At Ferndale Farmstead, three generations of the Wavrin family produce artesian cheese crafted in the Old-World, Italian cheesemaking tradition . So many auspicious and mythical things happen at farmers markets. Anyone who frequents them can tell you this. Farmers markets are the gathering places of magic-makers and seekers, of people who delight the subtle flavor […]

Blaine Harbor in Washington State is one of the most modern marinas and harbors in the northwest and encompasses a rich maritime history. Boats have been on the move in Blaine Harbor for centuries. Canoes carved from huge western cedar logs carried First Nations people of the Salish Sea along these shore to their fishing […]

It’s hard not to bring up microbreweries when talking about Bellingham and Whatcom County. After all, this coastal city in the northwest corridor of Washington State is home to more than a dozen acclaimed craft brew masters who tantalize the taste buds of locals and visitors alike. While most – if not all- restaurants in […]

Yes, you can still find powder somewhere. Unless you live in New England (or, oddly, Florida), this winter feels like it’s off to a very slow start. It’s bone-dry in places around the West right now, with record-low snow conditions in typically snow-drenched locales in the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. Taos, New Mexico, just saw some […]

I drive onto the 20-car Whatcom Chief and inch forward to meet the bumper in front of me, coaxed into position by the wagging finger of a salty-looking deckhand. I turn the engine off to wait out the 15-minute Hale Passage crossing from Gooseberry Point to Lummi Island. A trio of gulls keeps pace with […]

From the second-floor corner suite at the Inn at Lynden is a view of a one-of-a-kind historic downtown. On one end is Lynden’s famous windmill, and across the street is the Lynden Dutch Bakery with its never-ending stream of customers popping in for a wide variety of baked goods and plated food. To gaze at […]

We pulled our car into the icy barnyard off Double Ditch Road in the Nooksack Valley north of here. The farm had been cut off by a recent ice storm that downed power lines and blocked roads. The snow-covered valley looked and felt like Siberia, the cold Canadian Cascades looming nearby. I got out of the […]

Part Two of our Pacific Northwest road trip had us exploring the state of Washington. Like we did with Oregon, we chose to avoid major cities (we do love Seattle, though) and adventure off the well-trodden path. We visited Snohomish County, Bellingham, and the San Juan Islands. We spent three nights in Snohomish County, two […]

Chuckanut Brewery just announced the release of some new beers for the coming year. Here’s what they plan to share with us in 2018: It’s been several years since Sticke Alt (Secret Alt) and Rye Lager have been brewed at Chuckanut Brewery but wait no longer, Chuckanut and selected accounts in Puget Sound will be tapping […]

Photographer Grant Gunderson captures the excitement of backcountry skiing at Mount Baker. Getting out and exploring doesn’t have to stop when the seasons change. In fact, winter can be the perfect time to carve out some new trails, provided you’ve got the right gear strapped to your feet. Here, photographer Grant Gunderson gives us an […]

2017 may stand out for many events and developments, and among them is the exceptional year turned in by the labor market. For one, U.S. unemployment dropped to 4.1% in October, the lowest since December 2000. Barring a massive exodus of workers from the labor force, falling unemployment almost always reflects increased hiring, which in […]

Storm watching by its very nature involves bad weather, and the more dramatic the storm the better. When choosing a place to stay, a full-service resort makes the most sense because while you may want to watch the storm, you don’t want to drive in it. The Semiahmoo Resort fits the bill with a facility […]

If you are looking for epic snow for snowboarding and skiing, then Mount Baker should be your destination. Mount Baker holds the world record for the most snowfall in a season at an unbelievable 1,140 inches during the 1998-99 season — that’s 95 feet of snow!  Mount Baker is consistently one of the first ski […]

Over the past two decades, competitions that were raw and unadulterated have migrated onto the global stage. Events like the US Open & X Games are huge blockbuster shows that are fun, but they’ve lost the luster that made them an experience to be had in person. So, are there any grassroots snowboard contests still […]

