How to Thrive During Your First Fall in Bellingham and the Pacific Northwest

So you moved to Bellingham just in time for fall? We love that! Fall is one of the four best seasons in the Pacific Northwest (😉) and we think it’s a fantastic time to move to the area (seriously, we wrote a whole blog about it), but that doesn’t mean it’s without its own challenges.

Fall is most likely the reason the PNW has such a reputation of being wet and rainy. While the belief that it rains every day in the Pacific Northwest is inaccurate, it does tend to rain quite a bit. Couple that precipitation with less and less daylight and fall can often feel like a tough puzzle to crack. But it is possible! With the right practices, gear, and mindset we can thrive through the changing seasons and conditions. 

Here are our tips, tricks, and recommendations to living life to its fullest in your first fall in Bellingham or the surrounding cities and neighborhoods. 

Things to Buy

We’ll start by recommending some purchases, but before we get there we want to take a moment to say that the right mentality will get you really far in our colder, darker seasons. It’s important to embrace the move away from summer and, as Ashley says, know that you aren’t made of sugar and that you won’t melt if you go outside in the rain. Have fun, get out of your house, and explore your surroundings! Ok, now let’s talk about some physical goods you may want to pick up. 

Rain Gear

The highest items on our list of things to buy are meant to keep you dry when you inevitably get rained on. Waterproof boots, pants, and a rain jacket will get you a long way toward enjoying the rain and getting out of your house to explore. If you can afford to, don’t stop at one set of gear. Try to find one set of outerwear that will be breathable enough to vent and keep you cool, but water resistant enough to keep you dry in a light to mid rain, and another set that will keep you dry in the event that you’re outside in a heavy rain storm. In regards to boots, I personally like to wear GORE-TEX hiking boots like these Altras (those aren't the exact pair I own because they’ve been discontinued) because ankle support in slippery season is a must and the tread is great for when I want to go off-roading. If you don’t want to spend for boots, waterproof socks are also fantastic but keep in mind your shoes will be wet next time you try to wear them.

Boot Dryer(s)

Depending on how many people are in your household, this might be a plural recommendation. Get yourself a boot dryer (or two if you live with several people)! It doesn’t have to be fancy, but know that sometimes putting your shoes over a vent to dry just won’t cut it. The best thing about boot dryers is that you’ll use them more often than you think. Oh, your shoe is slightly damp? Boot dryer. Whoops, your gloves got a bit wet because you threw a stick for your dog? Boot dryer. And do you know what’s really nice in the winter? Slipping your feet into some toasty boots before playing in the snow. If you read the bit about waterproof socks and thought they sounded like a better route than buying waterproof boots, we’d highly recommend you get a boot dryer. 

Power Sources

There are two things to keep in mind in this section. 1. Power outages don’t happen all that often and they typically don’t last too long, so buying something isn’t a NEED, but more of a WANT. 2. Our days can get pretty short as we get closer to the winter solstice, and by short I mean we get 8 hours of sunlight and it’s dark before 5pm. So even though power outages don’t happen all that often, they can feel pretty impactful when they do. If the lights go out in the evening your day really feels like it was cut short. 

Which brings us to our next recommendation and it’s all about making sure you can still see after a power outage: get yourself some batteries to power an emergency lamp, battery operated candles, or camping lights. For rechargeable gear like headlamps, phones, laptops, and anything else that doesn’t take a swappable battery. We'd either recommend looking into some small power banks or going all out and getting a power station from brands like Jackery or Anker to keep your essentials charged. 

If you choose not to purchase anything in advance of a storm just make sure all your items are charged before you go to sleep! There’s nothing worse than waking up and realizing your phone didn’t charge past 20%.. 

Home Entertainment

While we encourage getting out in the rain, we know that it doesn’t always happen. Heck, every fall we end up staying home and cozying up on the couch more than we’d like to admit. But staying home doesn’t mean things need to be boring. Make sure you stock up on things to do when you find yourself spending more time at home than usual. Books, video games, puzzles and new recipes can help keep the spirits up. To find some good reads we recommend checking out local book stores like Village Books and Eclipse Bookstore & Fine Art in Fairhaven or Henderson Books downtown. For all things video game, hobby focused, and puzzles, check out the new Cosmic Games location in the mall, Aegis Games downtown, or Reset Games near Sunset Square. 

Fun Itinerary

Ok, we’re done recommending things for you to buy (unless you want to buy a home in the Bellingham area, then we’re here to help) and on to the fun stuff. Let’s take a look at some of the things you can get out and do to keep yourself entertained through fall in Bellingham. 

Get Outside! 

This may just be the best tip we can give you: don’t stop going outside and exploring just because the summer sun is leaving us. Yes, it might be raining, and yes, you might get wet, but as our favorite Listing Coordinator/Realtor named Ashley Larson says, “You’re not made of sugar so you won’t melt if you get rained on.” As sweet as you may be, Ashley is right! Enduring a bit of rain isn’t the end of the world and being comfortable with the rain is a big part of living in the Pacific Northwest. Have you noticed that the locals don’t use umbrellas? 

If you stop going outside you cut yourself off from the activities that make this place so special. We can mountain bike all year round on Galbraith Mountain thanks to our even temperatures and grippy soil. Hiking at Artist Point and along the Mt. Baker Highway takes on a new shine in the fall because of the changing color of the plants. Exploring in the woods of the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve, Whatcom Falls, the Lookout Mountain Preserve, and Blanchard Mountain will have you surrounded by greenery and budding mushrooms. Paddling on Lake Whatcom, Lake Padden, Lake Samish, and in the Bellingham Bay get a bit more spicy with the fall storms, so be sure to bring your safety gear.  And walking along the coast line of Bellingham Bay at Squalicum Beach, Boulevard Park, and Teddy Bear Cove will put you up close and personal with the incoming storms. Whatever you choose to do, we hope that you continue to explore the nature of Bellingham and the surrounding areas this fall. 

Find Entertainment Inside

It feels silly putting this hot on the heels of our recommendation to get outside, but we all need some good indoor entertainment sometimes. Thankfully there are plenty of local businesses that provide things to do in Bellingham when we want to take a break from the great outdoors. You can catch a play or concert at the Mount Baker Theatre, watch some improv or a comedy show at The Upfront Theatre, or dance the night away at venues like the Wild Buffalo. Sample some winter themed drinks at our local breweries, cideries, or coffee shops (Jessi specifically recommends lattes from Makeworth and Cafe Adagio if you’re hanging out downtown). See if you can bowl a perfect game at 20th Century Bowl downtown or at Park Bowl in the Cordata area. Put your puzzling skills to the test with an escape room at Cryptid Escapes or The Eureka Room. Do some learning at the Whatcom or Spark museums, both of which are located downtown. Visit one of the many markets that will highlight local artists and holiday themed goods before Christmas. Go jump around and burn off some energy at Mach1 Adventure Park or Summit Adventure Park. If none of that catches your interest, be sure to get out and try some of the local restaurants that Bellingham is known for, or start prepping your skis and snowboard for winter fun up at the legendary Mt. Baker Ski Area! 

However you choose to tackle the adjustments that come with moving to Bellingham and the Pacific Northwest in the fall, we hope that you have fun. There are so many opportunities to get out and enjoy yourself and we hope you take advantage of as many of them as possible. If you’re new to the area and would like more recommendations, or are looking to move to Bellingham or Sudden Valley and want to work with the best real estate team in town, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

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.