ESCAPING THE GUYS: THE BELLINGHAM WHATCOM COUNTY GIRLS’ DRIVE
Story and photography
by Nancy Allen

In the busy, harassing, draining times we live in today even a short vacation can charge our batteries. Washington’s Bellingham Mt. Baker Region offers a refreshing idea at the start of each tourist season: affordable getaway packages that include discounts, lodging, and attractions all to entice girlfriends, couples, families and even men!

The Convention & Visitors Bureau ads say it all: “ Bellingham's Best Buys -- Save up to 50 percent on local lodgings from Couples’ Roadtrips (Get away with the one you love) to Let's Go Girls! Special deals just for women and their girlfriends on roadtrip packages. Whether for the weekend or an extended stay, we offer the breaks.”

Sounds good. Imagine my delight to manage a three-day getaway in this scenic Washington area with one of my best girlfriends.

It didn’t require too much thought. A suitcase, a rental car, sunglasses and some dollars. Not as much spending money as we’d have needed if we hadn’t first studied the brochures from the Bellingham Whatcom County Convention & Visitors Bureau that made useful suggestions as to where we might go and what we might do when we got there.

As we left Seattle, not unexpectedly raindrops kept falling on our heads. This didn’t deter our shopping instincts as we rolled north on Interstate 5 to the Seattle Premium Outlets. (After all, we are girls!) Ahead off I 5 lies the celebrated Chuckanut Drive, the most scenic route we could take to Bellingham. Rain clouds disappeared along the 21-mile coastal drive allowing a spectacular view and giving us a panorama of the San Juan Islands, Lummi Island and the Olympic Mountains as we passed by farmlands, towering trees and waterfalls.

The first night we chose the easily-accessible, comfortable and friendly Holiday Inn Express in Bellingham where breakfast is included with the price as well as local phone calls. (There’s even a free taxi ride from the local airport.) Adjacent to the hotel is the Bistecca Italian Steakhouse where, Mark Moehn, chef and manager, prepares his Northern Italian dishes –one favorite being the pan-grilled steak in a roasted garlic, red wine gorgonzola sauce.

Our choice for the subsequent night was the Hotel Bellwether located on Bellwether On The Bay. The hotel boasts not only waterfront and mountain views, but the Harborside Bistro Restaurant -- and across the parking lot, the Zazen Spa where we enjoyed a hour of pampering. For something fun and educational you should walk from the hotel to the harbor marina for the popular Bellingham Bay Tour aboard the Fairhaven, a 49-passenger vessel. (You never know what you’ll see, perhaps a Bald Eagle being chased by a seagull.)

Close by, the preference for our third night was the Fairhaven Village Inn located in the historic 19 th century district of Fairhaven. The Inn is a Victorian boutique hotel with rooms overlooking the bay or park and complimentary breakfast included. Walk across the street and check out shops, restaurants and local art or take a short stroll to the Chrysalis Inn and Spa. This inn boasts a 5000-square foot spa, 43 spacious guest rooms (each with its own window seat), and a restaurant, Fino. Back at your room at the Fairhaven Village Inn you can see the Alaska Ferry depart from the Cruise Terminal twice weekly, but why would people leave town when there is so much charm and history here?