Overview
Bellevue is the largest city on the east side of Lake Washington, across from Seattle in Washington state. Bellevue is perhaps the most ritzy part of the Seattle metro area and the Puget Sound region, mainly due to the presence of Microsoft at nearby Redmond and other tech companies occupying the downtown office towers. The dense downtown has much of the region's upscale and luxury retail. It also has many neighborhoods comprised of large houses, and excellent vistas of the water for the lucky few. It is considered more pleasant and safe, if blander, than Seattle, though the influx of international tech workers has led to a vibrant Chinese community.
3 sights · 10 things to do · 14 places to eat · 4 bars & cafés · 18 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Bellevue
Bellevue Botanical Garden
A must-see, especially the Garden d'Lights in the winter with extended hours until 21:30.
KidsQuest Museum
Museums for kids with curiosity, opportunities for hands-on learning abound.
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park (CMRWP) is a more than 3000-acre park with 36 miles of hiking trails (12 miles suitable for equestrian use). It showcases a variety of natural features from forests and waterfalls t…
Meydenbauer Bay Park
This stretch of beach was once the landing site for passenger ferries that ran between Seattle and Bellevue until 1921. It now has views of Lake Washington, a 420 ft pedestrian pier, a kayak rental facility, a private bo…
Kelsey Creek Farm
Meadows with trails and barns with farm animals.
Lincoln Square Cinemas
Movie theater with many first-run films from both the US and Asia.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 37°F. Wettest: Nov and Jan. (climate data from nearby Seattle)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BFI King County International Airport - Boeing Field, Seattle — 8 mi away. Directions
- SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 13 mi away (major hub). Directions
Bellevue has reliable transportation access to Seattle and the Puget Sound area.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $85–$150 a night (typical $115), from 17 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$130, mid-range ~$190, comfortable ~$320.
Options are grouped as Budget, Mid-range, Splurge in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning KidsQuest Museum, Meydenbauer Center, Resonance at Soma Towers
- Lunch Ishoni
- Afternoon Lincoln Square Cinemas, Lucky Strike
- Dinner Daniel's Broiler
- Evening JOEY Bellevue
Day 2
- Morning Bellevue Botanical Garden, Kelsey Creek Farm, Lake Hills Greenbelt
- Lunch Top Gun
- Afternoon Mercer Slough Park, Newcastle Beach Park
- Dinner Pho Ever
- Evening Bellevue Brewing
Day 3
- Morning Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
- Lunch Foodshion
- Afternoon Meydenbauer Bay Park
- Dinner Sukhothai
- Evening Bake's Place Bar & Bistro
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Bellevue contains a whole lot more Chinese and Japanese restaurants than Seattle. You may also have better luck finding Indian dishes here, where its tech workers would typically flock for lunch.
Due to the nature of the district however, prices tend to be more expensive than Seattle and quality is uneven.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
Bellevue has reliable transportation access to Seattle and the Puget Sound area.
By plane
The nearest airport is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. To get to Bellevue, take eastbound State Route 518 and continue straight towards Interstate 405.
By car
- State Route (SR) 520 connects Bellevue to Seattle, via the Evergreen Point floating bridge (the world's largest floating bridge) on Lake Washington. SR-520 serves as the northern border between Bellevue and Kirkland between the shores of Lake Washington and Interstate 405. The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge is tolled; see details below.
- The capacious Interstate 90 (I-90) provides another route from Seattle across Lake Washington, via Mercer Island. For Bellevue, exit to Bellevue Way SE or Interstate 405.
- Interstate 405 (I-405) is the outer loop of Interstate 5 that runs from Lynnwood to Tukwila (and the airport), through Bellevue. Rush hour traffic can be daunting: expect a 45-minute to 1-hour drive from each end of the freeway to Bellevue.
There are tolls for the SR-520 floating bridge and the express lanes of I-405, with rates that vary by time of day and traffic levels. There are no toll booths. If the vehicle has a "Good to Go" sticker on the windshield, the toll is deducted from a prepaid account. Otherwise, transponders take a picture of the license plates, front and back, and mail the bill to the registered owner.
By train
- Link light rail - The 2 Line runs from Downtown Redmond to the east via Overlake and downtown Bellevue. It runs from Lynnwood City Center to the northwest via Mercer Island and Seattle on I-90.
- Amtrak provides service to Seattle's King Street Station. To get to Bellevue, take Sound Transit Express bus route 550 (see #By bus), which stops just around the corner from the station, on 4th Avenue South.
