Introduction to Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city located in King County in the state of Washington. Situated only 10 miles east of Seattle across Lake Washington, the city is considered a Seattle suburb. Bellevue is surrounded by vast wilderness areas, including the rugged Cascade mountains to its east and the Olympic mountains further to the west, which helps explain the city's name, a derivation of a French term for "beautiful view." Interstate I-405 bisects the city, which is also serviced by I-90 and Washington State Highway 520. Bellevue is home to several high-tech companies and is adjacent to Redmond, home of software giant Microsoft Corporation.
First settled in the late 1860s or early 1870s, Bellevue soon became a popular location for the summer homes of residents of nearby Seattle. The region's towering evergreens eventually gave way to agriculture, and throughout the first half of the 20th century Bellevue was dominated by an abundance of farms best known for strawberries and blueberries. When the first floating bridge across Lake Washington was completed in 1940, Seattle suddenly became much more accessible and a suburban era which would influence the area for several decades was ushered in. Bellevue was incorporated as a city in 1953.
Attractions in and near Bellevue
Bellevue is home to many places of interest and within short driving distance to many more. The Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art houses one of the world's largest collections of dolls, covering two expansive floors with exhibits and over 1,000 dolls on display. The Bellevue Arts Museum, located in downtown Bellevue, is the Pacific Northwest’s principal center for the exploration of art, craft and design. The Museum places special emphasis on the work of regional artists. The KidsQuest Children’s Museum offers play and discovery areas, exhibits, educational activities and classroom space. The Bellevue Botanical Garden consists of 53 acres of display gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands. The Garden hosts the annual Garden d'Lights festival during the month of December, where numerous three-dimensional plant and animal sculptures made from bundled Christmas lights are on display in numerous nature-themed scenes. Several other attractions can be found nearby, including the following:
- Pacific Science Center
- Stevens Pass Ski Area
- Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
- Space Needle
- Woodland Park Zoo
- Museum of Flight
- Seattle Aquarium
- EMP/Science Fiction Museum
Bellevue is home to the Bellevue Blackhawks of the American Basketball Association (ABA). Several other pro sports teams are located just across Lake Washington in the city of Seattle. These include:
- Seattle Mariners (baseball; MLB)
- Seattle Seahawks (football: NFL)
- Seattle SuperSonics (basketball: NBA)
- Seattle Storm (women's basketball: WNBA)
- Seattle Thunderbirds (hockey: WHL)
- Seattle Sounders (soccer: USL A-League)
