Spotlight on Bellingham, Washington

This article originally published in the September 2010 issue of Adventure Insider Magazine. Bellingham, Washington is a growing city that has been able to keep the smaller town charm while offering some really exciting adventures. Being in the northwest corner of Washington state between Bellingham Bay and the North Cascades Mountain range makes Bellingham great for both water and mountain adventures. Bellingham has received awards for everything from best paddling destination (Outside Magazine in August 2006) to 7th best locale for mountain biking (Mountain Bike magazine in June 2001) to being named one of the top adventure cities in the United States by National Geographic Adventure.
On your next (or first!) visit to Bellingham, be sure to head up to Mt. Baker. A 30-45 minute drive up Mt. Baker highway (Highway 542) from the city of Bellingham will get you to gorgeous hiking or skiing, depending on the season. When I went towards the end of July, Artist Point had just opened due to the walls of snow along the road and I actually got to do a bit of sledding. With over 200 miles of trails, there is definitely something for everyone from the beginner to the more advanced hiker (http://www.fs.fed.us/ r6/mbs/about/mbrd.shtml). After a day at Mt. Baker, fill up on some authentic Italian food at Milano’s Restaurant (http://www.MilanoRestaurant.us) in Glacier, just off of Highway 542, or grab a beer at North Fork Brewery (http:// northforkbrewery.com), also just off Highway 542. The North Fork Brewery, also known as a beer shrine and Wedding Chapel, makes hand-crafted British ales served directly to the tap room from serving tanks. If you forgot your bicycle or ski gear, head over to Fairhaven Bike & Ski (http://fairhavenbike.com). In addition to renting equipment, the store is also a great place to jump onto the Interurban Trail into Downtown Bellingham or over to the Larrabee State Park. Looking for a great brewery in town? Besides being voted Best Washington Brewery and Best IPA in the Northwest by Northwest Brewing News, at Boundary Bay Brewery (http://www.bbaybrewery.com) you can find live music, community events, and a great local crowd outside in the beer garden. It’s not just hiking, skiing, and biking, you can also find kayaking, sailing, and even whale watching within miles of Bellingham city limits. With so many year round activities, it’s easy to see why Bellingham is one of the best adventure locations in the United States.

About Abbie

Abbie lives in Southern California and, in addition to being a freelance writer, teaches preschool Special Education. Originally from Delaware, she moved to California after graduating from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood development. Abbie earned a Master’s in special education from Cal State Fullerton while she developed a love for the outdoors and exploring. She has been an avid runner for more than ten years and has more recently taken up rock climbing. Abbie takes every break from teaching as an opportunity to get out and go (often with pups Daisy and Sadie in tow). Check out Abbie’s adventures on AbbieMood.com and keep and eye out for her soon-to-be re-launched travel sneakersandsuitcases.com, or on Twitter @AbbieMood! Abbie is an intern at the Matador Network, the budget expert for Planet Eye Traveler online magazine, and Managing Editor for Barefoot-Running.us. She has also contributed to BootsnAll, and Adventure World magazine. I was able to visit Bellingham courtesy of the Whatcom County Tourism Board, but the suggestions are based on my own opinions. [geo_mashup_map]