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Downtown Park and Rose Garden
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
18 reviews for Downtown Park and Rose Garden
My family has been to Bellevue Square several times and I never realized there was a park directly across the street. We were going shopping today so I googled Bellevue Parks and figured we'd give it a shot.
This is one of the nicest parks I've ever been too. There isn't much more to cover as all the other reviews have pretty much said it all. The only thing I don't like is that the park is in Bellevue and we live in Tacoma.
The Downtown Park is Bellevue's version of an urban park, which, like most of the city, is not quite up to the mantle of that task. In this case, when I contrast with the likes of Central Park in New York, I consider it a huge positive for Bellevue's incarnation to be:
- Clean without being overly pristine, polished or sterile
- A hybrid of green and gray without feeling like it's in the middle of a forest
- A demographic mix across age, gender and ethnicity in a non-commercial setting
- Not the exclusive domain of the plastic crowd that are a plurality in the adjacent malls
- Locals walking their dogs, mostly of the non-purse variety
- A half-mile gravel surface loop and few enough people/obstacles to enjoy it
- Quiet (except on July 4th) but not devoid of life in reasonable weather conditions
- A waterfall and artificial lake area for duck feeding to remote control boat racing
There's supposedly a rose garden here, but in that area of the park I have a stronger association with the sight of older men playing bocce ball on idyllic weekends, indicating to me that the environs are actually used as a rare community space.
While the overbuilding has probably made this centrally located parcel safe for the moment, I'm glad the City of Bellevue has chosen to keep it safe from the hands of salivating developers looking to convert it into Bellevue's next high-rise hybrid space.
People thought this was:
- Useful (10)
- Funny (7)
- Cool (10)
Great for a walk in Bellevue downtown after a filling dinner. There's a gravel track around the perimeter that measures 1/2 mile around the flat, grassy park. There's a shallow moat that surrounds the park with a larger waterfall on one side. There's also a small playground on one side and a big tree in the middle. It's simple, nothing too fancy. Just a burst of greenery in the up and coming high-rise mania that Bellevue is turning into. During the winter, they set up a temporary ice skating rink (which collapsed winter 2008, by the way).
It's very quiet, never too busy except for weekend days and July 4th. For July 4th, it's a nice place to watch the fireworks, but make sure to get there early to stake out a good place. Bring a picnic, lots of drinks, some frisbees, footballs, or beach balls and camp out until the fireworks show at 10PM. It's definitely worth the wait. It might not be as fancy as the show at the Space Needle, but it's family-friendly, there's lots of free stuff, live entertainment, and lots of parking in the mall and at the park. The only downside is leaving the park afterward. I'd recommend either waiting until it clears out or getting picked up.
All in all, a nice and relaxing park in Bellevue - it gets my vote!
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- Useful (1)
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It's so nice to have this park within walking distance of work. I can get a peaceful walk in along the moat. It's well-maintained and frequented by pleasant people midday. And the waterfall provides a nice little mist on a hot day. All in all a lovely experience in the middle of downtown Bellevue.
This is a pretty little oasis in the middle of the steel & concrete jungle that is downtown Bellevue.
When I want to escape my cubicle (which I don't do often enough!), I trot down here past all the noisy multi-tower construction, grab a bench and eat lunch while I people & dog watch. Today there was a plethora of pugs, purse-sized dogs, and super-cute toddlers scattered across the vast expanse of green.
There's a ton of trees, a bunch of cool waterways, a fountain, and I as I recently noticed - outdoor art! There's also a nice long path around the whole thing so you can stretch your legs and get a little exercise. Now that the weather's nice, I'll definitely be visiting it more often.
Also of note: This is the CLEANEST park I've ever seen. I can't think of one single time I've ever seen so much as a gum wrapper on the ground. The people in this city take cleaning up after themselves *very* seriously.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (3)
Like said in Amie's review below, this is the Oasis in downtown bellevue. Its a wonderful park openly designed for a quick jog, game of Frisbee on the grass and duck watching in the spring.
But it is also one of the last "parks" in bellevue meaning all the people in the condos and apartment filter out to this park on a sunny day. 10 years a go you would go here and find maybe 50people. Now its pretty packed with people walking their babies- dogs and mini dog thingys. Luckily they have a "kids" park to the side so you don't have to worry about tripping over them.
Still a great park. I hope in the years to come the overpopulation won't kill the feel and greenery of this place.
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I love this park (especially when it is sunny)! I always take our dogs here and they have a blast (they have even tried jumping in the water that surrounds the park chasing after a duck!). Seems very kid oriented too because of the play area. This is the park I always gravitate to when I am in Bellevue.
