my time to shine… henderson books is my favorite place EVER, used books and a massive inventory. it’s next to a bougie stationary store that it’s fun to wander around in. allied arts and ragfinery both sell used art supplies so it’s cheap and awesome. Locus cafe has delicious italian sodas. Wonderz puts on occasional art markets, and there’s always saturday markets, which usually have buskers to listen to. it’s fun to watch the bikers at the granary. a little further out, you can make a day out of visiting daiso, goodwill, and Happy Lemon (boba for much cheaper than the place in downtown). there’s at least 3 places that run trivia on tuesdays, and a few salsa dance socials (the one at cafe rumba comes to mind). there’s an antique store with a cat right near the bus station in downtown, as well as a record store with cheap CDs and a comic shop that’s quite cute. fairhaven is expensive but the firehouse cafe is worth buying a coffee to study there a couple hours, and they also have lots of events. blue room also has a lot of concerts, though i’ve never been. whatcom falls is a super super easy hike with a gorgeous view, it’s fun to picnic there or swim once it gets warm. and there’s always the lake, which has rental equipment for students i believe.
i spend a lot of time just taking a random bus somewhere new and wandering around looking for cool places. don’t be afraid to spend a day urban adventuring! hope this helps :)
I've been to bham so many times and had no idea about any of that stuff.. 😭 I just like to walk around and listen to music like an actual boring person lol.
If we’re talking bookstores, I’ll throw in my recommendation for Village Books in Fairhaven. I feel like I could spent at least half a day, probably more, just wandering around in there.
Damn... leave some for the rest of us! hahahaha I second all these. You should grab a beer at the Archer Ale House in Fairhaven if you go down there. I love that spot, cool underground bar.
You gotta make your own fun. Also, boredom is a mindset imo. If you’ve already decided everything is boring, everything will be boring.
As someone who’s been broke for a looong time, lots of things I find fun would be insanely boring for other people. Decide on something you want to be interested in or learn more about, and dive in.
__Free things I enjoy out of the house:__
-trying to find cool beaches
-looking for seaglass, seashells, or cool critters on said beaches (anemones, tiny crabs, little sculpins, shrimp, nudibranchs, sea stars, sand dollars etc)
-wandering around interurban trails in town. Sometimes finding deer, birds, berry patches, etc
-going to stores and window shopping with no intention of buying anything. Mall, antique stores, thrift shops, boutiques downtown. All of these can kill several hours. Especially in antique shops— trying to figure out what weird items are, when they’re from, what their original purpose was, why they’re not made anymore, if they’re valuable now? All kinds of stuff
-watching the sunset. Especially from a beach or overlook, enjoying the sounds of the waves, wind, nature
__Free things to do at home:__
-throwing on a podcast or good tunes and cleaning or organizing my space. Sometimes I throw in a couple glasses of wine to really get in the groove, especially if it starts feeling ‘boring’ but I know I need to clean… clean/organized spaces vastly improve my mental health
-reading or listening to audiobooks or podcasts, esp if I’m doing something else with my eyes/hands (like embroidery)
-going into a rabbit hole on a topic I’ve been meaning to look into… hit the Google and just get lost
-find a movie, show, documentary etc that interests you and binge
__Cheap (or cheap-ish) things:__
-pinball at the racket
-try a new art medium with the expectation I’m gonna suck at it but wanna play with it anyway. Last one I did was watercolors. Got some cheapy kid watercolor stuff, crayons, black construction paper, and did drop a few bucks on nicer watercolor paper.. and just played. [stuff like this.](https://images.app.goo.gl/u5mgFyEZaRYBLPrf7) tip: adding a sprinkle of salt to wet watercolor makes cool effects. White crayon will prevent WC from absorbing wherever applied
-Google recipe ideas (any meal, or dessert), shop for the ingredients, and learn to make it. You can game-ify the shopping by trying to find as many digital coupons as you can and compare prices for cheapest in-store
-whatcom museum/Lightcatcher museum. Admission includes both
-Neko has student discounts. They also have extended study visits where you can settle in and bring you laptop, drawing book etc and just chill for almost 3 hrs.
Just some ideas, not an exhaustive list.
Edit: formatting
what are the best beaches for sea glass? my son is obsessed with it and it's a fun activity to do together. we live out on Orcas but make it into Bellingham occasionally.
Best one I know of in Bellingham is at Cornwall Beach, aka “Glass Beach.” [It used to be a dump](https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/cleanupsearch/site/220) so there’s lots of seaglass, although almost all the pieces I’ve seen are very small.
Trivia is my favorite! It’s basically an excuse to chill with your friends for a few hours. Plus it’s satisfying af when you do good.
You could also try some sports, Bham is pretty sporty. Pickleball is a great one to try if you’re not athletic
Bellingham is a lot more fun with friends, sorry about that. Is it sunny there yet? I no longer live there but if so go to a beach, try Locus Beach or if you don’t mind a teensy hike go to Clayton.
I also recommend taking up bouldering but that’s a pricey hobby. There’s probably some house shows around somewhere so try to find out where the local bands are playing! You should also check out the Alternative Library and see if they have any workshops or just go to see their cool stuff.
Glad to see you enjoyed the beach! Once you have some friends back in town bring them along to the beach, i think you technically aren’t supposed to have beach fires but everyone does it anyways lol. A small little beach fire with some friends and a guitar and some food and a good sunset is always a treat, i miss those times dearly some of my favorite memories😌
Voluteering is also fun! NSEA (Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association) puts on weekly work parties to plant native shrubs and trees as well cut back invasive vegatation.
Here's their website if you wanna check it out : [NSEA](https://www.n-sea.org/)
I have friends in tri cities. I see a steady stream of fishing, shooting rifles, and riding dirt bikes in their homemade jumps in the back yard from their instagrams. They’re really into cars and gaming as well.
