Northeast Hazel Dell - Vancouver, WA

Before Vancouver was fully developed, Hazel Dell and Minnehaha were the first suburban neighborhoods in the city. Reese and Sarah J. Anderson settled in the neighborhood and named it after hazelnuts they found on their land.

After World War II, Hazel Dell's population boomed. It grew from a small community of farmers to a huge suburban neighborhood. Shopping centers and stores replaced family-run dairy farms, and by the 1970s most of these farms closed.

In 1964, restaurant owner Harvey Johnson hosted the first Parade of Bands. The neighborhood holds this parade every year, featuring a line of marching bands celebrating in the street.

Northeast Hazel Dell has streets filled with restaurants catering to nearly every food genre and palate. While many of these restaurants fit into the chain category, you'll find dozens of local businesses alongside these chains, including traditional Japanese cuisine.

Ichi 16 Teriyaki serves Japanese comfort food classics from teriyaki chicken to gyoza and yakisoba. Patrons order food at the counter of the tiny diner, and choose between takeout or in-house seating. Seats fill up quickly, so order your dishes in advance. The best food Northeast Hazel Dell has for its dedicated residents come from unexpected locations. Super Taco Express appears to be the size of a food truck, but it packs a flavorful punch. If you love a dive-style Mexican food restaurant, grab one of Super Taco Express' al pastor tacos. If you're feeling adventurous, sink your teeth into a lengua dish -- that's Spanish for beef tongue.

Pizza lovers luck out with Bortolami's Pizzeria. When you step inside this restaurant, you come face-to-face with bicycles. Bike memorabilia fliers hang from the spokes of an enormous wheel on the ceiling as the aroma of baked crust fills the air. Hungry patrons order thick calzones packed with Italian cheeses. Choose from more than 19 varieties of pizza, including the Testa Della Corsa with olive oil, apple butter pears, bacon and cheddar cheese. They have gluten-free and thin-crust options on every pizza as well.

When you want evening entertainment, visit Three Monkeys Pub & Grill off of Pacific Highway. Watch a band play during one of the venue's concert showcases, or take a sip of one of the signature cocktails. The Monkey Nut cocktail features banana liqueur, olives, coconut, blue curacao, and pineapple juice.

Hazel Dell Grange #1124 is one of the area's only all-ages music venues, and it doubles as a recreational space for family events. While the neighborhood is kid-friendly, you'll enjoy adult-only fun at one of the area's popular bars, including Billy Blues Bar and Grill and Icehouse Bar. Check out a band play at one of the Billy Blues Bar and Grill's weekly jam nights. Residents flock to this bar every weekend as their main night-time entertainment in Northeast Hazel Dell.

Residents have no problem getting around without a car in Northeast Hazel Dell, as most major stores are within walking distance of residential areas. C-Tran, the area's public bus system, takes passengers through Northeast Hazel Dell into downtown Vancouver and the Westfield Vancouver Mall. C-Tran picks passengers up from the Highway 99 Transit Center, then travels south.

Take Highway 99 to get to many of the major stores in Northeast Hazel Dell, including Target, Walmart and Chuck's Produce & Street Market. Interstate 5 cuts through the heart of Hazel Dell, making it the primary lane of traffic for residents.

You'll find public parking on nearly every residential street. If you're shopping, plenty of open parking spaces fill the area, as most plazas and strip malls serve as the location for most businesses.

Uber serves the Vancouver area, including Northeast Hazel Dell. Cabs don't frequently drive around the neighborhood looking for customers, but you can call major taxi companies for quick service.

Wide roads mean safe trips for bicyclists in Northeast Hazel Dell. You'll find bike lanes on many of the major traffic roads, especially around the neighborhood's elementary schools.

Northeast Hazel Dell houses two major parks, both with scenic views of pine forests. Hazel Dell Community Park hosts picnics from families around the neighborhood with its covered picnic tables, barbecue grills, running water and electricity. Host your next family reunion on a sunny day in this community park, or go for a jog through its paved trails.

Hazel Dell Ross Dog Park welcomes all dogs to roam around off-leash through its barkdust trails and fields. This park features fenced gates to keep your dog safe and a separate area for dogs that weigh less than 25 pounds to play. It holds 8 acres of hilly land to delight any furry creature.

If you want to live in Portland, but don't want to pay for the costs of major city living, Northeast Hazel Dell is almost 8 percent cheaper to live in than Portland. Residents living in one-bedroom apartments expect to pay as low as $600 per month.

Hop on the C-Tran bus to get to Vancouver city center for about $1.75. To get to downtown Portland, pay a $3.75 fare. Residents who prefer the convenience of a car pay about the same percent on average for gas as the national average.

Entertainment comes cheap in Northeast Hazel Dell, with bar patrons paying about $3 for a bottle of draft beer.

Northeast Hazel Dell's shopping centers serve as the neighborhood hot spots. The neighborhood hosts Hazel Dell Towne Center, which overflows with 19 stores sitting in an expansive plaza. Slip on some new clothes at Kohl's, or decorate your nightstand with a lamp from Bed Bath & Beyond. With the plaza's prime location near Interstate 5, it meets every resident's shopping needs.

Visit Change Salon & Wigs on 99 Street in Northeast Hazel Dell to get your hair styled by an experienced professional. This store's owner has been providing customers with wig options, weaves, perms and color treatments for decades.

You'll find all of your grocery needs at Winco Foods, located near Highway 99 for convenience. Stop in at Hop n Shop for basic food items, or find specialty meats, cheeses and sandwiches at Chuck's Produce & Street Market.