Discover the Eastside

28/10/2022

Year three in the 🎃 Pumpkin Chair 🎃 at 😁

Head on down between now and October 31st, snap a pic, and share to social media with and you can claim a free $10 gift card to use at Redmond Town Center shops 🤑

22/06/2022

💦 Splash Parks Round Up Post! (Hint: save this post for summer! 📌)

This weekend is calling for a “heat wave” in Seattle, and TBH I couldn’t be more excited! 😅 If you’re looking for a low stress way to keep the kids cool all summer long, check out this list of Eastside splash pads:

💦Redmond - Redmond Downtown Park (near dining and Molly Moons! No other play features nearby)

💦Redmond - Grasslawn Park (our favorite! An amazing playground and tons fields, courts and picnic areas are here also)

💦Redmond - Redmond Town Center (located at the outdoor shopping center with shopping dining all around)

💦Kirkland - Kirkland Urban Shopping Center (located at the outdoor shopping center with shopping dining all around)

💦Bellevue - Crossroads Park (another one of our favorites with a big whale structure and cool playground nearby!)

💦Bellevue - Downtown Park (another one of our favorites right by Bellevue Square, lots of dining, coffee shops and cool playground!)

💦Sammamish - Lower Sammamish Commons Park (a longer walk from the parking area but nice to get some exercise and right by a small playground too)

09/05/2022

💫🍵 Vegan Matcha Horchata Latte 🍵💫

So glad I got to try today 🤩 They just opened the cutest little shop on Main Street in Old Downtown Bellevue and their horchata matcha truly is magical ✨ It’s not overly sweet, jitter-free caffeine, and made with house made cashew-oat milk. Soooo YUM! They are currently in a “soft opening” so they didn’t have their acai bowls or ube drink available but hoping to head back again someday soon to test out more of their menu 🤞

05/05/2022

Farmers Market season is here! And what a gorgeous opening night it was tonight for Sammamish’s own little market 🙌 Sharing a list of local markets for folks that might want to bookmark it for the season 🙂

https://discovertheeastside.com/2020/07/25/discovering-the-farmers-markets-on-seattles-eastside/

There’s never been a better year for open-air shopping, fresh and nutritious food, and support of our local farmers and businesses. Fortunately for us Eastsiders, there is a plethora of marke…

20/04/2022

Happy Earth Week from the gorgeous Snoqualmie Falls 🌎☀️

💡Did you know there are 2 ways to access the lower falls viewpoint? In addition to the short hike from the upper falls lot, there is now a lower parking lot that is just a short/flat (and I believe ada accessible) walk to the boardwalk.

08/04/2022

That feeling when its 77 degrees and the ice cream bike goes cruisin’ through the neighborhood ☀️🙌

Just gonna leave this here so when things are back to normal April weather tomorrow we remember all the fun we had 🌦😅

01/04/2022

Always a good day when you get to go to 🥯☀️😎 Definitely some of our favorite bagels on - lots of other treats and vegan options too!

30/03/2022

🍵 Pistachio Matcha Tea Latte from = my new favorite treat 🤤

I’ve been following their specials and seasonals on Instagram for some time and finally got out to North Bend for a visit! Loved our first Huxdotter experience - wish there were more locations!

PS: Pairs perfectly with moody views of nearby Mt.Si ⛰😍

29/03/2022

🚙 Road trip idea! We are definitely late to the party in visiting Bend, Oregon, but man was it worth the wait! Definitely one of our top ten favorite PNW road trips if you’re into hiking, biking, and just generally being outdoors. There’s also tons of great breweries and restaurants, and water activities in the summer, and its only about 6 hours from Seattle.

If you visit please don’t skip Smith Rock State Park - it is absolutely stunning and a must must must visit.

Now I need to know - Whats on your summer road trip list?!

28/03/2022

⛰ Today’s views brought to you from the Little Mt. Si Summit 😍 So happy its finally SPRING 🙌

If you’re looking to stretch the hiking legs and get back out on the trails, Little Si is a great one to start with. Not to be confused with neighboring “Big Si”, Little Si is shorter st a little less than 4 miles round trip, and offers some stunning views of the Snoqualmie Valley.

