Bellevue

Bellevue

Bellevue is a community of diverse and vibrant neighborhoods, each with unique neighborhood character and identity. Bellevue’s neighborhoods are home to a diverse community of neighbors with connections to schools, stores, parks, trails and the natural environment.  View the Neighborhood Area Map.

BelRed

BelRed is being transformed from a light industrial area into Bellevue’s newest mixed use, transit-oriented neighborhoods. The transformation will include the addition of three Sound Transit light rail stations and new arterial street improvements. Located between Downtown Bellevue and Microsoft Headquarters, this neighborhood provides convenient access to the entire region. In the future it will be anchored by The Spring District which is bringing new residential, retail and office spaces

BelRed is already known for Overlake Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, as well as numerous small businesses that provide essential home supplies and specialty services. Within BelRed is the hidden treasure of Highland Community Center, with its “log cabin” building and rustic charm. Highlands Park is also home to Bellevue’s indoor and outdoor skate parks.

Bridle Trails 

Bridle Trails includes Bellevue's equestrian neighborhood area, with acres of residential property devoted to pastures and trails for horses. Although many Bridle Trails residents aren't part of the equestrian culture, residents enjoy the vast green spaces and peaceful ambience found here.  Bridle Trails is heavily wooded, with 28 miles of equestrian and pedestrian trails throughout a 489 acre state park.

While most of Bridle Trails has a quiet, semi-rural appearance with horses grazing in lush green meadows, the area includes multifamily communities of apartments and condominiums. Bridle Trails has an active neighborhood association and includes several smaller neighborhoods for families to connect in community, including Trails End, Pikes Peak, Cherry Crest, Bellemead, North Creek, Compton Green, Compton Trails, Sixty-01 and many more. 

Cougar Mountain / Lakemont

A mix of single-family and multi-family homes ascend the slopes of Cougar Mountain in this scenic neighborhood area. It is not unusual for residents to spot raccoons, deer, bobcats, and even bear strolling through the area. A pedestrian trail network provides an oasis of natural beauty for all to enjoy, linking homes to neighborhood parks, neighborhoods to each other and to the Lewis Creek Park and Cougar Mountain Park,  and to the neighborhood shopping center at Lakemont.  The area is home to a large number of planned neighborhood communities, including the Summit, Forest Ridge, Vuemont and Cougar Mountain/Lakemont developments. 

Crossroads

In many ways, Crossroads area is the heart of Bellevue. It’s the focal point for entertainment, cultural exchange, shopping and community services for area residents. Bustling Crossroads is characterized by an abundance of large apartment complexes, established single-family neighborhoods and restaurant and retail establishments.  Crossroads Park features a nine-hole golf course, a water park for children and a popular multipurpose park.

Downtown 

Downtown Bellevue is an impressive combination of luxury high rise condominiums, upscale retail space, fine dining, The Bellevue Art Museum and all anchored by a large park.  Downtown Bellevue is the primary economic and employment center for the city and the region. Downtown is now home to an intergenerational community, all enjoying the walkability, safety and energy of living in the heart of Bellevue’s city life.  The future for downtown Bellevue is bright. The city’s plan is to make downtown even more viable, livable and memorable. The Grand Connection will create pedestrian connections between Meydenbauer Beach Park, Downtown Park, along the Pedestrian Corridor and across I-405 into Wilburton.  All while being connected to Seattle & Seatac Airport by Sound Transit Light Rail. For more information visit bellevuedowntown.org.

Eastgate & Factoria

The Eastgate and Factoria neighborhoods are located along  I-90 and its intersection with I-405, providing a mix of commercial office space and retail, multi-family communities and established single family neighborhoods. Marketplace at Factoria provides an assortment of retail services, a movie theater and a number of local restaurants to enjoy. The Eastgate Park & Ride transportation hub provides commuters with easy access throughout the region.

For recreational opportunities, the South Bellevue Community Center provides a climbing wall, basketball courts, a fitness center and an assortment of camps and classes for children and adults. It also is the location of Bellevue’s Zip Line. Nearby, the Mountain to Sound Greenway provides bicyclists with a trail system connecting to Seattle and the Cascades.

Lake Hills

Originally developed in the late 1950s as a planned community with the Lake Hills Shopping Center at its core, the area retains much of its original single-family charm and community connections. Lake Hills is Bellevue’s most populous residential neighborhood area, including a number of smaller neighborhoods and multi-family communities. Lake Hills has two local commercial shopping centers, both recently redeveloped, including Lake Hills Village and Kelsey Creek Center. It is also home to the growing campus of Bellevue College.

The richness of the community lies in its extensive system of open space, trails and wetlands. The Lake Hills greenbelt is a wetland corridor which connects Phantom Lake on the south with Larson Lake and its surrounding blueberry fields on the north. It encompasses more than 172 acres of woods and wetlands, home to coyotes, muskrats and an array of songbirds. Robinswood Community Park is a community gathering space with its indoor tennis center, lighted athletic fields and off-leash areas for dogs.

Newport

The Newport area includes four distinct communities all known for their strong sense of neighborhood identity; the Newport Hills and Lake Heights neighborhoods east of I-405, Greenwich Crest uphill to the west of I-405, Lake Lanes nestled along Lake Washington and the Newport Shores district, which is built around a series of man-made inlets.  Newport Shores and Lake Lanes are neighborhoods built with homes oriented toward the waterfront, boating and lake activities. The Lake Heights and Newport Hills neighborhoods are cohesive communities with strong neighborhood traditions and activities. Greenwich Crest is a hidden gem of a neighborhood with beautiful views.

