Bellingham between nature, water and culture

Nature trails, waterfront routes, exhibitions and a market each offer a different focus. Once you decide which themes you want to shape your stay, you can tailor your hotel search to your travel plans.

Nature across trails and seasons

The Sehome Hill Arboretum has 6 miles of trails and offers sweeping views of Bellingham’s cityscape and Bellingham Bay. Trails and views are two distinct features here: the trail network gives the destination a clear connection to nature, while the vista brings the city and bay to the fore. If you value both green trails and expansive views on your trip, you can take both interests into account when considering the arboretum.

The Native Plant Trail offers a different focus. It can be visited year-round to experience the seasonal changes in native plants and wildlife. The changing seasons are thus part of the nature experience itself. Visiting at different times of year brings different seasonal impressions to the fore.

Waterfront trails and docks

Boulevard Park lies along Bellingham Bay, beside South State Street and Bay View Drive in the South Hill Neighborhood. Its docks over the water include Taylor Dock. The Squalicum Harbor Promenade offers a different connection to the water: this paved waterfront trail is 1.5 miles long and runs around the Bellwether Peninsula and Squalicum Harbor to Zuanich Park. This lets you distinguish between docks in a park and a paved waterfront route with a named destination. Two different features can therefore guide your trip planning: the park’s location on the bay and a defined route along the harbor.

Art, history and culture

The Whatcom Museum campus in the Bellingham Arts District includes exhibition buildings for art, local history and natural history. A specific cultural focus is the permanent exhibition People of the Sea and Cedar: it honors the art, activism and ongoing traditions of the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Indian Tribe. Different interests are represented here: an overview of several museum areas and engagement with the themes of this specifically named permanent exhibition.

A market as a distinct focus

The Bellingham Farmers Market offers fresh produce and handmade goods, with more than 100 stalls. The market adds a distinct visiting focus to the nature and culture themes. Its range of products may interest you if you want to include a market in your travel plans alongside trails and exhibitions. You can explore Bellingham through a range of interests: green trails, waterfront destinations, museum areas and the market.

Discover more destinations: Ferndale, Lynden, Maple Falls, Glacier, Blaine, Deming.

Return to the broader travel overview: Whatcom.