Happy Trails — Enjoy Bellevue’s urban landscape on foot.
Bellevue is home to 2,500 acres of parks and enticing green zones offering around 100 miles of tranquil trails for walkers, joggers, and cyclists of all ages. Gems like the densely forested Coal Creek Natural Area attract those in search of Zen-like wanderings, but there are also plenty of ways to stretch your legs while absorbing the buzz of the city.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Coal Creek Trail – Credit Bellevue Parks & Community Services
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Cougar Mountain – Credit King County Parks
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Grand Ridge Park Trail – Courtesy King County Parks
For those seeking to up their step count while simultaneously getting a dose of culture, the Downtown Bellevue Art Walk offers the perfect solution. The one-square-mile grid of downtown Bellevue boasts more than 120 works of public art, both indoors and out, as shown on the free, downloadable ArtMap. (Printed maps are available on the first floor of City Hall and from Visit Bellevue’s headquarters located on the third floor of the Meydenbauer Center.)
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Today, Bellevue is a booming tech hub, but less than a hundred years ago, family farms covered the land where skyscrapers now stand. The city’s growth shows no sign of slowing, but you can still see glimpses of its past on the self-guided Early Bellevue Walking Tour. Created by the Eastside Heritage Center, the downloadable map is packed with interesting tidbits and historical photos comparing then and now.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Courtesy of Eastside Heritage Center
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Courtesy of Eastside Heritage Center
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Courtesy of Eastside Heritage Center
Take time to stop and smell the flowers as you stroll through the Bellevue Botanical Garden. Open daily from dawn to dusk, the site features 53 acres of cultivated gardens, restored woodlands, and natural wetlands accessed via two looped trails. From April through October, one-hour docent-led tours happen every Saturday and Sunday, offering fun facts on the venue’s history and its vast plant collection, too.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Credit Todd Medley
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Credit Kaitlyn Brajcich