Vacation Activities

Mt. Baker seen from the Nooksack River near Glacier, WA

What to Do in Glacier WA: Beyond the Highway Stops

Most people driving Mount Baker Highway have one destination in mind: Artist Point. They pass through Glacier at the posted 35 miles an hour, stop for gas maybe, and keep climbing toward the overlook everyone’s already seen online. The town itself gets treated like a bathroom break between Bellingham and the mountain. What to do […]

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Low late-summer sun over Birch Bay WA with driftwood and beach grass in the foreground and a forested point across the water

Best Things to Do in Birch Bay Before Summer Ends

Labor Day comes and Birch Bay changes character almost overnight. The day-trippers thin out. The state park lot has open spots again by mid-morning. The water, which took all summer to warm up in this shallow, west-facing bay, is at its best right as most people stop coming. That gap between the calendar and the

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Alpine hiking trail near Mt. Baker in late summer with green fir trees and mountain views, Whatcom County WA

Mt. Baker in Fall: Things to Do When the Crowds Thin Out

Winter is the obvious peak on Mt. Baker — the snow record, the ski season, the crowds that come with it. But for the hiking corridor, summer gets the traffic. Mt. Baker in fall — after Labor Day, once the crowds thin out — is better than both. The crowds thin out after Labor Day.

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Heavy storm clouds rolling over the water at dusk on Lummi Island in Whatcom County Washington

Storm Watching on the PNW Coast: A Fall Preview

Whatcom County has a reputation built on its summers. Blue skies over Bellingham Bay, long evenings in Fairhaven, kayaks in the water and bikes on the trails. It earns it. But the county has a different season that doesn’t get nearly as much attention — and if you’ve ever watched a storm roll across the

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Sunset over calm water at Birch Bay WA with the beach and tidal flats visible in the foreground

Things to Do in Birch Bay WA This Summer

The best things to do in Birch Bay WA all start with the water. This shallow, west-facing bay along Whatcom County’s western edge warms up faster than the open coast, which is why it turns into the county’s beach town every summer. Bellingham locals drive up for the day. Guests staying nearby build whole weekends

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Driftwood-lined beach in Whatcom County WA with calm blue water and the San Juan Islands visible in the distance on a clear summer day

Summer in Whatcom County: What to Do When the Sun Comes Out

Whatcom County doesn’t have one summer — it has three. There’s the coast, where Birch Bay warms up enough by July that the tidal flats fill with kayakers and the state park campground books out months in advance. There’s the city, where Bellingham’s waterfront and the Trackside District come into their own when the rain

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Cocktail on a bar with a window view of the street in Anacortes WA, establishing the maritime waterfront dining character of the town

Where to Eat in Anacortes WA: A Local’s Guide to Restaurants on Fidalgo Island

Anacortes is a working town. The fishing boats come in at Seafarers Memorial Park, the ferry lines form before sunrise, and most people passing through are either heading somewhere or coming back from one of the San Juan Islands. This isn’t a food destination in the way Bellingham or La Conner have become. It’s a

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Bloody Mary with cauliflower garnish at The Fork at Agate Bay, Bellingham WA

Best Restaurants in Bellingham WA: A Local’s Guide

Bellingham’s food scene is vast and varied — more range than most visitors expect for a city this size. Having a local recommendation in your pocket makes the difference between a reliable visit and an afternoon spent scrolling through reviews. The best restaurants in Bellingham aren’t always on the main tourist routes, and the most

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