'''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.

    Get out