Bellevue, Washington, Welcomes the Holidays on Snowflake Lane

Bellevue, the peaceful tech city across the lake from Seattle, is an underrated family destination, and the city now welcomes the holidays in a big way. Each year, downtown Bellevue transforms into a winter wonderland with Snowflake Lane. This annual tradition has been going on for nearly two decades, giving family travelers and locals alike a reason to come out and celebrate the season.

© Visit Bellevue

Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, downtown Bellevue will be decorated to the hilt with twinkling lights and holiday decorations, and a nightly parade beginning promptly at 7 p.m. with marching toy soldiers, drummers, dancers and entertaining floats. Live music fills the air along with the snow falling every night during the parade.

© Visit Bellevue

These nightly festivities, as much of a live street performance as they are a parade, run daily until Christmas Eve, meaning you have plenty of opportunities to catch the parade during your visit to the Pacific Northwest. The parade route runs along Bellevue Lane, past Bellevue Collection, an area of shops, restaurants and hotels that make downtown Bellevue the perfect place for a night out.

Snowflake Lane and its nightly parade are completely free to visit, and are a great reason to put Bellevue on your radar for the holidays. The city is a clean, quiet and sophisticated haven right next to Seattle, plus you’ve got beautiful sites like Snoqualmie Falls within driving distance. With everything Bellevue has to offer, it is a great getaway for families year-round, but with Snowflake Lane, it is the perfect place to get the family in the holiday mood.