Things to do in Bellevue on a Staycation!

Things to do in Bellevue on a Staycation

My family loves staycations. They are a way we can get out, and explore, relax or whatever our agenda is at that time, without having to deal with flights, or really long drives, etc. They are also great weekend opportunities, when you do not have alot of time for a vacation. The other thing I really like about staycations, is that they are often more affordable than a standard vacation, but still packed full of fun. I always find it more fun than I thought it would be, to be a tourist in a nearby city.

I worked in Bellevue for many years, and we hosted many trainings where we would plan overnight stays, etc. for people coming into town. I started to learn the layout of the area during these times, and then once I had kids I started to use those experiences to plan our own visits as a family.

We have also shared over 100 ideas of free or low cost things to do Seattle on a staycation here, and Staycation Portland ideas here if you are looking for more inspriation. Now, we are excited to share things to do in Bellevue on a Staycation to help inspire a fun getaway for you here.

I have to tell you, this little getaway really does surprised me sometimes. We live about 20 miles outside of Bellevue, so not too far. As I mentioned, I worked there for a number of years when I was a younger mom, but things are always changing. This makes everything feel new and fresh. There is always something I realize I have not seen yet, and we always have a great weekend exploring, eating and relaxing. It makes a perfect short getaway for families, couples or girls weekends.

This other thing I love about Bellevue, is that there are so many times of the year to visit and have fun. We have done multiple trips during the holiday season, as there are tons of festivities to enjoy during Christmas especially. Also, we have planned summer trips around getting some school shopping done (since there are multiple shopping options in the area) and that is also a great time to enjoy the many parks and beaches. There is more than you can see and do in one weekend, so plenty of options depending on how your family likes to spend your time.

Things to Do In Bellevue:

Bellevue offers a great mix of shopping, restaurants and outdoor areas to enjoy. You can be in the mall shopping one minute, and easily walk to a beautiful neighboring park. This mix makes it a great weekend getaway idea.

If you plan to visit during the holiday, check out our list of Things to do In Bellevue for Christmas for ideas during that time of the year.

Here are some things to do in Bellevue that we enjoy.

Shopping and Indoor Fun in Bellevue

The Bellevue Collection’s Bellevue Square Mall–

If you want to shop in the area, this is the main mall.

Since we were doing some school shopping, we started at the Bellevue Collection’s Bellevue Square. There are not tons of kids stores there, but what I found was that some of the stores had kids sections in them, and it is a very nice mall.

If you have little ones and want a break, you can head up to the third floor above the information desk, and there is an indoor playground the kids can enjoy (pictured above).

Also on the third floor was a cupcake shop my girls loved. We hit it twice during our weekend visit! The cupcakes where very good.

Lincoln Town Square

Across the street from the Bellevue Square Mall (and easily accessible by a sky bridge connecting the tow locations) is the Lincoln Town Center. There is some shopping there, but it also houses some of the other fun attrations we list below too.

Lucky Strike Bowling and Arcade

This spot is located in the Lincoln Town Center, and you can get there from the street front, or you can also take one of the glass sky bridges across from the Mall area. We went in the afternoon (it turns into more of a nightclub atmosphere in the evening) and the kids had fun playing some arcade games. Head to Groupon here, and you can often find a great deal on their Arcade cards too!

Crossroads Shopping Area –

The Crossroads shopping center is a fun one to explore with kids, and is about a 10 minute drive away from the downtown Bellevue area. There are plenty of things for kids to do in this area, and a spot I always enjoyed when my kids where younger especially.

Inside the shopping strip where spots like Wiggle Works for little ones, or an art studio where kids of all ages could paint ceramic pieces, an Edgeworks Climbing facility and more. You will also find a jumbo chess game and board game tables, and many more family friendly things to do for an afternoon or evening here.

Marketplace at Factoria

And here are a few fun activities for kids if you head to the Factoria area.

