Southwest Brace Point Drive Street End provides shoreline access in West Seattle where Brace Point Drive meets Puget Sound near Alki Point. While specific documentation of Brace Point's etymology remains limited in readily available historical records, the name likely references a geographic feature or early settler in the West Seattle area. The street end sits near Alki Point, which earned its name from the Chinook Jargon word "alki" meaning "by and by" or "eventually," applied to the settlement originally named New York by pioneers who landed at Alki Beach in 1851. Charles C. Terry officially applied the Alki name to the town plat he filed in 1853, with the point, street, and neighborhood all named after this pioneering settlement. Seattle's shoreline street end program preserves this location among West Seattle's designated public access points along Puget Sound.
Kayaking and paddleboarding launch from the street end for exploration along West Seattle's shoreline with routes toward Alki Point, Duwamish Head, and protected waters offering Olympic Mountain views and maritime scenery. Beachcombing along the rocky and gravelly shoreline reveals smooth stones shaped by wave action, driftwood from winter storms, shells including mussels and barnacles, and beach glass in various colors deposited by tidal action. Wildlife watching includes harbor seals hauling out on nearshore rocks and hunting for fish, bald eagles soaring overhead and perching in shoreline trees, great blue herons stalking shallows, and seabirds including cormorants, pigeon guillemots, and gulls utilizing Puget Sound's marine ecosystem. Views capture Vashon Island rising across the sound, the Olympic Mountains forming a dramatic western horizon, passing Washington State Ferries navigating between Seattle and island communities, and recreational boats enjoying protected waters. The street end creates neighborhood waterfront access among West Seattle's residential bluff areas.
West Seattle and Alki dining offers waterfront options near Southwest Brace Point Drive. Marination Ma Kai serves Hawaiian-Korean fusion including Kalua Pork Sliders, Kimchi Fried Rice, Korean Tacos, and shave ice from an outdoor patio overlooking Alki Beach and Seattle skyline. Salty's on Alki Beach features award-winning Pacific Northwest seafood, seasonal preparations, and stunning Elliott Bay panoramas with every table offering water views. Duke's Seafood West Seattle creates sustainably caught halibut and salmon, chowder, fish and chips, and oysters. Jak's Grill West Seattle serves aged Nebraska steaks, fresh local seafood, and their award-winning half-pound burger in a neighborhood steakhouse setting. Sunfish provides flaky battered cod, Greek-spiced fried oysters, fish and chips, and beachfront patio seating during warmer months.
