Downtown Bellevue: Parks, the Botanical Garden, and Where to Stay

Downtown Bellevue packs a surprising amount of green space around its office towers and Bellevue Square — most of it within easy walking distance of anywhere downtown.

Downtown Park A 21-acre park right in the middle of downtown, with a half-mile canal promenade, a lake, and walking paths through the lawns. It regularly hosts community events and outdoor concerts — worth checking the events calendar before a visit in case something's on.

Bellevue Botanical Garden 53 acres, free, open every day. The display gardens (dahlias, fuchsias, a water-wise garden) are the draw most of the year, but if you're visiting between late November and early January, the garden runs an annual holiday light display with over 500,000 lights shaped into giant insects, flowers, and garden creatures across the grounds.

Getting there Sound Transit's 2 Line light rail opened across Lake Washington in March 2026, connecting downtown Seattle directly to the Bellevue Downtown Station (with onward service to Redmond) — a real alternative to driving now, on top of the free parking that comes with the stay below.