Saturday, November 24, 2018

Bellingham's Chuckanut Drive


On sunny fall days, Wayne and I like to take road trips. Recently, we chose Chuckanut Drive from the Skagit Valley to Bellingham. We were heading back to Bellingham from Skagit Regional Airport where our Piper Arrow is getting her annual inspection.

If you choose the other direction, heading south does give you the best views of the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands.

Skagit Valley is well known for tulips in the spring.
Heading north from Skagit Valley, take the Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11) exit from I-5 and make a right turn at the traffic circle on the west side of the freeway. From the north, take the Cuckanut Drive (State Highway 11) exit from I-5 in Bellingham.

The road passes through Old Fairhaven, an interesting destination of its own with lots of quaint shops and restaurants.


All along the drive there are spectacular views. This is particularly true south of Larrabee State Park. Turnouts are available to stop for pictures. There is also trailhead parking for a variety of Chuckanut Mountain Trails and the Interurban Trail that runs all the way back to Fairhaven. Some trails allow mountain bikes.


On this trip, we didn't stop at any restaurants along the drive. Well known ones are the Chuckanut Manor Seafood and Grill, The Oyster Bar and the Taylor Samish Oyster Bar and Shellfish Farm. Parking is limited along the busy road and both are somewhat pricey. If you've been to either of them, maybe you can leave a comment with a review.

Rock formation at Wildcat Cove.
South of Bellingham, is Larrabee State Park. Follow signs to the Boat Launch in Wildcat Cove for unobstructed views of Samish Bay. Parking is free and $5.00 to launch a watercraft. Gates close at dusk.

There are restrooms, picnic tables and rocky shores to explore or bring a kayak to paddle the headlands. There's also a nearby year-round campground for those who want to stay a little longer.


Old Fairhaven
We continued on Chuckanut all the way to Fairhaven. It was a nice fall afternoon trip. One resource I use for travels and activities in Bellingham is the Insider's Guide: Bellingham and Mount Baker. It covers just about every topic you might want. You can check it out at Amazon.com.

Do you have any favourite day trips around Bellingham? Let us know. -- Margy

22 comments :

  1. ...I need to head out to the Skagit Valley, it sure looks beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a very interesting place with farms, flowers, fishing and much more. - Margy

      Delete
  2. Hello! I love Chuckanut Drive and stopping along the way to enjoy a good seafood meal. The Fairhaven district is fun, too. We enjoyed Whatcom Falls on a day trip. We are in Northeastern Washington now so our Chuckanut days are behind us. We had a great breakfast in Bow at Tweets!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the information about Tweets. We've eaten at the Edison Cafe and the Longhorn Saloon before. Oysters at the Edison are our favourite. - Margy

      Delete
  3. We've driven part of that drive - there's some great scenery there. Today, from Oak Bay in Victoria, we saw the sun shining on the Mount Baker and the surrounding mountains. It was a stunning sight, although the clouds moved in quickly and the light was lost.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unexpectedly seeing the sun this time of year is always special. - Margy

      Delete
  4. What a beautiful area. Thanks for taking us along.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello, looks like a beautiful scenic drive. Lovely photos. Have a happy day and a great new week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Eileen. It's not the fastest way to get to the Skagit Valley but the most interesting. - Margy

      Delete
  6. Margy - nothing beats a good road trip. We just had a one-night stay in Missoula, which is about 2.5 hours south of us. As we approached our destination, snow blanketed everything but did not affect our driving. The perfect thing to get us in the Christmas spirit! Thanks for joining Mosaic Monday this week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love snow when it is on the ground but not on the road. Growing up in Southern California I never learned how to drive well in ice and snow. - Margy

      Delete
  7. Hi Margy, we are Chuckanut fans too. Love the drive and all, Bob takes me to Chuckanut manor for dinner on my birthday--usually. This year we were in EW.
    MB

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We've never stopped to eat at any of the restaurants. We should one day. We are familiar with Taylor Seafood because they grow oysters and clam (I believe) here near Powell River. - Margy

      Delete
  8. The photo of the tulips is gorgeous! Thanks for letting us know about the sale on your books too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spring is a very beautiful time to visit the Skagit Valley with all the blooming tulips and daffodils. They are grown for their bulbs not the blooms to sell. - Margy

      Delete
  9. What a scenic road trip! Thanks for taking us along with you.

    Yoko

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a fun road for Wayne's little car with the top down on a sunny day. - Margy

      Delete
  10. Some beautiful areas to explore. Pity I am thousands of miles away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bet you have some fun drives near you too. - Margy

      Delete
  11. I love day trips and Hubby plans them for us now and then. I love the scenery that you shared. I really love seeing unusual rock formations, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When we are in Powell River day trips are often taken on quads (ATVs). That way we can explore the backcountry on logging roads. - Margy

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by. Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome. - Margy