Blaine
Blaine is a city in the Northwest Washington region of Washington (state). "The Peace Arch City" is the major land border crossing between Wstern Washington and the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It is on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, on Semiahmoo Bay and immediately north of Birch Bay.
Understand
[edit]Blaine was settled by Europeans in the mid-1800s and named after James G. Blaine, secretary of state and presidential candidate. It was incorporated as a city in 1890.
Blaine is a border town and the northern terminus of Interstate 5 which becomes BC-99 as one crosses into Canada. Blaine is also the most Northwest town in the Lower 48 States.
The Department of Homeland Security has two border inspection stations: Peace Arch Crossing to the west for passenger vehicles & the "Truck Crossing" to the east for both commercial entry and passenger vehicles. A great deal of Blaine's economy is based on legal trade across the Canadian border and Blaine also has a long history of smuggling.
Its population was estimated to be 5,400 in 2018.
Blaine has two large marinas with hundreds of boats. Salmon, crab, and other seafood are widely available.
- 1 Blaine Welcome Center, 546 Peace Portal Dr (In Skye Hill Station next to Starbucks), ☏ +1 360-332-4544. M-Sa 11AM-4PM, Su 1-PM.
Get in
[edit]
By car
[edit]Blaine is northern terminus of Interstate 5. It is also location of the two primary ports of entry between this part of Washington and the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada:
- 1 Surrey (Douglas/Peace Arch) - Blaine (Peace Arch) (Surrey, BC (Highway 99) – Blaine, WA (Interstate 5)). 24/7. Open to cars, but not commercial trucks and buses.
- 2 Pacific Highway - Blaine (Pacific Highway) (Surrey, BC (Highway 15) - Blaine, WA (WA-543)). 24/7. Open to all vehicles.
See the Get in – By car section of the Northwest Washington article for details.
By plane
[edit]The nearest commercial airport is Bellingham International Airport (BLI IATA).
Vancouver International Airport (YVR IATA), while across the border in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, offers a much wider range of destinations.
By bus
[edit]- 3 Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA), ☏ +1 360-676-7433. Operates public transit bus service in Whatcom County including Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, and Sumas. Also operates bus route 80X traveling north from Burlington and Mount Vernon in Skagit County to Bellingham.
- Route 75 operates from Monday to Saturday between Blaine and Bellingham via Ferndale.
Get around
[edit]By taxi
[edit]- Red Cab Taxi, ☏ +1 360-332-1960.
See
[edit]- 1 Peace Arch State Park (Go north on 2nd Street until the loop at A Street.), ☏ +1 360 332-8221, PeaceArch@parks.wa.gov. 8AM-dusk. A grand white arch in a grassy lawn marks the US-Canada international border. On either side of the park are frequently lines of cars crawling slowly through the border checkpoint lines. You can enter the park from either the US or Canadian side, and walk all around it, but you must leave by the side you entered, or else formally pass through the border checkpoint. Free.
Do
[edit]There are many biking & walking trails, including along Boundary Bay. Blaine is a major birdwatching area. There is a casino in Blaine, a library, and various small businesses.
- 1 Birch Bay Waterslides, 4874 Birchbay Lynden Rd, ☏ +1 360 371-7500.
- 2 Birch Bay State Park, 5105 Helweg Rd, ☏ +1 360 371-2800. Summer 6AM-dusk, winter 8AM-dusk.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Duty Free Americas, 20 12th St (Exit 275 on SR 543), ☏ +1 360 332-5223, store213@dutyfreeamericas.com. 24 hr. However, online orders only available for pickup 8AM-10PM.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Drayton Harbor Oyster Company, 685 Peace Portal Dr, ☏ +1 360-656-5958.
- 2 Bordertown Mexican Grill, 538 Peace Portal Dr, ☏ +1 360-441-7661. M-Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 10AM-7PM.
Drink
[edit]- 1 The Wheelhouse Bar and Grill, 746 Peace Portal Dr, ☏ +1 360-332-3512. Sports bar with billiards and pull-tabs. Full menu including sandwiches, burgers, and pizza.
- 2 Beach Cat Brewing, 7876 Birch Bay Dr, #101 (I-5 Exit 270), ☏ +1 360-366-8065, info@beachcatbrewing.com.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Semiahmoo Resort, 9565 Semiahmoo Pkwy, ☏ +1 360-318-2000, toll-free: +1-855-917-3767 (reservations), guestservices@semiahmoo.com. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM.
- 2 WorldMark Birch Bay, 4810 Beachcomber Dr, ☏ +1 360-371-0880. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10AM. One and two bedroom suites with kitchens by a rocky beach. It has a partially covered outdoor pool, hot tub, and game room.
- 3 Birch Bay RV Campground, 8418 Harborview Rd, ☏ +1 360-371-7432 (ranger station), toll-free: +1-888-481-6348 (reservations).
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]Go north to Canada's West Coast gem Vancouver, or head south to Seattle for a great time on the Sound.
| Routes through Blaine |
Vancouver ← Surrey ← becomes  ←  (cars) ← |
N  S |
→ Ferndale → Seattle |
Vancouver via  ← Surrey ← becomes  ← (cars / trucks / buses) ← |
N  S |
→ ENDS at  |