Choose Your Way...to Bellevue's Season of Cheer

Choose Your Way...to Bellevue's Season of Cheer

This December, help spread joy and participate in the Season of Cheer in Bellevue! After a year of celebrating the holidays within the confines of our homes, now is your chance to get back out (safely) and get your nog on! Below are some of the best transportation suggestions and tips to help you get to and from major holiday events in Downtown:

Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink presented by Symetra

• Cycling: Utilize the high-comfort bike lanes southbound on 108th Avenue and westbound on Main Street to get to Bellevue Downtown Park. Use the Bellevue Bike Map or the bike icon on Google Maps to help plan your bike trip. Check out the Downtown Bike Parking and Amenities Map for bike parking locations.
• Carpool: Make the most of the open seats in your car, grab some friends and head to Bellevue Downtown Park where free parking is provided. If the lot is full, you can park in Bellevue Square mall parking (entrances off of Northeast Fourth and Eighth Streets or 100th Avenue Northeast) and take a short walk down 100th Avenue or Bellevue Way to get to the rink.
• Bus & Walk: Take the bus to the Bellevue Transit Center, walk directly west on the pedestrian corridor (Northeast Sixth Street) to Bellevue Way, and walk two blocks south to get to the rink at the Downtown Park. For a walking map, use our Downtown Pedestrian Guide.

Snowflake Lane

• Cycling: Utilize the high-comfort bike lanes on 108th Avenue Northeast (Main to Northeast Twelfth Streets) and Main Street (Bellevue Way to 108th Avenue Northeast) to get to Bellevue Way to enjoy the experience on Bellevue way between Nov. 26 and Dec. 24. Check out the Bellevue Bike Map or use the bike icon in Google Maps directions to help plan your bike trip. Check out the Downtown Bike Parking and Amenities Map for public bike parking locations.
• Carpool: Free vehicle parking is provided at The Bellevue Collection!
• Bus: Take the bus to the Bellevue Transit Center and walk westbound on the pedestrian corridor (Northeast Sixth Street) to make your way to Snowflake Lane.

Holiday Performances at Meydenbauer Center Theatre

• Cycling: The new bike lane on 112th Avenue Northeast from Northeast Eighth Street to SR 520 provides access to Meydenbauer Center Theatre. Use the Bellevue Bike Map or use the bike icon in Google Maps directions to help plan your route accordingly.
• Carpool: Vehicle parking is provided at the Meydenbauer Center. The first 30 minutes is free, while the first hour costs $5 and increases from there. Carpooling allows you to share the cost!
• Bus: We recommend taking the bus to the Bellevue Transit Center and making a short walk eastbound on Northeast Sixth Street to get to the Meydenbauer Center.

Garden d'Lights

• Cycling: Utilize bike lanes on portions of Northeast Fourth Street, 120th Avenue Northeast and 118th Avenue Northeast from the west; or 116th Avenue Northeast from the north. Use the Bellevue Bike Map or use the bike icon on Google Maps to plan your trip accordingly.
• Carpool: Premium parking in the Garden's lot is available for $5 a car but there is free parking available at Wilburton Hill Park, located approximately 1/4 mile east of the Garden on the south side of Main Street!
• Bus: We recommend taking the 271 bus route that will drop you off at [116th Avenue Southeast and Southeast First Street] right by Bellevue Botanical Garden. From there, walk north on Southeast First Street, then east on Main Street until you get to Garden d'Lights.

General tips on some options

Cycling

Use the Bellevue Bike Map or the Google Maps bike icon in “Directions” for help planning your trip and the Downtown Bike Parking and Amenities Map for downtown bike rack locations. For a hybrid bus/bike trip, learn how to put your bike on a King County Metro or Sound Transit bus here. Note that it is permissible to walk your bike on the downtown pedestrian corridor on Northeast Sixth Street between the Bellevue Transit Center and Bellevue Square (on Bellevue Way).

Carpool

Bellevue Way will be closed from Northeast Fourth Street to Northeast Eighth Street, 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. nightly, from Nov. 26 through Dec. 24.
Free parking is available at:

• Bellevue Downtown Park
• Bellevue Square Mall

Keep in mind that this is an extremely traffic-heavy time of year and finding parking can often be a challenge. You can help everyone get around more easily by trying other methods of transportation such as biking or busing!

Transit + Walk

We recommend taking the bus to the Bellevue Transit Center at Northeast Sixth Street between 108th and 110th Avenues Northeast. It is a transportation hub and requires just a short walk to the Meydenbauer Center Theatre, Snowflake Lane and the Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink. Use our Downtown Pedestrian Guide to help you to your reach final destination on foot or by wheelchair. All Sound Transit and Metro buses are wheelchair accessible. Fare information for bus riding:

• Fare amounts are posted on Metro and Sound Transit websites.
• Carry your exact bus fare in cash or have your ORCA card ready to go. Use the Puget Sound Trip Planner or transit icon on Google Maps directions to plan your trip accordingly, or ask Choose Your Way Bellevue for help.
• Free fares for children: Up to four children ages five and under always ride free with a paying adult on Sound Transit and Metro buses.

This is our first year back experiencing the holiday cheer in person, so please remember to wear a mask when necessary, maintain a safe distance from others and stay safe. Click here more information on the Season of Cheer and what Bellevue has to offer for December festivities.

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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.