If you choose the other direction, heading south does give you the best views of the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands.
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| Skagit Valley is well known for tulips in the spring. |
The road passes through Old Fairhaven, an interesting destination of its own with lots of quaint shops and restaurants.
All along the drive there are spectacular views. This is particularly true south of Larrabee State Park. Turnouts are available to stop for pictures. There is also trailhead parking for a variety of Chuckanut Mountain Trails and the Interurban Trail that runs all the way back to Fairhaven. Some trails allow mountain bikes.
On this trip, we didn't stop at any restaurants along the drive. Well known ones are the Chuckanut Manor Seafood and Grill, The Oyster Bar and the Taylor Samish Oyster Bar and Shellfish Farm. Parking is limited along the busy road and both are somewhat pricey. If you've been to either of them, maybe you can leave a comment with a review.
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| Rock formation at Wildcat Cove. |
There are restrooms, picnic tables and rocky shores to explore or bring a kayak to paddle the headlands. There's also a nearby year-round campground for those who want to stay a little longer.
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| Old Fairhaven |
Do you have any favourite day trips around Bellingham? Let us know. -- Margy
...I need to head out to the Skagit Valley, it sure looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very interesting place with farms, flowers, fishing and much more. - Margy
DeleteHello! I love Chuckanut Drive and stopping along the way to enjoy a good seafood meal. The Fairhaven district is fun, too. We enjoyed Whatcom Falls on a day trip. We are in Northeastern Washington now so our Chuckanut days are behind us. We had a great breakfast in Bow at Tweets!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information about Tweets. We've eaten at the Edison Cafe and the Longhorn Saloon before. Oysters at the Edison are our favourite. - Margy
DeleteWe've driven part of that drive - there's some great scenery there. Today, from Oak Bay in Victoria, we saw the sun shining on the Mount Baker and the surrounding mountains. It was a stunning sight, although the clouds moved in quickly and the light was lost.
ReplyDeleteUnexpectedly seeing the sun this time of year is always special. - Margy
DeleteWhat a beautiful area. Thanks for taking us along.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome. - Margy
DeleteHello, looks like a beautiful scenic drive. Lovely photos. Have a happy day and a great new week ahead!
ReplyDeleteHi Eileen. It's not the fastest way to get to the Skagit Valley but the most interesting. - Margy
DeleteMargy - nothing beats a good road trip. We just had a one-night stay in Missoula, which is about 2.5 hours south of us. As we approached our destination, snow blanketed everything but did not affect our driving. The perfect thing to get us in the Christmas spirit! Thanks for joining Mosaic Monday this week!
ReplyDeleteI love snow when it is on the ground but not on the road. Growing up in Southern California I never learned how to drive well in ice and snow. - Margy
DeleteHi Margy, we are Chuckanut fans too. Love the drive and all, Bob takes me to Chuckanut manor for dinner on my birthday--usually. This year we were in EW.
ReplyDeleteMB
We've never stopped to eat at any of the restaurants. We should one day. We are familiar with Taylor Seafood because they grow oysters and clam (I believe) here near Powell River. - Margy
DeleteThe photo of the tulips is gorgeous! Thanks for letting us know about the sale on your books too!
ReplyDeleteSpring is a very beautiful time to visit the Skagit Valley with all the blooming tulips and daffodils. They are grown for their bulbs not the blooms to sell. - Margy
DeleteWhat a scenic road trip! Thanks for taking us along with you.
ReplyDeleteYoko
It's a fun road for Wayne's little car with the top down on a sunny day. - Margy
DeleteSome beautiful areas to explore. Pity I am thousands of miles away.
ReplyDeleteI bet you have some fun drives near you too. - Margy
DeleteI love day trips and Hubby plans them for us now and then. I love the scenery that you shared. I really love seeing unusual rock formations, too.
ReplyDeleteWhen we are in Powell River day trips are often taken on quads (ATVs). That way we can explore the backcountry on logging roads. - Margy
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