It’s definitely one of the more popular trails in North Bend so plan to get there early, or in the afternoon when morning hikers are heading home. There are a couple overflow parking areas that are well marked.

14/03/2022

Anyone find the pot of gold at the end? 🌦🌈🍀 Who else saw the awesome rainbows today? Tag me in your rainbow pics so I can share in my stories ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

26/02/2022

Twin Falls looks absolutely gorgeous this morning 😍 Another FABULOUS all-ages hike at 2.5 miles and very little elevation gain (when starting from the main trail head off of exit 34). Took the 4 year old for her first time and was perfect distance and challenge with no tears or complaining, so, a good time was had by all 😜

Huge shout out to the volunteers out there today working on improving the bench/fence viewpoint. We appreciate you!

Swipe for hike info and driving directions from Washington Trails 👉 Always recommend hopping on their site and checking out the recent trip reports before you head out!

26/02/2022

Just some views for ya’ today!☀️ Happy Friday! 😎 Whats good this weekend friends?

18/01/2022

The doesn’t disappoint 🗻🌲😍 Grateful for these past few sunny days and lots of outdoor time to ease us back into the winter weather.

Happy Monday from Carnation’s Tolt McDonald Park 🙂

25/12/2021

❤️ Merry Christmas to you and yours! ❤️

It’s been quiet around here on the socials the last couple weeks as we enjoy time with family and friends. Hope you’re doing the same, and excited to be back in the New Year with more Eastside adventures!

Much Love,
Megan and Family

15/12/2021

🎮 🎳 Okay this is both a rainy day family outing, and date night idea 😆

This past weekend we happened to wander into the Lucky Strike Bellevue Arcade while waiting for a takeout order, and we had So. Much. Fun. And by “we” I mean the hubby and I - The four year old was quite jealous when she found out the next day 😂

They have a bunch of the old school favorite games (skee ball, air hockey, etc) in a separate arcade area next to the bowling alley, and were not super busy or crowded at all. I was too busy playing to get more than a single photo but I’m super excited to visit again sometime with the kiddo and check more of what they have and the bowling alley! 🎳

08/12/2021

Had to pop in a few stills too from last weekend’s 🚙 trip to because ❄️😍 (check out yesterdays reel for the live action 🎥)

Fireworks were viewed from the water on the evening holiday lights cruise 🎆🎇

23/11/2021

✨🎄 EASTSIDE HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST 🎅✨

I’ve been dying to share some of our favorite Holiday traditions on the Eastside and feel like I’ve got a pretty good round up going here! Without further delay….

❄️🥁 Snowflake Lane - Downtown Bellevue (Bellevue Way outside the Bellevue Collection Shopping/Restaurants): Nightly parade on Bellevue Way

🎄✨Garden D’Lights - Bellevue (Bellevue Botanical Garden): Bellevue’s gorgeous 53 acre botanical garden gets all lit up for the holidays

❄️⛸Ice Skating Rink - Downtown Bellevue Park: Grab your skates and head to the rink!

✨✨Redmond Lights - Downtown Redmond (Downtown Redmond Park): Redmond’s free display of holiday lights -

🎅👧 Santa Photos - Redmond ( ): A charming outdoor spot to meet the man in red

🚞🎄Holiday Train - Downtown Snoqualmie ( ): Hop on the Holiday train for an experience reminiscent of the Polar Express!

🦌🦌Reindeer Festival - Issaquah ( ): Meet Issaquah’s reindeer herd at the Zoo’s annual Christmas Festival!

🌲🎄Trinity Tree Farm - Issaquah ( ): For a tree fresh from the lot, and a hot beverage for your hands, head to

🎄☕️Molbaks - Woodinville ( ): incredible Christmas display of decorated trees, poinsettias, and wonderful local gifts

🛷🛷Sledding - Snoqualmie Pass ( ): Check the pass conditions, and head up for some fun on the hill at least once this year!

🦌🗻Reindeer Farm - Leavenworth: for a day or weekend trip, head to the FAR east to check out Leavenworth and the Reindeer Farm, it is truly magical ✨

❓Did I miss any of your favorites? Be sure to let me know so others can see and I can check them out!

📲For lists of holiday activities in the City of Seattle and other local attractions, we highly recommend you check out the recent posts from and !