By bus
Almost every King County Metro and Sound Transit bus that runs through Bellevue stops at the Bellevue Transit Center on 6th Street between 108th Ave NE & 110th Ave NE in Downtown Bellevue. The other transit center is Eastgate Park & Ride on 142nd Pl SE & SE Southgate off of I-90 may be closer to where you are staying. Bike lockers are available for rental during regular business hours.
Go King County Metro
Runs bus, streetcar and monorail routes within King County. Serves Auburn, Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, North Bend, Redmond, Renton, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, Tukwila, Vashon Island, White Center, and Woodinville.
- From Kenmore and Kirkland, take route 234 and 235, respectively.
- Route 212 goes direct from Eastgate P&R to Downtown Seattle (and vice versa) via I-90 (no stops in Mercer Island) during weekday rush hours.
- Route 271 passes through Bellevue on its way between University District in Seattle and Issaquah.
- RapidRide Line B terminates at Bellevue from Redmond and Kirkland
Go Sound Transit
Runs express and intercity public transit routes across the Seattle area, including Sounder trains, Link light rail and express buses (routes 510-596). Serves King County (e.g. Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Seattle), Snohomish County (e.g. Everett, Lynnwood), and Pierce County (e.g. Puyallup, Tacoma).
- From Snohomish County, Route 532 operates during rush hour from Everett Station and Route 535 Monday to Saturday from Lynnwood
- During rush hour, Route 556 goes towards Issaquah via Downtown Bellevue Transit Center and Eastgate P&R in Bellevue from Northgate and the U District (University of Washington) in Seattle
- Route 560 runs every half hour between Westwood Town Center in West Seattle via downtown Bellevue, Renton, SeaTac Airport, Burien.
- Route 566 Redmond, Bellevue, Renton, Kent and Auburn on SR-167, I-405 & SR-520.
Intercity bus services
Place Wheatland Express
Every Friday, the Weekend Express takes you from Pullman (where Washington State University is at), Ellensburg (Central Washington University) and Moscow (University of Idaho) to Seattle, and the other way around every Sunday. A special service is also deployed during the holiday season. Journeys take more than 6 hours. Next local stop is at Westfield Southcenter Mall (by Nordstroms) in Tukwila.
Place Wenatchee Valley Shuttle (Flixbus)
They operate several daily departures to Wenatchee and Peshastin in Eastern Washington from Sea-Tac and Bellevue. From Wenatchee they continue east towards Spokane Airport via Ephrata, Quincy, Moses Lake and Ritzville. They also have another local stop at the North Bend Premium Outlets in North Bend, at the clock tower. No scheduled stops in Issaquah. Check with them regarding local door to door pick-up or drop-off.
- Greyhound, Amtrak and most other ground transport services to Vancouver BC; Portland, Bellingham, Spokane and other parts of the state are available in Downtown Seattle and at the airport.
Get around
For trips outside of the core city, you'll probably want a car.
By public transit
King County Metro operates local bus routes. Some useful routes are:
- Route 221 runs from Bellevue Transit Center to Redmond
- Route 226 from Bellevue Transit Center to Eastgate Park & Ride, via Crossroads Mall and Lake Hills Park
- Route 240 travels south from Bellevue Transit Center and passes Factoria before continuing to Renton.
- Route 271 continues from Bellevue TC to Bellevue College, via Kelsey Creek Park & Wilburton Hill Park to Bellevue College before continuing to Issaquah.
- RapidRide Line B operates frequently to Redmond, with numerous stops along NE 8th St and turns left at Crossroads Mall.
See
Do
Parks
Nestled between two lakes, Bellevue is blessed with high terrain that offers beautiful natural vistas at its parks and a chance to unwind into natural habitats.
Do Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park (CMRWP) is a more than 3000-acre park with 36 miles of hiking trails (12 miles suitable for equestrian use). It showcases a variety of natural features from forests and waterfalls to meadows and cliffs. There are four primary trailheads, each offering a different experience.
Do Lake Hills Greenbelt
Extensive park with a promise to see wildlife at its wetlands. Open space containing two lakes, blueberry farm (open summer only) and seasonal produce stand, and multiple walk paths. It is located along the Lake-to-Lake trail that connects Lake Washington with Lake Sammamish on the west and east, respectively.
Do Meydenbauer Bay Park
This stretch of beach was once the landing site for passenger ferries that ran between Seattle and Bellevue until 1921. It now has views of Lake Washington, a 420 ft pedestrian pier, a kayak rental facility, a private boat dock, paved and unpaved trails, picnic tables, a playground, a restroom facility and a sand bank. This is the closest public lake access to downtown.
Buy
If you want to find luxury retailers that Seattle doesn't offer, chances are Bellevue might have it.
