From splash pads and playgrounds to pickleball courts, walking paths, and neighborhood hidden gems, here’s our guide to some of the best parks Bellevue has to offer. 

One of the things we love most about teaching martial arts is helping kids stay active.

Not every lesson has to happen inside our dojo.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is head outside, climb a playground, play catch, walk a trail, or spend an afternoon exploring a park instead of staring at another screen.

Bellevue is incredibly fortunate to have parks scattered throughout nearly every neighborhood. Some are destination parks with splash pads and lakes. Others are small neighborhood parks where kids ride their bikes after dinner and neighbors gather for pickup basketball games.

If you’re looking for the best Bellevue NE parks, here are some of our favorites.

(And yes…this list is completely biased by actually spending time in these parks. We haven’t made it to every single one yet, but these are the places our families keep coming back to.)

Last updated: July 2026. We regularly revisit Bellevue parks and update this guide as new playgrounds, splash pads, and amenities are added.

American Heroes Park

If Bellevue has a flagship park, this is probably it.

American Heroes Park has become one of the city’s crown jewels, featuring beautiful lake views, an incredible playground, wide sidewalks, picnic areas, and plenty of open space to run around.

It’s also the starting point for one of Bellevue’s most popular trail systems—but we’re saving the trails for another article because they deserve one of their own.

Perfect for:

• Family walks
• Picnics
• Playground adventures
• Fishing
• Evening strolls
• Photos

Everett Park

If someone asked us where we’d host a family picnic in Bellevue…

This would probably be our first recommendation.

Everett Park packs an unbelievable amount into one location.

You’ll find:

• Splash pad
• Pickleball courts
• Tennis courts
• Playground
• Covered picnic shelter
• Permanent restrooms
• Wide open green space

It’s one of those parks where every member of the family can find something to do.

Thompson Park

Around our school, Thompson Park has earned an important distinction.

According to an extremely scientific survey of local nine-year-olds…

It has the best slide in Bellevue.

Beyond the playground, Thompson also has pickleball courts, basketball courts, baseball space that’s perfect for an impromptu game of Wiffle Ball, lots of shade, and plenty of room for kids to simply be kids.

Blackhawk Park

If you’re looking for nature instead of crowds, Blackhawk Park is hard to beat.

The wooded trail winds through mature trees, crosses a creek, and feels surprisingly secluded considering you’re still in Bellevue.

At the end of the trail you’ll find a playground waiting for younger explorers.

If Thompson wins the award for best slide…

Blackhawk wins for best walk.

Stonecroft Park

While American Heroes Park may get more attention today, don’t overlook Stonecroft—it recently received a major makeover.

Within the last few years, the park has been completely updated with a large modern playground, replacing the old, much smaller structure. Instead of wood chips, the playground now features a soft, rubberized safety surface that’s easier on little knees (and a little easier on parents’ nerves too).

Stonecroft also has a large picnic shelter, plenty of open green space for running around, and enough playground equipment to keep kids entertained for quite a while. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a newer playground on the South side of town.

Hyda Hills Park

If you blink while driving by, you might miss Hyda Hills Park. In fact if you don’t live nearby, you will probably never go because you probably have a version of it close to you.

It’s not Bellevue’s biggest park or its fanciest, but it’s exactly the kind of place every neighborhood should have. Kids can walk or ride their bikes over, play on the playground, shoot hoops, toss a baseball around, and head home when the streetlights come on.

Honestly, I think parks like this are part of what makes Bellevue such a great place to raise a family.

Washington Park

Washington Park deserves a special mention because it’s become one of our favorite places to be part of the Bellevue community.

We’ve even held outdoor Kung Fu classes here during the Bellevue Farmers Market.

Watching kids practice martial arts under the trees while families browse local vendors is a pretty great reminder that parks aren’t just places to play.

They’re places where communities come together.

Honorable Mention: Baldwin Field

While it isn’t a neighborhood playground, Baldwin Field deserves a shout-out.

When organized games aren’t being played, it’s one of the best places in Bellevue for families to practice baseball, throw batting practice, or simply play catch on a real field.

Future ballplayers have to start somewhere.

Don’t Forget the Neighborhood School Playgrounds

Here’s something many families don’t realize.

When schools aren’t hosting classes or activities, many Bellevue school playgrounds become fantastic places for kids to play.

If the nearest city park feels too far away, chances are there’s a school playground only a few blocks from home.

There Are Even More Bellevue Parks

These are simply some of our favorites.

Bellevue actually has dozens of parks throughout the city, each with its own personality and amenities.

👉 You can browse the complete Bellevue Parks directory by clicking this link. 

Our Mission Goes Beyond Martial Arts

At American Academies of Martial Arts, we believe life is better when people get up, get outside, and stay active.

Yes, that means kids climbing playgrounds, playing tag, and burning off energy. But Bellevue’s parks have something for everyone. Whether you’re walking the dog, meeting friends for pickleball, practicing baseball, taking a stroller around the lake, enjoying a family picnic, or simply going for an evening walk, these parks are part of what makes Bellevue such a great place to live.

If pickleball has been on your list to try, both Everett Park and Thompson Park have courts, and Bellevue has a friendly pickleball community that’s always happy to welcome new players. You can connect with them through the Bellevue Pickleball Players Facebook group.

If this guide inspires you to visit a park you’ve never been to before, we’d call that a success.

So pack a picnic, grab a basketball, bring the bikes, or lace up your walking shoes. Explore a new corner of Bellevue this weekend.

The best memories usually aren’t made staring at a screen. They’re made outside, together.

Looking for even more ways to get outside? After you’re done exploring these parks, check out our guide to 18 Family-Friendly Things to Do in Bellevue for more local adventures around town.