top of page
This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.Start Now

Local, Family-Friendly Outings & Activities

The ideas on this page were generated by parents at the first meeting of the Parenting in Community class. Please send additional entries to the program coordinator (becky@bellinghamchildcare.com) for inclusion in this list.

Apple Picking at Bellewood Acres
Located about six miles from Bellingham, BelleWood Acres is home to one of Northwest Washington's largest apple orchards. Pick your own apples (and pumpkins) and shop at the farm market for fresh, locally grown produce.

Bellingham Parks and Recreation Leisure Guide

Bellingham Public Library
The library offers free story times and other events for children of all ages.

Bloedel Donovan Preschool Open Gym (for 5 year-olds and younger)
Don’t let blustery, winter weather keep you at home! Come on over to Bloedel Donovan’s Multipurpose Room, the perfect dry place for your preschooler to have some fun. 

Boundary Bay Brewery
Note from Becky: we used to especially enjoy taking our kids to the hula-hooping night, which featured Reggae music by Yogoman. They provide the hoops! Very family-friendly until 9:00 p.m.

Bowling Alleys


Concerts in the Park
Summer months only!

Family Interactive Gallery (FIG) at Whatcom Museum
FIG is an interactive, hands-on museum space designed for children of all ages and their families. By offering self-directed exploration, play, and learning together, the FIG provides educational opportunities in many critical areas, including science, technology, art, innovation, problem-solving, early childhood literacy, and social and cross-cultural experiences. Visitors can explore activity stations, create art in the FIG Studio, or participate in activities.

Hiking in City of Bellingham Parks
Whatcom Falls, Lake Padden, Fairhaven, Boulevard, Cornwall, etc. See the City of Bellingham's Parks Guide for more information.

Hiking in Whatcom County Parks
North Lake Whatcom, Point Whithorn, Squires Lake, Hovander and many others.

Hike it Baby
Hike it Baby is dedicated to building communities that support getting families outside with children from birth to school age.

Hops 'n Headz
Apparently H & H doesn't have a website but they do have a facebook page:

Jumping in puddles on rainy days!
Fun and free, and easy to get to as there are puddles everywhere on a rainy day!

Larrabee State Park
Larrabee is a 2,748-acre camping park that has 8,100 feet of saltwater shoreline on Samish Bay. Though the shore is the main draw at Larrabee, freshwater Fragrance and Lost lakes provide excellent bass and trout fishing. Hiking and mountain bike trails wind through a forest of Douglas-fir and salal.  You must pay to park!The park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass.

Marine Park in Fairhaven
Marine Park is a beautiful stretch of waterfront park linking a nationally acclaimed trail system. The 1.9-acre park features a gentle sloping beach ideal for beach combing, building sandcastles, and kayaking. A newly renovated picnic shelter is available on a first-come first-use basis. It is located at 100 Harris Ave in Fairhaven and is open from dawn to dusk.

North Coast Preschool Open Gym
Open gym is an opportunity for kids under the age of 5 to explore — with their parent — new surfaces, engage in rough and tumble play, and intermingle with other kids within their age range. 

Perch & Play
An indoor playground and cafe. 

Squalicum Creek Park
This park offers ballfields, a basketball court, an off-leash area for dogs, a picnic shelter, playground, and 
restrooms. It is located at 1001 Squalicum Way across from West Street in the Birchwood Neighborhood. The website has a link to a map of the park's trails.

Vancouver Aquarium
A sanctuary in the heart of Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium, an Ocean Wise ® initiative, is home to thousands of incredible ocean species and amazing aquatic life. It’s also Ocean Wise headquarters, where scientists, educators and conservation experts do their work, not only to protect our oceans but to inspire others to join us in our mission. Since opening in 1956, the Vancouver Aquarium has connected more than 40 million people from around the world to our oceans and all the wonders within them.

Whatcom Kid Insider
This web resource offers a calendar of current, family-friendly events, activities and businesses with pages for inside and outside activities, sports and swimming, schools, camps and classes, and birthday guide. It appears to cover the entire county.

bottom of page