Bellingham, Washington Area Info
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Located on Bellingham Bay with Mt. Baker as its backdrop, Bellingham is the last major city before the Washington coastline meets the Canadian border. Bellingham is 85 miles north of Seattle and an hour south of Vancouver, B.C. Transportation links connect the community to the nearby San Juan Islands and Victoria on Vancouver Island. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will also be held in Vancouver and Whistler/Black Comb, just 1 hour to our North!
Bellingham has an active waterfront port that supports fishing, boat building, shipping and marina operations. Squalicum Harbor is the second largest in Puget Sound, with 1,900 pleasure and commercial boats moored. From Bellingham's ports, passenger ferries leave for whale watch cruises, tours to Victoria on Vancouver Island and cruises to the San Juan Islands.
The downtown area has a mixture of restaurants, art galleries and specialty shops. The cultural district includes the respected Whatcom Museum of History and Art. Originally built in 1892 as city hall, the museum's imposing brick building is the centerpiece of a four-building campus, including a children's museum.
Bellingham is home to Western Washington University on Sehome Hill, from which you have a sweeping view across the bay to the San Juan Islands. Visitors bound for Alaska depart on the Alaska Marine Highway System ferries from the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in the Historic Fairhaven District. Spend the day in Bellingham's renowned district's Victorian-era buildings. Here you can find shops offering hand-crafted products, local restaurants that serve fresh seafood plus art galleries featuring Northwest artisans. Popular condo living with the urban village lifestyle, Fairhaven remains the top pick in condo locations for people down sizing, retiring or relocating to Bellingham. Walk to shopping, coffee houses and restaurants from your home, walking and running trails and Bellingham Bay at your doorstep are hard to find elsewhere.
Fast Facts about Bellingham, WA
Founded: 1853
Population of Bellingham: 80,000 plus
Population of Whatcom County: 174,500
Elevation: Bellingham is at sea level
Bellingham in the Press and More Fun Facts:
Fancy Magazine designated Bellingham as a runner up in their Dog Town USA search, featured in their fall issue. Most notably, the publication brought attention to our city's active Humane Society and pooch-friendly community events (our dog Maggie participated this year in the small dog race at Lake Padden Park...she went the wrong way :-)
August 2006: Outside Magazine rates Bellingham as the Best Paddling Town in the nation, with "back door access to the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound and...Canada's Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island."
Dream Town USA: Outside Magazine recognized Bellingham as an outstanding place to live, work and visit and as a top ten Dream Town and Outdoorsy Community in the nation. (September 2001)
America’s Healthiest City: Organic Style Magazine touted Bellingham as one of seven best environmentally healthy oasis in the nation. (September 2003)
Hippest, Healthiest & Most Adventure Packed: Men’s Journal rated Bellingham 33rd among the hippest, healthiest & most adventure packed small cities in America and one of the best 50 small cities to live. (May 2003)
Breathe Easy! Cleanest Air in the Nation: For the fourth consecutive year in a row, Bellingham is rated having the cleanest air in the nation. (American Lung Cancer Association as reported by the E.P.A. May 2000-2003)
May 2006: Bellingham is among 11 cities with the cleanest air nationwide in a study by the American Lung Association (sixth year in a row).
Boomer Haven: AARP The Magazine rated Bellingham second among 15 Dream Towns for boomers looking to settle down in a new locale citing the city’s natural charm, affordable neighborhoods and recreational opportunities. (June 2003)
Adventure Town USA: National Geographic Adventure named Bellingham one of the top adventure cities in the nation. This issue themed Where to live and play now, describes Bellingham as the base camp to the Northwest. (September 2004)
February 2006, Where to Retire magazine did a story on Bellingham as a place for active seniors to live.
Beyond the media accolades, Bellingham is also home of two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank and TV's "Whose Line is it Anyway?" comedian Ryan Stiles.
More Northwest Area Info
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