How to Beat the Summer Heat in Bellingham, WA

Those of us living in the Pacific Northwest have grown accustomed to comfortable and calm weather. For a lot of us, it’s why we choose to live here in Sudden Valley, Bellingham, and the surrounding communities. We prefer the predictable and pleasant weather that we have all year round to the extremes and volatility of desert climates. 

But sometimes nature can throw us a curveball and a summer heat wave blows into town. The pleasant, mid 70’s degree weeks of early summer may not prepare us for when the temperatures spike, but there are plenty of ways to beat the heat and enjoy it while it’s here. 

Here are some of our favorite ways to keep cool in Bellingham when the summer sun seems to have it out for us. 

Get Into the Woods

This may be surprising, but, besides the comfortable shores of a local lake, one of the best places to be during a heatwave is in a forest. Forested areas are often several degrees cooler than their surroundings and we can thank our local trees for that. So if you can’t find a body of water to promptly jump in, consider going for a walk or hike through the woods. Better yet, go on a hike that starts or ends near water so you can jump in afterward to cool down. Here are some of our favorite walks through the woods that can help you stay cool: 

Stimpson Family Nature Reserve: Stimpson has two loops and both are fantastic. The Geneva Pond Loop is the shorter of the two and circles, you guessed it, Geneva Pond, where you can often spot ducks, herons, and, on a super rare occasion, a river otter. The second loop is the Stimpson Main Loop and it covers 3.1 miles in some of the best forest Bellingham has to offer. While both of these are near bodies of water, you cannot swim in them, so be sure to find a different spot to swim later. 

Lookout Mountain: Like Stimpson, Lookout is just minutes away from most of Sudden Valley, and for a lucky few it’s literally just across the road. Lookout Mountain consists of 4,500 acres of multi-use land, so keep an ear out for runners and mountain bikers if this is where you decide to go. There are plenty of trails and loops to decide from, but one of our favorites ends at an unnamed waterfall. 

Blanchard Mountain: Blanchard Mountain is 20 minutes away from our office in Sudden Valley and offers hikes of varying difficulty. Hike to a serene lake via Lily and Lizard Lakes Loop Trail or take in the views over Samish Bay at the top of Bellingham’s most famous hike, Oyster Dome. Either route you choose has excellent tree coverage and fun along the way. 

Go to a Brewery or Cidery

Bellingham is famous for its beer scene. For nearly a decade we had an entire tourism campaign dedicated to our breweries: The Bellingham Tap Trail. And now we have the Trails to Taps relay, a team based running race that travels 35 miles and stops at 8 breweries and cideries.   

This one is largely for our 21+ readers, but go grab a drink and a bite to eat at one of our several local breweries. We have at least 14 breweries and 2 cideries within city limits and more in the surrounding county, each with delicious, frothy, and delightfully cold drinks. From the well known and large breweries like Kulshan and Aslan, to the smaller, more local feeling spots like Stones Throw and Gruff, Bellingham has something for every beer lover. 

Find your preferred brewery here.

Try Some Local Ice Cream

You know what pairs perfectly with a hot day? Ice cream. You know what also pairs perfectly with any day of the year? Ice cream. Just like beer, Bellingham has a ton of ice cream. Hop in the car, on your bike, or get to the nearest bus line and find your way to one of these spots:

Mallard Ice Cream: Along with your standard flavors like vanilla and chocolate, Mallard has over 700 other flavors. You did not read that wrong. 700. Now they’re not all available at once as they’re made in small batches and are rotated, but you can always find something unique at this downtown staple. 

The Selkie Scoop: Relatively new to Bellingham, The Selkie Scoop is part of The Portal Container Village at the waterfront and quickly became a local favorite. Their ice cream is certified organic, and comes from energy-neutral Straus Family Creamery. Don’t wait to get your ice cream from The Selkie Scoop though as they operate seasonally. 

Edaleen Dairy: Now this one is outside of Bellingham city limits, but you can find their ice cream in most of our grocery stores. Edaleen has some of the best soft serve ice cream around, which can be found at their stores in Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, and Ferndale.  