Bellevue Art Museum –

The Bellevue Art Museum is located directly across the street from the mall (outside Macys, near the Cheesecake Factory area). There are a handful of ways you can enjoy the Bellevue Art Museum for free. You can free get free admission to the Museum the first Friday of each month, so be sure to look for those (or check your library for free passes too).

KidsQuest Childrens Museum –

This is a fun STEM oriented kids museum in the downtown Bellevue area. It can add up for a family, but there are some special programs that offer discount admission rates (The Museums for All rate is $3 per person for up to 4 people with proof of participation in the following programs: EBT, CHIP, Provider One, or WIC), or you can get free tickets from the Public Libraries if you have an active library card (free to get).

Outdoor Fun in Bellevue –

Bellevue has some great parks and beaches to explore, and even zip lining. But my favorite outdoor spot in the area is the Bellevue Botanical Gardens. The Mercer Slough Nature park is another great one to explore if you like the outdoors too. Find more info on these aren more ideas here.

Bellevue Botanical Garden -Free

Visiting the Bellevue Botanical Garden was a highlight for us! We have a full review of our visit to the Bellevue Botanical Garden here. I highly recommend a visit. It’s free, and a beautiful and serene spot just a short drive from the downtown area.

Bellevue Parks –

Bellevue has some really great parks. We visited a few during our weekend trip, but there were more then we could make it to see. That leaves plenty to explore for another date!

Downtown Bellevue Park – This spot is a very popular park in the downtown Bellevue area (right across from the mall).

It offers a fantastic playground, spray park for the summer, walking paths, green spaces, water features and more!

Wilburton Park – My kids love parks that offer a zip line, and this was one of them. It was not crowded when we visit, and you can couple this one with a visit to the Botanical Garden as they are very close to each other (can walk from one to the other).

More ideas include –

Kelsey Creek Farm Park They have many special features, like special events, animal viewing and some great farm education too. If you have younger students (pre-school to school age) they are bound to love a visit here.
Mercer Slough nature Park – this is a great spot to visit if you want to enjoy a nature walk, or you can splurge and rent kayaks or canoe to get out on the water in. You can rent
Crossroads Community Park (Spray Park)
Beach Parks

If your kids love zoo’s, and you don’t mind a short drive you can visit the Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah as well. It’s about a 15 minute drive from the downtown Bellevue area, but it’s a pretty drive.

Where to Stay in Bellevue :

Bellevue has a number of great hotel options. A couple of things to keep in mind when looking at the hotel options in this area. Even though the hotel says they are located in Bellevue, there can be some distance between them. Some are right in the heart of downtown, and others can be a 10 -15 minute drive away, depending on traffic. So it is important to know what you plan to do, and where you want to stay in proximity to those things when booking a hotel in Bellevue.

If you want to turn your visit to Bellevue into an overnight Staycation, here are some of our favorite spots to stay in the area.

The Bellevue Seattle Embassy Suites – My Favorite All Around Family Stay Pick

We have stayed a number of times at the Embassy Suites Bellevue, and made it our base camp on many trips, and we are big fans of this spot for family travel especially. We love that they offer a free full breakfast (including made to order omlets, cocktail/snack hour and more!

It is also an all suites hotel, so you get plenty of room for your crew during your stay. It is not in walking distance to the downtown Bellevue locations, but it is centrally located if you want to check out the Eastside in general, or head up I-90 to Snoqualmie Falls too. I just find the Embassy Suites to be very family friendly, and with the free parking, free dining options, and extra space – it is alot of bang for your dollar in my opinion. Check out our full review of the Embassy Suites Bellevue here.

Find current rates for the Embassy Suites Bellevue here.

Hyatt Regency Bellevue – A Great Option If You Want to Be in Downtown Bellevue

This spot is great as it is right in the heart of downtown Bellevue. It is a reasonable walk to the mall, as well as many other areas in the downtown Bellevue core (lots of restaurants and shops). They also have a great pool and more for families to enjoy.

Find current rates for the Hyatt Regency Bellevue here.

The Bellevue Club Hotel – The Perfect Splurge Spot

If you are thinking about a girls getaway or a couples weekend, The Bellevue Club is a favorite of mine. It has both a large indoor pool, and outdoor seasonal pool, and indoor hot tub and spa area.

