BELLEVUE was derived from the French words “belle vue” which literally means “beautiful view. It is a suburb in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States and is home to some of the world’s most innovative technology companies.
Apart from its bustling economy, the city is also famous for a lot of touristy places. Wondering what to do in Bellevue? Here are my top five things to do.
Visit commercial district to shop or dine.
The city has numerous thriving commercial districts, with four major shopping centers:
Bellevue Square in the downtown area is a shopping center with 180 retail stores, with anchors Macy’s and Nordstrom. It also offers concierge services, valet parking, and children’s play area.
Factoria Mall which is located at the suburban neighborhood in the south, is one of the city’s significant commercial districts.
Crossroads Mall is a fun, quirky destination for all things Asian/fusion that you never knew existed in the east. The mall has a spacious parking lot and has a lot of good places to come for a cup of coffee. Its food court offers a wide selection of meals from different countries and cultures.
Overlake Shopping District in the north is located at a high-traffic intersection close to Microsoft’s campus and Nintendo’s North American headquarters.
Study in Bellevue.
Bellevue is home to various public and private schools, serving kindergarten to college students. The largest of the 34 institutions that make up the Washington Community, Bellevue College is a public college and the third-largest institution of higher education in the state.
The four main public high schools in Bellevue are highly rated – Bellevue High School, Interlake High School, Newport High School, and Sammamish High School. Newport and Interlake have been notable for equitably helping low-income students meet average scores on standardized tests.
Bellevue is home to Open Window School, an independent school serving gifted students in kindergarten through grade eight.
Bellevue is home to several Montessori , such as Three Cedars School, and Bellevue Christian School.
Enjoy spectacular nature.
Scenic vistas of two famous mountains the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Mountains can be viewed under favorable weather conditions.
Olympic Mountains are surrounded by water on three sides and have the form of a cluster of steep-sided peaks surrounded by heavily forested foothills and incised by deep valleys. Cascade Mountains on the other hand, are dominated by forests of large, coniferous trees. The Cascades are an area of high biodiversity. The higher altitudes have extensive meadows, alpine tundra and glaciers; while the lower and middle elevations are covered in coniferous forest.
Work or do business.
With more than 150,000 jobs and a downtown skyline of gleaming high-rises, Bellevue is definitely a high-tech retail center. Bellevue is ranked among the best mid-sized cities in the country with its beautiful parks, top schools and a vibrant economy. Bellevue’s economy is driven by four major industries: Information Technology, Business Services, Retail and Tourism, with Information Technology as the largest, fastest growing and most concentrated industry cluster terms of employment.
Enjoy outdoor adventure.
Bellevue is the perfect basecamp city to anyone who loves exploring natural beauty. Featuring over 80 miles of trails, Bellevue is home to natural splendor such as Lake Washington & Lake Sammamish, three National Parks including The North Cascades NP, Mt Rainier NP & Olympic NP.
The great nature of the city offers a backdrop for endless options of outdoor trails, parks, swimming beaches, golf courses, and more.
If you are planning to relocate or visit the city, it is better if you look for an apartment or a house-for-rent in Bellevue first to be familiar within the area. Zumper comes in handy when looking for affordable yet comfortable place to live, for good or for a while. It offers studio-type apartment for as low as $300 per month.
Searching for an appropriate new home – a house or an apartment – that suits your lifestyle, meets your needs, and fits within your budget; is just a few clicks away with Zumper.
Bellevue is a truly one of the best places to live, study or work as it offers an urban suburban mix feel. In CNN Money, Bellevue is listed as #4 best place to live in the U.S. as well as the best place to launch a business.
Have you been to Bellevue or are you living in the city right now? What do you love the most about the place?