A harvest festival celebrated since the early 1800’s, Oktoberfest is traditionally held during the month of September in Germany. Here in the Northwest we mix it up, with some Oktoberfest events starting in September, and others held in October. It doesn’t make sense, and that’s ok. Because in Bellingham, Oktoberfest events are as good a […]

Fall and pumpkins go hand in hand. There’s something so festive about those massive pumpkins and how they emerge in perfect roundness from the earth. If you’re searching for where to find pumpkin patches near Bellingham in Whatcom County, treat yourself to a visit to one of these farms that stretch from Ferndale and Lynden […]

The latest segment of the Bay to Baker Trail was recently opened in north Bellingham, crossing through Cornwall Park. “The new trail connection through Cornwall Park is already getting a lot of use. With playgrounds, spray park, picnic shelters, and disc golf, Cornwall is one of our most popular parks. The new trail is a great […]

On a five-acre farm in northern Whatcom County, a family-owned and operated brewery is busy crafting unique small-batch farmhouse ales. There’s no public tasting room; no roadside sign announcing its presence. Just a 100-year old barn-turned brewery, a farmhouse, and some land for growing ingredients. This is Atwood Ales in Blaine, Washington (near Bellingham).  I […]

Now in its twelfth season, Bellingham Repertory Dance (BRD) continues to present high quality contemporary dance performance from choreographers from across the country. A nonprofit collective of highly accomplished performers, BRD brings two vibrant contemporary dance productions as well as youth and adult classes to the Bellingham and Whatcom County community each year. A new 7-day […]

No place tastes more like fall than BelleWood Acres in Lynden. The orchard and farm have been a favorite of my family for years. The opportunity to pick and play in the crisp autumn air is one my kids never seem to tire of, and out-of-town guests have raved about the experience. Owners Dorie and […]

In my household, it just wouldn’t be summer without a trip to the Northwest Washington Fair. In fact, I don’t know if it’s me or my kids who look forward to it more! This year the fair is Aug. 14-19, 2017. The basics Getting there – Located north of Bellingham, in the idyllic farming town […]

Let’s begin by answering the question, “What is a Pump Track?” Greg Heil, editor of the mountain bike daily SingleTracks.com, lays it down, “A pump track is a continuous circuit of dirt rollers, berms, and jumps that loops back on itself, allowing you to ride it continuously” Source: SingleTracks.com  With the track as the foundation, […]

It’s the middle of summer. It’s hot. What’s the best way to beat the heat? Ice cream is good. So is jumping in the lake. And sledding. Sledding?? Yes, sledding. It’s one of the benefits of living so close to Mt. Baker. At 5,100 feet above sea level, Artist Point on Mt. Baker is the […]

If immersing yourself in the local art and music of the places you visit is your thing, Make.Shift Art Space is the place to discover the talents of Bellingham and Whatcom County music and visual artists. Make.Shift is an all-ages DIY nonprofit art and music venue located in the core of Bellingham’s Downtown Arts District. […]

In our Basecamp Bellingham series, we are sharing stories about talented local athletes who choose to call Bellingham “Home”.  Krissy Moehl is a veteran elite ultramarathon runner, her home base is Bellingham, Washington. As a professional sponsored athlete, Krissy runs around the world for a living. In her 16 years in the industry, she has expanded […]

By now you’ve heard the ruckus: Melvin Brewpub, also known as Melvingham, is open in Bellingham. And it’s causing quite the commotion. Beer lovers are flocking to Bellingham from around the northwest to check Melvin out. Folks are driving in from Seattle and British Columbia exclusively to try the new taproom. Seattle’s even a little […]

Polecat’s new single, “Come Along,” instantly feels like a Bellingham summer. When people find out that I’m a writer, they often make suggestions about who or what I should write about. That’s how I discovered the talented Bellingham band Polecat. They were suggested to me not only because they are one of Bellingham’s most well-known […]

If you’ve ever wondered about the seedy side of Bellingham’s history, you’ll need to take a walk with the Good Time Girls. A tour company delivered by costumed young women steeped in knowledge about the city’s less-known days gone by, the hour-long tours are full of humor and unforgettable insights. The Good Time Girls Tours […]

  The seaside village of Birch Bay, WA comes alive during the summer. Vacationers and day-trippers come to play in the surf, visit the water slides or enjoy a treat at the iconic C Shop. Miniature World Family Fun Center is only about a half-mile from the beach, and makes a great addition to a […]

There’s an idyllic piece of land that borders Lake Whatcom on the eastern edge of Bellingham. Called Lakewood, it’s a 15-acre site that Western Washington University purchased back in the 1920s for student recreation. Only in the 1960s were the first buildings erected on the site, as students began racing watercraft. Many generations of students […]

Feeling creative? Finding arts and crafts outlets for my creativity is exciting, relaxing, productive and fun–all at once! Bellingham and Whatcom County have a number of satisfying ways to quench your creative thirst. Local businesses able you to make your own ceramics and pottery, paintings and soap so you can hone your craft, decorate your […]

A rousing mix of classic rock and country music plays as I sip Icicle Brewing’s Dark Persuasion, squinting into the sunlight. It’s the quintessential Bellingham summertime activity: beer and music by the bay. Only this time, the experience proves even more sublime. I’m on a boat, Bellingham Bay underfoot. The world is my oyster. San […]

I spent the night at Silver Fir Campground on the Mount Baker Highway to enjoy the sound of the North Fork of the Nooksack River flowing by as I comfortably laid in my tent. The campground is 12 miles passed Glacier and offers an excellent base camp for exploring the Mount Baker Wilderness. There are […]

