25 Things to Do in 2025

Bellevue is more bustling than ever as it continues to become a premier destination for adventurers, foodies, and creatives alike. Whether you're an out-of-towner or a hometown tourist, Downtown is the perfect place to start off your 2025 bucket list. Here are our top local experiences that are sure to make for an unforgettable year!

1. Sun bathe at Meydenbauer Bay Park

There's truly nothing better than spending some time in the sun at Meydenbauer Bay Park. With warmer weather on the horizon, plan a summer outing at Downtown's bay, features a viewing terrace, hillside woodland, outdoor classroom, play area, beach house, historic whaling building, pedestrian pier, expansive beach, daylighted channel and ravine. 

 

2. Try an escape room

Reality Break Escapes offers the perfect opportunity to use your brain and bond with friends, family, or coworkers. They offer some fun local entertainment right in the heart of Bellevue -- featuring three unique themed rooms: Lucky Duck Speakeasy, Cypherspace and Seattle Rocks! 

 

3. Enjoy a curated wine tasting experience

Find more than just wines for sale. Every Saturday, Downtown Bellevue's gem Story in a Bottle Wines hosts themed wine tastings where guests can experience unique varietals and curated picks. The local wine shop continues to  imports from family-owned wineries and share stories of wineries from all over the world. 

 

4. Ride a free electric shuttle

If you're tired of paying too much for rideshare apps, now is the perfect time to try BellHop, Downtown's resident free, fully electric on-demand shuttle service. . Getting around town is now easier and greener as a shared experience with other BellHop riders. Simply download the Circuit app, request a ride, and a sustainable shuttle will whisk you away to downtown attractions. 

 

5. See the ballet

Bellevue-based City Opera Ballet presents professional opera and ballet with a live orchestra, bringing a full calendar of events to locations all around the city. They're celebrating this power of movement, vibrancy and boldness, all while weaving a rich tapestry of stories, cultures, music, and strength!

 

6. Try a walking food tour

Savor City Food Tours presents "Bites of Bellevue"! Don’t miss Bellevue’s first-ever food tour, a 2-2.5 hour walking tour through the heart of the city’s diverse food scene.  They'll take you on an immersive experience exploring Bellevue’s diverse food scene and connecting you with local chefs and unique flavors that make this city a rising culinary hotspot. Register online!

 

7. Experience cutting-edge biohacking

Ambitious, cutting-edge wellness center Upgrade Labs provides an opportunity for a major life upgrade that will leave you feeling fit and rejuvenated. They promise to optimize your cardio, strength, and oxygen training, delivering the results of days or even weeks of traditional training in just a fraction of the time.

 

8. Learn to knit or crochet

Beginners and seasoned fiber-arts enthusiasts will love the colorful selection of yarns available at The Knitters Studio! Here, you can relax, unwind, browse for a new project, gain inspiration, take a class, and connect with other fiber lovers. Check out their website for a calendar of classes and events!

 

9. Go for a jog at Bellevue Downtown Park

The half-mile promenade circling the park is the perfect way to start the day with a morning walk or run. Spice up your cardio at a 21-acre oasis of green in the heart of Bellevue, bordered by a double row of shade trees, and a stepped canal, brings one to the 240-foot wide waterfall that cascades into a reflecting pond. 

 

10. Enjoy dinner and a show

Bake's Place Bar & Bistro is known for its elegant atmosphere and incredible acoustics, making it the perfect one-stop shop for a festive Friday evening. The long-standing restaurant and event space offers a long calendar of live music, chef driven seasonal menu, a curated wine/spirit list that includes over 225 whiskies and one of the most unique patio on the Eastside. Make a reservation today! 

 

11. Experience a U-Pour Bar

In the last two years, Downtown Bellevue has gained two popular U-Pour Bars that make a great place for gathering with co-workers after your 9 to 5 or a weekend lunch with friends. Redd Dog and Tapster brings a long list of beer, wine, and cider on tap, giving you a chance to taste as many as you want at your own pace. Check it out next time you're in time.

 

12. Experience an art walk around Downtown

Downtown Bellevue offers a collection of public artworks that will make your next walk/run/bike/drive around town a unique experience. Don't know where to start? We've curated a Downtown Bellevue art walk to enjoy on a sunny day (or a rainy afternoon!). As a bonus, check out limited time galleries at Avenue Bellevue.

