Officially, Bellevue, Washington, isn’t Seattle’s Sister City—that honor belongs to a city in Japan named Yao, along with other towns in Taiwan, the Czech Republic, and Latvia.
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But you might know Bellevue as a close neighbor to Seattle and a bona fide tech hub.
Ringing any bells?
Bellevue is where Jeff Bezos originally launched Amazon back in 1994, followed by other major companies like T-Mobile and video game developer Valve.
But those little factoids don’t paint an accurate picture of what life is like in Bellevue.
Back in 2024, over two million tourists packed their bags for overnight trips in Bellevue—and they weren’t visiting with tech in mind.
Instead, they’re after Bellevue’s booming culinary and cultural scenes. From Michelin-star eateries to lake cruises to brand-new breweries to world-class gardens, there’s something fresh and exciting around every corner.
Did I mention Bellevue also has big plans to go carbon free by 2040? And that it’s been dubbed a ‘minority city’ thanks to the over 50 global languages spoken by its residents?
Welcome to Bellevue, Washington—a unique place you probably haven’t heard too much about. Here’s what to do and where to go when the city calls.
What to do in Bellevue: first, feast!
Here’s the first thing you need to know about visiting Bellevue, Washington: you need to arrive hungry. The city is known for its Asian-American culinary scene, letting you sample beloved fusions, imaginative new dishes, and masterclasses in traditional fare in neighborhoods like Crossroads. (There’s even Japanese-Italian fusion for any foodies.)
Over 80 restaurants have opened across the city in the last five years, and five local chefs are James Beard Award winners. Even one of the local food tours, Bites of Bellevue, has nabbed spots on lists like USA Today’s Top 10 Walking Food Tours.
Don’t miss these restaurants:
- Jiang Nan (Michelin-recognized)
- Banaras (USA Today No. 3 Best New Restaurant in the U.S.)
- Bis on Main (Wine Spectator ‘Best Of’)
- Ascend Prime Steak and Sushi (Wine Spectator ‘Best Of’)
- Daniel’s Broiler (Wine Spectator ‘Best Of’)
And if you want to sip in style, head to:
- Browne Family Vineyards tasting room
- Bellevue Brewing Company
Then, take a walk on the greener side of life
The Pacific Northwest is a lush paradise—and Bellevue has gone above and beyond to preserve its green spaces while also promoting sustainability.
As mentioned above, Bellevue has plans to go carbon-free by 2040. One way that the goal will benefit you is via its unique BellHop service, a free, fully electric, on-demand rideshare that serves residents. There’s also BikeHop, a city-wide free e-bike rental service.
Transportation aside, there are dozens of parks and outdoor recreation spaces for you to soak up the PNW vibes. (Uniquely, there’s even an ADA-accessible zipline at Bellevue Adventures Park.)
There’s also Bellevue Lake, which you can explore via a fully electric boat tour. Or if you’d rather paddle yourself, head to the Meydenbauer Bay Park & Boathouse, where you can rent a kayak.
Aside from Meydenbauer Bay Park, don’t miss out on Bellevue’s other green spaces. There’s Bellevue Downtown Park, which includes a stepped canal and a waterfall; Clyde Beach Park, a lakefront spot with a great beach; and Mercer Slough Nature Park, a massive space that includes wetlands and other spots for nature excursions.
Where to stay in Bellevue
If you couldn’t tell by Bellevue’s booming culinary scene, it’s become a bit of a hotspot. To tend to its growing number of annual visitors, Bellevue’s hotel scene has also started to grow quickly.
In December 2024, the city opened the first InterContinental property in the Pacific Northwest. There are also plans to open an Autograph Collection SOMM Hotel & Spa this summer.
Or you can stick with the city’s other well-known hotels, including The Westin Bellevue, W Bellevue, and the Hyatt Regency Bellevue.
