Top Local Attractions for Seniors in Independent Living at Cristwood

Seniors in Independent Living apartments at Cristwood enjoy a community with many local attractions. The 56-acre CRISTA Ministries campus that Cristwood residents call home is conveniently located in Shoreline, WA, just north of Seattle. It’s close to beaches, parks, shopping, restaurants, and theater. Residents find many activities and events on campus and local attractions in the community to fill their days and evenings.

Paradise for Outdoor Enthusiasts

For seniors in independent living who enjoy the outdoors, there are a variety of places to walk and explore in Shoreline and North Seattle. There are two saltwater beaches close to Cristwood — Richmond Beach Saltwater Park and Edmonds Beach— and both provide open spaces to walk, sink your toes into the sand, collect beach glass and shells, and watch the sunset. A little farther south is Carkeek Park with equally lovely views.

Other parks in the area include Boeing Creek Park, Greenlake, and Edmonds Marsh, all of which have trails next to the water and vantage points for watching birds and wildlife. If you prefer more cultivated areas, there is also Kruckeburg Botanical Garden, Dunn Gardens, and Molbak’s Butterfly Garden.

Theater Buffs and Music Lovers

In addition to free admission to King’s Schools drama and music productions, senior living at Cristwood in Shoreline provides proximity to The Edmonds Center for the Arts, which boasts a year-round calendar of events from dance to various genres of music, theater, and comedy. Theater companies include Driftwood Players in Edmonds, Taproot Theater in Greenwood, and community college productions in Shoreline, North Seattle, and Edmonds.

A 30-minute drive away in Seattle, there are many professional theaters such as ACT, Seattle Rep, and Intiman. McCaw Hall is home to Pacific Northwest Ballet, which is one of the best ballet companies in the country, as well as Seattle Opera and Seattle Symphony. Jazz enthusiasts will love Jazz Alley and musical theater fans cannot find better than 5th Avenue Theatre in downtown Seattle or Village Theater in Everett. When planning an outing with grandchildren, Seattle Children’s Theater is lots of fun.

If movies are more your style, there are cinemas close by and, for those who like a bargain, Crest Cinema in Shoreline where you can watch a movie anytime for $4.

Live Sporting Events

Let’s face it, the best way to watch a game is in person. That’s why seniors who live at Cristwood love watching games at King’s High School. But if you’re aiming for something more professional, you don’t have to travel far to find it.

Several winning teams are based in Seattle, where Seattle Sounders (soccer), Seahawks (football), Mariners (baseball), and Seattle Kraken (hockey) provide easy parking and great seating. A 30-minute drive north brings you to Everett for a minor league baseball game and family atmosphere with the Aquasox. And every high school and community college in the area has games that are lots of fun to watch.

Great Places to Dine Out

Some of the best cuisine in the world is found in the Seattle area. With a multicultural demographic, you can find international food choices that range from incredible Korean BBQ, Thai, and Vietnamese close to Cristwood to Italian and Greek in downtown Edmonds. Seafood is always on the menu and one of the area’s favorite choices at restaurants like Anthony’s, Duke’s, and Market Edmonds.

For a special night out, seniors at Cristwood in Shoreline enjoy the iconic Canlis Restaurant which overlooks Lake Union, The Edgewater in downtown Seattle, and any number of upscale restaurants in Edmonds such as Epulo Bistro, Salt & Iron, and Arnie’s.

For casual fare, there are numerous places to enjoy pizza, a burger, gyros, tacos, and other delectables near Cristwood. And you might just agree with many on the CRISTA Ministries staff that one of the tastiest cheeseburgers in the area can be found at the Cristwood Café.

Since Seattle is known for its coffee, it goes without saying that there are many places to enjoy a cup solo or with friends in the area.

Convenient Shopping

Cristwood is in close proximity to many grocery stores, making it easy to shop. In addition, the popular Trader Joe’s is only a few miles away, as is Costco, Fred Meyer, Town & Country Market, and Asian Family Market.

If shopping in a mall is your preference, you can easily go to Alderwood Mall or Northgate Mall to find what you’re looking for. And many residents enjoy perusing Sky’s Nursery to enjoy the plants and a latte.

With transportation available at Cristwood Park and Garden Court, seniors often go on excursions as a group. Some of the day trips they enjoy are to Mariners games, the tulip fields in Skagit Valley, Billy Frank Jr. Wildlife Refuge, The Quad Cherry Blossom walk and arboretum at the University of Washington, Richmond Beach, and Bloedel Reserves.

For more information about all local attractions around Cristwood park, click here.