This is a really cute and well kept park! The zipping is really fun and unique. There is something…read morefor kids of all ages and a great field for picnics or activities. Bathrooms are clean!

Squalicum Creek Park is a nice little park for a picnic, bird watching, or feeding the ducks. It is…read morea very small park with trails to access other areas. The water is stale and murky so I wouldn't recommend getting in it. There is a bench near the water where you can sit and enjoy the view, and a few picnic tables in the grassy area.

I like it. If you didn't know Arroyo means stream so the park is aptly named…read more This is indeed a little bit of a secret garden once you descend from the parking off Old Samish the city disappears and you enter the land of the fey... oh wait... shit people don't pick up their dog poop here either!!! Sonofa... seriously people #scoopyourdarnpoop. Other than the poop, it is a neat place with all sorts of options for trails. You can connect to the Lost Lake trail and to the Chuckanut Falls trail from here. My fav: you can park here and take an easy walk about 1.5 miles down the interurban trail to get to Teddy Bear Cove. Just be careful when you have to cross the street at Chuckanut Drive.

Arroyo Park has been one of my favorite spots in Bellingham since I lived here 15 years ago…read more The salmon are just starting to return for their upstream run. (11/11/2018). Last year was very light so, hopefully there will be more this year. Two years ago, there were hundreds running upstream to spawn. When the water, "boils" with their efforts to climb upstream and place their eggs in the same location they were born, it is a marvel of nature we are incredibly blessed to witness. Please keep pets and kids from scaring the salmon as they are expending every ounce of their remaining life energy to reach their soaring location. But, certainly visit and look closely to find the well camouflaged salmon. Many are well over 2-3' in length. You can often see them molting and splashing as they spend their last moments working hard to continue the salmon life cycle.

Fairhaven Dog Park makes use of the hilly terrain to provide a natural, enclosed area with a cliff…read morethat wraps around half of the park. This isolates it from the street traffic and probably provides a nice noise-free barrier for home owners in the area. The other barrier is a fenced industrial building that you hardly notice because of the trees and shrubs that obscure it from view. If your dog likes to wander off and is not good with name recall, you might not want to take your dog off-leash here because this is not a fully fenced/gated park. There are about 5, free parking stalls on 4th Street. This is also the beginning of a flat trail to the park which winds along a shaded canopy of trees with lush greenery on either side. The short, dirt trail leads you to a wide open area with tall grass. On the perimeter is a crushed-gravel loop that is probably about a quarter of a mile long. Park benches can be found along the way...some in the sun and others shaded by trees. There is another entrance further up the hill on 4th Street, but you have to find street parking. Plus, the dirt trail is steep at this entrance and descends at a 30% grade into the far-end of the park. Not a problem for young spry dogs, but something to consider for seniors with achy joints. There are usually just a few dogs here at any one time, and I've not yet ran into any aggressive dogs or unconcerned, dog owners. Some dogs play with each other in the tall grass, but there is plenty of space for dogs that don't want to play to enjoy exploring the smells in the flora and fauna along the path. I love that this park takes advantage of the natural landscape. The dogs seem to like it too because it provides a nice break from suburbia with an opportunity for both physical and mental stimulation.

This place is doggy heaven, as there is a wide-open space for them to run endlessly, play chase…read morewith other dogs and fetch with their humans. The only downside is that it's almost always muddy and the terrain is covered with pools of fetid-smelling water that has nowhere to drain. The park is situated at the bottom of a steep ravine that catches all the rainwater. Which might be ok once in a while if you have short-haired dog, or one who enjoys baths! My Romanian Mioritic Shepherd fits neither of those qualities! Archie LOVES running around in the mud or just laying down in a cool mud pool, hanging out. He had a great time but he's heading off to a bath--which he Hates--after playing at Fairhaven Dog Park!

Super cool park with lots of cool stuff to climb around on. My daughter loved it. And it had a…read morecreek running through it

A pleasant little park in a tiny Pacific Northwest city. Took my daughter here during some downtime…read morerecently and was pleasantly surprised by how well-kept and overall safe the playground was. She's almost 3 but absolutely loved the "big kids" portion of the playground - so much to explore and scamper upon. The little kids playground is a bit lackluster and blasé. The playgrounds have a small fence running around the perimeter so that kids don't wander off too easily. Nearby walking paths, a large bridge, relatively clean and functional bathrooms, a large gravel parking lot, and of course a small forest complete the park. FYI the big kids' playground has a bizarrely slippery and sleek steep bridge on it - would consider refiguring or resurfacing this bridge. There were also a decent amount of cigarette butts on the edge of the parking lot.

This place is the ultimate escape--think sunsets, beach bonfires, and pure relaxation vibes!…read more If you're into scenic workouts, you've hit the jackpot. Start your loop from Semiahmoo Resort, take the paved path by the marina on the left side, and stop by the Alaska Packers Association Museum for a breather. Then, stroll back along the beach, where you can swap bird-watching on Drayton Harbor's side for seal-spotting in Semiahmoo Bay. And trust me, there's no shortage of seals--they're practically putting on a show! Shell hunting? Jackpot--whole oysters everywhere! It's like the beach said, "Here, have some treasure." Oh, and if you're a dog lover, this park is like doggy paradise. Picture your pup frolicking in the sun, while you hunt down those blackberries that grow all over the Drayton bay side of the path. If you're staying at the resort, grab one of their free bikes and cruise the spit. Summer does its thing here, making the whole place feel like the set of a feel-good beach movie, complete with breathtaking sunsets that will make your Instagram followers jealous. This place is like a vacation for your soul.

We were lucky enough to visit the Semiahmoo Spit during low tide. I've never seen so many clams and…read moreoysters in one place, it was incredible. It was also cool to be able to cross the street and be right back on the beach. My dog had a great time running and playing on the beach, and my wife and I enjoyed picking black berries on the trails that run along the shore. The drive out to Semiahmoo was also beautiful. There is a museum/gift shop where you can park as well as a parking area further down the road past the museum. Its a great place for a day trip for a beach day.

Visiting my in-laws after a memorial service for my best friend in Seattle, hiking here was such a…read moregift. My brother-in-law parked in the small lot and did the longest loop. It's 4.4 miles and goes by a beautiful lake, tons of green trees, and places to sit. You just can't beat the deep green in Washington State.

No dogs allowed which is a bummer as most other parks allow, if only on leash…read more For sure there is some logic behind the decision. Hope it's not the same one that CA State Parks uses on a beach where dogs are not allowed as they can disrupt the sensitive habitat of birds but at the same time allows vehicles on the beach...

Pioneer Park is the perfect combination of a beautiful outdoor park plus the chance to take in some…read morelocal history. When you first enter the park you're greeted by a row of hand-built, historical buildings made by Whatcom County's earliest settlers and relocated to (what would eventually become) Pioneer Park. If you go on a day that some of the houses are open, for a small donation you can take a tour hosted by volunteers who know pretty much everything about the history of Ferndale and the county! The tour houses are set up with relics from the past - it's so interesting to see how the early settlers lived. Past the houses are open spaces where concerts are held, and the iconic barn which is the home of weddings, dances, and beer gardens throughout the summer. It's always fun to attend one of Pioneer Park's signature events, the Old Settlers Festival, where you are greeted with a ribbon denoting how long you've lived in these here parts, and then you get to enjoy the various vendors (and of course food!) before embarking to the barn where you will pretty much run into everyone you've ever known! Pioneer Park is also home to the beautiful and amazing Star Park, a children's playground build entirely by community volunteers. So now there are fun things for the little ones to do here, too!

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.