Bellevue, Washington

FR3507
1y ago
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1 - if you can afford it, yes, it's worth it. Downtown Bellevue is extremely walkable, has good restaurants and shops, and nice parks. If you can't, there are plenty of nice neighborhoods around, but you're better off staying on the Eastside (the non-Seattle, east side of the lake) until the light rail train opens up in a couple of years - traffic can be a real nightmare.

2 - check out Mox boarding house and Silver Platters, both in Bellevue. The first is a board game/gaming store where you can buy-play-eat-drink, and the second is a legendary local vinyl chain which sells new and used vinyl, CDs and dvds. They could probably set you up with like-minded groups.

3 - not so big in Bellevue but large on the Eastside overall. There is a Brazilian store/cafe chain called Kitanda with multiple locations, they could tell you more. I've been to the Kirkland one many times and it's always full of Portuguese. 😊

4 - yes, Bellevue is a bit more, but it's marginal, and Seattle is a toss up when it comes to neighborhoods and safety. It's a city in flux right now.

sirotan88
10mo ago
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We did a similar move from Sunnyvale to Downtown Bellevue 3 years ago and love it here! We are outdoorsy people so it was easy to adjust. It’s refreshing to be so close to the water and to see green year round, be close to mountains, and actually feel like there is some work-life separation and not just living in a giant cookie cutter tech suburb… (sorry Sunnyvale!) There’s still a huge tech presence in Bellevue but at least it’s not completely dominated by tech campuses everywhere. The various parks and neighborhoods are really great, and folks in general seem to be more family and life oriented.

For volleyball, all summer long there are people playing volleyball on the grass at downtown Bellevue park. Not sure how to join these groups but if you are proactive enough maybe you can find one to join. If you like hiking and outdoors then you will have plenty to do. Climbing (indoor & outdoor) is pretty big here, as well as cycling.

The worst part of the year is from November through February where the clock shifts so sun sets around 4pm. The rest of the year between March through October is beautiful. I’d say January and February are the hardest to get through, since November and December have Thanksgiving break and Christmas to break up the monotony. Winter is much more enjoyable if you like skiing. The cold dark months are so worth it for when finally spring comes and the sunsets shift later. Makes you appreciate nature and being outdoors.

pickleddaikon33
1y ago
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I absolutely love living in Bellevue, but it one of the most expensive areas you could pick to live in the greater Seattle area. I've lived here since I relocated to the area 5 years ago and albeit expensive, I think it's mostly worth it for the safety (as a woman living alone) and convenience. If you can, I'd say look at living just slightly outside of Downtown "Proper" as I've noticed it can be slightly more affordable?? I'd also suggest looking at Kirkland and Redmond, thought they're a bit similar in pricing to Bellevue…maybe a bit less. I've taken transit just fine between cities on the east side and spent the last 5 years without a car in DT Bellevue.

If you're looking to live in a popular area with walkability that's a bit more affordable, I know North Seattle is a really popular spot (Fremont, Wallingford, Ballard) as it has a lot to do.

IDONTLIE_MUCH
1y ago
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Downtown Bellevue is very walkable and generally nice with decent transit. I don’t have a car and walk and take transit everywhere, it’s not as easy as it was on east coast but I don’t have any major complaints. DT Bellevue is also relatively quiet, at least for a downtown. Happy to answer any questions!

Pros and Cons of Living in Bellevue Washington 2021