Bellingham
Cool, encapsulated...

GETTING THERE... By car: Traveling north or south on I-5, take exits 254 and 255 respectively and head west.

Considered one of the most livable small cities on the West Coast, Bellingham appeals to the casual visitor with a range of attractions from the physical to the cerebral. Hiking, biking, and kayaking seem to be the outdoor activities of choice but you don’t have to stop there.

First opened in 1927, the Mt. Baker Theatre is a beautifully restored old-time theater. Upcoming shows include John Prine, Hairspray, Linsey Buckingham (of Fleetwood Mac fame) and The Nylons.

Whatcom Museum of History and Art has four components. The first is housed in the old city hall building, built in 1892, and features contemporary art, Victorian clothing, history exhibits and the Watch Museum. The second building features Northwest Indian and Inuit exhibits, as well as logging and settlement displays. The third exhibit space changes regularly, displaying art and historical topics. Finally, there is the Whatcom Children’s Museum – a hands-on museum for young children with interactive exhibits.

Western Washington University is situated near Fairhaven. This beautiful, tree-lined campus is ranked high in national college ratings of small colleges. Particularly worthwhile for a look-see is the campus’s world-class outdoor sculpture collection.

On the west side of Bellingham lies Squalicum Harbor, a year-round public moorage for more than 1,800 commercial and private boats. The harbor is home to one of the largest commercial fishing fleets on the west coast. One of the latest additions to the harbor facilities is the Hotel Bellwether complex.

The inn itself is a charming, boutique hotel offering beautiful waterfront surroundings and personalized service, often lacking in the big chains. Higher-end shops and galleries add to the complex. Make sure you take a close look at the architectural elements that have been designed to evoke the sea.

A bit further down the road is Marina Square. A busy collection of marine-related stores and businesses, restaurants and shops, it’s very pleasant to stroll about on a sunny, or even not-so-sunny, day. Walk out to Zuanich Point and admire the memorial to fishermen who have left for sea and never returned.

South of downtown Bellingham, Fairhaven once was a Northwest center for maritime trade and commerce. That tradition lives on– Fairhaven is the southern terminus of the Alaska ferry as well as an Amtrak stop on the Vancouver to Seattle to Portland run. For those wishing to explore the San Juan islands, Victoria/San Juan Cruises offers sailings in the summer. With kayakers, grizzled old men with equally grizzled old dogs, anxious families – this isn’t the typical ferry journey.

Fairhaven itself still retains much of its turn-of-the-century maritime architecture and flavor. Many of the old buildings with their colorful and intricate stonework have been restored and trolley tracks still line the streets. Have a coffee at Tony’s Coffeehouse; check out the unusual kites at Marine Park. Surrounding the transportation hub are boatyards, docks and marine fabricators.

Along Harris Street, visitors can see the historic Sycamore Square Building housing the Black Cat, or Le Chat Noir, a casual-yet-upscale French restaurant and favorite among locals here. Two other must-see stops are the Colophon Cafe and Village Books. The cafe is nationally-recognized and the bookstore is one of Washington’s largest independently-owned bookstores and is the traveling writer circuit so even if you miss your favorite author’s talk you’ll likely be able to find an autographed book.

If you’re really interested in slowing down, visit The Spa at the Chrysalis Hotel founded by local resident Ellen Shea. They offer all kinds of services that will give you a fresh outlook on life.

South of Fairhaven lies Chuckanut Drive, a narrow, winding, madrona-lined road that skirts along the rocky hills overlooking the strait of Juan de Fuca. Along the way, the road passes fine-dining restaurants and art galleries and there are a number of places where you can pull over to admire the view of the northern-most portion of Puget Sound and the San Juan island archilapego.

Following Chuckanut south leads to two of Skagit Valley’s best-kept secrets: the elusive towns of Bow and Edison. There, one can sample fresh, organic bread in Edison’s Breadfarm bakery (the black olive baguette is a must), or pick up a wedge of organic Samish Bay gouda cheese, or a local pinot grigio in the adjacent store. You may want to play a game of pool with a Harley rider in the Longhorn Saloon over a plate of their famous pan-fried Samish Bay oysters from Blau family oyster farm just down the road.

Another popular spot is Clayton Beach in Larrabee State Park. Uncrowded, it has beautiful sandstone rock formations accessible by hiking or biking the InterUrban Trail, a 5.5-mile former railroad route that connects Larrabee with Fairhaven.

Galbraith Mountain is a mecca for hard (and not so hard) core mountain bikers and trail runners. It’s literally criss-crossed with great trails. Pick up a trail map at any mountain bike shop.

Don’t miss:
• Take a walk on the Taylor Avenue Dock.
• Put the top down and go for a drive on the Chuckanut Drive.