We got to go down to Seattle to watch a concert last weekend and we made a small trip out of it with Markus. It was the first time that Markus has been back to Seattle since we picked him up from the Sea-Tac Airport from Korea almost a year ago. We ended up staying in Bellevue instead of Seattle for the cost and we really enjoyed our time there. Bellevue is about 20 minutes out of Seattle in a car and it's a great alternative if you don't feel like staying downtown. Today, we wanted to outline some of the things we did with our dog in Bellevue.

Seattle Marriott Bellevue

• Type: Hotel (4-star)

• Pet Fee: $75 per stay

• Suite Available: N/A

Ok we'll admit it. We splurged a bit on this location. It's beyond our usual budget for trips like this (there's a $40 valet parking as well), but we found a good deal and got to experience a few things from staying at this hotel that we'll take with us in the future. 

We're not sure if this was intentional on their end, but the thing that we liked the most about the room that we got was that it was in a corner at the end of the hallway. This ended up being great because as a reactive dog, the thing that gets Markus' guard up and potetntially barking is if he hears voices, foot traffic or doors slamming. 

We're not sure if it's because the rooms are well insulated for sound or if no one ever checked in next to us, but we never heard other voices while we were staying there. Being in the corner at the end of the hallway also kept the foot traffic and the door slamming to a minimum. We've never had the pleasure of staying in a corner room at the end of the hall with Markus, but we might just start requesting them now!

In terms of staying in Bellevue instead of Seattle, we found that the ease of getting in and out was easy. On the Seattle end, we made sure to park somewhere close to the I-90 and it ends up being a 20-minute drive or less depending on traffic. With this in mind, the cost savings that you get from staying in Bellevue rather than in downtown Seattle made it worthwhile for us, but again, we did find a deal with this location.

Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs

Markus is a guard dog at heart and the sound of footsteps, voices and doors banging can set him off into a barking frenzy. We never had an issue with that at this hotel because the Seattle Marriott Bellevue really took care of us by putting us in a room at the end of the hallway. The rooms were well soundproofed and the time we spent there together was very peaceful. We highly recommend this location for reactive dogs, though, it does lean toward the pricier end.

Twin Falls Trail

We were able to squeeze in a hike early Sunday on a beautiful sunny morning at the Twin Falls Trail in Washington. Located about 35 minutes away from the hotel, we ate breakfast bright and early in the morning and set out for the hike. It was a great way for us to start the morning with the smells and fresh air in nature. The best part of the trail is that it ends up with a pair of waterfalls!

The hike itself took us around 2 hours and because we hit the trail earlier, it wasn't as busy when we first got there. It did eventually get busier throughout the morning, but we were on our way down already. I'd say the hike is a little more than a casual walk, but it's easy enough that there were toddlers and young children doing the trail too.

Even though dogs are required to be on leash, we did come across a few that weren't, but they were trained well. Since we went in the morning, it wasn't quite as busy and we didn't come across too many dogs. The trail itself is fairly wide, so it's easy to pass other dogs. With a reactive dog in Markus, we never felt uncomfortable about the other dogs we met on the trail. 

You can read about our breakdown of the Twin Falls Trail hike and how to tackle it with a reactive dog.

Other things to do in the area

We didn't spend too much time in Bellevue, but of the things that we did, there were a few that we wanted to share. In no particular order, here's a list of a few things that we enjoyed checking out.

Blazing Bagels

We were so happy about this was a bagel joint that we stumbled across while walking Markus one morning. We took him out and went up the street, saw a line up of people waiting for their bagels and knew it had to be good. The shop itself isn't very big, but you can order your food and sit outside on the seating they've provided. The seating is limited, but the great thing about a bagel is that you can also carry it with you. We each had a breakfast sandwich and my goodness.

Chik-fil-A

I can't forget the best part (my best part) about this location. Coming from Vancouver where these don't exist, I'm not gonna lie - we picked our location because there's a Chik-fil-A about 5 minutes away (or you can walk there in 15 minutes). I may or may not have taken Markus out for a walk... ... to Chik-fil-A (they had patio seating - what was I to do?).

Bellevue Square

At the end of the day, Bellevue Square's a mall and there's only so much I'll say about it. For somebody coming down from Canada, there were a few things that I liked about this mall such as The Container Store and The Cheesecake Factory. The mall itself isn't that big, but it's a good way to spend some time. Feel free to look up the rest of the mall to see if there's something that suits you!

Nordstrom Rack

Did you know that Nordstrom Racks are dog-friendly? Not only can you find nice deals on brand named items, but you can also bring your doggie in while you shopped. My wife and I try to stop by Nordstrom Racks where we can in case we stumble upon a great deal and it's even better that we get to take Markus with us. I should mention that while Markus doesn't get spooked by people, he doesn't enjoy going down certain aisles possibly because of how confined the spaces can be.

Woods Coffee

Woods Coffee has become my go-to coffee place in the Pacific Northwest, especially while traveling. We only have one so far in Canada, but when I'm south of the border, I make sure that my morning consists of a Woods Coffee run. There are handful of these in the Bellevue area alone and not only is their coffee great, their breakfasts are pretty good too.

Disclaimer

Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.

Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.