✨ Happy Holidays! And be sure to save/share if you find this list helpful ✨

12/11/2021

Another one for my fellow Eastside parents of 5 and unders today 👧👦

📍Bellevue Square Mall 3rd Floor Indoor Play (Way more fun than these pics would lead you to believe - I was trying to avoid getting other peoples kids in the photos and it was like playing dodgeball 😂)

We are an all-weather outdoor family all the way, but I’m here to admit that even this rain or shine Mama needs 👏 A 👏 Break 👏 from this all the rain all the time weather. Honestly, this was the first indoor play we’ve done since Covid began 😳 And damn did it feel good 💃 We both left dry, warm, and happy 😁

There were anywhere from 5-10 kids there during the time we were there, and 100% of the kids over 2 and adults were wearing masks (aside from the occasional snack break at the tables outside the play area). Play area is free, full of hard foam structures for kids to climb, jump, and slide on, and open during Mall hours - We arrived around 9:30 (shops open at 10) and mall doors/play space were open (not sure how much earlier than that the doors open).

✨ Don’t forget to Share/Save for a rainy day play idea 🌧✨

10/11/2021

🥯 I challenge you to find a better Bagel than the ones from .on.main in 🥯

02/11/2021

It’s November 1st and I just had someone wish me a Happy Holidays….. and let’s just say…I’m not not-happy about it 😂🤶🏻 It was after a poke in the arm and by a lady with the sweetest Southern accent 🥰 so bonus points for her 💪😁

Anyway…. it got me thinking and I wanna know… what is your drop date for bringing out the “Happy Holidays”??!!

For now I’ll just say, Happy November, and on to the regularly scheduled programming! 😂

27/10/2021

🎃 Fun little promotion going on at right now 🎃 Snap a photo in their pumpkin chair and post to social media with and they’ll give you a free $10 gift card to use at the shops there 🤑 Check out their page for more info (I am not associated with the giveaway, just sharing something fun to do 😁)

PS: You’ll have to find your own date though, Batman’s all mine 🦇😘

26/10/2021

⛰ Snoqualmie Middle Fork Trail
📍 North Bend, WA

This lower elevation hike makes for a great late Fall/Winter outdoor adventure. It is 12 miles round trip, but is honestly really pretty to just go walk as far as you please if you’re not up for a long day (we did not go 12 miles, obviously 👧). It has a super cool bridge right at the start thats a great spot for photos 📸

🚙 It is a bit of a drive, but super pretty especially with the fall colors. Once you turn onto the Forest Service Road (also the home of many other popular hikes - Mailbox Peak, Oxbow Loop, Granite Creek) you will go quite a ways down. Keep driving, and driving, and just when you think you must have missed it you’ll finally get there 😂

🦌 If you’re up for even more of a drive, take the back way through North Bend and see if you can spot the elk! (See previous post)

📱There is no cell service on the entire service road, so screen shot the directions from , and come prepared (see photo for tips). Also don’t forget to let someone know where you’re going.

Happy Hiking 🌲 Remember to save/share for future adventure ideas ✨

17/10/2021

on the Eastside 🍂☀️

11/10/2021

If you don’t consider yourself a “cupcake person”… you’ve obviously never tried 🧁🏆 🏆🧁😋

We headed over to their Bellevue location last week (called Cafe Trophy) at and tried their amazing cupcakes for the first time - holy smokes. SO GOOD! They’ve got yummy flavors like cookies and cream, salted caramel, and this fun festive “funfetti” one 💗

If you pre-order online they have some super over the top amazing Halloween options too! 🎃👻

07/10/2021

🎃 P U M P K I N - P A T C H - G U I D E 🎃

Tis’ the season for pickin’ all the pumpkins! Whether you’re looking to head down to the agriculture communities in the Snoqualmie Valley and make a mini day trip of it, or find something closer to home, here’s a list of some of our favorite local pumpkin patches! Most of them also have Fall Festivals of varying size, or additional fun activities for families like tractor rides, fresh apple cider, etc.

🎃 (Redmond - an assortment of family activities like pumpkin painting and smores)

🎃 (Redmond)

🎃 (Issaquah - charges by the car for a family to visit their fall festival and farm)

🎃 Two Brothers Pumpkins (Carnation - if you’re looking for low frills and thrills, and coming for just the pumpkins, this is a great patch to check out!)

