Not too far from Seattle, you’ll find the smaller, more tranquil city of Bellevue. This area is surrounded by lovely forested areas, and it’s located on the edge of Lake Washington. Whether you like beaches, museums, or walks in the fresh air, this is a great destination for you! Check out what Bellevue has to offer. Here are the top ten attractions in Bellevue, Washington.
At the very center of Bellevue, the Downtown Park is an escape from the concrete and glass of the city. The park is designed to be used for casual walks and quiet afternoons, and it has some points in interest, as well. In the heart of the park, there is a World War I Memorial to commemorate the lives of local veterans. It was erected in 1926, nearly a century ago! Bellevue Park also features a children’s play area and a duck pond, plus plenty of grass for pickup ultimate Frisbee games or picnics.
The local botanical garden is a definite must-see attraction when you visit Bellevue. The garden covers 53 acres, and it includes woodlands, wetlands, and cultivated gardens. After a visit to the Bellevue Botanical Garden, you’ll never be able to walk through Bellevue’s streets again without noticing the trees and flowers all around you! You can come for a peaceful walk through the gardens, or sign up for a class on nature.
BAM is a cool name for a museum, and this art museum certainly lives up to the epic title. This is more than just a place to browse through art (though you can and should do that). It’s also a place to have fun, explore your own creative side, and learn about art both local and global. You can take the daily tour, learn how to work with various art media, or attend a fancy event.
Enjoy the beautiful natural world of Bellevue at Mercer Slough National Park. There is enough to do here to keep your whole family happy and occupied for days! A good budget activity is the free Saturday afternoon nature walk. Once you’ve done that, turn your attention to the canoe tour or a trip to the Blueberry Farm! At the Blueberry Farm, you can pick your own fruit during harvest season. Cobbler, anyone?
Address: 2102 Bellevue Way Southeast, Bellevue, WA 98004
If you’re a shopaholic, you can get your fix at Bellevue Square. This shopping center has nearly 200 stores to browse, including Tiffany’s for the ladies, the Swiss Army Knife store for the guys, and LEGO for kids from ages five to ninety-five. There are also several restaurants, so you can spend a nice day here if it’s rainy or if you just feel like shopping.
Address: 575 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, Washington
Explore all the beauty of Lake Washington when you visit Meydenbauer Beach Park! This park used to be a docking site for a ferry between Seattle and Bellevue, but today, a hundred years later, it’s a destination for people seeking to enjoy Washington’s beauty. It has trails to walk, a playground, a place to fish, and, of course, the beach.
Bringing children to this museum is basically an excuse for adults to have fun and play. Of course, the kids will be thoroughly entertained as well, but we all know inside that we came for our own sakes. After all, building waterways, experimenting with gravity-defying balancing objects, and doing science experiments is fun no matter how old you are. KidsQuest must know this, because they actually offer an adults-only evening now and then, complete with beer.
While a convention center does not sound like an awesome place to spend your vacation, the Meydenbauer Center is actually a very cool place to go while you’re in Washington. The convention center features all sorts of interesting performances and seminars, so check their schedule of events to see what’s happening while you’re in town. You can experience anything from Bollywood stars to a show from the City Opera Ballet!
Put a little adrenaline in your Bellevue trip with the Bellevue Zip Tour. During Fridays and the weekends, you can zip line through the forest, walk across the bridges, and learn about the city. If you’ve never done zip lining before, this is a great place to start! If you have and you’re a fan, then you’ll definitely enjoy this outdoor adventure.
Head to this beach on the edge of Lake Washington for a fun family getaway! You get the best of both worlds here: scenic lake surroundings as well as a great view of the Seattle skyline across the water. During the summer you can swim, and during cold weather you can kayak or canoe. Pull out your fishing pole to catch some dinner, or take your kids to play at the playground. This is one of the best beaches around!