With visitors in town during the holidays, it’s always nice to find unique activities in Bellingham that get everyone outside of the house. The Whatcom Museum offers a variety of entertaining and educational activities to consider, but to really dive deep into the museum’s exhibits, collections and themes visitors can participate in docent-led history and […]

Melvin Brewing plans to open at least four new brewpubs in 2018, including outposts in craft beer strongholds San Diego and Denver. Melvin, which currently operates two Wyoming brewpubs and an outpost in Bellingham, Washington, is also pursuing brewpub locations in Olympia, Washington, and Eureka, Missouri, according to Whitney. He added that the company is […]

If you felt an unusual exuberance in the vicinity of the Fountain District late last week, it was likely radiating from Melvin Brewery. Thursday saw the release of Melvin’s first Bellingham-brewed beers—indeed the first beers they’ve brewed outside of their home base in western Wyoming—and the response among local hopheads was overwhelming. It was standing-room-only […]

We’re driving 16 hours north of Utah, following snow reports and rumors of all-time conditions at Mount Baker, Washington. Mount Baker Ski Area boasts the unofficial highest average snowfall in the world. It seems like a good place to ski some deep snow. Read the full feature and check out the photo gallery here. 

Wes and Diane Herman gave a challenge 15 years ago to their four home-schooled teenagers: Create a business plan that eventually supplied the grounds for Woods Coffee. “We wanted to teach them how to start a business,” says CEO Wes Herman. Three of the adult children work in the company, while the fourth is “our insurance […]

A decade ago, Twin Brook Creamery stopped supplying raw commodity milk to Darigold and returned to producing dairy products sold in traditional glass bottles. In 2007, its owners started a bottling operation, which has proved pivotal. Annual sales soared past $2 million in each of the past two years. “The niche market we found 
 […]

For some people, the best cup of coffee in America is whatever’s currently in their hand, but then there are those for whom coffee is less of an alarm clock and more of a poetic experience. The type of dorks that measure out their lives in coffee spoons, not in the depressed 20th-century poet type […]

Fairhaven, especially on a mild evening during the monthly Art Walk, is magical. With views of Bellingham Bay, historic tree-shaded streets to explore and farm to table dining, Fairhaven, Washington makes for a wonderful weekend getaway or vacation destination. The historic town has a small working harbor. It’s a year-round stop for the Alaska State […]

Washington State is not in HeidiTown’s region, however, I do travel outside of the HeidiTown sphere occasionally, and when I do, I write about it here. Also, rather excitingly, the mountains regions of Washington and Oregon are now in The Heidi Guide’s region (my travel column for Mountain Living magazine), so my recent trip there was for […]

Schooner Zodiac is a majestic historical vessel purchased in 1924 for the Johnson & Johnson brothers. Constructed from mahogany, brass, teak, and fir, it has 26 berths, eight staterooms, a large galley and a deck that spans 38.74 meters. It accommodates 49-day trip passengers and 26 for overnight excursions. Two hours had passed since departing the Port […]

As our short autumn days march toward the solstice, we are warmed with the hospitality of community holiday events, and Whatcom County is overflowing with cheer. Read about Fairhaven Winterfest, Deck the Old City hall and more here. 

Sandy Ward, the former head of marketing for the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour, is known as the mother of the Aviation Geek Fest, which draws aviation enthusiasts to Mukilteo, Washington every year. Originally organized in 2009 as a tweet-up – where #AvGeek Twitter users could meet face-to-face and enjoy a VIP tour of […]

With Mount Baker in the backyard, singletrack galore, and its oceanfront vistas and vibe, the state of Washington’s Whatcom County is a surf break away from being king of the West Coast. One rate, howling afternoon last October, the county captured the crown. Bellingham, Washington is not a surf town. Thanks to the surrounding mountains […]

