Fall in the Pacific Northwest is beautiful, with cooler days, crisp nights and a kaleidoscope of gold, red and orange leaves on the trees. There’s still plenty to do and see, including drives into the mountains, a ferry ride from Seattle to Victoria, British Columbia, a stroll through Bellevue’s botanical garden and a cruise among the Gulf Islands.
Bellevue sits between Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish near Puget Sound, and its kitchens draw on the region’s farmers, wild mushroom foragers, shellfish harvesters and salmon fishermen. Across the Salish Sea, Victoria, British Columbia, frames its own fall around gardens and coastal rainforests, and a ferry from Seattle reaches it in about three hours.
Where to eat on Old Bellevue’s Main Street
Bellevue has more than 400 multicultural restaurants, and Monsoon, Bis on Main, La Mar Cocina Peruana and Bellden Cafe all have addresses on Main Street in Old Bellevue. Monsoon was founded by Eric and Sophie Banh, who left Vietnam as teenagers and settled in Edmonton, Alberta. They opened the original in Seattle’s Capitol Hill in 1999 and the Bellevue location in December 2008.
Monsoon’s menu blends Vietnamese tradition with Pacific Northwest ingredients, including Painted Hills tenderloin, Dungeness crab with five-spice, Singapore pepper crab and a catfish claypot that stayed on the menu because customers would not let the kitchen remove it. The Banh siblings celebrated 25 years of Monsoon in 2024.
Visit Bellevue promotes the dining scene through several programs. They include the Acclaimed Culinary Trail, which counts Bis on Main and La Mar Cocina Peruana among its stops, and the “Bellevue Eats” video series, hosted by Bellevue native and chef Shota Nakajima, which visits notable restaurants and talks with their chefs.
Fall color without leaving the Eastside
Fall color shows up at the Bellevue Botanical Garden, a 53-acre space where Japanese maples and woodland gardens turn crimson and gold. Snoqualmie Falls, a 268-foot waterfall, is Washington’s second-most-visited natural landmark after Mount Rainier, according to the city of Snoqualmie. BellHop, a free on-demand electric shuttle, serves downtown Bellevue, including the garden and Bis on Main.
Noodle Week is the fourth of 4 themed food weeks
Visit Bellevue runs four themed food weeks throughout the year, celebrating everything from seasonal ingredients to popular dishes and culinary traditions. The lineup includes berries in July, crab in August, noodles in November and dumplings in February.
This year’s Noodle Week runs Nov. 11-22. Brad Jones, the organization’s executive director, said the program gives chefs a creative starting point “while reflecting the many cultures represented throughout Bellevue.”
Participating Noodle Week restaurants include Nan Noodles, which serves crossing-the-bridge rice noodles, a Yunnan dish in which guests cook raw toppings in hot broth at the table. At Japonessa Bellevue, the spicy seafood ramen pairs salmon, shrimp, clams and squid with pork broth.
Primo’s Bellevue offers spaghetti with shrimp in a crab cream sauce, and Taste Buds Kitchen teaches a ramen bowl class on Nov. 13 and a fresh pasta class on Nov. 20. As part of the Bellevue Cares program, Visit Bellevue will donate a portion of the proceeds from its Nov. 12 Bobae’s Beats and Noodle Night event to Jubilee Reach.
A hotel within walking distance of dinner
The Westin Bellevue is the perfect base for exploring Bellevue, much of it walkable. Cantina Monarca is a three-minute walk away, and Baron’s Sino Kitchen & Bar is on the same street. Morning walks from the lobby reach Bellden Cafe on Main Street and three bakeries: BA Artisan Bakehouse, Farine Bakery & Café and Café Hagen.
Ashley Wali from Wanderlux said, “Old Town Bellevue is close to everything, but it feels a little slower than the rest of the city with local boutiques and restaurants. Monsoon serves excellent Vietnamese food or grab a casual meal at 520 Bar & Grill.”
The ferry crossing from Seattle to Victoria
The Victoria Clipper describes its service as the only direct fast ferry between Seattle and Victoria, with departures from downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria. Sailings take about three hours.
Fall in Victoria, one of the oldest cities in the PNW, is a mix of gardens, history and harvest. Visitors can walk The Butchart Gardens in autumn color, see Craigdarroch Castle or cycle the Galloping Goose Regional Trail. The harvest-season produce comes from farmers, foragers and fishers in the Salish Sea, the Saanich Peninsula and nearby rainforests.
Must-visit spots in Victoria include HAVN, a floating Nordic spa on the edge of the Inner Harbour, which has three saunas, two cold pools and two hot tubs. In addition, the Fairmont Empress, which opened in 1908 at 721 Government Street, serves afternoon tea in the Tea Lobby. This is a lovely way to spend a few hours. Or, just get out and explore. Government Street, with its shops and restaurants, runs past the Empress, Chinatown and Emily Carr House, a National Historic Site of Canada.
A 5-day wine cruise from Sidney
Maple Leaf Adventures runs its Wines & Islands cruise aboard Cascadia, an intimate expedition vessel with just 12 passenger cabins. The food is outstanding, and the cruise is the best way to explore the region’s wines. From winery tours to lunch with winemakers, it is the perfect fall trip for wine lovers.
Comfortable and casual, the cruise blends the best of wine exploration with an expedition trip, with daily hikes on nearby islands, kayaking, forest bathing and more. It starts and ends in Sidney, British Columbia, with a variety of itineraries and a schedule that runs from April through October.
Fewer crowds and open hotel rooms in fall
With fewer crowds, more hotel vacancies and plenty to see and do without the heat of summer days, Bellevue and Victoria are great picks for exploring in the fall. Each works as its own getaway, or travelers can link the two by ferry from Seattle.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.