Bellevue has been named the Best Sustainable and Scenic City in the 2026 Good Housekeeping Travel Awards, according to the publication’s recently released list of annual winners.
Good Housekeeping describes Bellevue as a destination that stands on its own, noting its location about 20 minutes from Seattle and its setting across Lake Washington, the second-largest natural lake in the state.
The publication highlights Bellevue as a “sustainably minded community,” citing its more than 100 parks, downtown accessibility, and the Bellhop transportation service, an all-electric, free shuttle that operates within a six-mile radius.
As part of the evaluation, Good Housekeeping travel testers spent time experiencing the city’s outdoor recreation, cultural attractions, and dining options. One tester reported that kayaking on Lake Washington offered peaceful conditions and views of both Bellevue and Seattle.
Testers also highlighted Bellevue’s public art installations and restaurant offerings, specifically pointing to Tendon Kohaku for its Japanese cuisine and a coconut gelatin dessert described as interactive.
Bellevue’s recognition comes from data collected through the Good Housekeeping Institute’s annual testing process. The 2026 Travel Awards enlisted more than 125 travel testers, including Good Housekeeping staff, travel industry professionals, and trained consumer evaluators. Testers assessed hundreds of destinations and travel services across five continents.
Destination testing, led by Contributing Travel Editor Karen Cicero, included surveys, photo and video documentation, and ratings of various destination attributes such as attractions, accessibility, lodging variety, entertainment, and safety.
The Institute’s engineers, scientists, and product analysts separately evaluated travel products in lab settings, while 116 consumer testers used those items during real-world travel by car, train, bus, and plane.
This is the fourth year of the Good Housekeeping Travel Awards program, which aims to identify destinations and products that enhance the travel experience for a wide range of travelers. Bellevue’s selection as Best Sustainable and Scenic City reflects its performance in the publication’s combined tester feedback and evaluation criteria.
