West Cramer Street End provides shoreline access in Seattle's Queen Anne and Magnolia neighborhoods where Cramer Street meets Puget Sound. While specific documentation of Cramer Street's etymology remains limited in readily available historical records, the street likely dates from Seattle's late 19th or early 20th century platting when developers established the Queen Anne and Magnolia street grids with names honoring early settlers, civic leaders, or using descriptive designations. The street end sits among Seattle's network of shoreline access points preserved under the city's 1996 program that identified 149 street ends and designated them for public uses and enjoyment along waterfronts. These micro beaches and nature preserves where roadways stop at the water's edge provide public rights-of-way to Seattle's shorelines despite surrounding private development.
Kayaking and paddleboarding launch from the street end beach into Puget Sound for exploration along the shoreline between Queen Anne and Magnolia with opportunities to paddle toward Elliott Bay Marina, observe marine wildlife, and experience Olympic Mountain views across the strait. Beachcombing along the rocky beach reveals smooth stones polished by waves, driftwood from Pacific storms, mussel and barnacle shells, and beach glass in various hues deposited by tides and currents. Wildlife watching includes harbor seals hauling out on rocks and hunting nearshore waters, bald eagles perching in shoreline trees and soaring overhead, great blue herons stalking shallows during low tides, and seabirds including cormorants, pigeon guillemots, and scoters utilizing Puget Sound's marine ecosystem. Views span across the sound to the Olympic Mountains forming a dramatic western horizon, with shipping lanes carrying cargo vessels toward the Port of Seattle, Washington State Ferries crossing between Seattle and Bainbridge Island, and recreational boats enjoying protected waters. The street end designation preserves public waterfront access in this transitional area between two prominent Seattle neighborhoods.
Queen Anne and Magnolia dining offers diverse options near West Cramer Street End. Palisade features Pacific Northwest cuisine including Dungeness crab cakes and grilled salmon with breathtaking Elliott Bay and Seattle skyline views. Canlis creates fine Pacific Northwest dining with seasonal menus, extensive wine selections, and views overlooking Lake Union from the Queen Anne hillside. Mura Asian Eatery serves homestyle Korean and Japanese dishes including chicken karaage, beef bulgogi, katsu, spicy tofu stew, yakisoba, and fried rice. Pink Salt specializes in Peruvian fare including ceviche, Cordero lamb shank roasted with vegetables and herbs, and pan y chicharron slow-roasted pork belly on homemade bread. Damoori Kitchen prepares traditional Lebanese dishes including beef kafta pita arous with herb-flecked beef, pickled turnips, tahini, tomato, and radish.