🎃 (Carnation - all activities are free, produce, food and beverages for sale)

🎃 (Carnation - tractor rides, pumpkin sling shots and farm animals, in addition to other fun)

🎃 (Carnation - they have a full on fall themed amusement park, so if you’re looking to spend an entire day, head here!)

🎃 (Duvall)

Happy Hunting! 👻

01/10/2021

🍩💚 G I V E A W A Y 💙🍩

Happy Blue Friday 🏈 October 1st 🍂 and beautiful sun shiny day in Greater Seattle! ☀️

Since we’re always looking for a good reason to celebrate, we’re kicking off the month with a gift card giveaway for a dozen delicious doughnuts!
🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩

One lucky winner will receive a $25 gift card to Issaquah’s legendary doughnut shop ! They’ve got some awesome seasonal Seahawks flavors, maple bars as big as my kids head (see pics for proof 😂) and so many other mouthwatering choices 🤤

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Follow Discover the Eastside on Instagram
2. Like this post
3. Tag a friend in post comments (each friend tagged is an additional contest entry! Please tag each person on a separate comment line.)

❗️FOR AN ADDITIONAL 5 ENTRIES❗️
After completing above steps you can receive 5 additional contest entries by sharing this post to your Instagram stories!

CONTEST RULES:
You have until Sunday at 10:00PM PST to enter. Winner will be randomly selected and notified via Instagram Monday morning. Must be 18+ years of age and US resident to enter. This contest is in no way sponsored or endorsed by Instagram.

GOOD LUCK! ✨

30/09/2021

🍁 Fall is in the air! 🍂

Check out our family itinerary for a perfect fall day in Issaquah, and stay tuned for info about favorite local pumpkin patches, fun fall treats that are must-trys and more 🍻🎃

https://discovertheeastside.com/2020/09/24/the-perfect-fall-family-day-in-issaquah-wa/

Our perfect Fall day in Issaquah is packed with fun for families of all ages, and features all outdoor activities. Whether you’re heading out on a day trip, or playing tourist in your own town, con…

29/09/2021

views on a morning walk at Luther Burbank Park on 💙

There’s a little something for everyone here including….

🚶‍♀️lovely walking trails
🐶 free run dog park
🐟 docks for fishing
👧 SUPER awesome playgrounds

Definitely one to add to your Eastside parks bucket list 📌

28/09/2021

🦐 K R A W B A R 🦐

We recently made our first visit to Issaquah’s Asian-inspired seafood boil and raw oyster bar restaurant and were so impressed. If you have an appreciation for seafood and unique fun, menu offerings definitely worth a visit!

The clams and Japanese Mules we enjoyed were divine 😍

On our list to try next time: furikake fries, Japanese street corn, and fried cajun catfish bao buns 😋

25/09/2021

Oh Hey 👋 Hi 👋 Hellllloooo there! 👋

Every now and then I figure I ought to come out from behind the camera 📲 and reintroduce myself 👱🏻‍♀️

I’m Megan, a Mom with a vision of creating a little space on the internet to share the amazing things to eat, see, and do around the area we call home home, Seattle’s Eastside suburbs 🌲🏘

This area has changed so much over the last couple decades, and is (always has been, IMO) such an incredible piece of the PNW. There is so much to do outdoors, tons of fun restaurants, and more, and I hope to inspire you and your family to get out and explore all the area has to offer 💚

To get to know you a little better, heres a few fun facts for you:

📍 Over the past couple decades I’ve lived or worked (or both) in: Sammamish, Issaquah, Bellevue, Redmond, Snoqualmie, Mercer Island, and Carnation

🏊‍♀️🚴‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️ I’m a running ju**ie and Iron(wo)man triathlete 💪

👧I’ve been lucky to love all my careers - in fitness, management, events and marketing, but being a Mama has been my favorite career of all 💕

⛰ The outdoors is by far my favorite part of living on Seattle’s Eastside.

