Crosscut hardwoods in Seattle will have what you need. For durability you will want a hardwood. Alder or popular are your cheapest options. Oak is always a good choice. Cherry is affordable, but can be a pain to stain as it can come out splotchy. And there are many exotic species you could use. You can also use hardwood plywood, available at Crosscut, which is probably what I would do. It is a good choice for cost and stability.

Find a pic on the web of a table that appeals to you. There are also lots of free plans on the internet. Design strong joints, especially at the corners and edges. Think dovetail, box joints, tongue and groove and the like. If you want pull out drawers, then use a face frame construction over a carcass that is built with dados and rabbet joints.

Hardwoods are not always hard. "Hardwood" just means its a deciduous tree.

Many hardwoods like alder and poplar/cottonwood are very soft. Oldgrowth fir is harder than many hardwoods. and vice versa.

People dont tend to need a hardwood when they think they do.

Many of us have cedar deck boards. They get walked on everyday and dont get beat up.

I sell softwoods to MANY people that come out thinking that they want a hardwood. Then they see something like a Giant Sequoia slab and are in love.

Dont underestimate our local woods. They are a treasure.

Yup Balsa wood is a hardwood. The specialty wood from Lowes and Home Depot are perfectly fine. I have had zero issues with it. The garbage is their dimensional stuff like 2x4s. Its usually Hemlock not Doug Fir. Its twists and warps when it dries out.