Downtown Bellingham

Bellingham, WA

Downtown Bellingham - Bellingham, WA

Area Guide

Looking for adventure? It's in Bellingham

Mountains • Bay • Outdoors • University • Music Festivals • Art • Walkable • Bicycle-Friendly •

With the Cascade Mountains in the background and sitting along Bellingham Bay, Downtown Bellingham provides more than a beautiful landscape. For those who enjoy outdoor activities, an apartment in Downtown Bellingham is ideal -- nearby activities include boating, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, and camping. There's even an event that highlights Bellingham's fantastic adventures: the Ski to Sea Race, which begins as a ski race on Mount Baker and ends with kayaking on the bay. The seven-leg race is held over Memorial Day weekend and dates back to 1911.

Downtown Bellingham is a pedestrian-friendly shopping district, filled with gift stores, art galleries, boutiques, and more. Downtown Bellingham is next door to another favorite shopping district, the Historic Fairhaven District. Western Washington University is a few blocks south of Downtown Bellingham, and students often bike ride or walk downtown.

Hotspots include the Upfront Theatre, the Wild Buffalo House of Music, Mindport Exhibits, and the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention. The Bellingham Farmers Market, voted one of the top farmers markets in the Pacific Northwest, is located off East Maple Street near Railroad Avenue. Downtown Sounds takes place every summer, taking place on Bay and Prospect Streets. The Bellingham Festival of Music is another popular music festival, held in July.

Explore the Neighborhood

A historic clock adorns the Bellingham National Bank building

The historic Red Front Building was built in 1900 as Samuel Altshuler’s Red Front Clothing Store

The award-winning Chuckanut Bay Distillery includes a tasting room and a retail shop

Avenue Bread’s Railroad Café served as the original bakery location in 1995

Rent Trends

As of January 2025, the average apartment rent in Downtown Bellingham is $1,211 for a studio, $1,440 for one bedroom, $1,812 for two bedrooms, and $2,205 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Downtown Bellingham has increased by 1.7% in the past year.