The ideal spot to watch the sun set over Canada is Blaine Marine Park. Just a brief walk from downtown Blaine, this park offers views of the water and the Peace Arch. With two epic pirate-themed play structures, picnic shelter and walking paths, this beach spot has something for everyone. Sit under a shady apple tree or just relax and dip your toes in the warm tidewaters.
Boulevard Park roughly marks the halfway point between downtown Bellingham and the historic Fairhaven neighborhood. Boulevard offers plentiful landing spots for a sunset picnic. In the summers there is occasional live music, and just down the boardwalk there are summer outdoor movie nights on the Fairhaven Green. On hot days there are usually young people jumping off Taylor Dock being passed by bikers, walkers and dogs aplenty.
Little Squalicum Pier extends 1,248 feet out into Bellingham Bay and sits on 4.85 acres of restored costal habitat (restored by the Little Squalicum Estuary Project). The beach is tranquil and accessible by car as well as gravel walking/biking trails that wind through woods and parks. Sunset views over the pier are epic, especially when cumulus cloud formations happen to float by during a citrus sunset.
Larrabee State Park, which can be reached via a scenic meander down Chuckanut Drive from Fairhaven, sports several secluded beaches, a boat launch and tidepools galore. The park is dotted with massive rock formations, sheer cliffs and a lattice of trails and beach access points. Take a picnic lunch and you’ll be able to stay all day. When sunset lights up the rippling bay waters, you’ll be glad you stuck around.
Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve is one of the jewels of Whidbey Island. The reserve is situated on a massive bluff overlooking the Olympic Peninsula, and features miles of trails to explore. The beach itself is sunny and relaxing, and Fort Ebey State Park also offers camping if a day trip just isn’t enough. When sunset backlights the bluff, the effect is positively cinematic.
Fort Worden is the perfect spot to take any film buff or Richard Gere lover. The fort, located in Port Townsend, was the shooting location for the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman. There’s more than just historical and cultural attractions at Fort Worden; the views from the Point Wilson lighthouse are like nothing else. Look north all the way to Victoria, B.C. or east to Fort Casey on Whidbey Island. If you catch a soft, pink sunset behind the lighthouse, be sure to take a picture; you won’t want to forget the scene.
Lighthouse Park in Point Roberts sports spectacular sunsets. Though it does not have a lighthouse, the park sports a walking trail, barbeque facilities, picnic tables and a campground, so you don’t even have to leave when sunset is done. The plentiful driftwood makes for great places to sit as well as fodder for building beach structures. When the time comes, the sun sets over Strait of Georgia, where Orcas, seals and Eagles are common sightings.
East Beach and West Beach in White Rock are hemmed in by the White Rock promenade and punctuated by the White Rock Pier. When the sun starts to hang low, start your walk down the 1,542-foot pier or pop off the promenade to lay a blanket on the beach. The sunsets in White Rock are atmospheric, and you’ll be glad you stayed.
