Really lovely area to explore the rocky coast of Washington. Free entry, free parking, plenty of…read moreplaces to explore, hike, enjoy a picnic, play on playgrounds, you name it. A bit secluded which just adds to its allure in my book. Love the coupling of large trees and rock beach right next to each other, such a unique thing to experience.

Birch Bay is probably in the Top 3 of my favorite state parks. It's in an idyllic, bayside setting,…read morewith a huge campground and lots to do in the area. I spent many a summer weekend tent camping there with my kids, and recently returned to camp again for the long weekend over July 4th. As any local will tell you, the Birch Bay area is THE place to be to celebrate and over-the-top Independence Day. Since my tent camping with kids days I've upgraded to a small teardrop travel trailer. Luckily, the majority of sites at the BBSP campground accommodate smaller travel trailers. They even have water/electric hookup sites but these are almost impossible to procure. Still, it was fun to boondock for four nights at one of their many double/group sites - which we shared with some friends. I was thankful for having a trailer, because it rained HARD for two of the days we were there and everything was soaked. Our group site (107/108) was also located near a bog so it got especially muddy. Still, we didn't let it ruin the fun - but it was a good reminder that it's never a bad idea to bring extra awnings and canopies on these PNW camping trips. The park itself is well-managed, with rangers regularly circulating and a camp host on duty most of the day. The bathrooms are clean and serviced regularly, and there are coin-op showers to keep you clean. The beach is a short walk from the campground, and an amazing place to watch sunsets. We also rode bikes into the village - it's perfectly level and there's a bike lane most of the way. We ended up at the local brewery, which was right across from the beach and a great place to listen to some live music and enjoy the weekend. Birch Bay State Park will always be on my radar for great, not-too-far-away, family-friendly camping spots. Reserve early for best selection!

I love this little park! I bring my dog here fairly often because it's near our home and the park…read moreand trails are well kept. There are three trails options within the park, all are probably no more than a mile and lead to neighborhoods. However its is a nice place to enjoy a lil walk through the woods, and possibly see some wildlife. The park has a few benches along the trail and a few picnic tables as well. Its a nice place to enjoy nature without actually leaving the city.

Whatcom County parks are great to explore anytime of year. Silver Lake Park is no exception. The…read morepros: -Rustic cabins with killer views of pristine Silver Lake -Quiet, secluded and clean -Roomy camp sites with clear signage to direct you around the park Cons: -Rustic cabins. The cabins are old and only the Baker has a shower and toilet. Bring your own bedding, towels and kitchen supplies. The cabins are truly bare bones. -Lockboxes for cabin keys. Make sure you have the numeric code before you leave home because you'll need it to open up your cabin. No internet signal up here. You'll need to drive down to Maple Falls for internet access.

Fun place to hang out and launch a small motorized water craft, canoe, kayak or paddle board…read more Fishing is good in the morning and later in the afternoon--if you can handle the mosquitoes.

Love this park, especially for an evening stroll or picnic!…read more This unique family park is located next to Sunnyland Elementary School and is the second oldest park in Bellingham, with a rich history and named to honor the fallen heroes of Whatcom County. Beautiful trees (30 to be exact) from Sugar Maple to Orchard Apple line the exterior and provide lots of shade. There are stone memorials dedicated to local fallen soldiers and each tree is dedicated as well. On Veteran's Day people leave flags and flowers. The back of the park leads to hiking trails, street parking is plentiful and we don't usually have trouble finding a spot. This is a beautiful, relaxing park but only way it falls short is they need more than one picnic table, so brings chairs or a blanket.

I'm a fan of this simple neighborhood park…read more Memorial Park offers a very large grassy area which is perfect for physical activity or lounging. Access to the Railroad trail can be found here. Street parking does not seem to be a problem. I wasn't at all concerned for the safety of my vehicle. The park is equipped with only one picnic table, offers several benches, but no cooking grills. I-5 traffic can be rather loud and irritating when trying to carry on a conversation.

