Seattle's 2 Line light rail opens new doors to culture, adventure and car-free travel
Seattle-Eastside commuters are rejoicing at the opening of the 2 Line, the long-awaited extension of Seattle's light rail that, as of March 28, will stretch across Lake Washington into Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond.
While it offers commuters a car-free route between work and home, there are plenty of parks, shops, restaurants and other spots worth an adventure of their own.
Here are itineraries for fun things to do along the 2 Line, with each destination no more than a 20-minute walk from the nearest light rail station.
Fun and games
Whether you're a curious explorer, cozy gamer or somewhere in between, you'll be able to find fun along the 2 Line.
For a unique alternative to a work happy hour, Reality Break Escapes by the East Main Station offers escape room challenges for up to 35 people, plus portable escape games for larger groups. You'll get to choose your challenge, from Seattle-themed escape rooms to murder mysteries, scavenger hunts and more.
One stop over in downtown Bellevue, get your selfie sticks out for Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience. This multi-media installation first popped up in Bellevue in 2025 and has several reality-bending rooms. Explore colorful areas filled with lights, mirrors and bubble balls, plus a virtual reality experience. Tickets are from $19.90 per person (children 2 and under free).
Over by the BelRed Station, Mox Boarding House is a cozy board game cafe and restaurant with a free game library. Reserve private rooms for a birthday party or group game session, sip on drinks at the hidden speakeasy, or join a tournament to compete against dozens of other players - Mox Boarding House hosts events for Warhammer, Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon and more games.
Last but not least, Redmond Town Center has a few places to unwind, from table seating for board games at Uncle's Games to drinks and 9-hole mini golf at Flatstick Pub.
Outdoors and exercise
While spring is in full swing in the Seattle area, you can still enjoy hitting the ski slopes. Just a block away from the BelRed Station, Mini Mountain is a year-round ski center offering lessons on three indoor ski ramps. The center also offers rental equipment, summer rock climbing, outdoor adventure camps and indoor summer ski camps.
There are also several parks and green spaces located along the 2 Line, including Bellevue Downtown Park, Enatai Beach Park, Cascade View Neighborhood Park and 640-acre Marymoor Park, the latter with trails, soccer fields and a radio control model air field among other amenities.
King County Parks also opened two new trails to connect Eastside stations to regional trails and Marymoor Park: the Marymoor Station Trail, which will lead you from the station to the north end of the park, and the Bear Creek Trail Bridge, which connects the nearby East Lake Sammamish Trail to the Redmond Central Connector Trail.
History and culture
Learn more about Washington state's history and art scene as you ride along the 2 Line. The newly opened Judkins Park Station in Seattle provides light rail access between the Central District and Rainier Valley and onto the 2 Line. Just steps from the station sits Jimi Hendrix Park, named after the Seattle rock icon and near the community where he grew up. Steps away, the Northwest African American Museum offers exhibits and programs highlighting the crafts and legacy of African Americans in the local community.
A 20-minute walk away from Judkins Park, baseball fans will find an Easter egg of pre-Mariners history. Built in 1938, Sicks' Stadium on Rainier Avenue South was the home baseball stadium for the Seattle Pilots (who played there for the 1969 season before relocating to become the Milwaukee Brewers the following year) and the minor league Seattle Rainiers (1903-1906, 1919-1968). Once the Kingdome was completed in 1977, Sicks' faded out of relevance and was demolished in 1979. Though the grandstands are long gone, you can still visit a commemorative plaque, replica home plate and player silhouette at the historic site.
As for Seattle-area art lovers, the light rail ride itself is an opportunity to view public art. That's due to STart: the Sound Transit Art program that works to bring both local and nationally recognized artists' work to our transit stations. STart has an interactive map where you can find over two dozen public installations integrated into 2 Line stations, as well as many more on the 1 Line. Among the collection: "Crosstown Traffic (It's So Hard To Get Through To You)," photo murals of Jimi Hendrix by Hank Willis Thomas at the Judkins Park Station, boat-like sculptures "stroke" and "crossing" by Beliz Brother and "Dragon and Phoenix" by Nooksack and Chinese artist Louie Gong at the Spring District Station.
