9 Best Sights in The Eastside, Seattle

A real feather in Bellevue's cap, this museum presents sophisticated exhibits on craft and design, with a focus on regional artists. Past exhibitions have included High Fiber Diet—focusing on underexposed media in contemporary art—and Modern Twist: Contemporary Japanese Bamboo Art. The dramatic puzzle-piece-looking building, which stands out in Bellevue's somewhat uninspired downtown core, is worth the trip alone. In late July, the museum hosts the BAM ARTSfair, a prestigious, high-end street festival. Workshops for kids, teens, and adults are also offered regularly.

This beautiful 53-acre public area just a short drive from downtown Bellevue is encircled by spectacular perennial borders, brilliant rhododendron displays, and patches of alpine and rock gardens. The Ravine Experience encompasses a five-acre area in the heavily forested southwest corner of the gardens with a ⅓-mile nature trail. A 150-foot suspension bridge crosses a deep ravine in one of the most pristine spaces, allowing visitors to observe unique topography and soaring conifers without disturbing the forest floor.

Docents lead tours of the gardens Saturdays and Sundays (April–October), beginning at the visitor center at noon. The Yao Japanese garden is especially beautiful in fall. One of the most interesting features of the park is the Waterwise Garden, which was planted with greenery that needs little water in summer. During the holiday season, the gardens are lit up nightly for Garden d'Lights, one of the area's most popular seasonal attractions.

Approximately 27 miles long, the paved, flat, tree-lined Burke-Gilman Trail runs from Seattle's Gas Works Park, on Lake Union, east along the ship canal, and then north along Lake Washington's eastern shore. At Blyth Park in Bothell, the trail becomes the Sammamish River Trail and continues for 10 miles to Marymoor Park in Redmond. Except for a stretch of the Sammamish River Trail where horses are permitted on a parallel trail, the path is limited to walkers, runners, and bicyclists. There are a handful of bike rental shops on Sand Point Way, just north of the University of Washington, an easy access point for the trail. For additional access points, view the map online at www.seattle.gov/transportation/burkegilmantrailmaps.htm.

On hot days, sun worshippers, swimmers, and the beach-volleyball crowd flock to this beach south of downtown Kirkland on the Lake Washington waterfront. The rest of the year, the playground attracts families, and the fishing pier stays busy with anglers. Facilities include drinking water, picnic tables, a beach volleyball court, phones, and restrooms. Perfect Wave offers stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals at the north end of the park. Park the car and slip on some good walking shoes; it's a lovely stroll along the waterfront to the shops and restaurants of either Carillon Point or downtown Kirkland.

Since his death in 1970, the famed guitarist has rested in Greenwood Cemetery, at first with just a simple tombstone. In 2002, the singer's remains moved to this much more elaborate tribute, with domed roof and granite columns.

A 110-acre urban wildlife habitat, this marshy wetland is the perfect spot to don your binoculars to spot songbirds, shorebirds, turtles, beavers, and other small mammals. Interpretive signs are located throughout the park for self-guided tours along paved trails and boardwalks; or take one of the guided tours conducted by volunteer park rangers from the Eastside Audubon Society on the first Sunday each month. Just to the north of Juanita Bay Park is Juanita Beach Park, a great spot for picnicking, sunbathing, and swimming. On Friday nights, June through September, there's a farmers' market.

Two sandy beaches anchor this 531-acre park, with plenty of picnic tables (bring your own basket or hit the concession stands), a playground, and seasonal kayak and paddleboard rentals. There are a few shady walking trails, which offer good bird-watching and wildlife viewing. If you head east, you can connect to the Sammamish River Trail and walk or bike all the way to Marymoor Park.

It's not just famous for the Marymoor Velodrome, the Pacific Northwest's sole cycling arena. This 640-acre park also has a 35-foot-high climbing rock, game fields, tennis courts, a model airplane launching area, a huge off-leash dog park, and the Pea Patch community garden. You can row on Lake Sammamish or head straight to the picnic grounds or to the Willowmoor Farm, an estate inside the park. Evenings bring Cirque du Soleil shows, concerts by top bands, and drive-in movies.

Marymoor has some of the best bird-watching in this largely urban area. It's possible to spot some 24 resident species, including great blue herons, belted kingfishers, buffleheads, short-eared and barn owls, and red-tailed hawks. Occasionally, bald eagles soar past the lakefront. The Sammamish River, which flows through the western section of the park, is an important salmon spawning stream.

Ambitious bikers can follow the Burke-Gilman Sammamish River Trail to access the park; Marymoor is just over 20 miles from Seattle, and it's a flat ride most of the way.

The biggest and most popular beach park in the Bellevue park system, this large park has a big swimming beach, seasonal lifeguards, a fishing dock, nature trails, restrooms, and a large grassy area with picnic tables. The playground is a favorite, thanks to a train that tots can sit in and older kids can climb on and hop from car to car.