Bellevue, WA
Bellevue, Washington
Situated directly between Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish, this exceptional city that literally means “beautiful view” in French has been rated one of the 25 safest cities in the United States. Being the 5th largest city in Washington, Bellevue is a bustling city with over 150,000 jobs and innovative high-tech businesses.
The Bellevue School District is incredibly diverse with over 80 different languages spoken throughout the schools. With over 75% of the teachers having earned a master’s degree, you can rest assured that your children will receive the best education. Bellevue has 15 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 4 high schools. There are also 4 choice schools and 3 colleges.
There are over 60,000 homes in Bellevue, and that number is only expected to increase in the coming years. The household distribution of single-family homes and multi-family structures is about 50/50, and over half of the population of Bellevue consists of families that own their homes. Bellevue may be the ideal city for you to settle down.
Bellevue Arts Museum
This museum was built in 1983, but its roots can be traced all the way back to the 1940s street fair. This architecturally elaborate building helped to transform downtown Bellevue into the sophisticated area that it is today. Unlike most art and history museums, the Bellevue Arts Museum does not have its own consistent set of pieces that they display to the public. Instead, they host many different art classes, tours, films, and programs to offer art-related education to their visitors.
Shopping Centers
There are 4 major shopping centers in Bellevue: Bellevue Square, Crossroads Mall, Factoria Mall, and Overlake Fashion Plaza.
Bellevue Square, being the largest shopping center, has 180 retail stores along with over 80 restaurants and cafes. There is also a state-of-the-art move theater with luxury recliners, comedy club, nightclub, billiards, and a bowling alley with arcade games!
Crossroads Mall consists of many stores, restaurants, bakeries, and entertainment. There is a carousel for kids, climbing facility, farmer’s market, and fitness center. Factoria Mall has a Target and Walmart as well as multiple banks, pharmacies, restaurants, and an interactive museum. Overlake Fashion Plaza primarily has clothing and department stores as well as a few restaurants.
Bellevue Botanical Garden
This 53-acre park is made up of wetlands and meadows with 9 separate gardens and 2 walking trails. Each garden has its own theme along with different flowers, shrubs, and trees. The park has free admission and is open daily from dusk until dawn. If you’re a thrill seeker, you may be interested in crossing the suspension bridge that hangs over a deep ravine that has been undisturbed by humans.
Mercer Slough Nature Park
This enormous park extends 320 acres and is one of the few remaining fresh water wetlands in the state. There is a picnic area, blueberry farm, and a waterfront area where you can rent canoes and kayaks for the unique water trails that give you amazing views of the surrounding forests and lakes.
Bellevue Zip Tour
Located deep within an ancient Douglas Fir forest, this thrilling recreational course consists of zip lines that are almost 500 feet long and up to 80 feet off the ground. Daredevils and nature enthusiasts are drawn to this unique journey through the trees.
