Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is a city of 93,438 people in Whatcom County, Washington, founded in 1852.
Why visit Bellingham
Townapedia lists 50 museums and landmarks, 73 parks and trails, 295 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 12 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Pickford Film Center, Mount Baker Theatre, Spark Museum of Electrical Invention and Aftermath Clubhouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 75°F; January lows average 35°F.
Weather in Bellingham
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bellingham
Bellingham is a city in and the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It lies 21 miles (34 km) south of the Canada–United States border, between Vancouver, British Columbia, 52 miles (84 km) to the northwest and Seattle 90 miles (140 km) to the south.
From the Wikipedia article Bellingham, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do12
Pickford Film Center
Cinema and theater · 0.5 mi
1318 Bay Street
"Open 30 minutes before the first showtime of the day, 365 days a year."
Mount Baker Theatre
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Theater in Bellingham, Washington
104 North Commercial Street, Bellingham
White City
Monument and historic site · 2.7 mi
Former amusement park in Bellingham, Washington
Museums and landmarks50
Spark Museum of Electrical Invention
Museum · 0.5 mi
Museum in Bellingham, Washington
1312 Bay Street, Bellingham
We-Su 11:00-17:00
Aftermath Clubhouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Building in Washington, United States
Alfred L. Black House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
House in Bellingham, Washington, United States
B. P. O. E. Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Washington, United States
Barlow Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic building in Bellingham, Washington, United States
Bellingham City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic building in Bellingham, Washington, United States
Bellingham National Bank Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Washington, United States
Daylight Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Office building in Bellingham, Washington, United States
Dr. William H. and Frances C. Axtell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
House in Bellingham, Washington, United States
Fairhaven
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Neighborhood of Bellingham, Washington, USA
Flatiron Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Bellingham, Washington, United States
Gamwell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic house in Washington, United States
38 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds73
Cornwall Memorial Park
Park · 1.5 mi
Park in Whatcom County, Washington, United States of America
3424 Meridian Street, Bellingham
Mo-Su 06:00-22:00
Lee Memorial Park
Park · 0.4 mi
This park is also known as the Lee Memorial Lawn or the Library Park.
210 Central Avenue, Bellingham
Mo-Su 06:00-20:00
Whatcom Falls Park
Park · 1.7 mi
Park in Bellingham, Washington, United States
1401 Electric Avenue, Bellingham
Mo-Su 06:00-22:00
61 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes295
Chelo's
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.5 mi
Mexican Fast Food We are open ‼️‼️‼️‼️ We are inside inside the Shell gas station.
1301 East Sunset Drive, Bellingham
Mo-Fr 06:30-19:30
5 Columns Restaurant
Restaurant · Mediterranean, Seafood, Steak, Breakfast · 1.0 mi
1301 East Maple Street, Bellingham
Tu-Sa 11:00-20:00 || 20:00-22:00 "Closing time varies."; Su...
Anthony's Hearthfire Grill - Squalicum Harbor
Restaurant · Burger, Seafood · 1.2 mi
7 Bellwether Way
Su-Th 11:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:30
Anthony's at Squalicum Harbor
Restaurant · Seafood · 1.1 mi
25 Bellwether Way
Mo-Th 11:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:30; Su 10:00-14:00, 15:00-21:30
Ashuri Baklava & Cafe
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Turkish · 0.4 mi
103 Grand Avenue, Bellingham
Mo,Th-Su 10:00-20:00
Aslan Brewing Company
Bar and pub · American, Burger, Sandwich · 0.4 mi
1330 North Forest Street, Bellingham
Mo-Su 12:00-22:00
Avenue Bread
Restaurant · Baked Goods, Coffee Shop, Sandwich · 0.5 mi
2301 James Street, Bellingham
Mo-Su 06:30-16:30
Bantam 46
Restaurant · American, Chicken · 0.4 mi
1327 Railroad Avenue, Bellingham
We,Th 16:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 16:00-22:00
283 more on the map.
History
Bellingham has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples for millennia. The city of Bellingham and its surrounding area is the intersection of the territories of many Coast Salishan peoples. The Lummi, Nooksack, Samish, and Nuwhaha in particular fished in Bellingham Bay and shared the hunting and gathering grounds in the nearby forests and prairies. Indigenous people continue to live in and around Bellingham, particularly the Lummi, who have a reservation directly west of the city.
The modern city of Bellingham, incorporated in 1903, consolidated four settlements: Bellingham, Whatcom, Fairhaven, and Sehome. It takes its name from Bellingham Bay, which George Vancouver named in 1792 for Sir William Bellingham.
The first European immigrants reached the area about 1852 when Henry Roeder and Russel Peabody set up a lumber mill at Whatcom, now the northern part of Bellingham. Lumber cutting and milling continues to the present in Whatcom county. At about the same time, Dan Harris arrived, claiming a homestead along Padden Creek, and after acquiring surrounding properties, platted the town of Fairhaven in 1883. In 1858, the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush caused a short lived population growth that established the community.
From the History section of Bellingham, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay13
Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham Hotel & Conference Center
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
714 Lakeway Drive
Churches and places of worship26
Central Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 0.8 mi
925 North Forest Street, Bellingham
First Congregational Church
Church · Congregational · 0.6 mi
2401 Cornwall Avenue
Sansui-ji Mountains and Waters Temple
Place of worship · Soto · 1.8 mi
2509 Cedarwood Avenue, Bellingham
Shopping48
Gas and EV charging34
Schools, colleges and libraries44
Healthcare22
Map of Bellingham
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 35°F | 4.6 in | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 35°F | 3.1 in | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 38°F | 3.4 in | 0.5 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 42°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 66°F | 46°F | 2.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 51°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 75°F | 54°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 75°F | 54°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 69°F | 50°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 44°F | 3.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 39°F | 5.7 in | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 35°F | 4.5 in | 0.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bellingham 3 Ssw Hcn (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Whatcom County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2025-12-12: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2022-01-05: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-04-23: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bellingham International Airport (BLI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Geneva 3 mi east, about 5 min by car
- Marietta-Alderwood 5 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Sudden Valley 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Ferndale 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Everson 12 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Alger 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Deming 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Lynden 13 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Anacortes 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Arlington 43 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Aerial View of Bellingham, Washington, Nick Kelly / Faithlife Corporation, CC BY-SA 4.0
- SPARK Museum, Feedmepaperr, CC0
- Mount Baker Theatre, Benjamin Cody, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.