Stay tuned for more:

🌲 Hidden gems for outdoor recreation
🍜 Favorite eats
👧 Family friendly adventures
💭 More ideas for enjoying our Big Backyard

💚 PS: Thanks so much to all who have reached out with encouragement and support over the past year 🙏

23/09/2021

From the rustic and charming restaurants located at Issaquah’s outdoor boutique shopping center Gilman Village, to artsy and hip spots found on Historic Front Street (and more!), the hidden dining gems in Issaquah are abundant. In this post we’ll share our growing list of the best restaurants for dinner in Issaquah, WA!

https://discovertheeastside.com/2021/09/21/must-visit-restaurants-in-issaquah-wa/

If you’re looking for a mouth watering list of the best eats in Issaquah, you’ve come to the right place! From the rustic and charming restaurants located at Issaquah’s outdoor boutique…

22/09/2021

🍂 Happy First Day of Fall Y’all! 🍁

We’re sharing one of our final stops on our food tour today, and if you’re feeling all things 🎃 then you must try this adorably delicious dish! The seared sea scallops and pumpkin risotto at was absolutely drool worthy and divine 🤤 And I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it (yes, I’m obviously so that person 😂). So fun to have this quintessential seafood spot right here on the Eastside 🐟

✨Another one to be sure to like, save, and share for date night ideas! ✨

How are you celebrating the changing of the seasons today? 🍂

20/09/2021

💎 Hidden Gem Alert! 💎

I have been dying to share this gem of a spot since trying it for the first time a couple weeks ago. Well & Table is a NEW Farm to Table fine dining spot located at Gilman Village in 🌱🐟 We loved the ambience on their outdoor patio, and their food (and service!) was absolutely flawless. We tried the crispy halibut with braised fennel (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) and the shrimp scampi, along with some excellent 🍷

Hands down this is a must save for future Eastside date night ideas ✨ Or perhaps a great way to celebrate our final “official” day of summer tomorrow? ☀️😭

If you give it a try let us know what you think!

18/09/2021

Always a happy day when we get to go to 🧇🧋😁☀️

16/09/2021

Soup season is here! 🙌 And I DARE you to find a better spot on the Eastside for ramen than 🍜 I should pretty much be considered a groupie at this point 😂

Their food is just so dang good, they’re veg eater and kid friendly, and their service is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I can’t put my finger on what makes their ramen so amazing but it just is. This spot is a MUST TRY.

👧👦Sharing for the parents out there: We didn’t let the server know that we were there for recon, they just authentically went above and beyond to make the kiddo feel welcome. From bringing out “trainer chopsticks” to a little surprise treat at the end, they absolutely made our daughter’s day. So grateful for this local owned spot and their amazing eats! ❤️

15/09/2021

We’ve spent the last two weeks on a of one of our favorite Eastside cities - and are so excited to share some of our new MUST TRY spots around town, starting with at Gilman Village 🤤 We’re in love with their fresh, flavorful, and healthy Mexican food offerings and creative (and delish) scratch cocktails 🌯🍸 Definitely a must-try!

As we roll from Summer into Fall its awesome to see so many restaurants still offering great outdoor patio dining options too, including at Masa’s (we actually ate outdoors at every place we went 👏).

Stay tuned this week for more for your Eastside dining adventures, and be sure to save and share for future date night ideas ✨😉

31/08/2021

Some follow up pictures to Friday’s 🎥 of our Snoqualmie Tunnel outing. Scroll 👉 to check out a map of the area, open months, etc.

The two mile tunnel is super cold no matter the weather, so dress warm! And be sure to bring extra lights, and standard hiking safety supplies obvi. You can walk, run or bike on through, May through October.

Parking is very close to the Hyak exit over Snoqualmie Pass so you’ll get some pretty mountain views on the drive up 🚙🏔 If you plan to check out the tunnel but not hike through, and are looking for a good family friendly hike, check out Gold Creek Pond (check out our page for video of this hike as well 🙂).

📍Be sure to SHARE/SAVE for future adventure ideas! Thanks for following along ✨

18/08/2021

Tried a new Bubble Tea spot yesterday and it was 👍👍 All their milk teas with the exception of two flavors are made non-dairy (big win for this dairy-free family 🙌). We tried and loved the taro flavor 🍠🤤

They’ve got a few local locations including Bellevue, Kirkland, Renton Landing and looks like Sammamish maybe coming soon based on their website!