Bellingham sits on Interstate 5 between Seattle (about 130 km south) and the Canadian border at Blaine (30 km north). It is an easy drive from either direction, and an increasingly popular alternative to crossing at Vancouver.
By air. Bellingham International Airport (BLI) is served by Allegiant, Alaska Airlines, and a handful of other carriers, primarily with routes to California. Travellers from further afield typically fly into Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) and drive or take a bus north.
By bus. Greyhound and Flixbus connect Bellingham to Seattle, Vancouver, and other Pacific Northwest cities. The bus station is downtown, a short walk from most hotels.
By train. Amtrak's Cascades route runs between Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, BC, stopping in Bellingham (at a modest station). It's a pleasant ride with views of the Sound on the southbound leg, though schedules are limited.
From Vancouver. Bellingham is a convenient first or last stop for Canadian visitors crossing the border: it has a Costco and big-box stores that Canadians routinely use, plus the Alaska state ferry terminal in Fairhaven.