viewing opportunities. Beaver Lake Park offers opportunities for recreation, hiking, and exploring its 54 forested acres. In addition, Beaver Lake is a popular fishing spot.

Seniors, when you are in the great northwest, stop in Sammamish and see for yourself why Forbes ranked the city #1. Enjoy Sammamish. - jeb