Connect, Explore, and Experience the Expanding Universe of Issaquah Highlands

Step outside on any given day in Issaquah Highlands and you will find dozens of worlds quietly intersecting. Every neighbor you pass on a morning walk, every person cruising down Park Drive and every family gathered at your neighborhood park represents an entire universe of experiences.

When these universes meet—whether at Central Park, Grand Ridge Elementary, HomeGoods, Poker Night or a Global Grub & Groove celebration—they create a shared reality that keeps evolving with every new connection.

This blend of perspectives is more than community life. It’s our own ever-expanding neighborverse.

If you’re a fan of Marvel, then you’ve probably seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Another example is Everything Everywhere All at Once, which follows a Chinese immigrant as she navigates a multiverse of parallel worlds. All these films explore the idea that countless realities exist side-by-side, each shaped by different choices, relationships, passions and possibilities.

Just as the multiverse explores infinite realities, our neighborverse reflects the many dimensions of community life in Issaquah Highlands. Every neighbor brings a unique world of experiences, cultures and ideas.

In a community filled with many worlds of experience, one reality belongs to a family in West Highlands Park who spent their lives until now in true concrete jungles. The Yoo family has lived in Chicago as well as Seoul, where nature is something to visit and not something that surrounds you.

Moving to our neighborverse last June opened an entirely new dimension for them. After years without so much as a squirrel in sight, suddenly their Ring cameras were capturing deer, coyotes, bobcats and even the occasional bear.

Their journey reflects just one of the diverse worlds that make up Issaquah Highlands, each defined by our histories, values and daily experiences. The multiverse trend extends beyond portals and superpowers, inviting you to wonder what life might look like through someone else’s eyes.

Every neighborhood, park, trail and gathering space in our community functions as its own small “realm,” which shapes how you connect and participate in daily life. These places hold entire worlds of their own, where routines form and relationships develop over time.

One realm that exists within our community is Ashland Park. The newly renovated playground transforms into its own universe on weekday afternoons when the Montessori school gets out across the street.

Kids of different backgrounds, cultures, curiosities and personalities gather at the playground. Parents and grandparents mingle at the edge of the park. To someone passing through, it might look like a simple after-school stop. But to the families who return every day, it’s a realm of growing friendships.

When neighbors take the time to listen, share, volunteer or simply show up for one another, you’re essentially stepping into someone else’s world.

Our individual realities in Issaquah Highlands evolve with every choice we make. Taking a risk, even a small one, can open the door to new connections. As the new year approaches, consider stepping into something unfamiliar.

Join an emergency preparedness workshop at Blakely Hall to strengthen your readiness knowledge and meet neighbors with similar interests. Stop by a community group like ADHD Caregiver Support Group to connect with neighbors experiencing the same achievements and challenges. Explore Grand Ridge Park’s trail system, where you can enjoy the outdoors while crossing paths with neighbors who share the same routine.

Our neighborverse thrives on connection. It grows stronger when people choose to learn from one another, celebrate differences and embrace the diversity that gives Issaquah Highlands its character. Together, we’re living in a universe that keeps evolving through our shared experiences.