West Seattle comprises two of Seattle, Washington's thirteen districts, Delridge and Southwest and encompasses all of Seattle west of the Duwamish River. Among the area's attractions are its saltwater beach parks along Elliott Bay and Puget Sound, including Alki Beach and Lincoln Park. The area is also prized for its magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains to the west and the Cascade Range to the east.

West Seattle contains twenty plus neighborhoods within itself. The heart of West Seattle is the intersection of California Avenue S.W. and S.W. Alaska Street, called "The Junction" or "Alaska Junction," the center of a lively business district. There is a Washington State Ferries dock in the Fauntleroy neighborhood, with service to Vashon Island and to Southworth on the Kitsap Peninsula. A passenger-only ferry by the King County Water Taxi also runs between Duwamish Head and downtown Seattle.

West Seattle is home to nearly twenty schools ranging from elementary to a community college.