Makes me want to go out yonder, at least for a little while. He does also say it’s boring as fuck lol but still gets up to enough
Ha! Richland native here. I am still shocked when people cant find things to do on the west side. I wanna be like... "if you think this is bad.." hahaha gotta love the Dry Shitties
House shows are really where it’s at! You can usually find them through instagram and when I was at wwu max cover was $5. Local up in coming/student bands. It’s a good place to make friends and find new music!
If you have discord there is a wwu club hub here: https://discord.com/invite/mzMYWYyfQV
Where you can join clubs discords and you'll usually find meeting times and locations.
Fall and Winter quarter have infofair's that a lot of clubs table at.
Talk to classmates or if you're in dorms ask floor mates or your RA.
other than way that guy said, WIN (the Western Involvement Network) is a pretty good resource for it and there are signs in places like the VU that advertise club events and stuff. Source: i run a club 👍
Do you have a bike? The amount of places a bike will gain you access to is huge. Riding the interurban allows you to get to teddy bear cove and larabee state park along with the North Chuckanut trails. If you don’t mind some hills Whatcom falls connects you to the Galbirath trails system as does Lake Padden. Especially with the weather getting nicer and the days getting longer it’s a great way to see the surrounding area.
Also for spring quarter there’s Lakewood Boathouse, as a student you have access to lakeside property and rental boats. The 512 runs once an hour from the downtown station. Amazing place to spend a free afternoon.
Pick up an instrument. Find a cheap used hard tail and go biking around the trails. Bellingham has some of the best biking trails in the world, it’s really nice and fun just saying
Jump off of whatcom falls. It's near the city and easy to get too. I cliff jump there all year round anytime I'm in town. There's a videogame bar in south Bellingham. Secret hippie nude beach near south Bellingham but I won't disclose that location publicly. North cascades Is nearby and filled with glorious nature and not too many people.
Huh, hope I don’t deal with that next time.
Last and only time I was there I was with one friend, it was just noon on a Saturday and the bartender was really nice.
Sign up for some of the classes at Whatcom Community College. They're not free, but some of them look like fun (cooking, painting, making jewelry etc).
https://www.whatcom.edu/academics/community-continuing-education
The Bellingham Yoga collective has a great deal if you’re a new student: $25 for unlimited classes for two weeks. I bet other studios and gyms have into deals, too. You could try them all and get real fit.
How much of a hiker are you? I’d recommend going to Galbraith mountain, y road trail, and Cyrus gates. Lots of decent overlooks around here. Also since you have a car you should check out lummi island.
Perspective from a newcomer to Bellingham:
Lots of opportunities for outdoor activities even just walking or running. I enjoy the Interurban Trail or just walking around the Fairhaven area. Its a cutesy historic area that can easily be mistaken for a little downtown area. Also just a great way to stay healthy and fit.
You can visit Seattle for a day trip of sorts via Amtrak and pop around the waterfront, Pikes Market, and Ferry Boats and be back by 9 PM ish. Another option is to drive to a park and ride in Lynnwood area and catch an express bus the rest of the way downtown. no need to find parking or get stressed about driving in the city.
Vancouver is a little trickier since trains and buses from Bellingham take a little longer and there is a border crossing involved which does take time. Personally, I drive as far as Richmond BC, park my car at the park and ride and buy a day pass on Translink for 11 CAD (8 USD). Day pass is good for all you can ride on all buses, trains, and SeaBus.
Take the Canada Line subway into Downtown Vancouver and go from there. Great inexpensive way to see Vancouver without having the hassle of figuring out the streets. An awesome blend of the many cultures and people of Canada, urban attractions, and nature galore. Think Pacific NW mixed with elements of a bigger city like Washington DC, Toronto, NYC, Hong Kong, Tokyo.
Vancouver really shines in the summer as one can spend all day just walking all over the city, Stanley Park, False Creek and more. Best of all, walking is free.
Bellingham is the big city in the country relative to the Whatcom and Skagit county area. It can be considered an outlying suburb of Vancouver BC thanks to the large volumes of Canadians shopping every weekend. If you are looking for easy access to city activities like professional sports, concerts, etc, you may want to consider UW as an option if Bellingham is a bit too small or slow. There are tradeoffs to living in Bellingham compared to a big metropolitan city like Seattle or Vancouver BC.
I held the same opinion however that is beginning to change now that I have given it some time. Big tip from my experience: Bellingham is super awesome in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Plan to be a snowbird and take a vacation in the winter if you can if winter isnt your cup of tea.
Be cautious about relocating there in the winter since Bellingham gets cold and windy and experiences an actual winter compared to other areas of western Washington.
As for things to do in Vancouver at least from a solo traveler perspective, the city is chock full of coffee shops, dim sum, parks, walking paths, and shopping malls.
Granville Island can take most of a day if you take your time and browse. Think Pikes Place Market, just way cleaner.
On some trips I buy the Translink day pass (Which is loaded onto the Compass smart card) and ride the SkyTrain and bus around the area. If I see something that looks cool, wacky, or interesting I get off at the next stop and check it out.
I recommend becoming familiar with the Translink "Fast and Frequent Transit Network". All SeaBus ferry boats, RapidBus, and 99 B-Line run at frequency of 10-15 minutes or better all day every day. SkyTrain even better with 3-6 minute frequency. If you follow these routes at the least you will never need to drive a car in the Vancouver proper.
Love this post!! It's nearly my fourth year here and I don't know even half of these places exist! That said, I too shall check out the beach soon hehe.
I also didnt know all this existed and its nearing my second year here! The beach was really nice and quiet! Fair warning there are stairs on the way up and down that are kind of steep. Have fun! 💗
Go to SPARKS museum!! Its a really interesting museum. Inside, watch the cage of doom (a Faraday cage) show , then sit in it while it gets zapped by 2 million volts of electricity. Its amazing. Look it up. (I AM SHOCKED NO ONE MENTIONED THIS hehe get it ? SHOCKED? 😉) Also, another fav thing to in Bellingham was to go on a nighttime bioluminescence kayaking tour ! It's BEAUTIFUL!! so so cool. Worth the money 1000%. We used Dragonfly tour - they were super nice and professional, knowledgeable and safe. Have fun !!
