Interesting Facts

Bellevue, an eastside suburb, lies just across Lake Washington from Seattle. At one time the area was nothing more than a bedroom community for its larger neighbor, but no more! The arrival of high-tech firms has brought Bellevue into its own.
Bellevue is a wealthy area, and it's a good thing! Some of the highest-volume import sports car dealerships in the country are located here, where life centers around shopping and the average house price runs approximately $475,000.
Bellevue is Washington's fourth largest city and one of the country's hottest office real estate markets. In fact, less than 10% of its office space is vacant!
Shop 'til you drop! Bellevue Square boasts more than 200 stores and offers plenty of covered space when it rains. It's the perfect place to spend some money � and some time!
Stop to smell the rhododendrons! Bellevue Botanical Gardens, a former orchard, focuses on the lovely plants, some of which are very large and old. The 53-acre public garden also boasts a Japanese garden, a wetland garden, and a rock garden.
What a doll! The Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art was built in a larger-than-expected scale to give it a dollhouse-like effect. The museum shelters a large collection of historical and collectible dolls from around the world, including a Japanese boy doll made from ground oyster shells.
Mercer Slough Nature Park is the largest remaining wetland on Lake Washington. The park contains some 300 acres, along with more than 5 miles of trails and boardwalks that wind through marshes and meadows. The area is popular with bird lovers since it's a haven for more than 100 species.
If you're in Washington during the last weekend of July, be sure to attend the Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair. This event is said to be the largest crafts fair in the Northwest and attracts thousands of visitors and hundreds of artists from the west.
An attraction sure to please kids of all ages is Kelsey Creek Farm. Along with getting up-close-and-personal with pigs, horses, chickens and rabbits, you can also enjoy a hike or a picnic. Looking for a little solitude? The Japanese garden dedicated to Yao, Bellevue's sister city in Japan, is the perfect spot to find some.
The Pacific Northwest is known for its wine industry and Columbia Winery, one of the state's oldest, also runs Paul Thomas Winery in Bellevue.