If shopping malls aren't your style, stroll by the storefronts of Old Bellevue, along Main Street south of Downtown Park, between Bellevue Way and 100th.
Eat
Bellevue contains a whole lot more Chinese and Japanese restaurants than Seattle. You may also have better luck finding Indian dishes here, where its tech workers would typically flock for lunch.
Due to the nature of the district however, prices tend to be more expensive than Seattle and quality is uneven.
Budget
Eat MOD Pizza
A pizza joint where you can pick your own ingredients and quickly baked in wooden ovens. Various lemonade flavors for the drink.
Eat Cafe Bollywood
Cheap yet delicious Indian food, with the combos and biryani being the best seller.
Eat Pho Ever
If you are peckish for a Vietnamese fix, this is where you can get it cheaply.
Eat Sukhothai
Perhaps the most vegetarian-friendly restaurant of the bunch, with its lunch buffets and on-the-menu items at best containing fish for meats.
Eat Foodshion
Cavernous restaurant offering Chinese delicacies and some Japanese, plus karaoke bar.
Eat Broiler Bay
Casual restaurant with burgers, fries, and shakes
Mid-range
Eat Din Tai Fung
Home of the world renowned xiao long bao (soup in dumpling) complemented with dim sum and Taiwanese fares.
Eat Facing East
A cheaper variety of Taiwanese food, specializing in street or night market dishes, bubble tea and sweet desserts.
Eat Gilbert's on Main (Gilbert's Main Street Bagel)
Serves excellent breakfasts & deli sandwiches, wide assortment of bagel choices, and great coffee.
Eat Top Gun
Chinese restaurant meant for communal enjoyment; delicious dim sum, noodles, and à la carte Cantonese dishes.
Splurge
Eat Daniel's Broiler
Located on the 21st floor of the Bank of America Building, with spectacular views of the Cascade Mountains and Lake Washington available from every table. Serves traditional steak & seafood dishes, exclusively uses USDA Prime Beef.
Eat Ishoni
High quality beef (or the premium wagyu) or pork flame-grilled by yourself, which leaves a melting taste. A5 wagyu rib eye at $90 being the most favorite. Due to the small restaurant, reservations are highly recommended at least two days before & limited to 60 minutes per seating.
Eat Wild Ginger
Fragrant exotic dishes primarily from Southeast Asia and seafood.
Eat Fogo de Chão
For those with a humongous appetite. All you can eat meat (including prime ribs & fillet mignon!) carved tableside, plus Market Table (fruits & salads, cured meats & cheeses, antipasti) and feiojada bar (rice with black beans stew & beef or pork)
Drink
Drink Bellevue Brewing
Bellevue's first local brewery. Happy hour 3-6PM daily.
Drink JOEY Bellevue
A decent restaurant and bar.
Drink Black Bottle
Large collection of wine, a couple drafts, and tapas.
Drink Bake's Place Bar & Bistro
Bar and restaurant with live music (usually jazz, blues, classic rock, etc) five nights a week.
Sleep
As Bellevue mainly houses business & industrial meetings, a few hotel rooms may be sold out on some weekdays; the cheapest prices are actually easier to be found on weekends, with prices half of those of weekdays!
Due to the generally cheaper price than Seattle, travelers can make Bellevue as an alternative place to stay, and head down to Seattle using public transportation or a car.
Budget
Mid-range
Stay Embassy Suites
All-suite hotel, spacious rooms with shades of white interior. Complimentary breakfast & happy hour.
Stay Silver Cloud Inn
Mid-range hotel just four blocks away from Bellevue Square. Moderately spacious rooms offering large TV, complemented with free breakfast, laundry, WiFi, and shuttle within 2 miles.
Splurge
Go next
- Seattle, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest
- Visit the Microsoft campus at Redmond.
- Mercer Island for breathtaking vistas of Lake Washington and opulent houses.
- In the Eastside, Kirkland hosts beautiful parks and a couple cheaper options, while Issaquah is a stone's throw away from multiple hiking trails.
- The Mountains to Sound Greenway continues into the Cascade Mountains.
Nearby
Mercer Island
City / town · 11 listings · 4 mi away
Kirkland
City / town · 20 listings · 5 mi away
Redmond
City / town · 31 listings · 5 mi away
Seattle
City / town · 87 listings · 7 mi away
Issaquah
City / town · 20 listings · 9 mi away
Renton
City / town · 47 listings · 9 mi away
Woodinville
City / town · 6 listings · 10 mi away
Tukwila
City / town · 24 listings · 10 mi away
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