About Whatcom County.

No surprise Whatcom County is home to one of the country’s best systems of county parks, and to vast stretches of true wilderness locked up into the North Cascade National Park. Dominated by 10,878 foot Mount Baker, it’s almost all mountains, so most of Whatcom County’s 180,000 people live on its western edge. Whatcom County is now home to the highest stretch of road in the state (7,150 feet) on its eastern boundary and to a uniquely isolated little patch of ground, four-mile square Point Roberts, 200 miles to the west. At 2100 square miles, it’s similar is size to King, Snohomish and Skagit counties.

Bellingham
Bellingham is the county seat, and though quaint is also urbane. With Seattle just 85 miles south and Vancouver, British Columbia only 57 miles to the north, more than 2.5 million people live less than two hours’ drive from Bellingham. More and more, people everywhere seem to know about this place. Bellingham was named to the list of Where to live and Play Now! CNN and Money magazine rates Bellingham among the eight best places to retire. Bellingham is home to Western Washington University, a university that is one of the best regional public universities in the Northwest.

Fairhaven
Fairhaven retains much of its turn-of-the-century maritime architecture and flavor. Many of the old buildings with their colorful and intricate stonework have been restored and trolley tracks still line the streets. A tourist highlight is the Dirty Dan Sculpture behind the Colophon Cafe. During summertime festivities you can see the Town Crier and Dirty Dan himself making the rounds around the street of Fairhaven. Once the Northwest center for maritime trade and commerce, Fairhaven sits just south of downtown Bellingham. Fairhaven is the southern terminus of the Alaska ferry as well as an Amtrak stop on the Vancouver, BC, to Seattle to Portland run. South of Fairhaven lies historic Chuckanut Drive, a narrow, winding, arbutus tree-lined road that skirts along the hills overlooking Puget Sound.

Lummi Island
Lummi Island is the most northeasterly of the San Juan Islands, is also the most easily accessed via the Lummi Ferry. Visitors need only take a six-minute ferry ride aboard the Whatcom Chief. Lummi Island is a serene 20-mile network of roads and has long attracted artists and artisans who typically hold an island open house tour several times a year. On your way to and from Lummi Island, stop at the Silver Reef Casino. Built by the Lummi Indian Nation, the casino offers non-stop fund and food with several restaurants and eateries.

Blaine
The City of Blaine sits on the border between British Columbia and the United States. Drayton Harbor, a nearly circular 4,000-acre jewel is one of the most important stops and is home to the Port of Bellingham 600-slip Blaine Marina and a private Semiahmoo Marina. Blaine is known for its strong maritime history. Blaine Sculptor Bob McDermott's "Vigil" stand watch over the harbor at the H Street plaza. Sitting in an exceptional setting between Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay is Semiahmoo Resort a seaside hotel featuring a luxurious spa and the number one and number three rated golf courses in Washington state; Loomis Trail Golf Club and Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club.

Birch Bay
The fastest growing area in Whatcom County, Birch Bay’s claim to fame is a large tide flat of sand several square miles in size that bares itself at low tide, and as the water creeps back in over the hot sand it warms to bath water temperatures in the summer. Also, Birch Bay, unlike other coastal areas in Whatcom County is void of railroad track running along the shoreline. It has one of the largest heron nesting areas in the state, a large state park at one end and outstanding birding throughout the year. Birch Bay is home to about 4,500 year-round residents, and in the summer population swells to well over 12,000 people, with Birch Bay State Park recording over a million individual visits each year. Birch Bay is home to several communities. Most popular is Birch Bay Village a gated community with 24/7 security, 9-hole private golf club, private marina and private parks and community pool with clubhouse. Other communities include Jacobs Landing, Mariners Cove, Bay Rim Condos and Point Whitehorn.

Point Roberts
A 5 square-mile section of land just south of the 49th parallel, Point Roberts or as the locals call "Point Bob" sits between the lower mainland British Columbia and the USA. To get to Point Roberts you have to cross through USA/Canada customs or take a boat. Point Roberts has a year-round population of about 1,500 people, increasing to an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 as cabin owners and their extended families return in the summer. Commercially, there is a large supermarket, a golf course, marina, gas stations, galleries, and a variety of restaurants and cafes to suit most tastes and most budgets.

