Summer in Bellevue is so glorious that locals prefer traveling at other times of the year, and stick around for June, July, and August’s long sunny days. When my granddaughters, 10 and 7 years old, visit every summer, we explore Bellevue from top to bottom. We hike, play, climb, eat, learn, and swim at multiple locations throughout the city. Here’s my personal guide to help you plan 48 hours or more in a city brimming with possibilities. 

STRETCH YOUR LEGS AT THESE BELLEVUE PARKS

Whether you arrived by car, ship, plane or train, you’ll want to stretch your legs after your journey. There’s nowhere better to get outdoors and smell the roses than the Bellevue Botanical Garden. Open dawn to dusk, with free admission and 53 acres of gentle trails, the garden is popular with photographers thanks to year-round blooms, sculptures, and a suspension bridge crossing a lush gorge.  

Kelsey Creek Farm

Kelsey Creek Farm is another fantastic, free option where kids can get their yayas out in a bucolic setting just a stone’s throw from bustling downtown. Here, 150 acres of trails beckon.  The super-friendly staff care for farm residents including Cora the pig, who clocks in at 550 pounds, six sheep, two cows, and more. They’ll let you get up close as part of their mission to educate about farm life through a “barnyard experience.” 

Traveling around Bellevue, the name Meydenbauer pops up repeatedly: it’s a neighborhood, a convention center, and an inlet where, long ago, ferries connected Bellevue to Seattle. It’s also the name of a 32-acre beachfront park, walkable from downtown Bellevue, with lifeguards on duty in summer. Trails, a playground, and a pedestrian pier make Meydenbauer Bay Park an ideal destination for family members of all ages on sunny afternoons.  

Even closer to the downtown core, right across the street from the Bellevue Square Mall, 21-acre Bellevue Downtown Park includes a 240-foot-wide waterfall and a totally walkable half-mile promenade with a reflecting pool. Younger kids will be drawn like magnets to the park’s southwest corner, where Inspiration Playground will entertain them for hours. This visually colorful playground is universally accessible, with a bouncy surface to minimize scrapes and cuts. Another advantage of this flooring is how easily wheelchairs and strollers glide over the ground. Follow the sounds of joyful giggling to the section where water shoots up or soaks them head to toe under a little archway they can run through. Bring towels and snacks, and sit with other grownups on a bench in the shade while the kids slide, climb, and play with new friends. 

When you’re done, stop by Molly Moon’s for 30 flavors of house-made ice cream including seasonal specialties. And refuel with delicious “single estate” coffee and tea at Third Culture Coffee. 

INDOOR FUN 

For kids who love books, visit Bellevue Library’s huge children’s section. Their website lists times for the ever-popular “story time for baby and caretaker,” as well as programs for teens. Nearby, KidsQuest Children’s Museum is a wonderful option for fantasy play in a kid-size general store and pretend ice cream parlor. Children can also climb, create, build and get wet in the tot-splash zone.  

Are you traveling with tweens or teens? Families who love board games will be astounded by the vast collection at Mox Boarding House. This boarding house doesn’t rent rooms – it’s all about board games! Borrow a game from the Mox library, play it in their café, and if you like it, ask your server for a 15% discount coupon and buy it. Their café options include healthy choices and they accommodate dietary needs. 

OUTDOOR & ENVIRONMENTAL FUN 

Pluck blueberries right off the bushes at Mercer Slough Blueberry Farm Stand. This U-Pick farm, open from early July to late August, provide buckets, or bring your own containers.  

Budding environmentalists will love walking on the boardwalks at Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center (MSEEC), which encompasses Mercer Slough Nature Park, Lake Washington’s last remaining wetland. MSEEC is one of three sites in Bellevue offering STEM programming and a Junior Ranger Program to keep younger kids engaged. Lewis Creek Park and Lake Hills Greenbelt also provide an activity book and badges for completed activities. 

Public transit enthusiasts will enjoy riding the #2 light rail. Heading towards Redmond, get off at the Spring District Station for a fantastic meal at family-friendly Bellevue Brewing Company. Sit on the patio while the kids play in the shallow, interactive fountain that squirts water to different heights right outside the brewpub.  

RAINY DAY & EVENING ENTERTAINMENT  

Looking for evening activities for tweens and teens? Check out Lucky Strike bowling or Par 1 Mini Golf at Forum Social House, both in Lincoln Square, which also has two movie theaters: Cinemark Lincoln Square, and Cinemark Reserve for ages 21+.  

My family’s preferred movie venue is AMC Factoria 8, where every seat is a plush recliner. After the film, we head to T&T Supermarket, just up the street. This Asian mega-market’s “street food” vendor makes Jianbing crepes with egg, cilantro, and scallions topped with crispy crackers, and their bakery has gazillions of pastries in every color and flavor. 

TIME TO FEED THE TROOPS 

For kids who love pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers, Main Street between 106th and 107th Streets has it all. Pagliacci Pizza is a local chain with the best slices west of New York City. Check out their seasonal pies and optional gluten-free crust. Closer to 107th Street, tucked away in an alley, Broiler Bay Hamburgers has been charcoal grilling quality made-to-order hamburgers since 1989, along with delicious fries and the best onion rings I’ve ever had. I kid you not. If you ask, they’ll even split an order so you can try both the fries and the enormous, battered rings. Next door, buy a Halal hot dog and home-made toppings from What’sup Dog.  

In need of a sugar rush? Cross the street to the pink building housing Voodoo Donuts. Started in Portland, Oregon with the modest goal of achieving “world donut domination,” Bellevue is Voodoo’s 26th location. The Main Street shop includes a photo booth for documenting how much fun you’re having. Just a few doors down, Sugar n Flakes Bakery & Café sells a tempting array of cupcakes to make your mouth water. Or, walk two blocks to NE 4th St, where Salt & Straw Ice Cream sells exotic ice cream flavors like pear and blue cheese, one of many “curiously delicious” choices.  

ULTIMATE SPA EXPERIENCES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 

After all this activity, could you and your teens use a little grooming? Weldon Barber offers luxury services for men and boys. Haircuts include a shampoo and finish with a hot towel and scalp massage. Or, book a straight razor shave that leave necks smooth as a baby’s bottom. Girls will love Joon by Joe Bae, whose head-spa services include scalp massage, hair styling, and a round-brush blow-out.  

These are a few of my favorite things to do in Bellevue. With the summer sun rising around 5:00 a.m. and setting after 9:00 p.m., you’ll have time to enjoy them all. 

Planning Your Visit to The Pacific Northwest

Located just across Lake Washington from Seattle, Bellevue is easy to reach. Our free electric shuttle, BellHop operates year round in our downtown core, and there are plenty of transportation options. Explore seasonal events, restaurant guides, and more at VisitBellevueWA.com, order a free visitor guide or culinary guide, and follow @VisitBellevue on social for the latest itineraries and travel inspiration.