Northeast Bellevue

Stretching from Lake Sammamish to the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Northeast Bellevue is a tapestry of neighborhoods, parks and schools. Most of the neighborhoods in the western portion of Northeast Bellevue were built in the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980’s, reflecting a woodsy character in subdivision names such as Sherwood Forest, Lakewood Park, Bretton Wood, Tam O’ Shanter and Ardmore.  The southeastern portion of the area features two miles of frontage along Lake Sammamish, with large homes hugging the lakeside and other homes nestled in the heights above the lake, where they enjoy scenic views of lake and mountains beyond. Some of the subdivisions include private recreational facilities such as tennis courts, golf course and swim clubs. The northern, triangular portion of this neighborhood juts into Redmond.

The future of Northeast Bellevue will be served by easy access to the Redmond light-rail station at the Microsoft campus. It will also provide close proximity to the Overlake Village, a major new urban center on the Bellevue/Redmond border.

Northwest Bellevue

Northwest Bellevue maintains a diversity of neighborhood charm, with distinct neighborhood communities, ranch estates, single-family ramblers, extensive remodels and larger newly-built residential homes. Northwest Bellevue includes some of the city's oldest neighborhoods, including Meydenbauer Bay, Vuecrest, Diamond S Ranch, Bellewood Farms, Apple Valley and Northtowne. Located adjacent to downtown, residents have easy access to the downtown amenities, as well as freeway access to I-405 and 520.

Visitors from the entire region enjoy Meydenbauer Beach Park, including waterfront activities and beach access to Lake Washington. Bellevue’s Farmer’s Market is located at Bellevue First Presbyterian Church from May through November, and there is a wide range of programs offered at The Northwest Arts Center. Hidden Valley Park provides athletic fields and activities with Bellevue’s Boys and Girls Club.

Somerset

Residents say that Somerset is what the founders of Bellevue – French for "beautiful view" – had in mind when they named the city. The hill called Somerset, which rises about 1,000 feet, is a favorite spot to gaze across Lake Washington to the Olympic Mountains. The beautiful view today includes Somerset's vantage point from which to watch the Blue Angels during Seafair, enjoy Fourth of July and New Year's Eve fireworks, or to take in panoramic views of Bellevue and Seattle.

Somerset is home to one of Bellevue’s most cohesive neighborhood associations. Somerset has many neighborhoods, including Somerset, Forest Hill, Eaglesmere, Westwood Highlands, Forest Park, Forest Park Meadow, Forest Glen and the Woods. Due to its proximity to I-90 and I-405, Somerset provides quick and easy access to employment, entertainment, shopping and recreation. Somerset also benefits from a network of trails and proximity to the Coal Creek Natural Area and Cougar Mountain trail system.

West Bellevue

Located south of Downtown Bellevue, west of I-405 and north or I-90, West Bellevue is home to some of Bellevue’s most established and historic neighborhoods. Bordering on Lake Washington and the Mercer Slough, the neighborhoods are nestled in the wooded beauty of Bellevue’s natural environment. Neighborhoods of Enatai, Bellecrest, Surrey Downs, Killarney Circle and Meydenbauer Point all provide strong neighborhood associations that work to build community and preserve their distinct neighborhood character.

Residents and visitors enjoy the waterfront at Chism Beach, Chesterfield Beach and Enatai Beach, as well as Sweylocken boat launch, providing a place for kayaking and canoeing.  West Bellevue will be served by the South Bellevue light rail station and South Bellevue Park & Ride, providing easy access to Seattle and downtown Bellevue. With close proximity to the Mountains to Sound Greenway, bicyclists enjoy a short trip to Seattle or east to Issaquah.

West Lake Sammamish

The West Lake Sammamish area is oriented toward the waterfront of Lake Sammamish and Phantom Lake. Including the neighborhoods of Spiritridge, Phantom Lake, 41.5, Sammamish Heights, Rosemont Beach, Lake Manor and West Lake Sammamish, residents and visitors enjoy a variety of shoreline activities and mountain views, bike and walking trails, and the beauty of the trails within Weowna Park. Home to the Little Store, one of the oldest independent grocery stores, West Lake Sammamish retains much of its small town neighborhood charm.

Wilburton

Bellevue’s historic Wilburton neighborhood is an enclave of single-family and multi-family housing known for its rich history and its parks and wooded areas. Wilburton provides a strong community and a place to call home near the heart of Bellevue, but with the quiet of a residential neighborhood that reflects Bellevue’s past and its future. With the historic Wilburton Trestle on the south, it promises to be a key landmark for the  development of the north-south EasTrail walking and biking corridor. Wilburton’s business district will provide the destination for the Grand Connection linking to the pedestrian corridor across I-405, through downtown to Meydenbauer Bay. The Wilburton light rail station on NE 8th will provide easy access around the region.

Woodridge

Woodridge is characterized by quiet streets and family homes – many with views of Lake Washington, downtown Bellevue and Seattle. Much of the community’s daily life revolves around Woodridge Elementary School, at the top of the hill. Both Woodridge and Norwood Village developed their own community swimming pools, which still attract families to the neighborhood.

Local architects designed Norwood housing to take advantage of outstanding views. By varying home design and creatively placing homes on lots to maximize views, developers managed to avoid the uniform look of tract housing – and the project was praised in 1952 editions of home and garden magazines.

Woodridge has easy access both to downtown Bellevue and Factoria Marketplace, as well as to I-405 and I-90. The future of Woodridge will be served by King County’s development of the EasTrail corridor, providing pedestrians and bicyclists easy access to downtown and throughout Bellevue.