Wilburton

Just five minutes from Downtown Bellevue, Wilburton's lush green spaces and leafy streets welcome you home. This highly sought-after neighborhood is convenient to Bellevue's commercial hubs and major tech employers while offering secluded luxury homes in wooded enclaves. “The biggest perks of this community are how close it is to downtown, Microsoft and Amazon, and it’s also in a super coveted school district that’s one of the best in the state,” says Realtor Tova Williamson with eXp Realty.

Here, you'll find recently constructed developments with craftsman-inspired details and amenities like covered porches that allow you to enjoy the outdoors all day, even during the rainy season. Midcentury homes also feature in the neighborhood, with angular roofs, expansive windows and stone features that add a modern touch. Condos are also available in Wilburton, with most featuring private outdoor space and chef's kitchens. Due to their prized location and luxury amenities, homes in Wilburton are often higher than the local averages, with two-bedroom condos costing around $500,000 and recently constructed homes costing upwards of $3 million.

Public and private schools are available for Wilburton students, including Wilburton Elementary School. Rated above average for test scores on Great Schools, the institution prides itself on providing individualized learning experiences for its students. Nearby, Odle Middle School ranks above average for both test scores and student progress on Great Schools, offering students a wide array of before and after school programs like Robotics, Jazz Club and Media Club. Bellevue High School is one of the best in the area, scoring above average for test scores, student progress and college readiness on Great Schools. In addition to the school’s stellar academics, it has a notable athletics program, offering football, competitive cheer, gymnastics, water polo and swim. International Friends School is a favorite in the area for application-based options, which features a Dual-Language Mandarin Chinese immersion program.

When you need to immerse yourself in nature, green spaces are just around the corner. Wilburton is known for being home to some of Bellevue's best public parks, like Bellevue Botanical Garden. An urban oasis in the city, the botanical gardens feature 50 acres of floral gardens, woodlands and wetlands, with paved trails that meander throughout. You can stroll through the dahlia or rhododendron gardens, take a forest bathing or beekeeping class, listen to live music or visit Garden D'Lights, their winter holiday light festival.

Bellevue Botanical Garden is adjacent to Wilburton Hill Park, another popular area for walking through tree-canopied trails. There are also athletic fields and a spacious play area for kids. Nearby, Kelsey Creek Park is a 150-acre public green space popular with families and groups. You'll find two picturesque barns at the park's center, once home to the Twin Valley Dairy Farm. Now, you can take historical tours of the buildings, attend workshops on felting wool or gardening and pet the barnyard animals. After visiting the farm, walk along the paved trails where you can pick warm blackberries or salmonberries, birdwatch or forage for mushrooms.

There are plenty of indoor activities available in Wilburton, too. Swimmers will love Bellevue Aquatic Center, which features a public lap pool, diving tank and heated pool for water therapy. The center has public hours but is also home to club swim, dive and synchronized swim teams you can join. Wilburton has a retail hub in the northeast corner of town, where you'll find retailers like REI, Target and Uwajimaya Bellevue, a local Pan Asian grocery store and restaurant chain that's served the greater Seattle area for 100 years. After shopping, you can get your fill at Kura, a revolving, all-you-can-eat sushi bar. Or visit Bellevue Brewing Company, which boasts the largest outdoor patio in the area. Bring your pup to the pet-friendly patio while you enjoy a frosty pint from their expansive draft list or order a burger or pizza from their brewpub menu.

Offering luxury homes, an urban oasis and plenty of neighborhood amenities, Wilburton stands out as one of Bellevue's best communities.

Written By

Micaela Green

Photography Contributed By

Elizabeth James

Video By

Vladislav Sedykh