Bellingham: Your Last-Minute Summer Escape for Seattle-Area Families

Bring your hiking shoes, biking gear or canoe and play for a day at Lake Padden, a beautiful forested lake about 5 miles to the southeast of downtown. A kid-friendly 2.6-mile loop trail circles the lake, with other trails branching off. You’ll feel like you are in the mountains rather than just five minutes off the freeway. In the summer, families can fish or swim.

Tip: The southeast corner of the park has an enclosed off-leash dog area, plus a few miles of specific trails where your furry friend to run free.

Next stop: Whatcom Falls

^{Image credit: Jabiz Raisdana/Flickr CC}