We’ve been watching the weather reports like a hawk and the storm track this early season has trended further north. In fact, places like the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and the Northern Rockies have already been PUMMELED with snow. So, based on what we’ve seen, here are the top 5 ski resorts to visit for 2017 Thanksgiving. […]

Get your skis, sleds and snowshoes ready, winter-sports lovers, the snowpack level is “cranked up” and calling, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center. Snow levels are higher than average across the region. At Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains, the 53-inch snowpack is more than 500 percent of normal, with 10 inches usually seen at […]

Washington climbers go where and when it’s cold enough, for a sport that offers relatively easy advancement for newcomers. Kim Desrosiers couldn’t pinpoint exactly why she was so drawn to ice climbing, but as she unpacked her gear in the Cascades last summer, she knew she was exactly where she was meant to be. “The […]

Bellingham is a place I know a thing or two about—after all, I attended college in this Pacific Northwest town—but a lot has changed since I moved from Bellingham to Denver in 2000. For one thing, there are a lot more breweries in town (11 to be exact) and a wonderful new hotel. The 17-room Heliotrope […]

Thanksgiving break is a wonderful time of year to travel with family or friends, but it can also be the worst time to travel when you factor in flight costs and busy highways. For a more relaxing getaway at less than a three-hour drive from the South Sound, consider Bellingham and skiing Mount Baker for your Thanksgiving vacation. […]

I fell in love with Lynden this year. With it’s repurposed historic department store turned boutique hotel, scrumptious bakeries and farm to table cuisine, Lynden, Washington is becoming a go-to destination. It’s a great place to get away from it all and indulge in a little European country culture. Follow Elizabeth’s journey through Lynden, here. 

The handful of skiers lucky enough to grow up at the foot of the stormiest mountain in the country are distinctly a product of their environment Will Hutchinson, 21, is peering over the edge of a cliff that looks like a diving board, trying to spot his landing. The conditions at Mount Baker Ski Area […]

Morgan Stanley on Wednesday said that Starbucks’ stranglehold on the high-end coffee market is here to stay, despite some big names getting into the business. “Given the increasing importance of super premium chains to the category, investors–both public and private–are paying closer attention,” analyst John Glass said in a note. “Many of the high profile artisanal ‘Third […]

Washington winters are marked by rainy days and thriving evergreen trees, but snowfall can be rare in our area. If you’re craving fresh powder and the humbling experience to stand at the base of a regal mountain, check out these Pacific Northwest resorts. Mount Baker Ski Area Just east of the quintessential college town of Bellingham is […]

Who’s involved: The list of producers ranges from Bow Hill Blueberries and Bellingham’s Cascadia Mushrooms to Lopez Island’s Jones Family Fames, Sedro-Woolley’s Skagit River Ranch and Oak Harbor’s Hunter Moon Farm. It includes Silva Family Farms, home to the tastiest organic Albion strawberries and the Lummi Island Wild Co-op, whose salmon, tuna and caviar offerings will have […]

Craft beer was born out of rebellion. In the early 1980s, when the American beer landscape was populated exclusively by bubbly, light, relatively flavorless lager-style beers, a few visionary entrepreneurs started producing traditional English-style beers, aiming to give imbibers a more flavorful drinking experience. Washington helped lead the charge with breweries such as Redhook Brewery, Pyramid […]

No other resort in snowboarding’s canon plays host to as much legend, lore, mystique and history as Mt. Baker, Washington. Located just a stone’s throw from the northern border of the United States, Mt. Baker is a powder hunter’s dream resort, with thousands of rideable acres both in and out of bounds as well as terrain and […]

In Bellingham, Washington, the Spark Museum of Electrical Invention showcases 400 years of innovation history. The museum houses items related to harnessing electricity and energy, inventions that hail a significant change in the course of human history. There are more than 1,000 artifacts on display, including telephones, telegraphs, phonographs and even an original 1893 Edison […]