 

13. Go for a shopping spree

Time in Downtown Bellevue isn't complete without a trip to The Bellevue Collection, a legendary retail hub featuring over 200 stores and 50 dining options. What began as a 16-store shopping center more than 75 years ago has become an internationally renowned hub of life and entertainment, work and leisure, relaxation and pleasure. 

 

14. See an aerial performance

Experience nightlife you won't soon forget at SUITE Restaurant / Lounge, known for their unique aerial acrobatics performances. The award-winning restaurant and popular nightspot also offer sharable and portable small plates as well as delectable entrees, prix fixe menus and desserts for finer dining experiences alongside the captivating aerial performance. 

 

15. Play VR hockey 

Social entertainment venue Mirra brings virtual reality to a whole new level with a unique blend of tech-immersed party games, social vibes, great food and drinks. They can accommodate up to 32 participants across four action-packed bays, featuring eight different games to choose from -- Hockey Smash, Hyper Rhythm, Laser Room, Bubble Boom and so much more. 

 

16. See a free live concert

The Live at Lunch Concerts returns to Downtown this June for a three-month series bringing free music performances to your favorite outdoor venues accompanied by a variety of delicious food truck options. Don't eat lunch at your desk, join us on select days every week for some sunshine and great music Schedule goes online soon. 

 

17. Spend a day at the garden

Explore over 50 acres of cultivated gardens, restored woodlands, and natural wetlands at Bellevue Botanical Garden. The living collections showcase more than 3,000 varieties of plants that thrive in the Pacific Northwest. As you explore the Garden, you’ll discover what makes our region unique, ideas for working with the landscape to create your own beautiful garden, and ways to be responsible stewards of the Pacific Northwest environment.

 

18. Try Peruvian food

La Mar, one of Bellevue's hottest new restaurants, presents a mouthwatering menu of unique dishes and presentations, served from their trademark cebiche bar or cooked in a charcoal-fired oven. They invite you to celebrate the authentic and diverse flavors of Peruvian Gastronomy, a tour through Peru's incredible cultural diversity, including Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, and Andean influences.

 

19. Take free ice skating lessons

In the winter months, the Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink will return with its annual festivities including free group skate lessons that will make you a pro in no time, concession stands filled with hot chocolate and winter snacks, and themed nights! Ice skate in the picturesque Bellevue Downtown Park and make fun holiday memories that will last a lifetime. 

 

20. Watch the sunset over the Puget Sound from the 31st floor

Ascend Prime Steak and Sushi sits high in the sky and is known for its sweeping views of Seattle and Lake Washington, creating a truly elevated dining experience. We recommend an evening reservation, where you can get a panoramic view during golden hour that goes great with Ascend's menu selection of Wagyu beed, caviar service, expertly crafted sushi bar and more.  

 

21. Go cafe-hopping

Downtown Bellevue is known for many things, and we believe our selection of bakeries and coffee shops is something everyone should experience. We recommend Bellden Cafe, Cafe Aloe, Cafe An'Clair, Cafe Hagen, Coffeeholic House, and more. 

 

22. $5 yoga in the park

When summer rolls around, there's no better way to enjoy the sun than by doing Sun Salutations at Bellevue Downtown Park. Yoga in the Park's goal is to provide truly accessible and inclusive yoga and meditation classes. Whatever your experience with yoga—whether it's years or none at all— Yoga In The Park is an opportunity for self-discovery and transformation.

 

23. Eat some odd pizza

Seattle icon MOTO Pizza recently came to Bellevue, and their outlandish flavors include beef adobo, clam chowder, and shrimp. Every full-size, shareable deep Detroit-style pizza on their menu is available for pick-up, dine-in, and pre-order. Each pizza serves two, buy more if you're a bit hungrier!

 

24. Embark on a guided lake tour

If you love sightseeing and appreciating the natural history of the Puget Sound, Bellevue Lake Cruises are the best environmentally-friendly way to do so. During the summer and fall seasons, they promise to deliver breathtaking, romantic views of the Seattle and Bellevue city skylines, majestic Mt. Rainier and the impressive nature and wildlife of the greater Puget Sound area.  

 

25. Go midnight bowling

The night comes alive at Lucky Strike Bellevue! Dance to live DJ beats across two dance floors, sip on VIP bottle service, and enjoy unlimited bowling starting at 10 PM. They offer 16 bowling lanes, including private lanes for an exclusive experience. Join them every Friday & Saturday, 10 PM – 2 AM, for an electrifying night out. 

This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.