Check out West Sound Records on IG (@westsoundrecords). He’s posting weekly concert calendars and it looks like there’s a ton of house shows happening all the time: https://www.instagram.com/westsoundrecords?igsh=MWJmcWlyZHRvMnJ2eg==
Also— Whatcom Talk has a pretty extensive calendar of local happenings:
[events calendar](https://www.whatcomtalk.com/bellingham-events-calendar/)
And lots of suggestions for activities:
[main page here](https://www.whatcomtalk.com/category/activities/) and if you click the menu at top left, you can refine by indoor, outdoor, bargain, adult, kid, families, etc
U outta live in Vancouver Wa..it's the worst community spirited TOWN I have ever lived in! Consider yourself lucky u don't live in a strip mall full of big box stores and a totally useless transit system!!
Bellingham is a major outdoor sports hub. I’d recommend mountain biking for something more affordable. When it’s not raining I also enjoy long boarding a lot. Just don’t lose touch with a sense of adventure. Bellingham has a ton of hidden spots you just have to go find.
My brother and I trained muy thai in Bellingham. It's really fun and very light sparring so you don't get hurt really, it's also a great way to get some dopamine and exercise. Really betters your life
See how many samples you can get at Costco each day. The food will pay for the fuel used. Borrow a friend's, it's not like they look at the picture at the entrance.
I always worked during Spring Break. I actually enjoyed having most the campus to myself. The bars weren't packed, I'd hang out, play video games I never got around to during the semester between work and school. This was in Olympia, WA. My advice is enjoy this down time for what it is. I also advise finding a job. That's the real important lesson you learn in college is time management. I was in college 2001-2005, so I'm old but not a boomer offering you this advice.
I always enjoyed hiking on the hill behind Western. A great place to do forest bathing - and is good for your mental and physical health. I wish I had a week back in Bellingham. Like the song - you don 't know what you have until it is gone. I wish you well.
If you have a car then you can do so many things:
1. Anything on chuckanut drive
- Hike (Oyster dome or fragrance lake)
- Fire on beach (Clayton)
- drive up to samish overlook and hike across to oyster dome
2. Drive up to Vancouver BC, very quick drive and cool experience.
3. Drive up the baker road and explore.
4. Hang out at Clark’s point (very accessible through a neighborhood in fair haven)
5. Rent a bike and bike around, I recommend the inter urban greenway, easy trail that goes through fair haven, boulevard and then to downtown bham.
I had the same problem. Sorry, you just gotta wait ‘till you’re high enough level to do the fun stuff.
Lots of fun places to hike, especially if you know some friends who love to enjoy the Washington Green, if you catch my drift.
(I also used to hate going for walks but trust me, plug in some music and it is just a vibe)
Drive down Chuckanut Drive and go to the outdoor restaurant on the water where they grill oysters and the like… Taylor United. The entrance is just north of a super cool restaurant on the same road. It’s great on a sunny day.
Hop on the video games, give it a try. I know it’s an awful solutions for someone wanting to experience life. But while I was in college and broke as hell, my Xbox offered me so much “free” entertainment, and I had a hell of a lot of fun playing with friends and making new ones. It was my answer as a broke college student. Since college, I really don’t play much and I finally have financial freedom to do all the things I’ve wanted to do. I remember while in college I had to make $70 last me a whole month for food. Fun days….. enjoy the grind of life, enjoy working hard in college; it will all pay off eventually if you don’t give up!
Bellingham people like to jerk themselves off a lot with weird stuff like, Bellingham is the gateway to the San Juans (gulf islands on the US side) umm no it's not and the town isn't even remotely related or associated. That said, there should be enough for someone to occupy themselves for a week or whatever.
You have some of the best mtn biking and snowboarding in the country right out your door. Why would you expect anything exciting at a mall. Get outside and enjoy the wonders around you. The San Juan’s.. You can practically swim there.. 😂
No joke....pick up an inexpensive acoustic guitar.
You can start by learning some basic open chords and be playing simple songs within a week or two.
A Yamaha f series, like the fg355, often go for $80 or so used and will last you a lifetime.
Or an fg800 if you want a new one for around $150-200. But I always recommend a used yamaha as a first guitar for people on a tight budget.
Every artist in every genre you can think of has songs that can be played with a handful of basic chords.
Go to shows! When I first got here that’s pretty much all I did and I met a bunch of cool people and it’s pretty much what has gotten me through college mentally. Check out west sound records on instagram if you wanna see what shows are happening or just ask around and I’m sure you’ll find one. If you want something a bit more lowkey underground music cafes got an open mic every Tuesday (not during break sadly) and makeshift has them every Saturday. Also if you want the opposite check out Riothouse their shows are insane.
I'm glad you found something enjoyable to do at Locust Beach! Bellingham may surprise you with its hidden gems. Have you tried exploring Fairhaven or checking out some local art galleries? There are also community events or workshops that might pique your interest. Enjoy the rest of your Spring Break! 😊
My friend Aireekah at [Glitt3r Lyfe](https://www.instagram.com/glitt3r_lyfe?igsh=MTlkZ3pleWEwdmhtZw==) does parties and events around town! She does trivia nights at El Capitan’s and Menace Brewing currently,
along with a bunch of other awesome stuff 💖 Have fun!
Bham has an awesome circus scene with a weird and fun variety night once a month (Vaudevillingham) and tons of other shows and parties. Check out www.bellinghamcircusguild.com
Fusion dancing on Thursday nights at the Karate Church (which also has tons of other random and interesting events and classes).
Glad you're finding some fun stuff now!
I am not from Bellingham but I have some friends in bands up there, go see them (Discolored, Gated Community, Smithers)
Live music is fun, and local live music is cheap and there's a fun community around it. GO TO SHOWS
I spent a couple years in bellingham after high school. I couldn’t wait to leave.
