Visit Bellingham
Blaine’s expansive waterfront is home to two full-service marinas that welcome boaters all year.
Words by Lorin Lindell
Photos courtesy Visit Bellingham
Blaine is located right at the U.S./Canada port of entry and while it’s not uncommon to bypass ‘border towns’ in anticipation of a final destination or returning home during a boating trip, this seaside community shouldn’t be. It has well-equipped marinas with many amenities, transient moorage and most importantly, easy access to many of the city’s essential services and popular sites.
The two well-known marinas in the area are the Blaine Boating Center and Semiahmoo Marina. Full-service facilities, both are easily accessible from the Strait of Georgia via Semiahmoo Bay and have excellent docking facilities and amenities. The latter, located on the south side of the entrance to Drayton Harbor, has 300 slips with transient moorage, plus secured grounds and marine diesel/90 octane fuel.
Should you prefer to stay at the Blaine Boating Center, it’s impressive as well. Just adjacent to the Semiahmoo Marina on the north side of the entrance to Drayton Harbor, it has 600-plus slips and 244 m (800 ft) of visitor moorage, ranking it as one of the larger marinas in the region. It has all of the facilities and amenities you’ll need while staying overnight or a few days. What’s more appealing is downtown Blaine is within walking distance from its slips.
Visit Bellingham
The beaches in the area are popular and try to visit Birch Bay State Park.
Check Out Downtown Blaine
With many shops, boutiques and specialty stores, this coastal city has several places to dine for every taste and budget. From trendy cafès and casual fare to fine dining, you’ll not only enjoy any one of the choices but have the chance to sample some local farm-to-table flavours.
If you have a craving for seafood, try the oysters at the popular Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. It’s about a ten-minute walk from the Blaine Boating Center (or a 20-minute drive from Semiahmoo Marina) and was just upgraded last season (2021) with an outdoor patio overlooking Drayton Harbor where the oysters are harvested, promising a fresh serving with every visit.
Another local favourite is The Vault Wine Bar, a restaurant and wine bar that has a choice of more than 200 vintages. Relax in its dining room or on the outdoor patio and let knowledgeable staff suggest and serve ideal food pairings with the wine of your choice.
Visit Bellingham
The Blaine Boardwalk. There are many opportunities to explore the city’s waterfront.
When it comes to outdoor attractions, there’s plenty to enjoy in and around Blaine. Some of the key attractions and sites include:
Marine Park
Overlooking Boundary Bay, this expansive park is a about two-minute walk from Blaine Harbor Boating Center. While your kids will love its nautical-themed playground, everyone will appreciate the picnic tables and on-site grills to enhance social gatherings.
The park (as well as the entire region) is very popular for bird watching and shelters have been erected to comfortably observe the variety of species. The North Cascades Audubon Society recognizes Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Spit as the most ‘northerly Important Bird Area of Washington State.’
Visit Bellingham
The ‘themed’ entrance to the popular Blaine Marine Park.
Peace Arch Historical Park
What’s unique about this park is its southern half and the iconic Peace Arch is in the U.S. and owned by Washington State Parks while the northern half is in Canada and owned by BC Parks. The Peace Arch, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, stands 20 m (67 ft) and was erected to honour the centennial of the treaties resulting from the War of 1812, thus establishing a peaceful and undefended border.
At 20 ac (8 ha), the park has beautiful gardens that consist of annual blooms plus seasonal azaleas, dahlias, and hybrid tea roses. There are also 85 unsheltered picnic tables and a large area with kitchen facilities for group events. When you visit in June, check out the International Arts and Music Festival with live entertainment, vendors selling local crafts, plus various foods and beverages.
Birch Bay State Park
It’s worth planning a day trip to this shoreside attraction, which is only about 12 km (7.5 mi) from Blaine. Spanning 269 ha (664 ac), Birch Bay State Park has 3.2 km (2 mi) of saltwater shoreline along scenic Birch Bay in addition to an impressive 5 km (3 mi) of freshwater shoreline on Terrell Creek, one of few salt/freshwater estuaries in north Puget Sound.
Camping is available and with the shore’s shallow warm water, swimming, paddle boarding and other water sports are popular. The park also has a designated boat launch or for some added fun, try harvesting clams at low tide. The season commonly starts mid-August.
Visit Bellingham
An aerial view of downtown Blaine.
Quench your Thirst with Local Flavours
Many regions in the Pacific Northwest are popular for farm-to-table cuisine, but the communities of Whatcom County touts its ‘farm-to-bottle’ offerings. From craft breweries to award-winning coffee brewers and distillers, the region is a haven for all kinds of locally-inspired beverages.
An assortment of choices is found in the cafés, pubs and restaurants throughout the county, but perhaps visit Bellewood Acres - the maker of apple Gin, Vodka and Brandy - or try any one of the craft beers from the 17 breweries in the area.
An Ideal Boating Getaway
Blaine is a well-rounded shoreside community where many attractions and activities are accessible by land or water. It’s where you can pull into a slip and reorganize amidst a longer trip or enjoy one last destination before returning to your home port. Either way, this ‘border town’ welcomes recreational boaters and chances are high you’ll plan a return visit.
For more information about Blaine and the greater Whatcom County area visit the Blaine Visitor Information Center or visit www.bellingham.org/blaine