Lynden
Located just 5 miles from the Canadian border and just 15 minutes from Bellingham, Lynden is a Dutch heritage community with roughly 10,000 year-round residents. Lynden is a agricultural and dairy community with beautiful homes sitting on shaded streets and has a strong private and public school system.

Ferndale
Just 6 miles north of Bellingham is the City of Ferndale. Ferndale has a year-round population of 9,000 residents and is home to employers Intalco Aluminum and Conoco Phillips. With it's close proximity to I-5, Ferndale is a easy commute north to Vancouver, British Columbia, and points south to Bellingham and Seattle. Ferndale sits amidst lush farm lands with the Nooksack River running through it. It's has small town charm with an affordable and quiet lifestyle.

White Rock, British Columbia
Just north of the International border between British Columbia and the United States sits a quiet seaside community of White Rock. The seaside town has much to offer and not just to budding geologists, either. Situated on the northeast side of Semiahmoo Bay, it’s the first stop coming north and is named after the nearly 500 ton boulder that sits on the shore just south of the town’s famed 1,500 foot pier. White Rock shares the advantage of other WaterSide communities in that it escapes the rain shadow of the coastal mountains north and east of Vancouver. As a result, it gets less than half of the rainfall of Vancouver and considerably more sunshine. Visitors are drawn first to the famous pier and the Marine Drive area. Boaters can clear Canada Customs, but should be aware that there is very limited moorage. You’ll find families fishing for crab and couples taking romantic sunset walks as they look over the bay and Point Roberts, Blaine and the San Juan Islands in the distance. White Rock is a popular dining destination year-round with a diverse line of restaurants and little shops lining Marine Drive.

Vancouver, British Columbia
Surrounded by water on three sides, Vancouver sits at the foot of a mountain range that tower over 4,900 feet. Since it outgrew Winnipeg, Manitoba in the 1920's, Vancouver is now the largest metropolitan area in Western Canada. Vancouver is home to a growing community of nearly 2 million people who enjoy one of the world's most modern and livable cities in the Pacific Northwest. Set like a jewel in the incomparably picturesque Fraser River delta, Vancouver meets the Georgia Strait at the foot of the imposing Coast Mountains. Like the city itself, the spectacular geography at first seems like too much has been crammed into too little space, but it works, and as visitors soon find out, it works beautifully A major tourist destination, Vancouver, visitor's enjoy city parks including world famous Stanley Park and other spectacular natural scenery.

Skagit County, WA
Skagit County sits just south of Whatcom County and is home to the Annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival every April. The county has a number of important advantages over other areas. Transportation systems, ports, Abundant resources, transportation and a relatively strong labor force combine to attract and maintain viable industries. Skagit County lies between two major metropolitan areas: Seattle/King County and Vancouver, B.C. COmmunities and cities in Skagit County consist of the county seat, Mount Vernon, Sedro Woolley, Burlington, Concrete, Hamilton, Lyman and to the west, La Conner and Anacortes.

San Juan Islands
Sitting off Anacortes, WA in the Puget Sound are the San Juan Islands consisting of Fildalgo Island, San Juan Island, Lopez Island, Orcas Island and Shaw Island. These islands are interconnected by the Washington State Ferry system. These islands are great havens for tourists, kayakers, mountain bikers and whale watchers. Many of the islands offer quaint villages with sheltered bays for the recreational boaters.

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
This area of the north Cascades contains many scenic and historical points of interest. Logging and mining is part of its colorful history with the forest rich in lakes, with about 800, mostly in alpine areas. Baker Lake, near Mt. Baker, produces hydro power for local electric utilities and provides exceptional recreation opportunities. Two tall volcanoes, snow-capped Mt. Baker (10,878 ft.) and Glacier Peak, tower thousands of feet above the adjacent ridges. The Forest is home to more glaciers and snow fields than any other National Forest in the lower 48.

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