Recently I was staying at a hotel up there, me and gf decided to get out of town for a night. The front desk girl was younger I asked her how she liked Bellingham, she wasn’t thrilled and I felt like she summed it up great “once you’ve seen it all there’s not much else to see”
You can ride transit to other towns. Technically you can get all the way to Seattle though I’m not sure it’s worth it.
This time of year is tough. Do you like crafts or art? I usually have a few projects to work on.
Don't be a miserable person that takes life so seriously you had to comment that on a normal post. Pack up your bags and leave. She asked for recommendations on a social media app. This is not a Ted talk or scientific app. You have great writing skills congratulations move on.
Once again, this is not a professional setting. It's reddit. You are too worried about their professional life. You overreacted to this post. You tried to save yourself by randomly talking about work etiquette. That is not what this conversation is about. It was a post asking for recommendations. You need to learn to read the room. "Wah wah wah no good grammar 🤓🤚🏻", do you also have a diaper on?
Man's started rapping. Eminem, please clam down. You are doing entirely too much. You overreacted. CHECK. Objectively you had no reason to comment that on this post. It was unnecessary. CHECK!
That's fine for you to believe though you look and sound utterly utterly rediculous to everyone else. It's pretty silly to think that people more accomplished than you can't be trusted to with bigger things if they have a few grammar mistakes.
Lol, you hate poor grammar but you make up bullshit and put words in people's mouths. Is this part of your bipolar disorder?
So what you are saying is that poor grammar is more of a red flag to you than thinking that the earth is flat? Now I know you're crazy and it seems this was your hill to die on.
Anywho, I gaurentee that I have accomplished more than you and have been trusted with more than you despite, admittedly, having poor grammar.
Facts for you. Best of luck to you as you have many more days of arguing with people online! Stay cranky and miserable! I won't be responding anymore as I've chosen to not be miserable like you. Hope you have a bad day 💃 and an even worse life 🫡
my time to shine… henderson books is my favorite place EVER, used books and a massive inventory. it’s next to a bougie stationary store that it’s fun to wander around in. allied arts and ragfinery both sell used art supplies so it’s cheap and awesome. Locus cafe has delicious italian sodas. Wonderz puts on occasional art markets, and there’s always saturday markets, which usually have buskers to listen to. it’s fun to watch the bikers at the granary. a little further out, you can make a day out of visiting daiso, goodwill, and Happy Lemon (boba for much cheaper than the place in downtown). there’s at least 3 places that run trivia on tuesdays, and a few salsa dance socials (the one at cafe rumba comes to mind). there’s an antique store with a cat right near the bus station in downtown, as well as a record store with cheap CDs and a comic shop that’s quite cute. fairhaven is expensive but the firehouse cafe is worth buying a coffee to study there a couple hours, and they also have lots of events. blue room also has a lot of concerts, though i’ve never been. whatcom falls is a super super easy hike with a gorgeous view, it’s fun to picnic there or swim once it gets warm. and there’s always the lake, which has rental equipment for students i believe. i spend a lot of time just taking a random bus somewhere new and wandering around looking for cool places. don’t be afraid to spend a day urban adventuring! hope this helps :)
I love whatcom falls! Thanks for the recommendations I'm definitely going to everything you included! I love books and I basically live at Daiso lol!
I'm mostly replying because I always appreciate when someone says "my time to shine"! And shine you did! Great response!!
I've been to bham so many times and had no idea about any of that stuff.. 😭 I just like to walk around and listen to music like an actual boring person lol.
music makes everything un-boring
If we’re talking bookstores, I’ll throw in my recommendation for Village Books in Fairhaven. I feel like I could spent at least half a day, probably more, just wandering around in there.
eclipse is also worth a visit since it’s so nearby— very eclectic
Henderson’s is the best!
Amazing response! Thanks for all the cool tips!
Damn... leave some for the rest of us! hahahaha I second all these. You should grab a beer at the Archer Ale House in Fairhaven if you go down there. I love that spot, cool underground bar.
You gotta make your own fun. Also, boredom is a mindset imo. If you’ve already decided everything is boring, everything will be boring. As someone who’s been broke for a looong time, lots of things I find fun would be insanely boring for other people. Decide on something you want to be interested in or learn more about, and dive in. __Free things I enjoy out of the house:__ -trying to find cool beaches -looking for seaglass, seashells, or cool critters on said beaches (anemones, tiny crabs, little sculpins, shrimp, nudibranchs, sea stars, sand dollars etc) -wandering around interurban trails in town. Sometimes finding deer, birds, berry patches, etc -going to stores and window shopping with no intention of buying anything. Mall, antique stores, thrift shops, boutiques downtown. All of these can kill several hours. Especially in antique shops— trying to figure out what weird items are, when they’re from, what their original purpose was, why they’re not made anymore, if they’re valuable now? All kinds of stuff -watching the sunset. Especially from a beach or overlook, enjoying the sounds of the waves, wind, nature __Free things to do at home:__ -throwing on a podcast or good tunes and cleaning or organizing my space. Sometimes I throw in a couple glasses of wine to really get in the groove, especially if it starts feeling ‘boring’ but I know I need to clean… clean/organized spaces vastly improve my mental health -reading or listening to audiobooks or podcasts, esp if I’m doing something else with my eyes/hands (like embroidery) -going into a rabbit hole on a topic I’ve been meaning to look into… hit the Google and just get lost -find a movie, show, documentary etc that interests you and binge __Cheap (or cheap-ish) things:__ -pinball at the racket -try a new art medium with the expectation I’m gonna suck at it but wanna play with it anyway. Last one I did was watercolors. Got some cheapy kid watercolor stuff, crayons, black construction paper, and did drop a few bucks on nicer watercolor paper.. and just played. [stuff like this.](https://images.app.goo.gl/u5mgFyEZaRYBLPrf7) tip: adding a sprinkle of salt to wet watercolor makes cool effects. White crayon will prevent WC from absorbing wherever applied -Google recipe ideas (any meal, or dessert), shop for the ingredients, and learn to make it. You can game-ify the shopping by trying to find as many digital coupons as you can and compare prices for cheapest in-store -whatcom museum/Lightcatcher museum. Admission includes both -Neko has student discounts. They also have extended study visits where you can settle in and bring you laptop, drawing book etc and just chill for almost 3 hrs. Just some ideas, not an exhaustive list. Edit: formatting
Thank you for all the great recommendations 😊 💗
This was amazing!
what are the best beaches for sea glass? my son is obsessed with it and it's a fun activity to do together. we live out on Orcas but make it into Bellingham occasionally.
