'''Bellevue''' is a city in the Puget Sound region of Washington state, and often considered a suburb of Seattle.
Get in
By car
'''State route 520''' connects Bellevue to Seattle, via the Evergreen Point floating bridge on Lake Washington. Prone to traffic jams.
The more modern and capacious '''Interstate 90''' provides another route from Seattle across Lake Washington, traversing Mercer Island. It continues eastward to Spokane, and ultimately, Boston.
'''Interstate 405''' runs North-South right through the middle of Bellevue, leading north to Kirkland (and eventually rejoining '''I-5''' on the way to Bellingham and ultimately the Canadian border) To the south, '''I-405''' leads to Renton and the Southcenter shopping district before rejoining '''I-5''' (continuing southbound to Portland, OR, and ultimately the Mexican border).
By bus
[http://www.soundtransit.org/ Sound Transit] Express [http://www.soundtransit.org/x7206.xml line 550] runs frequently between Downtown Seattle and Downtown Bellevue.
Sound Transit Express [http://www.soundtransit.org/x7225.xml line 560] runs every half hour between SeaTac Airport and Downtown Bellevue.
Get around
The Puget Sound (which includes Bellevue) has a decent bus transportation network if you're staying in the city.
[http://transit.metrokc.gov/ Metro] offers both local bus service (good for short distances) and express bus service (good for longer distances).
[http://www.soundtransit.org/ Sound Transit] offers express bus service.
The two systems accept transfers from each other, treating foreign transfers as credit for a one-zone trip.
For trips outside of the core city, you'll probably want a car.
See
There are a few museums in Bellevue:
'''Bellevue Arts Museum''' small art museum with fine craft and design exhibitions
'''Doll Museum''' a large collection of dolls
Others:
'''Bellevue Botanical Gardens [http://www.bellevuebotanical.org/]''' is a must see especially the Garden d'Lights in the winter
Do
See a movie at '''Lincoln Square Cinemas''' [http://www.lincolnsquarecinemas.com/]
Buy
Shop at '''Bellevue Square''' [http://www.bellevuesquare.com/index.php]
Eat
'''Top Gun''' This old favorite restaurant closed in Seattle, but is now open in the Factoria area of Bellevue, almost at the intersection of I-405 and I-90, across Lake Washington.
'''Udupi Palace''', 15600 NE 8th St # 9, Crossroads Mall (425) 649-0355. Udupi serves authentic thali plates, dosas, and pani puri, not available in Seattle. Their daily lunch buffet is a soul food hit with many South Indian Microsoft employees.
'''Maggianos''', downtown Bellevue for great pinot noir and Italian fare.
Drink
'''Tap House Bar and Grill''', [http://taphousegrill.com/]. 160 beers on tap.
'''Rock Bottom Brewery''', [http://www.rockbottom.com/RockBottomWeb/RBR/Home.aspx]. Brews their own beers.
'''Joey's''', [http://www.joeysmedgrill.com/joeysexperience/locations/Joeys%20Bellevue%20Place]. A decent restaurant and bar.
Sleep
Courtyard Seattle - Bellevue/Downtown. 1010 NE 8th Street. 1 425 454-5888. 1 425 455-5880. ttp://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BVUDT.
Courtyard Seattle Bellevue/Redmond. 4615 NE 29th Place. 1 425 869-5300. 1 800 321-2211. 1 425 883-9122. ttp://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BVUCH.
Fairfield Inn Seattle Bellevue. 4595 NE 29th Place. 1 425 869-6548. 1 425 881-2861. ttp://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BVUFI.
Residence Inn Seattle Bellevue. 4455 NE 29th Place. 1 425 882-1222. 1 425 885-9260. ttp://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BVUWA.
<sleep name ="Hyatt Regency Bellevue" address="900 Bellevue Way NE" url="http://www.bellevue.hyatt.com. The 382-room hotel offers views of the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges and is a part of the Bellevue Collection, the Northwest's premier shopping destination.
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