Also they have a time around noon when you can bring small dogs to run around with other small dogs without their leash. There is a huge open field in the middle which is fun for them to run around free. :)
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What a pretty place!! My dog and I took a walk around this park. Man- I wish I brought a ball for her to fetch in the middle of the park- a large open area! There is a water moat around it with a waterfall at the front of the park. i am not too worried about her taking off since she loves to fetch! We walked around the park several times since its 1/2 mile around the park (and there is a mile marker around the park). There are plenty of benches to sit in to people or dog watch. There is a beautiful flower garden by the bathrooms. There are plenty of garbage cans and animals like squirrels and ducks. The park was very interesting to take a leisure stroll. It is also right by the shopping area. I can see family splitting up: some to go shopping while the others just hang out at the park.
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This is beautiful park. I am fortunate enough to live across the street. The park runs along in a semi square/rectangle-y type thing with a moat of running water, which is actually a cool touch. A few of the corner points offer great fountains. It is well lit which makes it safe walk/run day and night.
It's a great park, whether it's for the 4th of July celebration or just to play around a bit. HUGE!! Definitely green, the water is a nice touch as well. The large trees are awesome, and there's a jungle gym for the kids to play in.
One of my favorite parks!
If a formal European Garden could be translated into something that doesn't quite have the patina of a hundred or more years and doesn't quite get the genteel and relaxed visitors that contribute to the ambiance these gardens have on Public television then the Downtown Park and Rose Garden iis at least a tribute to these gardens.
Its setting is just south of the Bellevue Square Mall. The general plan of the garden is a circular canal. A walking trail surrounds the canal. Footbridges provide access to the grassy area inside the canal. The circular arrangement and measured distance around the park is useful to walkers, joggers, dog walkers. There are multiple entry points to the park with strategically placed parking lots.
Finally tucked away in the Northwest corner there is the rose garden. I come here when the cherry blossoms are in bloom because the display simply takes my breath away. There are reasonable restrooms in this same area.
Overall this is a wonderfully functional and attractive public space. It's worth stopping by for a visit.
This park is spacious and clean, with fountain and sculpture that is a perfect place for taking lunch break (walking distance to Old Bellevue & Bellevue Square), walking your dog, and jogging. There are children play area, picnic tables and benches. Parking is easy. There is parking in the park and at Bellevue Square. If you want escape from work and have a moment for yourself, this city, downtown park is perfectly for you.
One thing that Bellevue does really well is parks. The yearly budget that goes into parks is quite extensive, and Bellevue makes the most of every penny. The Downtown park, just south of the mall, is one of the best examples of our dollars at work.
The bulk of the park is grassy flatlands surrounded by a circular river that splashes slowly down the hill to a massive waterfall and pond where the ducks like to hang out. If you go on a weekend, you're likely to see picnickers, joggers, dog walkers, people playing soccer and volleyball in the center green, people racing remote-controlled boats on the ponds, and kids playing on the impressive jungle gym tucked in the southwest corner. The grounds are decorated with lots of outdoor art, sculpture, and water features.
Good facilities here: bathrooms, garbage, grills, picnic tables, the works. The rose garden is tucked away in the eastern corner and has good color all year round, but particularly in spring and late summer.
This is a really gorgeous park. Even when it's busy there's tons of space, and it's so clean and well-maintained. It's a great place to take our doggie out for a walk after we've been inside shopping all day.
What a nice urban park... very good size - a walk or run around the park is 1/2 a mile so its easy to keep track how much mileage you trekked. Lots of people walking their dogs - just allot of urban activity. The park is also well maintained it seems - art work here and there - and well manicured grass.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
This park is gorgeous. We just strolled through with a friend who said her high school (Eastside Catholic) used to be there until they tore it down and put the park there. But the park feels like it's always been there. You feel transported walking around the water feature enjoying the many sculptures. It's a wonderful walk after a lunch or breakfast on Main Street. Beautiful.
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i love this park. someone once said bellevue hoodlums frequented this place at night. i dont know how true that is (what to bellevue hoodlums look like even?) but i have loved coming here when i have had the chance to. it's got a huge green area for my dogs to run around in and one lap around is 1/2 a mile, making it a great track for me to run at for this summer.
there is also that great water thing going on all around the park-it's definitely got a refinement to it that is distinguishable that is very different from every other kind of park in the seattle/bellevue area.
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I love this park. I go there 4-5 days a week during the summer to go running. The track (path around park) is very well maintained and the middle grounds of the park are used nightly for volleyball, soccer, lounging, you name it. There are actually "hoodlums' for lack of better term that smoke and litter by the teen center which pisses me off. The park is so clean and you see that shit. (I hate when I sound old). It's funny, I see alot of the same people there every day I go, but most people around the track, stick the task at hand. Which is cool with me.
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- Useful (1)