Bellingham has so many great parks right inside the city, and Maritime Heritage is one of them. It…read morehas paved trails throughout the park, picnic tables, a creek running through it, and a fish hatchery. The fish hatchery is accessible and a nice place to watch the salmon. The park also allows fishing. We happened to visit during salmon run season. It was awesome to see so many salmon and also a little bit gross lol. However I highly recommend visiting this beautiful park anytime. Its a nice place to get away and enjoy nature without getting too far away.

There's good news and bad news in Maritime Heritage Park. The bad news is the park has seen some…read morerecent tough times. It has become a magnet for the homelessness and rampant drug use that - like other cities - has come to plague our town. The good news is the fine citizens of Bellingham have recognized the need for this park to return to being a safe, fun public space. So several local groups have started organizing events here designed to put the FUN back into the park. I see good things ahead for MHP. Meanwhile, it's still a place best avoided after dark. :(

Cute little park we found! The entrance is a little down the road from where my Apple Maps told me…read more We did the path to the right and there was an open field for my pup to play fetch at. Some benches the other way as well!

We love to visit this off the beaten path unique park. Great place to view bald eagles from the…read morepark and a scenic trail in the park. We love to pick up fried chicken from Nugent's Corner Market and head to this interesting park for a picnic. It is very clean and well maintained with wooden picnic tables placed in interesting spots. Also has restroom facility and a large play area for sports and other activities. We also love the scenic drive to this area!

This is my favorite trail in town. Because a part of the trail is uphill, it's great workout. Also,…read morethe part close to Big Rock Garden has lots of nature. It makes you feel like you are in a deep forest (although you are very close from Barkley Boulevard). Recommended route: Start at Barkley Village, walk up to Big Rock Garden, turn around, and walk back down to Barkley Village. A round trip should take about an hour if you walk at a brisk pace. From Barkley Village, take Railroad Trail (the trail behind Barkley Haggen) toward Whatcom Falls. Right after the St Clair detention basin on your left, turn left onto Klipsun Trail uphill all way to Sylvan Street. The trail continues in a woods, splitting into different trails. Follow the signs for Big Rock Garden. Warming: There are several pretty steep staircases. If you have knee or hip issues, this is probably not a great option. ***************************** If you found something useful in my review, please hit "useful" so that I can improve my future reviews. If you love food and traveling, follow me, or better yet, let's become Yelp friends! Thank you and happy Yelping! If you think your friends will find my review useful, please share it with them!

This trail takes you through a neighborhood. Most of the time you're in the trees, but you can…read morestill definitely see houses around you. If you live nearby it's a nice walk, but I felt like I was walking through someone's backyard.

Crossing the border here was a really fun way to mark my son's first ever visit to Canada! It's a…read morebeautiful park with lots of interesting info signs, walking paths, and gorgeous ocean views. We took a nice spring break road trip up from Seattle to Vancouver and plotted our border crossing here - it's a lovely route with lots to see and do and this was an excellent spot to stretch our legs. The dramatic 67-foot tall, brilliant white arch spans across the border into both countries and shines like a beacon against the grasses and ocean. It's beautiful and we had fun making a fuss of my son walking over for the first time haha! The most astounding thing was finding a neighborhood that seemed to be right on the border line haha! We had to google if they're considered Canadian or American lol!! Turns out they're technically on the Canada side - but was an interesting rabbit hole to explore. Customs/immigration sits just beyond the arch and is well marked. The short lines moved fast but this was a weekday - based on my reading it can have some very long wait times so we got lucky. The park has lots of paved parking, shelters and seats, but I didn't see any bathrooms anywhere. You can access the park from either country and its entrances are well marked.

The gateway to THE GREAT WHITE NORTH or CANADA as you may know it as! I've crossed through many…read moretimes on my way to Vancouver BC to cause mayhem and enjoy life..... Old glory on top of The Peace Arch signifies FRANK has arrived to the boarder. Part 2 of my journey is about to begin as I slowly grind my way to customs for a routine grilling and then the immortal words uttered with no smile from the person in the booth " WELCOME TO CANADA "! Enjoy the view and safe travels!