One of the most common questions that I ask other travelers is, “Where’s your favorite place you’ve been?” After an overwhelmed sigh, the traveler will usually talk about the location that has grown deep roots into their memory. Some people have asked me this question. And although I could never pick just one, I will have to say my favorite place is Bellingham, Washington.
I’ve visited twice, once with a group in 2008, and again by myself in 2009. Both times, I fell in love with the town and surrounding area. When locals in Bellingham heard I was away from home for a month, our conversation would go something like this:
LOCAL: Great! Where are you going?
ME: Here.
LOCAL: Here?
ME: Yeah, I’m here for a month.
LOCAL: Do you have family here?
ME: Nope.
LOCAL: Do you know anyone around here?
ME: Well, no.
LOCAL: You traveled halfway across the country to spend a month in Bellingham?
ME: Yup.
LOCAL: Uhm… why?!
That’s a good question. The myriad answers can be summed up in a single sentence: “I think Bellingham is cool.” For those who want more detail, though, here are the top 10 reasons.
1. There are hiking trails everywhere. I have never seen a city with so many greenways— you could walk or bike pretty much anywhere in that town and pretend you were walking through the middle of a forest.
2. There’s a giant bay. I mean, seriously. This is impressive to a Midwestern person, but pretty much anyone has to admit that bodies of ocean water make everything better.
3. There is a beautiful mountain on the skyline. Mount Baker never ceased to make me stare in wonder, though it was often cloaked in clouds.
4. There are purple starfish! Walk to the shoreline of Boulevard Park at low tide and you’ll be able to see dozens upon dozens of these incredible-colored echinoderms.
5. Bellingham has all the cool “Northwest” stuff. This includes but is not limited to fantastic weather, a great public transportation system, and a bustling farmers market.
6. It has fun art on the sides of buildings. These murals are everywhere, and you’ll also find a lot of interesting urban art.
7. It has one of the greatest churches I’ve ever visited. Speaking of cool wall art, here’s the one outside of the First Baptist Church of Bellingham. It was small, truly intergenerational, and full of ridiculously friendly people. I miss them all.
8. It has well-populated parks. I visited during the school year, granted, but every single day I visited any of the parks, they were packed out with people reading, playing sports, and generally socializing. With all that fresh air, it’s no wonder that I never saw any overweight people when I was there!
9. It is within day-trip distance of the San Juan Islands and Seattle, two more of my favorite places. A one-day drive gets you to this place (Orcas Island). Amazing? I think so.
10. And finally, it has Mallard Ice Cream. This ice cream place in downtown is happiness on a cone, featuring such flavors as grape (it’s surprisingly delicious), maple walnut, and hot pepper.
Despite the locals’ confusion about my choice of a trip, Bellingham will always be one of my favorite places I’ve ever been. Three years have passed since I last set foot on its happy ground, and I miss it more than ever. Next time I’m in the Northwest, I swear, next time…
~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment