Bellevue
Discover Bellevue
Bellevue is a city in the Puget Sound region of Washington state, just across Lake Washington from Seattle. Bellevue had a population of 150,000 in 2021, making it the largest city on the Eastside of King County. Bellevue is perhaps the most ritzy part of the Seattle metro area, 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 generally considered more pleasant and safe than Seattle, if blander, though the influx of international tech workers has led to a vibrant Chinese community.
Taste of Bellevue...
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. 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.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsBellevue has reliable transportation access to Seattle and the Puget Sound area. The nearest airport is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. To get to Bellevue, take eastbound State Route 518 and continue straight towards Interstate 405. 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. Almost every King County Metro and Sound Transit bus that runs through Bellevue stops at the 47.6155-122.19516 Bellevue Transit Center on 6th Street between 108th Ave NE & 110th Ave NE in Downtown Bellevue. The other transit center is 47.5804-122.15227 Eastgate Park & Ride on 142nd Pl SE & SE Southgate off of I-90 may be closer to where you are staying....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
For trips outside of the core city, you'll probably want a car. King County Metro operates local bus routes. Some useful routes are: 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. If you want to find something luxurious that Seattle doesn't offer, chances are Bellevue might have it (i.e. the only Neiman Marcus in the metro area) 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.
Where to Stay
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.
Money & Budget
If you want to find something luxurious that Seattle doesn't offer, chances are Bellevue might have it (i.e. the only Neiman Marcus in the metro area) 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.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Bellevue
Lake view with a sunset
Big City, Bigger Dreams
The perfect City
Sunset sky with lake view
A perfect day to get on a boat
Sunset with City Views
city views
A city under a sunset sky
A City from a far
a city with tall buildings
Lake view with a sunset
Big City, Bigger Dreams
The perfect City