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Local's Guide to Bellingham WA
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items After 25 years living in the Bellingham area, here is where I would take you if you came to visit. If you want sunshine and dry weather, aim for July and August. May and September are usually warm-ish and somewhat dry. June can be a mixed bag. The re...
Map
Sections
7
Outdoor Activities
Museums & History
Tours
Local Favorites
Day Trips
Restaurants
Outdoor Activities
The Pacific NW may be wet and cool a lot of the year, but it makes us appreciate getting outdoors whenever we can. Here are my favorite parks in Bellingham.
Popular park for locals, right along Bellingham Bay. Trails connect to downtown and also historic Fairhaven district. The trail to Fairhaven includes a stretch of pier that goes out over the water.
Boulevard Park - City of Bellingham
Featuring a WPA era stone bridge, waterfall, and a network of trails through the woods this is a great park to spend an hour or two in. Popular for wedding photos (including mine).
Whatcom Falls Park
Interesting rock formations due to erosion. This state park has a campground, beaches, picnic areas, and trails. Fragrance Lake trail is popular but does have some elevation gain. The Interurban trail is about 7 miles from Fairhaven to Larrabee State...
Larrabee State Park
Museums & History
If it rains (and if it's Sept through June, it might) then here are a few indoor activities.
I recommend this museum because in all my travels, you don't often come across something like this. The focus is on radio & electricity and the main attraction is their Tesla coil nicknamed the Mega Zapper. This museum is unique to Bellingham and...
SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention
Actually two museums. The original museum is housed in Old City Hall and has a century old taxidermy bird collection and local history exhibits. The newer Lightcatcher building has art, a family gallery, and indigenous history exhibits.
Whatcom Museum
Just a few miles north of Bellingham lies Ferndale. Pioneer Park assembles a solid collection of log buildings from around the county into one park. Generally free to visit, but buildings are not always open (but you can walk around the exteriors). S...
Pioneer Park
Also in nearby Ferndale is Hovander Homestead Park. Massive barn, historic home, park with playground, some farm animals, and a trail connecting you to a Fragrance Garden and the Tennant Lake boardwalks. To see it all plan for a few hours. The boardw...
Hovander Homestead Park
Tours
I am not big on tours, but sometimes they are the only way to experience something unique.
If you want to learn about the fascinating and sometimes unsavory history of Bellingham, these gals in period costume will deliver. Choose from a variety of themes including Gore and Lore, or Sin and Gin. Tours run in Fairhaven or Bellingham.
Bellinghistory with the Good Time Girls
I am not a strong kayaker, so I have not done this myself, but it looks fascinating. A guided tour takes you out on the bay in a kayak to see the bioluminesence. Cool!
Bioluminescent Kayak Tours and Evening Sailing on Bellingham Bay
Many people want to go whale watching when in the Pacific NW. San Juan cruises have tours departing from Bellingham. They also offer other cruises including Beer and Wine themed cruises with local producers.
San Juan Cruises
Local Favorites
Runs Saturdays from April through mid-December. Produce, local handmade products, food trucks across indoor and outdoor spaces right in downtown Bellingham.
Bellingham Farmers Market
Teams from the local area and abroad compete in this multi-leg race from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay. The finish line is in Marine Park Fairhaven and is a festive but crowded place to watch the racers come in. Skiing, canoeing, running, cycling, sea ...
Ski To Sea Festival
Day Trips
These destinations are within 2 hours (more or less) from Bellingham.
On a clear day, you will see this volcano peaking over the hills as you drive around town. In the winter, this is the local ski area. In summer, it is popular for day hikes or backcountry backpacking. Permit required and available at the ranger stati...
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
About 50-60 miles away is Vancouver BC. You can drive, or hop the Amtrak Cascades. Granville Island and Stanley Park are two top attractions, but this city warrants its own list. Make sure you have passport or other citizenship documents for the bord...
Vancouver
Artsy historic small town less than an hour from Bellingham. In April, the area is full of daffodils, and then tulips. The Tulip Festival in April attracts thousands so expect crowds. At all other times, this is fun little town to stroll and shop, an...
La Conner
Restaurants
You can find most any cuisine in Bellingham. Here are a few that are popular with locals and tourists alike.
Right next to the farmers market, this pizza restaurant has amazing crusts, but my favorite is the Roberto Panini with a side salad with sun dried tomato vinaigrette.
Fiamma Pizza
Popular and longstanding Thai restaurant in the newer (relatively speaking) Barkley Village area. This thoughtfully designed neighborhood is a mix of housing, retail, professional and entertainment options.
On Rice | Thai Cuisine
In a town blessed with many great Mexican choices (also consider Mi Mexico, Jalapenos, or El Rinconcito) this one is a local favorite. Don't let its location in a strip mall deter you from stepping inside.
El Gitano
The Black Cat has been on the third floor of this historic (and haunted) building for years. First it was a French bistro, but now has a more American menu, and a popular bar scene.
The Black Cat
I hesitate to include this because the weekend breakfast crowd already has this place packed, and they don't do reservations. This is for a special breakfast, and it is worth the wait. The blintzes are to die for, and the lemon blueberry pancake is m...
The Birch Door Cafe
Where to Stay
Obviously I don't stay in hotels in my hometown, but based on location and heresay, these are some good starting points.
Historic hotel in downtown Bellingham, the other half and I have actually considered a little anniversary getaway here just to experience it from the outside. Hotel, then senior apartments, now a hotel again.
Hotel Leo
This one is a splurge. I have been to the onsite spa and restaurant multiple times over the years. It is NW elegant, and the location right at the entrance to the Taylor Dock walkway, overlooking the bay, and an short walk to Fairhaven make it a top ...
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa Bellingham, Curio Collection by Hilton
Another splurge, but with a fantastic location along the bay. This is near the marina and restaurants. I toured this when it opened and have eaten at the onsite restaurant. The special feature here is the lighthouse suite. Very cool.
Hotel Bellwether
There are not a lot of camping options in or near Bellingham. Larrabee State Park has a campground, or about 30 minutes north of Bellingham is this pastoral KOA campground. Some cabins (or Kabins, haha) are available. The town of Lynden has a strong ...
Lynden / Bellingham KOA Journey