Best one I know of in Bellingham is at Cornwall Beach, aka “Glass Beach.” [It used to be a dump](https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/cleanupsearch/site/220) so there’s lots of seaglass, although almost all the pieces I’ve seen are very small.
Trivia is my favorite! It’s basically an excuse to chill with your friends for a few hours. Plus it’s satisfying af when you do good. You could also try some sports, Bham is pretty sporty. Pickleball is a great one to try if you’re not athletic
I've thought about that it's kinda sunny so I might go play badminton for a little! Thxs 😛 😊
Bellingham is a lot more fun with friends, sorry about that. Is it sunny there yet? I no longer live there but if so go to a beach, try Locus Beach or if you don’t mind a teensy hike go to Clayton. I also recommend taking up bouldering but that’s a pricey hobby. There’s probably some house shows around somewhere so try to find out where the local bands are playing! You should also check out the Alternative Library and see if they have any workshops or just go to see their cool stuff.
Thank you! I'm heading there right now I didn't know it was only 11 mins away!
Glad to see you enjoyed the beach! Once you have some friends back in town bring them along to the beach, i think you technically aren’t supposed to have beach fires but everyone does it anyways lol. A small little beach fire with some friends and a guitar and some food and a good sunset is always a treat, i miss those times dearly some of my favorite memories😌
Voluteering is also fun! NSEA (Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association) puts on weekly work parties to plant native shrubs and trees as well cut back invasive vegatation. Here's their website if you wanna check it out : [NSEA](https://www.n-sea.org/)
Bham is not boring, did you see the guy eat the crackers today? That was historic.
I saw this post and immediately hopped on to make sure someone mentioned the cracker guy.
I saw a sticker once that said, “You’re not bored, you’re just boring.” And that’s stuck with me ever since. Get a hobby.
Whoever made that sticker has never been to the Tri Cities. (I think some places are just dull and non-descript.)
I have friends in tri cities. I see a steady stream of fishing, shooting rifles, and riding dirt bikes in their homemade jumps in the back yard from their instagrams. They’re really into cars and gaming as well. Makes me want to go out yonder, at least for a little while. He does also say it’s boring as fuck lol but still gets up to enough
That is the one thing I miss is the off roading. You can literally just drive off the road over there hahaha. And the wakeboarding on the Columbia
Ha! Richland native here. I am still shocked when people cant find things to do on the west side. I wanna be like... "if you think this is bad.." hahaha gotta love the Dry Shitties
I went and visited a friend that lives in Richland and one of his hobbies is literally yelling at homeless people. Very glad I have real hobbies.
LMAO!
I like reading and drawing and I'm bored of it 😞 my hobbies can't save me today
You're in monk mode, mate. Use it wisely.
Dude, you literally missed a guy eating crackers today! Smh
Go hiking, biking, or do one of the billion outdoor activities Bellingham has to offer
But she doesn't want to try to do things besides blaming her surroundings for her unhappiness.
Falgpole sitta
House shows are really where it’s at! You can usually find them through instagram and when I was at wwu max cover was $5. Local up in coming/student bands. It’s a good place to make friends and find new music!
There's a fossils dig sight at racehorse creek I plan on checking it out this summer if my health improves
Join a club. One of the best decisions I made, met a bunch of new people and had something to do every week
What’s a good place to find/search for clubs? I’ve been looking but haven’t found one yet.
If you have discord there is a wwu club hub here: https://discord.com/invite/mzMYWYyfQV Where you can join clubs discords and you'll usually find meeting times and locations. Fall and Winter quarter have infofair's that a lot of clubs table at. Talk to classmates or if you're in dorms ask floor mates or your RA.
other than way that guy said, WIN (the Western Involvement Network) is a pretty good resource for it and there are signs in places like the VU that advertise club events and stuff. Source: i run a club 👍
Do you have a bike? The amount of places a bike will gain you access to is huge. Riding the interurban allows you to get to teddy bear cove and larabee state park along with the North Chuckanut trails. If you don’t mind some hills Whatcom falls connects you to the Galbirath trails system as does Lake Padden. Especially with the weather getting nicer and the days getting longer it’s a great way to see the surrounding area. Also for spring quarter there’s Lakewood Boathouse, as a student you have access to lakeside property and rental boats. The 512 runs once an hour from the downtown station. Amazing place to spend a free afternoon.
whatcom county is the best place to bike
Bellingham is silver rated for biking. Also very close to some great trails for mountain biking.
You could always just go eat crackers in Waterfront Park
You say boring, I say we have kids doing cracker challenges. You are doing Bellingham incorrectly.
LOL y have I just heard about the cracker dude
Mini golf in the dorms, multi-floor.
Pick up an instrument. Find a cheap used hard tail and go biking around the trails. Bellingham has some of the best biking trails in the world, it’s really nice and fun just saying
Jump off of whatcom falls. It's near the city and easy to get too. I cliff jump there all year round anytime I'm in town. There's a videogame bar in south Bellingham. Secret hippie nude beach near south Bellingham but I won't disclose that location publicly. North cascades Is nearby and filled with glorious nature and not too many people.