Find current rates for the Bellevue Club hotel here.

Where to Eat in Bellevue:

Bellevue is packed full of great restaurant options. You will find everything from fine dining options to casual eats, many with very good reviews. So the options are much broader than we can cover here. It get pricey in this area though, so we have included a mix of options we enjoy that will be affordable, as well as some favorite splurge options in the area.

One spot I like for its affordability, and casual atmosphere for families is the 520 Bar and Grille on Main Street in Bellevue. The reason why I enjoy this spot is because they have a happy hour menu, as well as a kids menu, which means we can all order for some of the most affordable prices around if we visit during this time. Plus, they have indoor and outdoor eating options, and I love to eat in their outdoor garden area. That is one of my kiddos enjoying dessert in the outdoor dining tent which them had up with heaters one year that we visited (but the outdoor dining is best in the summer)!

Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria at Crossroads –

We mention above that the Crossroads area has lots to do if you are visiting with kids. Here is a fun and affordable dining option, if you are in the area with your family too. The food was delicious, the prices affordable, and it was a nice casual atmosphere. If you enjoy Italian food at reasonable prices, and with a more casual environment for families, this is your spot.

I had their seasonal fig pizza, and it was amazing! The prices here were very family friendly if you share a pizza, and we really enjoyed our evening here. It was laid back, service was great, and we were able to explore the Crossroads Mall afterwards.

Earls Kitchen + Bar

If you want a splurge meal this place was one of our favorites. The ambiance here is beautiful, it is in the heart of the city so easy to get to if you are shopping, and they have a pretty broad menu, so you are sure to find something everyone in your party will enjoy.

We went for lunch, as dinner can get pricier, but it was a real treat. We ate there on a warm day, so the front of the restaurant was open to the street and we were able to people watch and relax with a cool breeze while we ate. The food was outstanding and the ambiance was one of my favorites. I do recommend going for lunch to help you save over what dinner will cost. Another great idea is to stop by for their Happy Hour menu from 2 to 5 pm daily and share some small bites from that menu.

They do participate in the Seattle Restaurant Week too, if you wanted to enjoy those savings!

Din Tai Fung

This was one of my kids favorite restaurants in general, and their Bellevue location is a nice one. It’s located in the Lincoln Center, right across from Bellevue Collection Mall. You can watch them making the noodles in the front windows, and you order the food family style and share. Everything we ate here was delicious, and it was unanimously one of our favorite spots for the entire family. Service was very attentive here as well. I do recommend making reservations. It seemed to be the busiest spot in the area, and there was quite a wait outside.

A couple of our favorite dishes include the spicy wontons or spicy noodles, the green beans and cucumber salad for starters, and of course at least one pick from the soup dumpling selection. This is a family favorite spot, and I do not think there has ever been a time that we did not enjoy a meal here (and we have been to all the Washington locations, and their largest spot in Las Vegas too)!

Carmines –

If you are looking for fine dining Italian, Carmines is your spot. It is the more traditional white linen experience, and the food is very good. If you are looking for a special spot for a celebration, or just a splurge night, this is a great option.

Novilhos Brazilian Steakhouse

The brazilian steakhouses can be a really fun dining experience, and they have a great one in Bellevue. It is Novilhos Brazilian Steakhouse. You can also find a deal on Groupon here too!

More dining ideas:

In addition to the spots we dined at during our weekend, you can find many more options here including Hokkaidos Ramen Santouka, which I have heard is great. There are more affordable spots, or look for a happy hour special, or share a plate. The dining selection was great, so we enjoyed some splurge spots on our trip.

Looking for more ideas on what to do on a visit to Bellevue. Be sure to check out the Visit Bellevue Washington site. Not only do they have more ideas on family friendly things to do, there are also great ideas for a couples getaway and more.

Disclosure: Visit Bellevue Washington hosted our stay so that we could share our favorite experiences with you. All opinions are 100% my own.