Southeast Bellevue - Bellevue, WA

Settlers first came to the area in 1867 to farm, mine coal, and log the area. The Northern Pacific rail line ran its tracks through the area in 1904, bringing new settlers from around the world. The population really exploded in 1940 with the first bridge across Lake Washington. This large boom in population resulted in one of the first suburban shopping centers in the country. Bellevue Square still stands today and draws shoppers from the surrounding area.

An art fair in 1947 sparked the birth of the Bellevue Arts Museum, where art lovers enjoy exhibitions and programs featuring local, national, and international artists. The Strawberry Festival, ARTsfair, and other festivals fill Bellevue summers. The excitement peaks on the 4th of July in Bellevue's downtown park when some 60,000 gather to enjoy fireworks and live music.

The huge selection of restaurants in downtown Bellevue draws people into the city. Visitors find everything from chic places to pass the evening to quick bites grabbed between stores. However, many locals prefer to avoid the fast pace of downtown most days in favor of local gems.

Asian and Indian favorites keep residents to their southeast corner. Yea's Wok has all your favorite Chinese-style dishes available for dine-in or pick-up and a sampling of Taiwanese cuisine. Favorites include the Mongolian beef or General Tso's chicken. Sushi lovers frequent Musashi's for the famous chirashi bowl or browse the selection of skewers and teriyaki dishes. For a taste of India, stop by the Bombay House to grab a plateful of masala paneer, or hit up the buffet.

A number of good American-style dives also surround the area. One favorite, Lil' Jon Restaurant, earns a nod with the huge cinnamon rolls and varied breakfast menu. Residents looking for more action after hours head into downtown Bellevue for dance clubs. Those looking to stay in the southeast corner area can share an oversized plate of nachos at the Sideline Sports Bar. Sideline entertains patrons with karaoke and a rooftop patio.

In response to problems with traffic and parking along residential streets, Bellevue planners have started a number of projects encouraging residents to walk and bike rather than drive and to improve their safety throughout the area by reducing both speeding and cut-through traffic.

Commuter lanes and expressways help give residents who carpool an edge in some areas, but others prefer public transportation. Park-and-rides provide ample space in which to leave your car and access public transportation. Buses provide an alternative for residents looking to commute without the headache of braving traffic or finding parking. Buses run from the Eastgate park-and-ride and Bellevue Transit Center throughout Bellevue neighborhoods to connect the city with the greater Seattle area.

Several local parks give residents a chance to soak up some sun or get lost in a little patch of green. Lewis Creek Park, Lakemont Park, and Eastgate Park all provide nearby escapes without requiring a fee or pass.

If you want to get back to nature, you need not plan a trip to the mountains. The southeast neighborhood of Bellevue sits up against Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. This gem of the county's park system spans 3,100 acres and connects to Squak Mountain State Park for approximately 5,000 acres of natural landscape. Four main trailheads please any hiker or nature lover.

Coal Creek Park provides an escape from present-day Bellevue with an appreciation for nature and the area's coal mining past. Its many trails run along Coal Creek for 4.5 miles, from the edge of Lake Washington into Cougar Mountain Park, and gives hikers a full afternoon of natural beauty to enjoy. Look closely to find evidence of the early coal industry along the way.

Lake Sammamish State Park, with its trails and beaches, hosts the Pacific Northwest Paddling Festival. The shallow depth of the water makes this a great beach to take the kids and an ideal place to picnic with the whole family or cook out on one of the park's grills. Entering the park costs $10 for a day pass, or you can purchase an annual Discover Pass for $30 a year. The annual pass allows you to get into any state park as often as you like.

Nearby Weowna Park contains hidden waterfalls, creeks, a pools along the shore of Lake Sammamish. Explore the 2.5-mile hiking trail in this heavily-forested park. Lake Hills GreenBelt Park covers more than 150 acres and includes community gardens, picnic areas, blueberry farms, produce stands, and hiking trails.

A quick trip north to the top of Lake Sammamish brings dog owners to Marymoor Park's off-leash area. Visit Marymoor, a great place in the summer to watch a movie or attend the annual summer concert series, which features some well-known artists from across the nation. The park also has several trails and sports fields, as well as a 35-foot climbing structure, all of which make it one of King County's best-loved parks.

The overall cost of living in this southeast corner of Bellevue averages 1.3 percent greater than Bellevue on the whole and 55.2 percent more than the national average.

The cost of living tends to run quite high across the board. The median gross rent is $1,632, with one bedroom apartments in Southeast Bellevue averaging around $1,188 per month. A trip to the grocery store reveals common items, such as coffee and orange juice, costing 10 to 30 percent above the nation's average. Pizza weighs in slightly below average at about $9. Gas runs around 10 percent higher than the nation, with gas pumps near I-90 and I-405 running especially high. Commuters can also save on gas by taking the bus for an average fare of $2.50 a trip.

Many residents enjoy shopping Downtown Bellevue because of the sheer variety of stores and malls, including the Bellevue Collection, a group of 250 or more stores, as well as at least 45 different places to find dinner or a movie.

Another popular shopping destination, the Bellevue Farmers Market, runs every Saturday, opening in the middle of May and running until late November. Here residents find a variety of fresh, locally grown produce and garden favorites as well as baked goods, homemade ice cream, and other vendors' offerings.

Locally, shoppers find most of their daily needs at big-name stores such as Safeway, QFC, Target, and Walmart. Residents also find convenient shopping at the Lakemont Shopping Center between both of these southeast neighborhoods and next to Lakemont Park. This collection of stores includes Town & Country Market, along with a spa, pharmacy, and veterinary hospital, among others. Jing Jing Asian Market offers another alternative for those in need of a specific Asian spice or just something different.