North Terrace - Mountlake Terrace, WA

The area that Mountlake Terrace currently occupies was once heavily forested and populated by the Snohomish people. By the early 1900s most of the area had been logged and divided into 10-acre plots for various types of ranching. An interurban rail line was created in 1910 that connected the Mountlake Terrace farms with other cities in the community; the rail line was abandoned during the Great Depression, but residents can still find pieces of it throughout the community.

Mountlake Terrace has been easily affected by the rise and fall of major economic players; its population declining when Boeing suffers, and rising again when production ramps up. Recently, the city has made a major push to revitalize the downtown area, and create more opportunities within Mountlake Terrace for its residents.

As a small community, North Terrace -- and Mountlake Terrace in general -- has a limited supply of entertainment options right in the city. Residents looking for a more varied night out can drive south to Seattle (about 16 minutes on the interstate). Seattle provides multiple neighborhoods with many types of entertainment, from craft breweries to clubs, live music venues and fine dining -- something for everyone. Mountlake Terrace dwellers can also access an evening out in nearby Edmonds -- the downtown core of this waterfront community is just a 15-minute drive from North Terrace. Edmonds offers a walkable downtown and waterfront, and serves as a ferry terminal for locals wishing to travel to the Olympic Peninsula.

If residents truly desire a night in their hometown, Mountlake Terrace offers some excellent dining and casual nightlife options; just be ready to drive between stops, or plan on taking a cab. Diamond Knot Brew Pub is a must-visit for beer lovers and pub food lovers alike. Mountlake Terrace is home to the second (and much improved) location of Diamond Knot; locals rave over the onion rings, the steak that you cook yourself on a hot rock and, of course, the locally brewed beer. Brew drinkers from around the Seattle area head north to Diamond Knot to sample the brewery's newest creations, and the beers have won several awards in local "best of" competitions.

Tasty Mexican food in the Pacific Northwest is admittedly hard to find, but Mountlake Terrace locals are fortunate to have an awesome choice right in their backyard, Las Espuelas. The chips and salsa are homemade, complimentary and enough to keep some fans coming back without tasting anything else on the menu. Be sure to taste the seafood chimichangas; loaded with fresh seafood, they combine the best in northwest fare with homemade sauce. With huge portions and reasonable prices, residents find they don't need to leave their community at all to find great dining options.

For burger lovers, Red Onion Burger is the go-to meeting place for gourmet burgers made in a timely manner by fully trained culinary specialists, or in its own words, "fresh food fast, not fast food." The full dining area features a VIP lounge and several flat screen TV viewing areas. Locally owned and operated, Red Onion Burger offers the ultimate "Signature Baconatur," the "Lightly Fried Cod Father" and the "Devil's Spit Habernaro Burger," or you are invited to create a masterpiece of your own. You are not limited to burgers at this family-friendly eatery. Enjoy a variety of fresh, tasty salads, hot dogs, platters such as Yankee pot roast, St. Louis ribs or mac and cheese, and step up to the full-service ice cream bar for a creamy, light and refreshing dessert.

Mountlake Terrace is a car-dependent city; North Terrace residents can walk to a few coffee shops and restaurants in under five minutes, but most residents use a car to get around. Mountlake Terrace encompasses an area of about four miles, and bus service within that area is quite hard to find. King County Metro provides bus service from Mountlake Terrace North to Lynnwood, and residents can find themselves in the center of downtown Seattle with a 30-minute bus ride and $2.50 fare from Mountlake Terrace. As the downtown center continues to become a popular option for residents, parking is still easy and cheap in Mountlake Terrace. Residents are able to request cab service for Mountlake Terrace, but Uber is not yet available in the city, especially in North Terrace as it lies farther from the downtown center. There are a few bike-friendly roads in Mountlake Terrace, if residents plan to commute via bike. The town offers two dedicated bike paths and a trail that allows bicycling as well.

Mountlake Terrace provides residents with ample opportunity to enjoy parks and recreation, and the ability to spend time outside is a major perk for living in this small city. The city is home to nine parks, a golf course and miles of walking and jogging trails.

Ballinger Park provides residents with picnic tables, swimming and boat access to Lake Ballinger and a beach for wading and swimming. The small lake allows only non-motorized vehicles. Ballinger Park includes a playfield, picnic tables and large open areas to enjoy.

Terrace Creek Park, also known as Candy Cane Park, in North Terrace is the largest park in Mountlake Terrace. The park provides residents with walking and jogging trails that wind through the trees, an 18-hole disk golf course (the only one in the area) and a large playground for families. Dog-owning residents can take their furry friends to The Mountlake Terrace Off Leash Dog Park, located in a wooded area of Terrace Creek Park. The dog park provides water, a large play area and a double gate safety system to ensure your pup doesn't escape.

The cost of living in the Mountlake Terrace community is about 16 percent higher than the rest of Washington, but lower than living in Seattle by about six percent. Housing prices in Mountlake Terrace are half of what they are in Seattle, and the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in North Terrace is $953. Gas will cost about eight percent more in Mountlake Terrace than it will in the rest of the nation. Mountlake Terrace residents benefit from a slightly lower cost of living than Seattle-ites; beer will cost betwee $4.00-$5.00 at a local pub.

Mountlake Terrace offers residents a variety of grocery stores including the usual big chains; Albertsons, QFC, and Safeway. Because Mountlake Terrace is so close to the big city and is in easy commuting distance to multiple suburbs, locals will never be in want of hard-to-find items. Mountlake Terrace is also home to locally-owned grocers. People from around the Seattle suburbs visit Double DD Meats in Mountlake Terrace for their huge selection of quality meat products, hot sauces, and fast service. This butcher shop provides high quality products at very reasonable prices -- locals swear by the house-made jerky and sausage.

The small city of Mountlake Terrace doesn't offer much in the way of shopping, but the large Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood is a short four miles away. Alderwood Mall offers the usual department stores and gives locals a nearby option for brand-name shopping. If you are looking for more local shopping options, downtown Edmonds is a great place for unique experiences. Otherworlds is a combined book shop/gift shop/clothing shop that specializes in Steampunk-style goods crafted by local artisans. The store also hosts game nights, which are a hit with locals. C'est la Vie is a carefully curated clothing and jewelry shop located in downtown Edmonds and is the best place to find unique gifts. Most items are created by local artists and the inventory is always changing.