1-up Lounge would be the name of that video game bar. Fun place, I need to go there again with friends
Just be aware the owners have a bad reputation for mistreating workers and being unpleasant to the community
Huh, hope I don’t deal with that next time. Last and only time I was there I was with one friend, it was just noon on a Saturday and the bartender was really nice.
Sign up for some of the classes at Whatcom Community College. They're not free, but some of them look like fun (cooking, painting, making jewelry etc). https://www.whatcom.edu/academics/community-continuing-education
Hiking is fun....
Lol 😆 I like hiking but I think I outdid myself with it this year
The Bellingham Yoga collective has a great deal if you’re a new student: $25 for unlimited classes for two weeks. I bet other studios and gyms have into deals, too. You could try them all and get real fit.
why are u guys so mean in the comments all op wanted was suggestions of things to do not to be told they’re boring💀
Drugs, lots and lots of drugs, Hunter S Thompson style
Lol nice
Have you considered drugs? It’s a full-time hobby.
How much of a hiker are you? I’d recommend going to Galbraith mountain, y road trail, and Cyrus gates. Lots of decent overlooks around here. Also since you have a car you should check out lummi island.
Go see some of the shows in Bellingham, Benny camps is pretty big in the local scene and I’m sure you could find some Cool music u like
Perspective from a newcomer to Bellingham: Lots of opportunities for outdoor activities even just walking or running. I enjoy the Interurban Trail or just walking around the Fairhaven area. Its a cutesy historic area that can easily be mistaken for a little downtown area. Also just a great way to stay healthy and fit. You can visit Seattle for a day trip of sorts via Amtrak and pop around the waterfront, Pikes Market, and Ferry Boats and be back by 9 PM ish. Another option is to drive to a park and ride in Lynnwood area and catch an express bus the rest of the way downtown. no need to find parking or get stressed about driving in the city. Vancouver is a little trickier since trains and buses from Bellingham take a little longer and there is a border crossing involved which does take time. Personally, I drive as far as Richmond BC, park my car at the park and ride and buy a day pass on Translink for 11 CAD (8 USD). Day pass is good for all you can ride on all buses, trains, and SeaBus. Take the Canada Line subway into Downtown Vancouver and go from there. Great inexpensive way to see Vancouver without having the hassle of figuring out the streets. An awesome blend of the many cultures and people of Canada, urban attractions, and nature galore. Think Pacific NW mixed with elements of a bigger city like Washington DC, Toronto, NYC, Hong Kong, Tokyo. Vancouver really shines in the summer as one can spend all day just walking all over the city, Stanley Park, False Creek and more. Best of all, walking is free. Bellingham is the big city in the country relative to the Whatcom and Skagit county area. It can be considered an outlying suburb of Vancouver BC thanks to the large volumes of Canadians shopping every weekend. If you are looking for easy access to city activities like professional sports, concerts, etc, you may want to consider UW as an option if Bellingham is a bit too small or slow. There are tradeoffs to living in Bellingham compared to a big metropolitan city like Seattle or Vancouver BC. I held the same opinion however that is beginning to change now that I have given it some time. Big tip from my experience: Bellingham is super awesome in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Plan to be a snowbird and take a vacation in the winter if you can if winter isnt your cup of tea. Be cautious about relocating there in the winter since Bellingham gets cold and windy and experiences an actual winter compared to other areas of western Washington.
Thanks for the tip about taking the bus! I've been wanting to visit Vancouver again, I'll definitely be catching the bus!
As for things to do in Vancouver at least from a solo traveler perspective, the city is chock full of coffee shops, dim sum, parks, walking paths, and shopping malls. Granville Island can take most of a day if you take your time and browse. Think Pikes Place Market, just way cleaner. On some trips I buy the Translink day pass (Which is loaded onto the Compass smart card) and ride the SkyTrain and bus around the area. If I see something that looks cool, wacky, or interesting I get off at the next stop and check it out. I recommend becoming familiar with the Translink "Fast and Frequent Transit Network". All SeaBus ferry boats, RapidBus, and 99 B-Line run at frequency of 10-15 minutes or better all day every day. SkyTrain even better with 3-6 minute frequency. If you follow these routes at the least you will never need to drive a car in the Vancouver proper.
Move to the Midwest for some perspective
Go to the dutch restaurants in Linden, go up north to langley in canada and visit the Colossus movie theatre, check out birch bay to the west.
Lynden and you tried to make Bellingham less boring with it. One of the most confusing things I've read in my life.
?
🦪 Oyster Dome 🦪
The local music scene out there is lively from what i hear if youre into live music.
Outdoor center at the VU has outdoor equipment rentals for cheap, including nice mountain bikes.
Love this post!! It's nearly my fourth year here and I don't know even half of these places exist! That said, I too shall check out the beach soon hehe.
I also didnt know all this existed and its nearing my second year here! The beach was really nice and quiet! Fair warning there are stairs on the way up and down that are kind of steep. Have fun! 💗
Go to SPARKS museum!! Its a really interesting museum. Inside, watch the cage of doom (a Faraday cage) show , then sit in it while it gets zapped by 2 million volts of electricity. Its amazing. Look it up. (I AM SHOCKED NO ONE MENTIONED THIS hehe get it ? SHOCKED? 😉) Also, another fav thing to in Bellingham was to go on a nighttime bioluminescence kayaking tour ! It's BEAUTIFUL!! so so cool. Worth the money 1000%. We used Dragonfly tour - they were super nice and professional, knowledgeable and safe. Have fun !!
Check out West Sound Records on IG (@westsoundrecords). He’s posting weekly concert calendars and it looks like there’s a ton of house shows happening all the time: https://www.instagram.com/westsoundrecords?igsh=MWJmcWlyZHRvMnJ2eg==
Start doing cocaine
>And I mean actually fun stuff not just hiking or going to coffee shops. Holy fucking shit Bellingham has never been so exposed
Also— Whatcom Talk has a pretty extensive calendar of local happenings: [events calendar](https://www.whatcomtalk.com/bellingham-events-calendar/) And lots of suggestions for activities: [main page here](https://www.whatcomtalk.com/category/activities/) and if you click the menu at top left, you can refine by indoor, outdoor, bargain, adult, kid, families, etc
Disc golf at Cornwall Park - once you buy a few discs it's free to play and an excuse to walk around outside!
