Eastside

The Eastside is a metropolitan region along Lake Washington's eastern shore, comprising cities including Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish. The area combines developed urban centers with large parks and waterfront spaces.

The area was originally home to the Hachuamish and Sammamish peoples before European settlers transformed it into logging communities in the 1800s. This colonial period shaped early development before the region became a modern metropolitan area.

The region shows a blend of suburban and urban spaces, with festivals, galleries, and performance venues scattered across its cities. Visitors notice parks and green areas mixed in alongside shopping districts and residential neighborhoods.

The region is connected by highways, bus networks, and Sound Transit light rail linking it to Seattle and surrounding areas. Visitors should plan to drive or use public transit between cities, as distances can be significant.

The region hosts headquarters of global technology companies like Microsoft, Nintendo of America, and T-Mobile. These corporations have made it a major technology employment hub.