A delicious and delightful weekend getaway awaits in booming Bellevue
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Positioned between Lakes Washington and Sammamish, Bellevue is an affluent community mixing culture, cuisine and a superlative access to nature that is singular in the Evergreen State.
These nine things to do in Bellevue, Washington, highlight why this booming city is an ideal weekend getaway for Metro Vancouver residents.
Explore Bellevue Botanical Garden
The 21 hectare Bellevue Botanical Garden is a verdant green gem that is free to the public. Open year-round, the garden is divided into various cultivated landscapes, including rock, water-wise and perennial gardens, restored woodlands and natural wetlands, all maintained by staff and an army of volunteers. Savour a cup of coffee in the remodelled mid-century modern Shorts House before wandering along the fern-lined Lost Meadow Trail to the Ravine Suspension Bridge.
Walk or bike the Lake to Lake Trail
Stop and shop in Old Bellevue
From Old Main, Meydenbauer Bay Park is a ten-minute walk to enjoy views of Lake Washington along the sandy beach and pier. And Bellevue Downtown Park is ideal for people-watching and to enjoy shadow play underneath Piloti, a large public artwork of more than 6,000 white aluminum panels riveted together to create towering, tree-like columns.
Wine tasting in Woodinville
Visit Gilman’s Village in Issaquah
Wander the wooden boardwalk and help celebrate the Village’s 50th anniversary with a warm brew from Issaquah Coffee Company while stopping to admire plant culture at The Arium Shop, contemporary housewares at Studio Den, and more in the Village.
Say hello to Jakob Two Trees
A giant troll lives in Issaquah. At more than 4 metres high, Jakob Two Trees towers over passersby along the fully accessible Rainier Trail near Issaquah’s Community Center. Made entirely of recycled wooden materials, Jakob is part of Danish environmental artist Thomas Dambo’s Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King project, featuring a total of six giant hand-built troll sculptures scattered through Washington State and Portland, Oregon. Fun fact: Jakob is the first troll with a ponytail, his locks encircled by a woven cedar band gifted by the Snoqualmie Tribe.
Go paragliding on Tiger Mountain
The coastal mountains around Bellevue offer some of the best paragliding in the Pacific Northwest. With two paraglide launches and consistent thermals, Tiger Mountain is the perfect place to fly like a bird year-round. Tandem flights are offered by several local companies and make for a thrilling half day adventure, two thousand feet up, offering unsurpassed views of Mt. Rainier, Lake Sammamish and Puget Sound.
Visit Snoqualmie Falls
The waters of the Snoqualmie River thunder more than 82 metres down the iconic Snoqualmie Falls, 30 minutes east of Bellevue. Fans of the 1990s TV drama Twin Peaks will easily recognize the falls, which provided mysterious gravitas to the show. Views of the falls can be enjoyed from the upper viewing deck or on the lower deck via a short hike (with some steep sections) down to the river’s edge.
After taking in the view, stop for lunch or coffee at historic Salish Lodge. The Lodge, which began as an eight-room inn in 1916, is owned by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and features views of the falls and sumptuous meals in The Restaurant, including home baked biscuits drizzled with Honey From Heaven, nectar produced by the Lodge’s own honeybee hives.
Travel the world one bite at a time in Bellevue
Bellevue’s diversity is well-reflected in a dizzying display of dining options featuring everything from Asian hot pot to Spanish tapas and fresh Pacific Northwest fare.
Where to stay in Bellevue
The writer was a guest of Visit Bellevue and Visit Issaquah.