Good part for the kids to run around as well as trails to do Walks open area picnic tables very…read morefamily, friendly, pet friendly please clean up after your pet though.

We found this place by accident while on a different nature walk. It's gorgeous! The playground was…read morebeautiful, the grassy fields are perfectly maintained and the "watch tower" was such a great surprise! 100% will recommend this place to everyone I know! Pack a lunch and go enjoy some beautiful scenery!

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!

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.

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.

Discovery pass needed. Easy trek down to the beach. There's public restroom and water available…read morenear the beach entrance. We tried crabbing here twice. Definitely bring a spare lure; our first attempt, we had to cut the line as it got snagged on some rocks. Saw a lot of people on the beach, enjoying a picnic or even kayaking out to crab boxes in the evening. Beautiful park overall. Make sure you're sure-footed if you're going to climb the rocks.

The beach park section of Larrabee park is gorgeous. There's ample parking, then a decent that's…read moreabout a 45 second walk to a grassy lawn and a beautiful stage built in the early 1900s. There were people performing music on the stage and park goers enjoying on the grass. Just to the left of the stage there's a path to the beach. Another 2-3 minute descent brings you to a trail going left and right. The path to the left is a short trail to a rock you can sit on and climb down to get to the water. Further that way there's another beach. The path to the right leads to a nice beach with a great view and a shade tree. There were some bugs in the washed up kelp, but nothing too bothersome imho. We had a stand up paddleboard so we used the path on the right after the stage area. I would recommend anyone bringing gear down (scuba, kayaks, paddleboards) to use this beach. Larger crafts can use the boat ramp just north of this beach, and you can drive right up to that ramp (north of the stage and parking area). It was a beautiful park and a great place to picnic, enjoy the water, and view the sunset!

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. :(

Soon after I moved to Bham there was a movement afoot in my old neighborhood. You see, the…read morecitizens of York were dismayed that - despite being the oldest neighborhood in town - we did not have our own park. So some smart cookie decided a rocky knoll near the freeway could be transformed into an urban park, and a few years later we were there for the grand opening potluck! Rock Hill Park isn't easy to find (which I think makes it kinda cool), but if you do you'll find a fun place to hang out and play with the kids. There's a playground, and a shady picnic area. Being right next to the interstate means it's not real quiet, but it's definitely the oasis it was intended to be for the York Neighborhood.

This is a great starting point for a lot of destinations. For my initial trip, I covered Chuckanut…read moreFalls and Hemlock Trails. Pleasant but nothing too wildly exciting. This wouldn't be the place I'd first recommend to out of towners. As usual, take rest breaks as needed and pace yourself. It's not a real tough trail but may be a challenge if you're just getting into exercising/walking a great distance. There's a nice parking area with a fair amount of space. I could see that this may get packed on a nice day. There's one portable toilet at the parking area. I didn't see a sign requiring Discovery Pass but went ahead and put it out anyhow. I've noticed that some areas I had assumed that I didn't need it had in fact required.

One of my favorite hikes in the Bellingham area! Beginner level! Would be good with kids. Stunning!!read more