Life in Bellingham

See What it's Like to Be Here

With a population of 92,000, Bellingham is a welcoming and safe community offering the advantages of a larger city and charm of a coastal town. Western students call Bellingham an adventure, a breath of fresh air, and a great place to call home.

A map of Washington with Bellingham, Seattle, Vancouver BC and other major cities highlighted

Explore the City

An aerial view of Bellingham at sunset. Some of the visible buildings are part of Western's campus, and many are not. Bellingham Bay and the waterfront are visible in the background.

From cozy cafes to bayside parks, Bellingham charms students with its welcoming culture and unique mix of local shops and venues.

Explore the Outdoors

One hiker stands on top of a peak. From her viewpoint, we can see rolling hills all the way to the horizon. The sun is either just setting or just rising.

Whether you hike, bike, ski, kayak, windsurf, backpack, or just want to play outside, Western is base camp for endless outdoor fun.

Visit Bellingham

Come take a tour of campus, virtually or in person.

See Visit Options

An aerial view of campus, facing south. We can see the arboretum with lots of trees on the left, campus buildings in the middle, and Bellingham Bay on the right.