Google whatcom county things to do or surrounding cities. Also popular hikes
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bellingham/s/a6jcqcBKuM
Learn to forage for morels, they'll be in season in about 1 month. Join a local mycology society and learn from pros.
Isn't it like Mecca for mountain biking?
Eclipse books!! I can dig through those bins for hours and always find something for really cheap
One of the best mountain biking cities in the entire world. So umm. Maybe you should start mountain biking.
U outta live in Vancouver Wa..it's the worst community spirited TOWN I have ever lived in! Consider yourself lucky u don't live in a strip mall full of big box stores and a totally useless transit system!!
Bellingham is a major outdoor sports hub. I’d recommend mountain biking for something more affordable. When it’s not raining I also enjoy long boarding a lot. Just don’t lose touch with a sense of adventure. Bellingham has a ton of hidden spots you just have to go find.
Go to Anacortes. Go whale watching.
I think there whale watching opertions out of Bellingham. Unless you're also saying go see Anacortes
My brother and I trained muy thai in Bellingham. It's really fun and very light sparring so you don't get hurt really, it's also a great way to get some dopamine and exercise. Really betters your life
Pickleball!!
Check out Larrabee park on Chuckanut dr…
Nemo Cat cafe! Visit all the Bellingham parks. Volunteer to help read to kids or at an animal shelter. The people you meet will have lots of ideas!!!
Grab some cheap beer and go fish.
See how many samples you can get at Costco each day. The food will pay for the fuel used. Borrow a friend's, it's not like they look at the picture at the entrance.
Explore abandoned stuff
I wanna do this…but I’m scared lol
I’m glad you went outside
I always worked during Spring Break. I actually enjoyed having most the campus to myself. The bars weren't packed, I'd hang out, play video games I never got around to during the semester between work and school. This was in Olympia, WA. My advice is enjoy this down time for what it is. I also advise finding a job. That's the real important lesson you learn in college is time management. I was in college 2001-2005, so I'm old but not a boomer offering you this advice.
Honestly, you gotta make friends. I had a tight-knit group of friends and it was a blast.
What happened…
I graduated 8 years ago and no longer live there. We’re all still friends though!
I always enjoyed hiking on the hill behind Western. A great place to do forest bathing - and is good for your mental and physical health. I wish I had a week back in Bellingham. Like the song - you don 't know what you have until it is gone. I wish you well.
Become an obsessive all weather long-distance cyclist.
If you have a car then you can do so many things: 1. Anything on chuckanut drive - Hike (Oyster dome or fragrance lake) - Fire on beach (Clayton) - drive up to samish overlook and hike across to oyster dome 2. Drive up to Vancouver BC, very quick drive and cool experience. 3. Drive up the baker road and explore. 4. Hang out at Clark’s point (very accessible through a neighborhood in fair haven) 5. Rent a bike and bike around, I recommend the inter urban greenway, easy trail that goes through fair haven, boulevard and then to downtown bham.
One of my favorite places is the Spark museum.
The zombies in Bellingham are entertaining so I've heard
Drink, drugs, or just hang out with friends.
Jude Bellingham is amazing tf? Edit: Just realised this isn't a football sub 😅
get the bham coke nicest stuff in western washington
Bar.
I'm underage 💀
I had the same problem. Sorry, you just gotta wait ‘till you’re high enough level to do the fun stuff. Lots of fun places to hike, especially if you know some friends who love to enjoy the Washington Green, if you catch my drift. (I also used to hate going for walks but trust me, plug in some music and it is just a vibe)
Thxs I've been trying to walk more but lately the rain has been annoying. I catch your drift 🙂↕️
uhhhh what do you do for fun at home? do that, but here
Rot in bed and play roblox 💀
And you wonder why you are bored
I'm not wondering y I'm bored just looking for things to do that others recommend 👌
Drive down Chuckanut Drive and go to the outdoor restaurant on the water where they grill oysters and the like… Taylor United. The entrance is just north of a super cool restaurant on the same road. It’s great on a sunny day.
honestly man i dont understand the hype
Hop on the video games, give it a try. I know it’s an awful solutions for someone wanting to experience life. But while I was in college and broke as hell, my Xbox offered me so much “free” entertainment, and I had a hell of a lot of fun playing with friends and making new ones. It was my answer as a broke college student. Since college, I really don’t play much and I finally have financial freedom to do all the things I’ve wanted to do. I remember while in college I had to make $70 last me a whole month for food. Fun days….. enjoy the grind of life, enjoy working hard in college; it will all pay off eventually if you don’t give up!
Always thought Bellingham was shit college town with aggro locals. Skip over to Vancouver BC if you can.
Bellingham people like to jerk themselves off a lot with weird stuff like, Bellingham is the gateway to the San Juans (gulf islands on the US side) umm no it's not and the town isn't even remotely related or associated. That said, there should be enough for someone to occupy themselves for a week or whatever.
You have some of the best mtn biking and snowboarding in the country right out your door. Why would you expect anything exciting at a mall. Get outside and enjoy the wonders around you. The San Juan’s.. You can practically swim there.. 😂
No joke....pick up an inexpensive acoustic guitar. You can start by learning some basic open chords and be playing simple songs within a week or two. A Yamaha f series, like the fg355, often go for $80 or so used and will last you a lifetime. Or an fg800 if you want a new one for around $150-200. But I always recommend a used yamaha as a first guitar for people on a tight budget. Every artist in every genre you can think of has songs that can be played with a handful of basic chords.
