Whether you’re hunting for bargains or looking for handcrafted wares, boutiques, or outdoor gear, Bellingham and the greater Whatcom County region have a ton of great places to shop.
Head to Downtown Bellingham and the Historic Fairhaven District to find unique shops full of locally made items. Just outside of Bellingham other neighborhood shops and antiques stores can be found on Front Street in Lynden, Peace Portal Way in Blaine, and Main Street in Ferndale.
Looking for larger stores? Check out Bellis Fair Mall, Meridian Street, and Sunset Square.
From I-5, Take Exit 253 & 254
A traditional downtown district with cultural flair. Features specialty shops, antiques, galleries, cafes, and restaurants combined with the Downtown Bellingham Arts District. The Bellingham Farmers’ Market is every Saturday (April-December), and this neighborhood is where parks, shops, and cultural organizations meet up with the historic and scenic waterfront. Street parking is available, but a large parking garage on Commercial Street is a great option as well.
Tucked into turn-of-the-century buildings with classic brick facades, find upscale galleries, clothing, jewelry, books, gifts, cocktail bars, and some of Bellingham’s best restaurants. Don’t miss Paper Dreams, Good Earth Pottery, and Village Books.
A regional shopping mall with five major department stores including Macy’s, JCPenney, Kohls, Old Navy and Target; and nearly 150 smaller shops (including American Eagle, Victoria’s Secret, and Forever 21). Features a food court with 14 vendors.
Running adjacent to Bellis Fair Mall, Meridian St. is a major arterial that offers local and nationally recognized stores. Nearby are Walmart, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby, and Best Buy.
Off I-5, take Exit 255 (turn onto Barkley Blvd and follow East)
Barkley Village on Woburn Street brings “a little bit of old-world charm” through its architectural design. The plaza features specialty shops, a fine grocery store with a food court and wine shop. In addition, there are unique restaurants including Scotty Brown’s and Jalapenos, and a 16-plex movie theater with IMAX.
Sunset Square features Joann Fabrics, Daiso, Safeway, Rite-Aid, Goodwill, At Home, Panera Bread, and several specialty shops.
Front Street in downtown Lynden highlights its Dutch heritage through architecture. The Jansen Art Center, Lynden Heritage Museum, bakeries, restaurants, antique shops and frequent events makes a day in Lynden delightful. Just out of town is the Samson Estates Winery featuring fine wines and liqueurs.
Locally owned restaurants, antique stores, and shops line Ferndale’s Main Street. Do a little shopping and dining before or after exploring Hovander Homestead Park.
Duty free stores sell alcohol, tobacco, perfumes and gift items that are duty free. Restrictions apply, such as, length of time out of the country and total personal declarations.
Canadian shoppers looking for cross-border savings can bring goods back from America, tax free.
Come stay in Whatcom County for a few days and take advantage of the duty-free allowances. Conveniently located across the border, Whatcom County has a wide variety in shopping, dining, and lodging that is sure to please all bargain savvy Canadians.
Find stores near the border in Blaine, Sumas, and Lynden.
Read more details about duty free shopping here.
