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Meydenbauer Bay Park in Bellevue, Washington — Bellevue's downtown waterfront: a swim beach, a pier, and kayak rentals ten minutes below Old Bellevue.
Parks & TrailsEditor's pick

Meydenbauer Bay Park

Bellevue's downtown waterfront: a swim beach, a pier, and kayak rentals ten minutes below Old Bellevue.

4.7$ Old BellevueUpdated August 2026
Get directions Apple Maps Visit Meydenbauer Bay Park website

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Why you'll love it

An editor's take

Very few Eastside downtowns give you a genuine swimming beach within a ten-minute walk of a coffee shop and a bookstore. Meydenbauer Bay Park does, and it does it on a cove that faces due west, which means the pier is pointed straight at the sunset from June through August.

What makes the park work is scale. It is not a big regional park and it does not try to be. You get a short arc of sand, water that shelves gently enough for cautious swimmers and small children, a lawn with room for a blanket, a playground for the under-eight crowd, and a pier long enough that standing at the end feels like being out on the lake. Everything is within sight of everything else, which is exactly what you want with kids or with an hour to spare.

The 2019 expansion is what turned it from a neighborhood beach into a destination. A promenade now runs along the restored shoreline, the stream channel was daylighted, and the whole waterfront reads as one continuous public space rather than a parking lot with a beach behind it. Walk it once at 8pm in July and you will understand why locals treat this as the city's summer living room.

Quick facts

At a glance

Address
419 98th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Neighborhood
Old Bellevue
Website
bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/parks/parks-and-trails/parks/meydenbauer-bay-park
Hours
Dawn to dusk
Parking
Small free on-site lot off 98th Ave NE; street parking in Old Bellevue as overflow
Accessibility
Paved paths from the lot to the beach house and promenade; accessible restrooms and parking spaces
Family friendly
Yes — playground, shallow swim area, lawn, and restrooms on site
Pet friendly
Leashed dogs welcome on the lawn and promenade; not on the beach or in the water
Visit duration
45 minutes for a walk and the pier; 3–4 hours for a beach afternoon
Best season
Late June through early September for swimming; October for light and quiet

Highlights

What makes it special

  • Lifeguarded Lake Washington swim area during posted summer hours
  • Public pier facing due west, the best free sunset view in downtown Bellevue
  • Seasonal canoe and kayak rentals at the beach house
  • Non-motorized boat launch on a calm, protected cove
  • Playground, picnic lawn, and restrooms within sight of the beach
  • Landscaped waterfront promenade and daylighted stream from the 2019 expansion
  • Preserved whaling-era building from the bay's American Pacific Whaling Company years
  • Ten-minute uphill walk to Old Bellevue's Main Street coffee and dining

What you'll experience

The visit, in detail

You arrive from above. Whether you park in the small lot or walk down from Main Street, the park reveals itself in layers: first the upper terrace and its view across the bay toward Mercer Island, then the path dropping past the beach house and playground toward the lawn, then the water itself.

On the water side, a roped swimming area sits beside the pier. The sand is narrow but real, and the bottom shelves gradually, which makes this one of the more forgiving swim beaches on the Eastside for children and hesitant swimmers. Lifeguards staff the area during posted summer hours; outside those hours the beach stays open and unsupervised. In season, the concession at the beach house rents canoes and kayaks, and a floating dock makes launching your own non-motorized boat straightforward. Moored sailboats sit out in the bay most of the summer, and the water is calm enough that a first-time paddler can get out and back without drama.

Walk south along the promenade and the character changes. Restored shoreline plantings, benches angled at the water, the daylighted stream channel, and the preserved whaling building give you a fifteen-minute loop that is as much a history walk as a waterfront one. Turn back uphill and you are on Main Street in Old Bellevue in under ten minutes: coffee, a pastry, and a bench, with the lake still in view behind you.

The park changes completely by season. July and August are warm, loud, and full. October is silent, the light goes gold at four in the afternoon, and you may have the pier to yourself.

Insider notes

BellevueExplorer local tips

  • Park in Old Bellevue, not the lot

    On any warm weekend the on-site lot is full by late morning. Park on or near Main Street, get a coffee, and walk down. It takes about ten minutes and you skip the circling entirely.

  • The pier is a sunset appointment

    The cove faces due west. From late June through August the sun drops straight down the bay from the end of the pier, and on weeknights it is rarely crowded.

  • Best beach hour is 10am, not 2pm

    The water is calmest and the lawn emptiest before 11am. By early afternoon in July the beach is at capacity and the lot has turned over three times.

  • Rent the kayak on a weekday

    The seasonal concession at the beach house is first-come, first-served. Weekday mornings you walk up and go; Saturday afternoons you wait.

  • Chain it with Downtown Park

    Walk up the hill, cut through Old Bellevue, and finish at the Downtown Park waterfall. About two miles round-trip, mostly on sidewalk, and the best short walk in the city.

  • Look for the whaling building

    The bay was winter moorage for the American Pacific Whaling Company fleet. The preserved shoreline building is easy to walk past, and it is the reason this cove has a history most Bellevue parks do not.

  • October is the local secret

    Warm light, no crowds, clean Cascade views, and the promenade to yourself. If you only come once and do not care about swimming, come in October.