Whether you love rock, hip-hop, jazz, blues, soul, folk, or classical, Whatcom County has it covered any night of the week with a variety of live music venues. You can dance, bang your head, or sit and enjoy a savory snack and a drink, this list of my favorite venues will sate any music-lover’s quest […]

Curious about foraging in the Salish Sea, I recently set out on a tasting adventure by sea kayak off Lummi Island. We met our guide, Kristi with Moondance Sea Kayak Adventures, at the world famous Willows Inn on Lummi Island. There were two couples and myself who had signed up for the Wild Foraging Educational Tour sea kayaking […]

This spring the kids and I have been expanding our horizons with trips to Downtown Bellingham on the first Friday of the month for the Art Walk. Sure, we’ve been to the Whatcom Museum, but seeing the art in the studios where it is created gives it another dimension. Galleries, shops and restaurants all participate […]

Fire up the grill and break out the beer: Independence Day is right around the corner. In Whatcom County, 4th of July fireworks shows light up the night from Bellingham to Blaine, with more than enough local craft brews to go around. Here’s where to celebrate our nation’s independence — beer in hand. Haggen Family […]

Put on your red, white and blue and prepare to be festive. 4th of July in Bellingham and surrounding communities is packed with fun things to do. View parades, classic cars, tandem bikes, and fireworks by land and sea. Enjoy old-time games, outdoor music, craft beer, and delicious BBQ while you celebrate Independence Day in […]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: summer is (finally, officially) here. And it’s bringing barrels of brews along with it. Not just your typical lawn mowing beers, either. Bellingham is showing off a variety of styles this summer, from pale ales to browns, Citraweisse to Coffee Vanilla Stout. Read on to find […]

The Historic Fairhaven District may be just a few blocks square along Bellingham Bay, but it’s packed with at least a day’s worth of shopping opportunities in Bellingham. Stroll the tree-lined streets, and in these quaint and historic (or rather new) brick buildings, you’ll find just about everything you need to spruce up yourself, your […]

In a peaceful, serene setting, rests an uninhabited village known as Pioneer Park, far enough away from the hum of I-5 traffic that you can step back in time and get a sense of what life was like for the early European settlers to this region of Washington State. The village is an impressive collection […]

Sunday, June 18 is the day to honor Dad with a fun activity he’s sure to enjoy. Here’s a list of ideas in Bellingham and throughout the county: Take Him Out to the Ballgame This year, the Bellingham Bells are home on Father’s Day, against the Bend Elks at 3:05 p.m. What could be more […]

Artistic curves, kaleidoscopic colors, and the shine – oh the shine. This is the view of a car show on a beautiful, cloudless summer day in Whatcom County. It’s the history that draws me in. I imagine a local family out for a slow Sunday drive as I admire a 1911 Model T. Or I […]

For my family, summer doesn’t officially begin until we venture out to the local fields and fill our buckets with the first berries of the year. This week we did just that. Yum! Mid-June is a strawberry season in Whatcom County, and it is worth waiting for. Nothing compares to a perfectly ripe berry picked […]

On the south side of Bellingham is the quaint district of Fairhaven. It is known for the fun shopping and dining opportunities that abound in the area. Check out our Fairhaven page to see details. If you’re into history, check out FairhavenHistory.com. If you’re into nature, join this summer’s Trail Talks in Fairhaven Park. Recreation […]

After spending much of the last several months in hibernation, I’m pleased to announce that summer has finally arrived. And for my fellow Bellinghamsters, that means pairing two of our favorite things: sunshine and suds. Bring on the beer gardens! I managed to visit several local watering holes during May. (Was that Memorial Day Weekend […]

Looking to entertain youngsters during your visit to Bellingham? A robust calendar of children’s theater events takes place at Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY) throughout the year. For Summer and Fall 2017, BAAY offers productions of Madagascar, The Sword in the Stone and Pixie Pinocchio to name just a few.  Camps and workshops include […]

No matter what your age, haven’t you been fascinated by the ‘magic’ of the forces we cannot see and therefore struggle to understand? Wireless technology, radio and television transmission, and magnetism all seem to defy the confines of our physical world. And yet our daily existence takes them all for granted. That’s why my family […]

Whatcom County is home to a number of highly successful entrepreneurs who are quietly and methodically doing massive transactions with national and international partners every day. One of them is Paul Akers, the dynamic man behind FastCap, which operates from a 50,000-square-foot facility on Ferndale’s Pacific Highway. “Our main customer is cabinet makers who need […]

Ski to Sea — Whatcom County’s epic Memorial Day Weekend race — takes place May 28, 2017. Known as “the original adventure race”, this annual tradition began in 1973 and is still going strong over 40 years later. Teams begin at Mount Baker ski area, traversing 93 miles over a seven-leg relay. Officially, it all […]

You can get to know a lot about a community by the art being produced within it. Bellingham and Whatcom County host a complex, vibrant arts scene that includes a wide array, from the performing arts and poetry to the vastness of the visual arts. Here are just a sampling of the galleries, museums, guilds, events […]

Each weekend in and around Bellingham there is inevitably a race or some fun outdoors event that brings the community and visitors together to enjoy sports and our recreational bounty. The full scope is outlined at BasecampBellingham.org . The “Grand Daddy” of them all is the iconic SKI to SEA Race on the Sunday of Memorial […]

There’s no better way to get to know a town than by going to their public market. In addition to the Saturday Farmers Market, Downtown Bellingham has taken it one step further. The Commercial Street Night Market, hosted by the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, is the perfect way to kick off a weekend and get to […]

One of the natural wonders we are blessed with in the coastal Pacific Northwest is the intertidal pools that appear at low tide, revealing a whole world of critters who usually live under the water. The tide pools are especially remarkable during a minus tide. A minus tide is a low tide that falls below […]