Seriously, the Pacific Northwest towards the end of summer is one of the most beautiful places in Washington, dare I say the country? If this is your first time visiting, welcome, you're in for a treat. If you're a regular visitor, welcome back.

Summer is the best time to visit; the sun rises around 5 am and doesn't set until 9 or 9:30 pm, so you have plenty of time to explore.

If you like to hike, you've hit the jackpot; find a hike on one of hundreds of hiking trails from water to mountains, and everything in between.

If you like scenery, take a drive down Chuckanut. Taking a drive out to Mount Baker and stopping off at Nooksack Falls is also a beautiful way to spend the day, drive all the way up to Artist Point (be aware, it's a very windy road), and one your way back down stop at The Northfork Brewery, they have great pizza, brew their own beer, and have been around for decades.

If you like to shop, you have to visit Fairhaven and stop at our locally owned bookstore, Village Books (my personal favorite), and Paper Dreams. If you don't mind a little bit of a drive (20 minutes), go visit Lynden. Lynden is a sweet little Dutch town with many sweet little shops, from clothing to antiques. Stop and get a treat at Lynden Dutch Bakery, and an ice cream from Edaleens is a must-have, giant ice cream cones for less than $3!

The Bellingham Farmers Market is also lovely, so if you like fresh flowers, fruit, veggies, and artisan crafts, it's a must-see.

If you like craft beer, welcome, there are amazing microbreweries all around us. One of my favorites is TerraMar Brewstillery; it's a 20-minute drive south, but it's worth it in my opinion. There are also many others in town who are great.