Located east of Seattle, this growing Washington city is surrounded by the Cascade and Olympic mountains. Modern business centers line the streets alongside 2,700 acres of public parks.
Across Lake Washington from Seattle, Bellevue combines tech headquarters with green spaces and cultural venues. You can spot bald eagles at Mercer Slough Nature Park, browse through 200 stores at Bellevue Square, or join weekend workshops at Bellevue Arts Museum. The city stretches between Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish, putting you within reach of both downtown shopping and mountain hiking trails.
Getting Around Bellevue
Take buses from Bellevue Transit Center to reach most city areas and Seattle via King County Metro and Sound Transit routes. The upcoming Link Light Rail (opening 2025) will connect downtown Bellevue to Seattle. In the downtown area, you can walk easily thanks to the city's grid layout and wide sidewalks. Buses on main routes like the 550 to Seattle run every 15-30 minutes during peak hours.
Downtown and Shopping Districts
More than 1,300 businesses and 45,000 employees work in downtown Bellevue's glass-and-steel towers. At Bellevue Square, opened in 1946, you'll find over 200 shops ranging from Nordstrom to local clothing boutiques. Throughout the city, you can shop at Factoria Mall's discount stores, browse Asian markets at Crossroads Mall, or visit tech-focused retailers in the Overlake area.
Parks and Green Spaces
Walk the one-third mile circular path in Downtown Park, where water cascades down a 240-foot-wide waterfall into a reflecting pool. Paddle a kayak through Mercer Slough Nature Park's wetlands to see great blue herons and bald eagles in their natural habitat. At Bellevue Botanical Garden, walk across a suspension bridge spanning a deep ravine and explore native northwest perennial gardens and a Japanese garden. During December, 500,000 lights illuminate the garden for the Garden d'Lights display.
Cultural Attractions
Browse contemporary crafts and design exhibitions at Bellevue Arts Museum, where you can participate in hands-on art workshops every weekend. Watch dance and theater performances at Meydenbauer Center's 410-seat theater. In June, visit Kelsey Creek Farm Park during the Strawberry Festival to see traditional farming demonstrations, while the Northwest Ukrainian International Festival fills downtown with folk music, traditional dance, and Eastern European food.
Surrounding Mountains and Waters
Drive to three mountain ranges within three hours of Bellevue. Hike among the North Cascades' 300 glaciers on trails ranging from flat nature walks to steep mountain climbs. At Mount Rainier, walk through groves of thousand-year-old Douglas firs and summer wildflower meadows. Visit Hood Canal on the Olympic Peninsula, where you can watch harbor seals and collect oysters at public beaches along the 60-mile saltwater inlet.
