A BALD EAGLE rises from a tangle of bushes and blackberries. Controlled as a hovercraft, it inches upward. A smaller bird floats underneath. Then another. Soon, four eagles stack the sky like totem carvings as parents drill their fledglings on wing control.
Western Washington, which has one of the largest bald eagle concentrations in the contiguous U.S. and Skagit Valley, with its salmon-packed estuaries and streams, attracts the national bird in droves. From mid-December to late January drivers often count 100 bald eagles just along Highway 20, although float trips on the Skagit River remain the favorite way to sneak a peek. The Skagit River Bald Eagle Awareness Team (skagiteagle.org) provides free talks and guided walks at Rockport’s Howard Miller Steelhead Park.
That’s just the start of the valley’s attractions, which include its tulip festival (tulipfestival.org) each April, when approximately 300 acres of flowers flood the county with Warholesque color. An hour north of Seattle and 40 minutes south of the Peace Arch crossing at the Canadian border, Skagit entices travelers year-round, and not just because they can ski and sea-kayak in the same day.
Behind the scarlet barns, strawberry fields, and wintering trumpeter swans lies a sophisticated foodie scene. Swing by Samish Bay Cheese’s (samishbaycheese.com) tasting room to sample nettle gouda, savor a crisp, local Samish Bay Pacific oyster, or don an apron at Mount Vernon’s Forte (fortechocolates.com) during a class any first or third Tuesday. See how all the flavors pull together at the late-July Bite of Skagit festival (biteofskagit.org), then walk off the calories in the waterfront village of La Conner, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. —AMANDA CASTLEMAN
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A Dixieland jazz band plays on a street corner as I roll down the hill toward Bellingham's Fairhaven district, its red brick buildings glowing in the morning sun.
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Vibrant swaths of red, pink, and yellow tulips flood to the horizon ...
From our Archives
Chuckanut Drive
ONCE A BURGEONING MIDCENTURY RESORT TOWN nestled on Washingtons northern coast, Birch Bay has quietly receded from the limelight like an ebb tide.
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WEDGED BETWEEN Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., this region stretches from Cascades to coast and includes the little city of Bellingham, the diverse Skagit Valley, and a whole lot of latte.
FEATHERS, FLOWERS, and a sophisticated food scene, all in author Tom Robbins Skagit Valley.
AN ANCIENT OCEAN FLOOR and sweeping mountain views spread out in front of poet Gary Snyder when he manned a fire lookout on Crater Mountain, high in the North Cascades, in the 1950s.
A COLLEGE TOWN with true Northwestflair makes for adventure in Bellingham.
ITS THE PERFECT introduction to the breathtaking North Cascades:a seven-mile loop trail that starts in an old-growth forest of fir,hemlock, and spruce; traverses meadows resplendent with glacierlilies and Indian paintbrush; circles the sparkling green jewel ofLake Ann; and ascends to Maple Pass (6,600 feet) for stunning views of snowcladGlacier Peak and a 360-degree panorama of the American Alps.
Washington grows 92 percent of thenations red raspberries, and most ofthem come from this area. With theSalish Sea to the west and the CascadeMountains to the east, the region providesa distinctly Northwest bounty.
From the Chuckanut foothills to the bay,Bellingham is popular with outdoorenthusiasts. But this medium-size collegetown is also bursting with indie cultureofferings that rival those of big cities.
NICKNAMED THE AMERICAN ALPS, the North Cascades offer a stunning backdrop for outdoor enthusiasts. Here, youll find magnificent 9,000-foot peaks, glistening glaciers, sea-green lakes, and rolling hills eventually giving way to peaceful farmland.
Find Out More
Please visit our Tourism Partners
Bellingham/Whatcom County Tourism
800-487-2032
City of Blaine
800-624-3555
Skagit Tours
877-875-2448