is a good place to watch the sun setting over Canada. Just a brief walk from downtown, the park offers views over Semiahmoo and Boundary bays with the Peace Arch just over your right shoulder. Sit on a bench under a shady apple tree, or just relax and dip your toes in the warm tidewaters.
roughly marks the halfway point between downtown Bellingham and the historic Fairhaven neighborhood, and is a primo choice for a sunset picnic. With docks to jump off, over-water boardwalks to bike and walk on, it’s easy to see why Boulevard Park is one of the most popular – and sometimes crowded – beaches in Bellingham.
just a few miles south of Bellingham International Airport, offers over 200 acres to explore and is considered one of Bellingham’s hidden gems. It’s popular with skimboarders, kitesurfers, kayakers and beach explorers. When the tide is out, it feels like there’s no beach at all and you can walk out into Bellingham Bay for miles.
which can be reached via a scenic meander down Chuckanut Drive from Bellingham, is a great place for an adventurous date. The park is dotted with massive rock formations, sheer cliffs and a lattice of trails and beach access points. Start your hike in the forest, and end with a picnic on the beach.
is one of the jewels of Whidbey Island, and the perfect spot for a blustery adventure date, just make sure to bring a hat. The reserve is situated on a massive bluff overlooking the Olympic Peninsula, and features miles of trails to explore. The beach itself is sunny and relaxing,and Fort Ebey State Park also offers camping if you just can’t get enough.
is the perfect spot to take any film buff or Richard Gere lover. The fort, located in Port Townsend, was the shooting location for the 1982 film, An Officer and a Gentleman. Not only do the historical and cultural attractions make this a great spot, but the views from the Point Wilson lighthouse are like nothing else. Look north all the way to Victoria, B.C. or east to Fort Casey on Whidbey Island.
is a hidden gem of the islands. Located on Whidbey Island, this secluded beach is a breathtaking spot for a showstopper date. The view gazes across Skagit Bay towards Goat Island and the rest of Western Washington. The bay is not very well known to tourists, and you’ll likely only see a few locals on your explorations. It’ll be easy to feel like you’re the only two people in the world.
in Point Roberts is the place to go to be alone with one another. With the tide out, you can often see hundreds of bald eagles feasting on bullheads trapped in the tidal pools. Other times the eagles will be taking advantage of updrafts along the cliffs and be soaring overhead for hours. Keep your eyes open for seals, great blue herons and orcas in the waters off the park. Also a good place to find a pocketful of agates.
in Tsawwassen, B.C. is the northern counterpart to Point Roberts’ Maple Beach and offers miles of sandy tide flats and the warmest waters north of San Francisco (up to 80 degrees F. when the tide comes in late afternoon). Part of the Boundary Bay Park, it offers birdlife and nature trails, a seasonal café and washrooms. Walking south? Don’t go past the border marker unless you’re up for a chat with a U.S. Border Patrol officer.