  • Bring your own food

    There is no cafe or food service in the park. Pick something up on Main Street on the way down; Old Bellevue is five minutes uphill and has better options than any beach concession.

Best time

When to visit

fall

September keeps the warm afternoons without the crowds. October is the best month of the year for a walk here.

spring

Flowering trees along the promenade and quiet mornings on the pier. The water is still too cold for most swimmers.

summer

Prime season: lifeguards on duty during posted hours, rentals open, and the lawn full by mid-afternoon.

winter

Bare, cold, and often beautiful. Clear days give clean Cascade views across the lake and an empty promenade.

evening

The signature experience. The cove faces west, so the pier looks directly into sunset in July and August.

morning

Quietest window of the day. Flat water, easy parking, and the best conditions for a first paddle.

optimal

A weekday in late July: beach by 10am before the lot fills, then back at 8pm for sunset from the pier.

afternoon

Peak crowd from noon onward on warm weekends. Arrive before 11am or accept a walk down from Old Bellevue.

Photography

Photo guide

Best locations
The end of the pier looking west; the promenade curve south of the beach; the upper terrace for a wide shot of the whole cove.
Golden hour
The cove faces west, so golden hour lands directly on the pier and swim area from roughly June through August.
Drone
Not permitted in City of Bellevue parks without a permit.
Instagram spots
Pier at sunset, moored sailboats from the lawn, the whaling building at the shoreline, and kayakers launching from the floating dock.

Accessibility

Getting around

Wheelchair access
Paved paths connect the parking area, beach house, and promenade at moderate grades. Sand-level beach access is via steps from the lawn; a paved overlook gives a step-free view of the swim area and pier.
Restrooms
Accessible restrooms at the beach house during park hours.
Parking
Designated accessible spaces in the on-site lot closest to the beach house.
Stroller friendly
Yes on the promenade, lawn path, and pier. The walk down from Old Bellevue is steep enough to be tiring with a loaded stroller; driving down is easier.

Nearby

What's around you

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FAQ

Common questions

Editorial ratings

How we rate it

BellevueExplorer Editorial Ratings are our independent assessment of the visitor experience. Rather than measuring popularity, they highlight the strengths of each destination using consistent editorial criteria. They are separate from public review scores and are based on our published methodology.

Learn how we rate places →

Scenic beauty

A west-facing cove with moored sailboats, Cascade views on clear days, and a pier aimed straight at the sunset.

Family friendly

Shallow, gently shelving swim water, a playground, restrooms, and a lawn all within sight of each other.

Walkability

Excellent inside the park and along the promenade; the connection up to Old Bellevue is steep but short.

Photography

Golden hour lands directly on the pier from June through August. Few free viewpoints in Bellevue beat it.

Accessibility

Paved paths, accessible restrooms and parking, and a step-free overlook, but sand-level access requires steps.

Value

Free entry, free parking, a lifeguarded beach, and the best sunset in downtown Bellevue.

Relaxation

Quiet on weekday mornings and in the shoulder season; genuinely busy on warm summer afternoons.

Date night

Sunset from the pier followed by dinner up the hill in Old Bellevue is one of the better cheap evenings in the city.

Season by season

What each season brings

spring

Promenade and pier open; rentals not yet running. Flowering trees and quiet weekday mornings. Water temperatures stay too cold for comfortable swimming through May.

summer

Lifeguarded swim area during posted hours from late June through Labor Day, seasonal canoe and kayak rentals at the beach house, and the busiest parking of the year. Occasional short-term swim closures follow heavy storms; check the sign at the beach house.

fall

Rentals wind down after Labor Day and lifeguard coverage ends, but September afternoons stay warm and October delivers the best light of the year on the water. Restrooms and promenade remain open.

winter

Open dawn to dusk with the beach house and concession closed. Cold, clear afternoons give the cleanest Cascade views across the lake.

Come prepared

Visitor checklist

  • Swimsuit and towel: changing space is inside the beach house
  • Sunscreen, since the beach faces west and shade is limited after midday
  • Water bottle, as drinking fountains are seasonal
  • A layer for the evening; the cove cools quickly once the sun drops
  • Card for the seasonal canoe and kayak concession
  • Picnic blanket for the lawn above the beach
  • Camera or phone for sunset, since the pier faces due west
  • A parking plan: arrive before 11am on warm weekends, or park in Old Bellevue and walk down

Practical

Know before you go

Come early or come on foot. The on-site lot is small and fills by late morning on warm weekends; parking on Main Street in Old Bellevue and walking down is faster than circling, and it is a nicer start to the day.

Lifeguards staff the swim area during posted summer hours only. Swim inside the ropes during those hours whenever possible, and check the sign at the beach house for occasional short-term closures after heavy rain. The canoe and kayak concession is seasonal, weather-dependent, and largely first-come, first-served, so expect a wait on peak summer afternoons.

Restrooms follow park hours and close in the off-season. Dogs are welcome on leash on the lawn and promenade, but not on the beach or in the water. There is no on-site food service: bring a picnic, or plan on Old Bellevue for coffee and a meal before or after.

Details

Hours & contact

Hours

Daily
Dawn to dusk
Beach house and restrooms
Seasonal, during park hours

Contact

Address
419 98th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

Location

On the map

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Tags

#beach#swimming#waterfront#family#kayak#paddleboard#sunset#photography#old-bellevue#lake-washington#free

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