The folks at the North Cascades Institute are brimming with excitement to welcome the public back to its campus on the shores of Diablo Lake this fall!

Whether you’re a serious kayaker or a casual lover of a calm paddle on the water, you’ll want to pick up the new Whatcom Water Trails Map, available outside the Bellingham Visitor Center on Potter street. Or email [email protected] and request to have a map mailed to you.

Before the pandemic, Jamie Petitto spent an adventure-filled weekend in one of her favorite Northwest towns--Bellingham, Washington.

Her Bellingham episode of Weekends in Washington is now live. See where she hits the trails for adventures in hiking, mountain-biking, beer-drinking, kayaking, belly-laughing and a whole lot of fun in "brew-tiful", beer-loving, Bellingham.

It is still important to remember to Recreate Responsibly for our personal health, and the health of others. We have created checklist to assist with planning your visit. Click here to view our Guidelines for Responsible Visiting.

As of August 2020, beachgoers in Birch Bay now have easy access to craft beer — right at the beach. Owned and operated by Bellingham beer industry partners Jake Gobeille and Darin Hamm, Beach Cat Brewing is Birch Bay’s first brewery. I visited this scrappy little nanobrewery during its first month of operation to meet Jake and taste some beach-brewed beer. Here’s what to expect from Beach Cat Brewing.

Families can save money picking their own apples while their children have fun learning about local agriculture this fall at Whatcom County’s Bellewood Farms & Distillery.

The public can choose from 22 varieties of apples in the orchard or in the store at the 62-acre Bellewood Farms. U-pick hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday beginning Sept. 5 through Oct. 31. Bellewood Farms is located at 6140 Guide Meridian, about halfway between Bellingham and Lynden.

If you love great food, boutique shopping, an amazing art scene and getting outside in a small town, you will love Bellingham’s Historic Fairhaven District. One of my favorite things about the Village is the fact that everything is local and can only be found here in Whatcom County, making it the perfect day trip from Seattle.

Have you missed art walks and visits to museums and galleries? The good news is that Washington State Safe Start guidelines are allowing museums and galleries to reopen in a limited capacity (and with plenty of precautions) during Phase 2 in Whatcom County. That includes a newer hidden gem I recently visited, Gallery Syre near Whatcom Community College in the Cordata neighborhood.

by Brandon

Since social distancing measures and shutdowns began in early March, most of us have been traveling less and staying closer to home. For those who need a getaway, 2020 is the year of the (local, socially-distant) road trip. With Phase 2 in full swing in Whatcom County, activities are limited, but my partner and I decided to carefully dip our toes in the travel pool once again. We eased in with a one-night local getaway on a weekday. Our destination: Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, only 2 hours north of Seattle and 30 minutes north of Bellingham.

With the highest regard for public health, hotels in Bellingham and Whatcom County rmaintain strict cleaning standards. To combat the Covid-19 pandemic, they have implemented increased protocols for sanitizing their properties daily and hourly to protect guests and employees. Learn about their many precautions here. Most hotels are open and ready to welcome you with social distancing implemented when the time is right for you.