Don’t want to go to a store that’s stuck in one spot to get your ice cream? Don’t worry, we have mobile ice cream shops too. Kiwi’s Cones can be found at Kulshan Brewing’s K2 location from Thursday to Sunday, and the Sugar Shack can be tracked around the county via their Instagram account.  

Splash Around at a Splash Park

For all you parents, guardians, aunts, uncles, and caretakers with little ones that need to cool off, check out one of Whatcom County’s splash parks. 

Cordata Park: Cordata Park is relatively new to town and is still growing. With its splash park, a pump track for bikes and skateboards, picnic shelters, massive playground, sports courts, and trail system, you and your kiddos won’t get bored. 

Fairhaven Park: An oldie but a goodie. Fairhaven Park is appropriately located near the Fairhaven district of Bellingham. In addition to the splash park, Fairhaven sits on Bellingham’s Interurban trail, so visitors can walk for miles if they wish.  

Cornwall Park: Cornwall Park is one of Bellingham’s most accessible parks and sits nestled amongst several neighborhoods. As such it has several types of sport courts, playgrounds, picnic areas, and even one of Bellingham’s best disc golf courses. The spray park is open daily from June 15th to September 15th. 

Get On The Water

Hands down the best way to beat the heat in Whatcom County is by getting on, or in, the water. Be it via swimming, paddleboading, kayaking, tubing, or boating, there’s nothing better than taking a dip to bring your body temperature down. Every large lake in town has public access, a boat launch, and docks for swimming or lounging, so grab those towels, coolers, and life jackets and make your way to the water. 

Lake Whatcom: Lake Whatcom is the largest body of water in Bellingham, besides Bellingham Bay, and has several public water access locations, including three boat launches. Bloedel Donovan is the largest park on the lake’s shore and sits near the north end of the nearly 10 mile long lake. It offers a large playground, plenty of grass for relaxing, trees for shade, a swim-up dock, beach volleyball courts, a boat launch, and you can even rent kayaks, canoes, or SUPs through the summer. Head further south around Lake Whatcom and you’ll find the Sudden Valley Marina. The Marina provides a great place to store your boat for the season, launch a paddle powered vessel to explore the shallow shores around Sudden Valley, or to exercise your furry companion at the dog park. Directly across the lake from Sudden Valley sits Lake Whatcom Park, where you’ll find hiking trails like Chanterelle, beautiful bridges and old growth trees along Hertz Trail, and plenty of water access.   

Lake Samish: The shores of Lake Samish are primarily lined with private residences, but Samish Park and the Lake Samish Boat Ramp provide opportunities for public access. Samish Park can be found on North Lake Samish Drive and has a rentable day lodge for group gatherings, small boat rentals, a dock, and a shallow swimming area. 

Lake Padden: One of the most popular lakes in town is Lake Padden. This lake often freezes over in the winter, but through summer it is frequented by paddlers, anglers, swimmers, and hikers alike. The sports courts, playground, boat launch (for non-motorized watercraft or electric motors only), dog park, 2.6 mile walking path around the lake, public docks, designated swimming areas, and reservable picnic shelters provide an activity for everyone that wants to visit. Whether you’re looking for a place to cool down, or a trail to walk with a visiting friend, Lake Padden is a great spot to check out.

Bellingham Bay: If you can't make it to a lake, or if you'd prefer a more salty flavor, Bellingham Bay is always available for a swim. Join the brave few that jump from the Taylor Dock Boardwalk, or hike down to Teddy Bear Cove and swim amongst the bioluminescence. The water of Bellingham Bay may not warmest, but it'll certainly help you beat the heat.

We hope you're able to take advantage of the many opportunities Sudden Valley, Bellingham, and the surrounding areas provide to cool down when it starts to heat up outside. We sure do! But when we're not taking full advantage of what the area has to offer, we can be reached here on our "Connect" page. We'd love to talk to you about your home buying, or selling, needs. 

About the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team

For more than 50 years, the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team has helped buyers and sellers navigate the Sudden Valley and greater Whatcom County real estate market. Our passion for this community extends beyond real estate. We believe in supporting the people, events, and organizations that make this such a special place to call home.

Whether you're buying, selling, or simply exploring your options, we're here to be your trusted local resource.