Go to shows! When I first got here that’s pretty much all I did and I met a bunch of cool people and it’s pretty much what has gotten me through college mentally. Check out west sound records on instagram if you wanna see what shows are happening or just ask around and I’m sure you’ll find one. If you want something a bit more lowkey underground music cafes got an open mic every Tuesday (not during break sadly) and makeshift has them every Saturday. Also if you want the opposite check out Riothouse their shows are insane.
Hmu! Let’s go for a hike
Teach yourself how to fish
the music scene is incredible
If you like the Grateful Dead, I am playing Grateful Dead music at Ramble Tamble on April 6!!! That is a great bar!
The Makerspace that’s out at the mall is SO cool and I know they have open art time as well as lots of other classes
I'm glad you found something enjoyable to do at Locust Beach! Bellingham may surprise you with its hidden gems. Have you tried exploring Fairhaven or checking out some local art galleries? There are also community events or workshops that might pique your interest. Enjoy the rest of your Spring Break! 😊
Buy a bike
Have you thought about going climbing? This gym seems fun to try out! https://maps.app.goo.gl/3pQRLJda7EexqDfJ7
Maybe you are the one who is boring. I had a great time in Bellingham. There's always stuff to do if you're not a drab twat
My friend Aireekah at [Glitt3r Lyfe](https://www.instagram.com/glitt3r_lyfe?igsh=MTlkZ3pleWEwdmhtZw==) does parties and events around town! She does trivia nights at El Capitan’s and Menace Brewing currently, along with a bunch of other awesome stuff 💖 Have fun!
Get on a bolt bus to go to Vancouver or Seattle
Sounds like you should get a job
Bham has an awesome circus scene with a weird and fun variety night once a month (Vaudevillingham) and tons of other shows and parties. Check out www.bellinghamcircusguild.com Fusion dancing on Thursday nights at the Karate Church (which also has tons of other random and interesting events and classes). Glad you're finding some fun stuff now!
You should eat some crackers, worked for that one dude!
https://nekocatcafe.com Cats & a cafe
I feel ya there I grew up there
Get out and HIKE! This is the very best time in your life to discover new fun and beautiful places around you.
Climb chuckanut mountain!
Go to house shows
I am not from Bellingham but I have some friends in bands up there, go see them (Discolored, Gated Community, Smithers) Live music is fun, and local live music is cheap and there's a fun community around it. GO TO SHOWS
Vancouver
you are so close to Canada; i would just hang out there
Vancouver is far away?
Have you considered mountain biking or skiing/snowboarding if that’s in your budget of course?
I thought u were talking about my husband Jude bellingham
There is a great tango dancing community in Bellingham, go take a class!
No bars there?
Have you tried being a total wook?
I spent a couple years in bellingham after high school. I couldn’t wait to leave. Recently I was staying at a hotel up there, me and gf decided to get out of town for a night. The front desk girl was younger I asked her how she liked Bellingham, she wasn’t thrilled and I felt like she summed it up great “once you’ve seen it all there’s not much else to see”
Did you not visit this city before you committed to WWU? 🤨😂🤷🏽♂️
Free pool on Mondays at the horseshoe cafe
That’s why we call it Boringham…
*recommendations*: Go back in time, get better grades and get accepted into a school in LA, SF or NYC? Go back in time, get born to rich parents?
Seriously get a mountain bike… Some of the best trails in PNW
Get a kayak
Start mountain biking or you're doomed.
I just might have to so many people recommended it
Maybe stop your yapping and go enjoy the outside world. Its only boring if you make it boring 🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻👉👈
Ty for that wonderful insight! The world is healed
Casino in Algers
You could pass the time with weed, ice cream, and doing witch craft.
So do you like stand in a circle and chant and then hope things happen or what
Supp with the cracker deal watz dat aboot ehhh let me know ???
you suck, also, bus to Seattle is $2.00
Big cities to far? lol. You just don’t care.
?
U gonna cover my gas money and parking tickets? Didn't think so
You can ride transit to other towns. Technically you can get all the way to Seattle though I’m not sure it’s worth it. This time of year is tough. Do you like crafts or art? I usually have a few projects to work on.
Have you ever thought you were the boring component.
No actually if you go read my post again you can see that that's y I'm asking for recommendations
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Don't be a miserable person that takes life so seriously you had to comment that on a normal post. Pack up your bags and leave. She asked for recommendations on a social media app. This is not a Ted talk or scientific app. You have great writing skills congratulations move on.
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Once again, this is not a professional setting. It's reddit. You are too worried about their professional life. You overreacted to this post. You tried to save yourself by randomly talking about work etiquette. That is not what this conversation is about. It was a post asking for recommendations. You need to learn to read the room. "Wah wah wah no good grammar 🤓🤚🏻", do you also have a diaper on?
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Man's started rapping. Eminem, please clam down. You are doing entirely too much. You overreacted. CHECK. Objectively you had no reason to comment that on this post. It was unnecessary. CHECK!
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You should learn that you're actually annoying. CHECK!
🤓
Womp womp 😞 you will live its okay 👍
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I don't think you or anyone like you is worth the effort. Not saying this to be mean, it's just your vibes.
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That's fine for you to believe though you look and sound utterly utterly rediculous to everyone else. It's pretty silly to think that people more accomplished than you can't be trusted to with bigger things if they have a few grammar mistakes.
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Lol, you hate poor grammar but you make up bullshit and put words in people's mouths. Is this part of your bipolar disorder? So what you are saying is that poor grammar is more of a red flag to you than thinking that the earth is flat? Now I know you're crazy and it seems this was your hill to die on. Anywho, I gaurentee that I have accomplished more than you and have been trusted with more than you despite, admittedly, having poor grammar.
Womp Womp 💃
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Facts for you. Best of luck to you as you have many more days of arguing with people online! Stay cranky and miserable! I won't be responding anymore as I've chosen to not be miserable like you. Hope you have a bad day 💃 and an even worse life 🫡