Newport Shores
The Newport Shores neighborhood is located along the southeast shores of Lake Washington. It’s a unique Bellevue area community situated on approximately 172 acres with a total of 343 homes — over 100 which are lake front, or man-made canal waterfront. The neighborhood homes without waterfront are typically level lots, averaging about 1/3 acre in size. The wide winding streets Newport Shores are perfect for biking, rollerblading and walking. The Lake Washington bike trail is easily accessible to the neighborhood, giving residents convenient bike access to Newcastle Park and Mercer Slough Park. Also, commuting by bike to downtown Bellevue, or to Seattle by the I-90 bike lanes, is very doable from Newport Shores.
Neighborhood amenities include the Newport Shores Yacht Club and Marina. Since 2005, any purchaser of a Newport Shores home is required to become an Active Member of the Newport Yacht Club, and maintain their Active status while owning the home. The one-time initiation fee is $2,000 and monthly dues are $50.00 plus tax, which are billed on a quarterly basis.
Active Membership entitles the homeowner and immediate family to use all Club facilities and to participate in all Club activities. The Clubhouse offers a variety of activities and social events for members of all ages. A monthly newsletter and a neighborhood website keep everyone informed of Newport Shores events. There are outdoor tennis courts at the Club, where Active members can take lessons or participate in the summer team which plays in the Junior Eastside Tennis League. Tennis team is open to Active member players age 8 to 16, at any skill level. The Club pool is an outdoor, heated, 25-yard, 5-lane swimming pool. The club has a swim team—The Sharks— which participates in Division 5 of the Midlakes Swim League. Children age 7 or under can participate in the “Sharkies” swim team. Swimming lessons are also available during the summer months. The Club also provides a sand volleyball court, children’s play area and basketball area for Active Member use.
The Newport Shores Yacht Club marina contains 119 slips, ranging in length from 26 to 60 feet. All docks in the marina have 30-amp power, water and gated access. The marina also offers easy access to a gasoline dock and repair facility at nearby Seattle Boat. The Club leases out 49 of the marina slips; the remaining 80 slips are held under 75-year license agreements with the Club that began in 1978.
Mercer Slough Nature Park
Just minutes from downtown, the Mercer Slough Nature Park is the largest of Lake Washington’s remaining fresh water wetlands and is one of Bellevue’s largest parks. Explore over 320 acres of wildlife habitat, agriculture, and freshwater wetland ecosystems on 7+ miles of trails including a unique canoe trail. The blueberry farm sells fresh seasonal produce. The beautifully restored historic Winters House is Bellevue’s only public building on the National Historic Register. It serves as the home of the Eastside Heritage Center, offers historic tours, and is available for meeting and event rentals. The Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center is a partnership with the Pacific Science Center focusing on freshwater wetland ecology, provides a park visitor center (open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and offers programs for adults, youth and families.
- Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center: 1625 118th Ave. SE
- Winters House: 2102 Bellevue Way SE
- Blueberry Farm: 2380 Bellevue Way SE
- Sweyolocken Boat Launch: 3000 Bellevue Way SE (non-motorized boats)
- Bellefields Trailhead: 1905 118th Ave. SE
Issaquah
Issaquah, named one of the “Best Towns” nationwide by Outside Magazine in 2011, is a great place to live, visit, conduct business and explore the best of the great northwest.. It is a community of more than 30,000 and is conveniently located off the I 90 corridor, just 16 miles east of Seattle. Issaquah is a community dedicated to local traditions, hometown values, and award-winning neighborhoods. With one of Washington State’s top school districts, a series of thriving business districts and a growing arts, nightlife and recreation scene…Issaquah has it all!
Also known as the “Trailhead City,” Issaquah is centered within the “Issaquah Alps” (Cougar, Squak and Tiger Mountains). The lure of the clean mountain air and beautiful scenery attracts countless outdoor enthusiasts, hikers and even paragliders.
The city is home to a Saturday farmers market, live theatre performances and a seasonal ArtWalk. In addition, the salmon hatchery and Cougar Mountain Zoological Park attract regional visitors. Every October, more than 150,000 people also travel to Issaquah for the annual Salmon Days festival. Tree-lined streets and trails connect community parks with 1,400 acres of permanently preserved open space.
Because of its relative closeness to Bellevue and Seattle, Issaquah is a prime business location. The city currently contains a mix of high tech firms, retail giants and small businesses. Microsoft Corporation and Siemens Medical Systems have offices located in Issaquah. Costco’s international headquarters is within the city as well, located at Pickering Place—a wonderful center that blends the charm of a historic dairy farm with professional space, retail, restaurants and entertainment. State-of-the-art medical treatment facilities are located in Issaquah, including Swedish Medical Center Issaquah. This satellite branch of Swedish Medical Center operates a 24-hour free-standing emergency room near Lake Sammamish State Park, and has plans for a major hospital/medical campus scheduled for completion in 2012.
Julie
