Bellingham's location makes it an outstanding base for day trips. The San Juan Islands are reached by ferry from Anacortes (45 minutes south) or by seaplane from Bellingham Bay. North Cascades National Park is about two hours east along Highway 20, which itself is one of the most scenic drives in the Pacific Northwest — open only in summer. The Skagit Valley, 30 km south, is famous for its April tulip fields. Vancouver, BC, is just 90 minutes north on I-5 and worth a full day. Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11) between Bellingham and Burlington offers dramatic coastal scenery and a handful of oyster bars perched over the water.
